MAKKAH, 6 September 2007 — A branch of the Local Committee for Retired People will start its activities in Makkah on Sunday with the aim of serving 20,000 retired people in the holy city.
The committee is to hold a meeting at the Tawafa Hall for South Asian Pilgrims to formally announce the branch’s establishment on Sunday. A large number of retired people from Makkah are expected to attend the meeting, which will choose officials and employees of the Makkah branch. An open discussion is also scheduled to take place to develop plans to help retired people.
Foad Bougari, one of the founders of the committee and a member of its board of directors, urged the government sector, the private sector and anyone who is interested in issues relating to retired people to participate in the meeting.
“It will be an interesting meeting, and an important one too, to discuss financial, social, health and legal issues pertaining to the retirees,” he said.
Bougari expressed appreciation for the support that the committee has received from the authorities.
The Makkah chapter will bring the number of total branches of the Local Committee for Retired People to nine.
The committee was established two years ago and is chaired by Interior Minister Prince Naif. Its consultant committee is headed by Prince Saud ibn Abdullah ibn Thunayan Al-Saud.
Saudi Arabia spends billions of riyals annually in social security benefits to retired civil servants and military officers. Some 800,000 Saudis currently receive payouts from the Pension Department.
