JEDDAH, 12 November 2002 — The government is expected to devolve more powers to the Shoura Council enabling the consultative body to exercise its supervisory role in a more effective manner, according to Bakri Shatta, vice president of the council.
He said the recent visit of Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, to the council will have positive results in providing the body with important powers.
"The council is in the process of development, which will empower it to exercise its supervisory role effectively," Shatta told Al-Madinah newspaper.
Addressing a special Shoura session on Saturday, which was attended by Prince Sultan, Shoura President Saleh ibn Humaid said the 120-member council required more powers to make it highly effective.
"The Shoura Council represents a cornerstone in the country’s development process in the planning, organizational and supervisory aspects," the president told the special session.
In his address to the meeting, Prince Sultan highlighted the Shoura’s indisputable supervisory role as well as its efforts in revising the Kingdom’s rules and regulations.
Shatta said the ongoing efforts to empower the Shoura Council were aimed at improving its systems and performance. He said the Shoura members had made a number of proposals during a closed-door meeting with Prince Sultan.
"During the meeting the prince directed us to record the proposals in order to be presented to the higher authorities," he added.
At present, the Shoura discusses reports of various government departments and ministries and gives its suggestions to improve their performance.
"Prince Sultan heard a number of proposals from the heads of various Shoura committees. The proposals were aimed at strengthening Shoura’s supervisory role."
"These proposals were made in the interest of the Kingdom and its people. They will be presented to higher authorities for study and approval," he said.
Asked whether the council will have supervisory powers in addition to its lawmaking role, Shatta said it would depend on the result of the proposals.
In a front-page editorial yesterday, Okaz newspaper commended Prince Sultan’s open and frank discussions with Shoura members.
It said the meeting symbolized the true form of Shoura in Islam where top officials meet with representatives of people to discuss important public issues.
"The meeting focused on an important issue — the supervisory role of the Shoura...and the need for changing its supervision of government agencies," the paper said.
Meanwhile, a regular meeting of the Shoura yesterday discussed a report by the Ministry of Petroleum and Minerals for 2001. Dr. Hamoud Al-Badr, secretary-general of the Shoura, said Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Ali Al-Naimi will attend the next Shoura session to answer questions of Shoura members.
Badr said the meeting also discussed a report on a comprehensive assessment of the Kingdom’s education system with the participation of senior Education Ministry officials.
