BURAIDAH, 24 April 2008 — Labor Minister Ghazi Al-Gosaibi yesterday called for sustained support from society to help his ministry successfully implement new employment policies.
Addressing the participants in the second day of the seventh national dialogue forum that began in Buraidah on Tuesday, Al-Gosaibi said no Islamic religious strictures prevent women from working.
“After detailed studies and discussions, the religious scholars, intellectuals and the Supreme Economic Council have agreed on the religious regulations on the employment of women,” the minister said.
While guaranteeing the right of woman to work, the Islamic Shariah stipulates that she should work in an appropriate environment, not mixing with men and without exposing to harassment, he added.
Al-Gosaibi said he wants to hear the public’s views on how to solve employment issues. “People should advise and guide us as much as they criticize us,” the minister said.
During the debate on the forum’s main theme, “Labor Sectors and Employment: A Dialogue Between Society and Labor Institutions,” the minister replied to questions posed by 70 people on issues pertaining to unemployment, women’ employment, training for jobs, Saudization, reducing dependence on expatriate workforce and minimum wage.
On measures to replace foreign workers with local hands, the minister said, “Like any other government department, the Labor Ministry cannot stand against the interests of society. When people stressed the need for cutting down the labor import, the government issued orders to check it.”
Al-Gosaibi substantiated his view pointing out in two years the ministry had succeeded in cutting down labor import by 700,000. This was accomplished despite protests from a section of society, which claimed that restrictions on importing labor would jeopardize the developmental process.
Al-Gosaibi also pointed to the dilemma faced by the ministry, which stood between the demands of the rapid economic development on one side and socio-economic obligation to employ the huge number of unemployed youths on the other.
Al-Gosaibi said to some extent he had to concede to pressures from some quarters that objected to the policy of restricting labor import. “The ministry yielded to the people’s pressure and issued 1,700,000 visas last year,” he said.
The minister admitted that the unemployment, which grew to its present dimensions over the past several decades, was a tough challenge to grapple with. “The ministry did not, obviously, have a magical wand to wish away the problem. The ministry alone cannot change the work culture in society, neither could it change the customs and traditions that underlie the issue,” Al-Gosaibi said.
He pointed out that the country’s youths preferred to work in the public sector because of the job security, high salary and more vacations they would enjoy. “The private sector is not as generous as the public sector in such matters,” he said.
Al-Gosaibi said his ministry faced the huge task of finding employment for 100,000 youths annually. He also stressed the need for eliminating the differences between the public and private sectors in terms of incentives and service conditions.
He reminded young Saudis of the need to understand that all jobs are dignified and warned them against considering certain jobs as menial and unfit for Saudis.
“We don’t have blue blood running in our veins. Everyone works for his livelihood. Even the holy prophets worked as carpenters, farmers or shepherds,” the minister said.
