Through the mind’s eyeWhere the difference lies: Yemeni or foreigner? [Archives:2007/1023/Community]

Maged Thabet Al-Kholidy
[email protected]
Though Yemeni society bitterly suffers from unemployment, a number of foreigners, either from Arab countries or others, join companies and institutions of private, public, and mixed, public-private, sectors. Being considered foreign experts, such foreigners are paid high amounts in foreign currency, in addition to other privileges such as accommodation, annual tickets and cars. A salary paid in the local currency to a Yemeni, in comparison, equals less than ten percent of that paid to a foreigner. The question that arises here: Do such foreigners do something that cannot be done by local employees, or even workers?

It is generally common to find foreigners in high-ranking positions, sometimes because they are more qualified than Yemenis, but in other cases only because they are foreigners. That actually takes place in the three sectors, while some Yemenis of better qualifications work in lower positions, or they do not work at all. This does not stand against foreigners or their qualifications for some are more qualified and worthy of their working positions. But in some cases it is proved that they have nothing distinctive from the local employees. Substituting them with Yemenis, in such cases, may not negatively affect the work quality, but, on the contrary, it may positively improve it.

Yemeni employees, in my opinion, are to be responsible for that, though the decisions are always taken by high authorities or owners of the private sector. The will of improvement and self-qualification is a must in any workplace. If Yemeni employees keep this in mind with practical actions, foreigners have nothing to distinguish themselves in the field of work. They should prove their capabilities of better work in order to push themselves towards higher positions instead of leaving them for foreigners. Even it is not paid, they should consider it a matter of improving themselves, and they can be sure that one day it will help. A foreigner has no extra mind or extra capabilities. The difference lies only in the use of that mind and capabilities. One should learn anywhere and even from the foreigners themselves. All potential must be used to show success in whatever work is done. That really helps the employees to get more qualified. It also helps the institutions or companies to save money. And, if we look at the matter through the mind's eye, it will help in solving society's unemployment-problem.

Majed Thabet Al-kholidy is a 26 year old writer from Taiz, currently doing his M.A. at English Dep, Taiz Uni.An ex-editor of Eng. Journal of the Uni. ([email protected])
——
[archive-e:1023-v:14-y:2007-d:2007-02-08-p:community]