A Buy Off - or Legitimate Economic and Social Support Initiatives?

A closer look at the Saudi royal decrees

23/03/2011

By Dr. Amal Al-Hazzani

Dr. Amal Al- Hazzani

Dr. Amal Al- Hazzaniis is an Assistant Professor in King Saud University in Riyadh.

Last Friday in Saudi Arabia, there were joyful reactions to the announcements made by the Saudi King, declaring reformative and developmental decrees worth 350 billion SR [Saudi Riyals]. The news was conveyed through Blackberry SMS messages, one of which read: "Ladies and gentlemen of Saudi Arabia, following the royal decrees issued at 2:00 pm, we can announce that they also apply to those in retirement. Students will be given a holiday tomorrow, so we advise you not to go to bed early, for there may be more news before dawn."


In administrative practice, expectations are considered to be highly sensitive issues, and can have a significant impact on the performance of a civil servant. Expectations can serve as an incentive, if they match reality on the ground, but they can also transform into a cause for frustration, if they far exceed the reality. Yet what is most dangerous is if the civil servant, consumer, or citizen has no expectations at all; when they have become so disenfranchised that they do not care about anything.


The Saudi people gathered around their television screens to listen to the king's speech and the decrees that followed. The speech was an expression of thanks to the people for their loyalty towards their leadership. It was an emotional, honest address, which touched the inner consciousness of the citizens, especially mothers who burst into tears when the king asked the people not to forget to pray.


Saudi expectations were generally high, because the King had previously allocated 135 billion SR to facilitate development projects, two months after announcing a public budget of 580 billion SR. So what can we expect from the latest decrees?

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