RIYADH, 27 December 2005 — There was a good turnout of voters for the first-ever elections to the Council of Saudi Engineers (CSE) yesterday. Polling started at 1 p.m. and picked up momentum after 5 p.m. with a large number of men streaming in to cast their votes till it closed at 9 p.m.
Describing the response as highly encouraging, Nadia Bakhurji told Arab News that she was excited at the large turnout. “I was excited when many told me that they have voted for me,” she said.
However, only a few women voters, including Nadia, showed up at the polling booth underlining a lack of response among ladies. The turnout of women voters was said to be better in Jeddah and the Eastern Province.
Earlier, Nadia said that one of her priorities, if she is elected, would be to encourage more female engineers to register with the Council so that they could develop their professional expertise. Membership of the Council is compulsory for both male and female engineers, including expatriates, in order to engage in this profession.
According to a spokesman of the Council, the mandate of the organization has been expanded to make it a regulatory authority for boosting the standards of the engineering industry and for creating an environment conducive to innovation and professional development.
He said the Council is a scientific professional body operating under the supervision of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. He pointed out that in view of the enlargement of its mandate the Council may set up more branches in the Kingdom.
Currently, the Council has around 6,000 Saudi engineers as members. For the first time, membership has been made compulsory for Saudis, while non-Saudi engineers could join as associate members.
