JEDDAH, 6 November 2003 — The Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry has outlined plans to improve its terms of service to the business community.
“We have achievements to our credit and have introduced many activities, but we need to do more to enhance the quality of work within the organization and its service to the community,” Adel Faqeeh, chairman of the board of JCCI, told the chamber’s general assembly meeting on Tuesday night.
The chamber’s financial results for 1423-24 were presented at the meeting which was briefly attended by Abdullah A. Zainal Alireza, minister of state and former chairman of JCCI.
The financial results, presented by Ibrahim Al-Jomaih, head of JCCI’s financial committee, show that there has been an increase in revenue of six percent, a decrease in expenses of about seven percent and an increase of member subscribers of eight percent.
The chamber’s revenue during the year was SR75.2 million against the previous year’s SR71.5 million. Its actual expenses were SR56.2 million during the year against SR60.4 million for the previous year. Its revenue from member subscribers and attestation of documents from businessmen and the general public netted SR47 million during the year which was the same as last year. The chamber’s expenses during the year included SR5 million for training and SR6 million for upgrading of Warehouse City.
There was sustained applause as JCCI’s former Chairman Sheikh Ismail Abu Dawood took his seat and Adel Faqeeh, Muhammad Abdullah Al-Shareef and Ibrahim Al-Jomaih greeted him.
Referring to Abdullah Zainal Alireza’s contribution to the chamber during his chairmanship and now as minister, Sheikh Ismail, who was chairman of the chamber for many years, said: “We’re proud at JCCI and as businessmen that three senior leaders of the chamber have held ministerial posts.”
Adel Faqeeh said the financial report reflected the year’s achievements. “It also reflects the continued efforts the chamber is making to diversify its services to the business community. We’ve achieved many things and added many activities. We’ve created new services based on our plans and vision,” he said.
He said the JCCI had embarked on a new strategy and had completely reorganized its network. “All this is aimed at further improving our services. We’re working on plans to improve our human resource sector within the chamber,” he added.
The annual report also expects the chamber to implement corporate governance aimed at directing energies to improving the working environment and the quality of service. It seeks to create a new management to specialize in implementing the chamber’s goals and programs. Its activities have been concentrated in many sectors including the Jeddah Islamic Seaport and tourism in addition to business conventions, human resources, and service to members and the general public.
