Diana Marwan Al-Jassem

Parents complain against hike in prices of meals served in schools

2012-02-01T01:56:00.000-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Feb 1, 2012

JEDDAH: Students are forced to pay up to 50 percent more for their breakfast due to the absence of observation on prices in private schools and universities cafeterias.

The price hikes average about 50 percent. Some cafeterias of private schools have increased prices by much more. In Saudi Arabia, price increases in malls and supermarkets are controlled. The Ministry of Commerce posted a toll free telephone number on its website for any complaints. However, food prices are only controlled in malls and supermarkets, not in private schools and colleges. Most schools rent their cafeterias out to a merchant. He brings in the meals and decided on the prices, regardless of the original cost price. Unfortunately, school principals don’t check the prices. They rented the cafeteria out for a high rent, so getting the rent money on time is their main concern.

Samia Mansouri, a Saudi former school principle of a private school, said that the continuous increase of meals’ prices is unwelcome to hard-pressed families.

“If school principals cannot find ways to protect the extra funding that has gone to school meals and increase the number of children using this service, there is a real risk of even more price hikes or a drop in standards. These would undo the progress that has been made over the past ten years.”

She added, “The current prices are high. Sometimes they even doubled or tripled. This will continue in the absence of observing officials.”

Samir A., a Saudi school principal in Jeddah, stated that the money the schools earned from the sale of meals has not kept pace with the cost of renting a cafeteria. Students and their parents should give the Ministry of Education enough time to decide what adjustments need to be made to serve healthy meals at a suitable price, he said.

Hnadi Fadel, a Saudi mother, complained about price hikes and said that her son, aged 10, spends about SR70 a week on his school breakfast.

“My son likes to have a cheese croissant and juice. In his school a croissant costs SR8, while the producing company sells it for SR4. He also buys a small size juice for SR5 in school. Its original price is SR2. Sometimes he buys a small size water bottle. It’s well known that a bottle of water in Saudi Arabia costs only one riyal, but in school it’s SR2,” she said.

She added, “If we reduced these prices to their original, the total cost of breakfast would be only SR7 per day.”

Suhila Swalmeh, a Jordanian housewife and mother of three children, said that the absence of supervision in schools caused many cafeterias to increase their prices, even when they offer products that are available in supermarkets at a lower price.

“There is a well known sandwich sold in all supermarkets for one riyal. In government schools these sandwiches are sold at their original price. In private schools the price has been doubled. I doubled my children’s allowances this year. The cafeteria increased all prices, even though the prices are stable in supermarkets,” she said.

Prices at Saudi state school cafeterias are fixed, but most expatriate students are studying in private and international schools. Here, cafeteria prices are too high and they offer mainly unhealthy meals.

Christina Qustantine, a Lebanese mother of two children studying at an international school, thinks that meal prices are too high in international schools.

“When I compare my children’s meals to those served in state school, the latter are healthier and cheaper meals. I wonder why supervision is absent in private and international schools cafeterias. I came to know that junk food is banned in state schools, but it’s available in international and private school at very high cost. Students have no choice but to buy these meals,” she said.

Christina said her two children, in grade four and grade six, spend about SR200 per week on meals.

Officials in the General Administration of public markets confirmed that the supervision of meals prices at schools is the duty of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Arab News attempted to speak to both ministries, but there was no response.

Lack of skilled Saudis takes the shine off gold trade

2012-01-28T03:31:00.000-08:00

A salesman arranges bangles in a jewelry shop in Riyadh. (AN photo)

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Jan 28, 2012

Saudization in gold and jewelry shops reached 100 percent in 2003 following a royal decision issued by the then Interior Minister Prince Naif. The Nitaqat system recently issued by the Ministry of Labor defined a Saudization rate of 70 percent in the gold sector. The decision led to misunderstandings, with many businessmen thinking they could decrease Saudization with 30 percent in their gold shops. However, traders confirmed to Arab News that the Saudization rate in companies and factories is 70 percent, but gold shops have to remain fully Saudized.

