http://www.arabnews.com/?page=13§ion=0&article=126780&d=29&m=9&y=2009&pix=kingdom.jpg&category=Local
Press
Sunday 27 September 2009 (08 Shawwal 1430)
Average income of a Saudi
Ali Saad Al-Mosa | Al-Watan, [email protected]
I recently read a report on the average income of a Saudi individual. The
report stated that, compared to last year, the average income of a Saudi
increased by 19 percent this year, reaching SR70,000.
I am not going to talk about the number, but I would surely like to talk
about the mechanism, methods and tools used to reach such a figure. It should
be borne in mind that what this report states does not mean that every Saudi,
man or woman, is earning SR70,000 per year.
I would also like to know who is misleading decision makers with such
numbers? Who is this person trying to provide comfort to officials by saying
that the average Saudi family of six, which is the average number of members in
a Saudi family, is earning SR420,000.
If these statistics are to be believed then Saudis live in luxury in
Jeddah and Riyadh or own castles in the mountains of Abha.
The reality is, however, starkly different. That's what these statistics
do not reveal.
We have about three million Saudi families. According to official
documents from the Ministry of Social Affairs, 600,000 families receive
financial aid. In light of these numbers, I would like to know where these
statisticians are bringing these surprising figures?
I recollect that the last census employee who visited me did so six years
ago. If we do not know the real number of our population, then how can we know
for sure about important issues such as income, spending, saving or the number
of unemployed people in our country.
We talk about the needs of the job market but we do not know exactly what
those needs are and which specialties the job market needs. We only know of
general figures from Saudi TV and, so, one is led to ask where these people are
bringing their detailed statistics? That's one more thing I would like to know.
However, remember for the time being that the average income of a Saudi
individual has increased by 19 percent.
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