AL-AHSA, 8 November 2005 — Industry statistics indicate that Eastern Province sales of gold during Ramadan and Eid were SR20 million. Sales of gold began to increase from the middle of the month before Ramadan. A prominent Eastern Province businessman, Hasan Al-Bathar, said that gold sales had increased by 22 percent from last year. He attributes the reason to the 15 percent increase in government employees’ salaries.