The Mayor of Al-Baha Region, Dr. Ali bin Muhammad Al-Sawat, confirmed that the National Day is a day of pride and recognition of what has been accomplished and preparation for what will be accomplished. He considered the celebration of our eighty-seventh National Day a window to the past to get to know what has been accomplished, and it is also a door through which we enter into the future, starting with the possibilities of the joyful reality to progress and civilization. .
Al-Sawat congratulated the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and considered the elevation and status of our country a source of pride for everyone who belongs to this benevolent country.
Dr. Al-Sawat said: The achievements of Prince Muhammad bin Salman during the past two years were great at the internal, national and political levels, as they were real gains for the country and the citizen, and these political and economic achievements were racing against time with the determination of men and the enthusiasm of youth, and here he is today, this young prince assumes the position A prestigious honor befitting him on the hierarchy of the leadership of this country as Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense.
And that His Highness the Crown Prince is a unique model of national leadership, expressing his happiness and pride in the development movement whose features have emerged and its roots have taken root, which will be reflected in the country and push the national development process forward, and contribute more and faster to achieving the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and will give more support and impetus to the National Transformation Program 2020 It will also enhance the prestige, political and economic weight, and the great respect that the Kingdom enjoys at the global level as a result of its balanced policies and clear and firm stances to preserve global stability and peace and combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
The Secretary of Al-Baha revealed that the Al-Baha Municipality spent more than 62 million riyals in the Hijri year 1438 on 10 vital projects, which were the establishment of Al-Hassam Park, the improvement and beautification of the entrances to the Municipality and the municipalities, the construction of two gates on the airport road, two gates for Raghadan Park, and the implementation of 16 overlooking sessions in Raghadan Park. , building 34 workshops in the northern and eastern industrial zones, opening roads with plans, asphalting and lighting, expropriating property to improve intersections, and preventing the dangers of floods through several rainwater drainage projects. Al-Sawat stressed that avoiding building in valleys and streams of torrential rains saves 40% of the budget, since valleys have been disposing of themselves since the dawn of history.
Regarding the failure of some contractors to deliver their projects, Al-Sawat saw that the contractors in Al-Baha are medium and small, and the big ones go to major cities and regions by virtue of the fact that the financial solvency helps them to implement their projects in record time, stressing that the region cooperates with them by adjusting the schedules.
He pointed out that there are projects that the ministry withdrew from contractors, which are zero projects, and there is a difference between the terms default and delay. Whoever does not exceed the time frame is late, and whoever exceeds the time schedule is evaluated, and the default is what has been stopped completely.
Al-Sawat looked forward to establishing a company in cooperation with the private sector to expropriate property and develop the central region at an estimated cost of one billion riyals.
He expressed his dissatisfaction with the performance of health control in Al-Baha, pointing to the use of technology to monitor food facilities in order to ensure the safety of citizens. Al-Sawat said: “I will not say that it is bad, except that I am not satisfied with it, and we are in the process of employing technology to monitor food establishments and intensifying control campaigns. And we will be firm with the operators of slaughterhouses, restaurants and cafes, because the health of the citizen comes first, and if there is negligence in health, then change it from the fore.
Al-Sawat explained that the services agency in the Municipality and the municipalities of the governorates and centers in the region have completed the preparation and preparation of gardens, parks, municipal squares, tourist attractions and fields for celebrations. In preparation for the celebration of the Glorious National Day, the installation of aesthetic lighting, decorative contracts, and panels of congratulations and blessings for the nation's leadership and people were intensified on the main streets, in public squares, and at the entrances to cities and governorates in the Al-Baha region.
Al-Sawat said, "All the squares and sites for holding celebrations, as well as parks, gardens, and squares in the city of Al-Baha and in all governorates and centers in the region, are fully prepared to receive those celebrating the National Day." Including asphalt streets, balconies, sidewalks, pedestrian paths, lighting fixtures, green spaces, and plantations. Large numbers of seasonal flowers and roses have been planted in a number of locations.
He reaffirmed that the municipal sector, as a vital pillar of the national transformation in light of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 and the National Transformation Program 2020, the employees of the Municipality in Al-Baha and all municipalities and municipal councils are in diligent work to contribute to the transformation with perfection and high quality in order to achieve the ambition and aspirations of the rulers and officials of the Ministry of Municipalities, since The directives of the Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs are always in the field of raising the efficiency of performance and flexibility with investors.
Regarding the trend towards privatization and the role of the Secretariat, Al-Sawat said, “As you know, the privatization process has become one of the economic strategies in most countries of the world, in order to improve the administrative and economic performance in some public facilities and projects.” Ministers No. (60), dated 1/4/1418 AH, and according to what was stated in the strategic foundations of the seventh five-year development plan.
He stressed that the privatization programs aim to raise the level of efficiency and tool of municipal services, reduce the burden on municipal agencies and invest their capabilities, raise the percentage of coverage of municipal services in populated areas, provide additional sources of financing, narrow the gap between municipal requirements and financial appropriations, and reduce the volume of losses in municipal revenues. .
In view of the importance of the relationship between the Ministry and the municipal authorities in the field of privatization, the Ministry saw the necessity of appointing liaison officers (coordinators) for the municipalities and municipal agencies to deal with them in matters of privatization. By holding the first meeting and calling for these coordinators, and this aims primarily at introducing them to the privatization program and providing them with some documents related to privatization and defining work mechanisms for cooperation between the ministry on the one hand and the secretariats and municipal agencies between them and each other on the other hand, and it was agreed with them to meet with them periodically once every Two months, once in the ministry, then the secretariats rotate to host the meeting and set agendas for each.
In order to privatize municipal activities to the fullest extent, a privatization program was established in the ministry to carry out the tasks of privatizing municipal activities. It includes in its membership an elite group of people with competencies working in the ministry. In order to achieve its goals, the program follows a well-established strategic plan based on a number of axes, including the study of privatization from The theory and review of some global experiences related to the privatization of similar municipal activities, and the adoption of a scientific methodology to determine the municipal activities that are most amenable to privatization by following an objective method for comparison (the standard weight method), in addition to recourse to the view of the private sector and some government agencies on the privatization of some activities.
He reaffirmed his work to achieve the aspirations of the wise leadership and the proud people, according to the directives of His Highness, the Emir of the Baha region, His Royal Highness Prince Hussam bin Saud bin Abdulaziz, and the Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs, Eng. Abdullatif bin Abdulmalik Al Sheikh.
Ali Al-Rubai (Al-Baha)