Back in 2003, many traders complained about the decision, saying it was difficult to find qualified Saudis to handle precious metals and stones. To solve the problem, Saudi traders and businessmen decided to open an institute to train youth in all skilled jobs related to the manufacture and sale of gold and jewelry.

However, despite the continuous training courses held to boost skills of Saudi salesmen, traders still have no trust in them.

Mohammad Azzouz, general manager of Azzouz House for Gold and Jewelry and member of the National Committee for Precious Metals and Stones, was one of those who criticized Saudization, saying that it prevented improvement in the Saudi gold industry. “Saudization of the gold sector also weakened the sales of gold because of low experience in the field,” he said.

According to Azzouz, most traders were busy hiring Saudi nationals who were fresh in the field. As a result, he said, the development of the market stagnated over the past nine years, leading to what he called “uncreative products.”

Not only Azzouz criticized the Saudization of the gold sector. Majdi Al-Rayes, a former member of the gold and jewelry committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) and former CEO of several giant gold and jewelry companies in Saudi Arabia, confirmed that full Saudization was a necessity, but that the strategy of hiring should be changed.

“We are supporting Saudization of the gold sector to 100 percent, but we need to hire qualified Saudis. Most Saudis who are working in the gold sector are not professional,” he said, adding that hiring Saudis should be implemented with a special strategy. “For example, the gold and jewelry sector could hire 20 percent of Saudis every year, who should be trained for several months.”

According to Al-Rayes, most hired Saudis are not talented in the field of promotion and sales. “We have hired many Saudis, but they don’t know most types of precious metals and stones. Their lack of experience has led us to lose huge amounts of money. Precious metals and stones and gold is a big science that must be studied very well,” he said.

Another point Al-Rayes mentioned is that most Saudi salesmen refuse to work more than eight hours divided into two shifts. “They prefer not to work at night, in contrast to expatriate salesmen, who are ready to work longer hours as they don’t have families here in the Kingdom,” he added.

Jamil Ali Farsi, a leading Saudi businessman, writer, and head of the JCCI gold and jewelry committee, confirmed that Saudization in the gold sector remained 100 percent, although it had been decreased to 70 percent in the big companies and factories. “Nitaqat requires each company to achieve 70 percent of Saudization, meaning that gold companies and factories are allowed to hire 30 percent of expatriate employees. This rate includes designers, accountants, managers, and workers,” he said.

“However,” he added, “in shops Saudi salesmen will stay in their positions, as full Saudization is a must there.”

Farsi stated that accusing Saudis of not being qualified is not a reason to decrease the rate of Saudi salesmen in gold shops. “Many blame Saudis for not being qualified in promoting products and for not being aware of the precious metals, stones and gold industry. However, such problem could be solved when we organize training courses for Saudis to learn more about the industry,” he said.

He continued, “Another reason traders prefer not to hire Saudis is that they don’t want to work long hours. The solution would be to unify work hours to eight in the private sector. All countries in the world have defined the work hours to eight, after which the worker can go home and enjoy social activities.”

According to Farsi, Saudi salesmen are also blamed for getting higher salaries than their expatriate colleagues: “This is true. Saudis receive a salary between SR5,000 to SR8,000, but we all know that Saudi citizens spend this money in Saudi Arabia, which develops the national economy. In contrast, expatriate workers spend the money in their countries of origin,” he said.

Farsi stressed that most traders complained that Saudis work temporarily in the private sector and suddenly leave to the government sector once they get an opportunity.

“This negative phenomenon must be solved by the Ministry of Labor itself, as the government sector should not hire any Saudi employee unless he presents a ‘no objection certificate’ from his boss in the private sector,” he said.

Farsi said there was no doubt that the Saudization experience succeeded in different sectors, such as banking, SEDCO and Aramco. This successful experience must be generated as well in other sectors, such as clothes, cosmetics and mobile phones.

Saleswomen’s high salaries anger teachers

2012-01-25T01:31:00.000-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Jan 25, 2012

JEDDAH: The recent announcement by the Human Resource Development Fund (HRDF) that it would subsidize 50 percent of lingerie saleswomen’s salaries over the next three years has enraged private schoolteachers who earn a meager SR2,000 salary.

