JEDDAH, 27 September 2006 — The Council of Ministers yesterday instructed the Labor Ministry to soften recruitment regulations for the contracting sector and speed up issuance of visas required by companies carrying out government projects.
The weekly Cabinet meeting, chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah early yesterday, gave the instructions after going through a study on the problems facing implementation of development projects.
“The Cabinet took a series of decisions to correct the situation including softening of recruitment conditions for the contracting sector,” said State Minister and Acting Minister of Culture and Information Saud Al-Mutehami. “Regulations must be liberalized in order to ensure adequate supply of manpower required by companies implementing government projects,” he said.
The Cabinet also decided to set up a high-level committee at the Finance Ministry, comprising representatives of government departments, to review administrative and financial procedures in order to speed up implementation of government projects.
“Measures will also be taken to ensure quick payment of the dues of contractors,” Mutehami said. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has been instructed to monitor the market for construction products to make sure that these products are available at reasonable prices.
The Cabinet also decided to toughen punishment for those who violate regulations related to resident permit (iqama) and Haj and Umrah visas and publish the names of violators in one or more local newspapers at the expense of the violators. Earlier while addressing the Cabinet, King Abdullah congratulated the Arab and Islamic Ummah on the advent of Ramadan and urged them to make use of the holy month to strengthen their unity and solidarity.
“Our Islamic religion is a religion of love and moderateness. Its lofty values reject extremism and intolerance. It encourages mutual respect and understanding and equality in order to build a world of tolerance, cooperation, peace and mutual confidence among different nations,” the king said.
In this respect, King Abdullah referred to the 10-point working program approved by the extraordinary Islamic summit held in Makkah in December last year.
The Cabinet approved a new law on government tenders and purchases. The law provides all qualified companies including foreign firms with equal opportunity. The law will come into effect 120 days after its publication in the official gazette.
