John Burgess posts what first seems like a pretty insignifcant story:

JEDDAH, 18 February 2005 ???????? The Labor Ministry????????s recent decision to postpone for another three years the Saudization of taxi business infuriated Saudis working in the sector who have now sought the intervention of higher authorities. The drivers complained of the losses they said they continued to incur as a result of the unfair competition from expatriate drivers.

As many as 1,200 drivers and owners of taxis assembled outside the palace of Crown Prince Abdullah in Riyadh calling for his intervention. They said the decision by the ministry shows a lack of seriousness in enforcing Saudization.

But his analysis quickly reminds us all of the greater context that this is in, and what it means for Saudi Arabia:

The Saudis seem to be developing confidence that their individual voices matter in the politics of everyday life. A public protest held by 1,200 people is remarkable in the Saudi context.

???????Saudization,??????? the government????????s effort to replace foreign workers with Saudi workers, was always going to be a difficult proposition, on many fronts. Here, though, the problem is that change is happening too slowly to suit Saudis who actually want the jobs. This, too, is remarkable.

Driving a cab was one of the first service jobs that Saudis could see themselves doing. There????????s something honorable about being in charge of the vehicle, knowing the routes, and doing something that others could only do with difficulty. (In a country with no house or building numbers and unnamed streets, navigation is no small matter!)

Here, though, Saudi drivers are accusing some of the taxi companies of dragging their feet because they can make better profits by retaining third-world drivers, who have fewer rights and lower wages. They????????re demanding transparency in the implementation of the laws and equal treatment.

Definitely something to keep in mind.