Private Sector ‘Is the Golden Goose’

JEDDAH, 18 July 2006 — Minister of Labor Ghazi Al-Gosaibi has announced that the Saudization process in the government sector is almost complete and that the ministry is now fully dependent on the private sector in finding jobs for nationals.

“We are depending on the private sector to employ the largest percentage of Saudis in the coming period. Saudization in the government sector is almost complete,” Al-Gosaibi said yesterday at a meeting with businessmen and board members of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI).

The minister noted that the private sector provides a wide range of job opportunities in various fields. “I have said this numerous times; it’s the golden goose and the ministry has no intention to harm it,” said Al-Gosaibi.

He said at yesterday’s discussions he found a positive response to the government’s Saudization strategy. He said Saudization was a priority that the Ministry of Labor “would not back down or let it go”.

Al-Gosaibi explained that yesterday’s meeting would be the foundation of coming meetings between the ministry and JCCI. “The ministry is relying on the chamber of commerce to not be an opponent but a partner on a national project in hiring Saudi men and women,” he said.

In response to a question about gold merchants leaving the Kingdom to operate in markets abroad because of their opposition to the Saudization process, Al-Gosaibi said that the Ministry of Labor would work to achieve targets.

Regarding the issue of Saudis leaving work and the research done by the Human Resource Fund that highlighted that 45 percent of Saudi youths refuse to work in the private sector due to low salaries, long working hours and a lack of job security, the minister pointed out that in the Arab world and third-world countries the government sector has an attitude of offering workers job security, less working hours and less supervision because they fundamentally are not money making institutions.

“The employees are not evaluated on the basis of revenue, as is the case in the private sector,” he added.

Regarding the sacking of 69 women from Gazzaz perfume stores, Al-Gosaibi said, “We are working to resolve the matter.” The minister added that there are no other authorities apart from the government which is dealing with the employment of Saudi women.