Site lets public air grievances about services
Published: Feb 26, 2011 23:09 Updated: Feb 27, 2011 00:26
JEDDAH: A website has been launched for members of the public to lodge complaints about the services offered by different government departments and private companies and suggest solutions to resolve them.
The website, which also has a section for expatriates, received over 1,000 visitors on its second day and some 180 complaints. The site — shakwa.net — is the brainchild of Mohamad Al-Deheme, a 24-year-old Saudi computer programmer.
Al-Deheme said the site has been launched to receive complaints from members of the public. “Our theme is ‘hand in hand with officials to develop our Kingdom,’” he said, adding that the site is for both Saudis and expatriates.
Al-Deheme said he is to seek permission for the site from the Ministry of Information, which recently announced an updated online publishing law. “We want officials to cooperate with us and benefit from our ideas to help find solutions for problems that members of the public experience,” he said, adding that the website is still under development and open to suggestions.
The sections where most complaints have so far been received include those dedicated to the Ministry of Higher Education, telecommunication companies, the Saudi Electric Company, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Labor. The website also has an option that allows complainants to offer suggestions to resolve problems and allows other Web users to post their observations. Some users have complained about cultural bureaus, which have been accused of not cooperating with Saudi students abroad. Other complaints include calls for increasing stipends for students abroad.
Complaints against the Ministry of Higher Education revolve around delays in salaries for correspondents at local universities, and calls to include the children of Saudi mothers and non-Saudi fathers to be included in King Abdullah Scholarship Program.
The main complaints against telecommunication companies include complications relating bills and spam SMS text messages.
Complaints against the Ministry of Labor relate to low salaries, unemployment and discrimination between the private and public sectors.
Comments
MERLIN
Feb 27, 2011 14:28
Report abuseVAL
Feb 27, 2011 14:34
Report abuseAMS
Feb 27, 2011 14:35
Report abuseThanks for launching this kind of website
MIKO
Feb 27, 2011 14:46
Report abuseMOHAMMED SHAREEF
Feb 27, 2011 14:47
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