JEDDAH — The annual inflation allowance, approved by the Cabinet this month, is applicable to Saudis as well as non-Saudi contract workers in all government departments and organizations, the Finance Ministry announced yesterday. It said government employees would receive an allowance of five percent of the basic salary in the first year, 10 percent in the second year and 15 percent in the third year. They will begin receiving the allowances effective from Muharram 1 (Jan. 10, 2008), the Saudi Press Agency said.
Officials Clear Squatter Camps
MAKKAH — Authorities in Al-Shuaiga municipality swept through a series of squatter encampments on a cluster of about 300 plots of government land in south Makkah. The officials arrived in the early morning to find the squatters gone. Some arrived while officials were clearing the area of ramshackle housing, but no incidents were reported. Muhammad Faqih, the head of the local committee assigned to evicting squatters, said that they have previously sent several warnings, which were ignored. In some cases, the plots were granted to low-income Saudi families, but they are occupied by squatters. (Zainy Abbas)
— Compiled by Arab News
