JEDDAH, 30 October — The final results of the two-day elections for the board of directors of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry are, which began yesterday morning, are being eagerly awaited.
Voters are trying to second guess who will succeed Ismael Abu Dawood, who has been the chamber’s chairman for the past 15 terms.
In the 18-member board, the elections are being conducted for 12 seats, while the remaining seats are to be filled by the Commerce Ministry’s nominees.
However, the names of Abdullah Zainal and Waleed Al-Juffali are repeatedly heard from several quarters as the most likely candidates to win the posts of chairman and deputy chairman respectively.
Many observers have commented that a number of the sitting members seeking reelection to the board failed to take on board the urgency of certain contemporary issues during their last term in office. Nor did they participate in seminars discussing issues related to smaller establishments.
Some have even gone so far as to demand that the members who were regularly absent from the functions and events organized by the present chamber should not be allowed to stand for reelection. Still others suggest that only well-known business houses and experts need to be represented in the board.
However, analysts believe that there will not be any drastic change in the setup of the new board as the winners will in all likelihood be mainly from the panels of the two biggest party groupings, Al-Taawun and Al-Tatwir.
In yesterday’s polling voting was slow in the morning, contrary to expectations, according to sources at the election committee. However, after 6 p.m. voters did start to arrive in larger numbers.
There are 17,000 eligible voters in the JCCI. The 4,000-plus female members, who vote by proxy, will be a decisive influence in the election results.
The Tatwir group had set up its campaign office in a large tent close to the chamber building off the Hail Street, while the Taawun activists are camped in King Fahd City.
Ahmad Al-Turki, an independent candidate who has contested the election unsuccessfully four times, was seen soliciting voters standing in the shade of the chamber building — offering them tea and dates.
The voters flocked to the chamber building in buses and cars during the evening hours. Free meals and gifts were offered to them. Passers-by also came forward to accept the gifts.
