Candidates who had filed their nomination papers for the election to the board of Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) are eagerly waiting for the announcement of the poll date, now that the Eid Al-Adha vacation is almost over.

The election of a new board of directors is expected to further strengthen the JCCI, which recently launched initiatives to develop new services and to enhance its image under the leadership of the chamber’s chairman Saleh Kamel. The new board will be a blend of old and new, with the latter expected to bring in zest and energy and the veterans ready to check well-meaning over-enthusiasm and provide guidance.

With a confident Saleh Kamel himself determined to provide the best services to the nearly 70,000 members, the younger ones only need to concentrate on new horizons and peaks.

In the inspiring words of Ziad Bassam Al-Bassam, a board member, now is a great time and greater times are ahead. With the blessings of the old guard, the focus would be on young entrepreneurs, who are bubbling with ideas, he said.

The forthcoming 21st election to the board will be the first to have electronic voting. It is the third poll in which women are contesting. A total of 53 candidates including nine women are reportedly in the fray. Many candidates that Arab News spoke to said they want to see changes in the functioning of one of the prestigious and leading business bodies of the Kingdom, which was established 67 years ago.

All these years, the chamber has devoted time, money and effort to provide new and fast services to the members. It is always keen and looks forward to giving more services and facilities to the members that are easier and more beneficial. The chamber has excellence centers for the young entrepreneurs and the business community at large in Jeddah. The changes that the JCCI carries out are based on research, surveys and studies.

To encourage the participation of Saudi youth, the Ministry of Commerce has set the minimum age for candidates at 30 years, which may be relaxed in case of candidates holding a degree in business management or those who have been in the field of business for three years. Several young candidates falling under these criteria have already approached election supervisors, who have advised them to approach the minister’s office in Riyadh or Jeddah to seek exemption and submit their documents.

According to Sarah Al-Ayed, a candidate, it is important that people who vote understand the campaign of each nominee. “We really want people to come down and vote. At the end of the day, if they are not happy with something, then they didn’t vote for the right person or didn’t vote at all. So voting is important,” she said.