Fingerprinting system a big success: Ahmed

By GALAL FAKKAR | ARAB NEWS

JEDDAH: Deputy Interior Minister Prince Ahmed early Sunday highlighted the success of the Kingdom’s fingerprinting system in stopping criminals from escaping the country and cracking down on those who violate the country’s residency regulations.

Speaking to academics, businessmen and media persons who attended a sahour party hosted by Abdul Rahman Fakeeh at his residence in Makkah, Prince Ahmed said the system, which was introduced three years ago, had also led to a crackdown on the number of runaway maids.

He emphasized the need for conducting a study to find out the reasons for maids and other house servants running away from their sponsors.

Prince Ahmed said it was not reasonable to link unemployment among Saudis with the high recruitment rates of foreign workers. “There are about 500,000 unemployed young Saudi men and women and 6.5 million foreign workers in the job market,” he said.

“Even if we employ all those young unemployed Saudis, we’ll have at least six million foreign workers.” He said the late Labor Minister Ghazi Al-Gosaibi, whom he described as a dynamic person, could not find a solution to the recruitment problem.

Prince Ahmed said regional governors have been given permission to approve requests for marriages involving Saudis and foreign men and women.

“The regional governors have the authority to look into such applications,” the prince said. “About 50 percent of applications that come to the ministry are related to exceptional cases as they do not fulfill required regulations and conditions.” In the past, Saudi men needed to be aged at least 30 and women 24 for such marriages, according to the existing law. But Prince Ahmed pointed out the age limits have now been reduced to 25 and 22 respectively.

The minister disclosed plans to implement a number of new projects in Makkah to reduce traffic congestion in the holy city, especially during peak seasons.

Comments

USMAN AZAM

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As Far as i have concluded unemployment in Saudi Youth is not being uninterested in work its actually not interested in Public sector. Reasons are High paid Government Job as compared to Public sector higher benefits of Housing and after retirement in government job. So when they calculate that even if Public sector pays them twice as much as foreigners they are three times behind their Government employed mates.

ABULHAARITH

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The question I have is whether the fingerprint system covers the local population as well? Because we can catch foreign criminals, but what about the local ones? No fool would ever claim that Saudis don't commit crimes. There should be a database which includes the citizens so when a criminal investigation is conducted, the fingerprints of the foreigners are not the only ones seen by police in their database.

As for unemployment, you cannot blame the number of foreigners for that. It's a deeper problem since the SAUDI companies prefer foreigners over saudis for two reasons: 1) Work ethic/attitude/ behavior 2) education and experience.

These are the problems with Saudi workers. It's not easy to deal with them. That's why Saudiization fails. If the local labor was generally better, then the unemployment rates would drop.

As for the marriages... it's about time. Not that I'd personally ever marry a Saudi, but the concept of getting "approval" from the government to marry a foreigner just sounds outright racist to me. I just don't see what the big deal is. Muslims have become more racist when it comes to marriage than the non-Muslims. Yet we're told to behave like brothers to each other. "Sure we're brothers, but you can't marry my daughter... you're not from my race"

GLENN

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actually lets face the reality,the saudis doesnt want to work on a low class employment post like sales personnel,carpenter,and other blue collar jobs preferably they like the position of being a manager or a supervisor .this is the cause why they have such unemployment rate of approx.500,000 ..there too many jobs here in saudi if they like too.but of course you need to be an educated one to be a manager of an institution and most of the saudis are illiterate.thats the reality boss.

NADEEM

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They should give the nationlaities to the foreign workers, you will feel that this umeployment rate for saudies will become less.

MOHAMMED AL DEEN

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This is a very good way to stop crime ..... Few days back my friend's car was stolen & he went to report in police. They told him to wait & the matter will be seen. The authorities said this may be the work of Shabaab for there personal needs but did not register a complain & waited. After some hours they found the car in the desert & told me to take it aftertaking fingerprints on the car. If there was a universal way for fingerprints for Saudi & Expats this would have investigated very easily. So this is a suggestion for making proper channeling of the issues like this.
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