Kingdom losing ‘billions’ to underground economy

[Sally]

I realize that all around the world people get paid under the table; and as a result of this, local, state and federal governments are hurt, but somehow I can't get up a lot of sympathy for the Saudi leaders while they build palaces and have their cars silver-plated. I feel sorry for the ordinary Saudi citizen who has to resort to something like growing food to sell to earn a living for his family. There was a good article years ago in the Los Angeles Times entitled "Quicksands of Poverty" which described how even those who supposedly were in the middle class were hurting.

Kingdom losing ‘billions’ to underground economy

 Like in most countries worldwide, unlicensed economic activity such as selling of fruits by ambulant vendors abound in the Kingdom.

RIYADH: RODOLFO C. ESTIMO JR.

Published — Friday 18 July 2014


The Kingdom loses billions every year in revenue because of the underground economy, which includes food produced illegally, experts say.

The term “underground economy” refers to illegal activities that generate income not accounted for in a country's gross domestic product (GDP), said Saad Al-Buainian, an expert quoted recently in a Middle East publication.

He said that the underground economy accounts for between 20 and 30 percent of countries' GDP around the world.

Continue reading at:

Kingdom losing ?billions? to underground economy | Arab News ? Saudi Arabia News, Middle East News, Opinion, Economy and more.

 

[guno]

How do you produce food illegally?

 

[Sunni Man]

Nothing new......... 1/3rd of the Mexican economy is from illegals in America sending billions of dollars back to their families. ..

 

[irosie91]

I kinda have sympathy for the guy selling an apple from a cart.

Saudi Arabia actually has lots of impoverished people