Compare with Somalia not Emirates Please!

Earlier this week, I met with a governmental official who was not happy with the way citizens in Yemen complain about the sudden price hikes and those who claim that life style in Yemen is very expensive. He started attacking citizens who went to the street and demanding change, as he called them, “People who have too much free time”. He then started comparing Yemen to Moscow and showed the attendees that Yemen has a cheaper life style. He used the same comparison with other countries like Emirates, Jordan, and even the United States. He thought that his point was clear. I asked him if he took into consideration the yearly income people those countries were receiving and the income that is received in Yemen. However, he did not care for the matter too much and insisted that Yemen’s price hikes were not major. Minutes later, the official left in his luxurious vehicle and did not turn back. The reason for such an official not to feel the pain that locals suffer from the hikes in prices is because his income is good, and there is no need for him to feel sad or worried of the price increases.

My advice for such people is stop comparing living standards to the Emirates or the United States, and if you really want to compare Yemen with another country, if should be with Somalia, who is next door and even has a less percentage for citizens living under the line of poverty. So, compare with Somalia not the Emirates please.