RIYADH, 1 March 2007 — Minister of Labor Ghazi Al-Gosaibi has said that his ministry is targeting between 50 and 60 top companies in the Kingdom in its inspection program and make them examples to encourage smaller companies to follow the law.

“We intend to target big companies so smaller companies can learn a lesson,” he said, adding that small companies would comply with regulations after seeing large companies being screened. “They will then get the message.”

Speaking to graduates of an inspection program at the ministry yesterday, Al-Gosaibi said the inspectors should not be discouraged by the amount of work that they were expected to share.

The minister pointed out that there were only 165 inspectors in the entire Kingdom who are tasked with observing 900,000 institutions. “This should not discourage you,” he told the inspectors. “If every inspector registered 10 violations a day the outcome would be tremendous.”

Al-Gosaibi said his ministry was “being attacked by the press and at every social gathering” in spite of its achievements. He emphasized the steps the ministry has taken to reduce import of manpower.

But, he said his ministry was not waging a war against businessmen, whom he described as “unpatriotic” for failing to abide by the Saudization rules. “Our war is against unemployment,” he said.

Al-Gosaibi said there was much talk in the media of the ministry trailing back on some regulations. “Regulations change when circumstances change,” he said.

According to Al-Gosaibi, replacing Saudis in place of non-Saudis was a major mission for the ministry. “It is not a matter of pride for me to say that we have issued 400,000 work visas for foreigners last year when we tend to find jobs for 300,000 unemployed Saudis,” he said.

He said his ministry would continue clamping down on establishments that do not abide by the Saudization quotas “quietly and firmly” without a big fuss.

The minister urged the inspectors to be vigilant about companies that do not provide the proper conditions for workers. He said there was a new regulation that specifies the living, food and housing conditions for foreign workers.

Over 100 inspectors and assistant inspectors attended the 50-hour, 11-day training course that focused on aspects inspectors should realize when screening companies. The course also aimed at updating the inspectors on the labor law and the nature of violations.