HRDF Director Ibrahim Al-Me’aiqil had recently promised that the saleswomen would earn a salary between SR3,500 and SR4,000 per month.

Ministry of Education was instructed by a royal decree in June 2011 to ask private schools to pay Saudi teachers a minimum of SR5,600 per month in cooperation with the HRDF. The order was scheduled to come into force in the Hijri year 1433, which started on Nov. 26, 2011. However, the law still remains unimplemented.

Hisa Al-Jehani has been teaching at a private school for five years. She was never offered a promotion or an increase in her low salary, while the saleswomen were promised higher salaries from the start.

“When I started working, all teachers earned a low salary of between SR1,500 and SR2,500. After five years the school owner refused to pay me a higher amount. She told me we would have to wait for a financial support from the HRDF,” she said.

“When we compare teachers and saleswomen, the difference in wages is unfair and disappointing,” Al-Jehani said. “Teachers are more educated and have proven to be hard working, without receiving any appreciation. By contrast, saleswomen are less qualified, but will receive much higher salaries and training courses.”

Widad Saleh works for a private school as a teacher and earns a salary of SR1,500. She said she would consider working as a saleswoman, because of the salary. “Saleswomen are enjoying the HRDF support because they are in the spotlight. So why not,” she asked. “I would gain more money and enjoy the media propaganda.”

Saleh asked her parents if they would allow her to work as a saleswoman, but they refused. “They said teaching is more prestigious and acceptable in our society. However, after the HRDF support, my family might change their mind and allow me to work in sales,” she said.

Khadija M. now works in a lingerie shop, after having taught at a private school for three years. “I was paying my maid SR1,700, while I earned SR2,000. This is when I decided to quit. After being unemployed for a year, I decided to work as a saleswoman for a minimum salary of SR3,000. I expect an increase in salary due to the HRDF support,” she said.

Expatriates bear brunt of financial claims from relatives in their home country

2012-01-23T02:14:00.000-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Jan 23, 2012

JEDDAH: Expatriates considering visiting their home country for a vacation, have reported facing substantial financial claims. Relatives would ask for luxury gifts and money, steering the expatriates toward financial difficulty.

Such requests are quite well-known among expatriates from different social levels and backgrounds. Electronics, clothes, perfumes and jewelry are in high demand. The relatives and friends seem to not give the financial situation of the expatriate much consideration and just want to take as much as they can.

“When we go home for a vacation, our relatives become a big problem. They think we have lots of money and we won’t know where to spend it. Directly and indirectly they will ask for it,” said Hanan Riyad, an Egyptian woman who has been living in Jeddah for twenty years.

She added, “One time, we arrived in our apartment in Cairo and my husband’s brother came to stay with us for the whole vacation. He brought his daughters and sons along and made sure they could all share our food, get more gifts, and take part in our picnics and journeys to a summer resort.”

According to Hanan, her brother-in-law also encouraged his wife to take as many of Hanan's suitcases as she could. “They took our own luggage when we went to a resort, leaving us without bags or suitcases. Such behavior forced me to put my daughters clothes in plastic bags,” she said.

Rima Abu-Karam, a Jordanian housewife, has been living in Jeddah for thirty years. She complained about her mother-in-law, who likes to borrow items from her home, but does not return them.

“My husband’s mother would regularly come to my house in Amman to clean and check the condition of the home. Unfortunately, every summer vacation I discovered that much of my stuff had disappeared. When I asked her, she said she needs these things and cannot find them herself in malls,” said Rima.

She added, “At the beginning of the previous summer vacation, I discovered my husband’s mother had taken our fridge. She claimed she took it only temporarily and would give it back very soon.”

Rima spent three months in Amman, but her mother-in-law didn’t return the refrigerator. “When I asked her to do so, she said we have another fridge in use and that should be enough for our small family,” said Rima.

Carolina Haddad only came to live in Jeddah two years ago. “My husband and I have lived in Syria for the past 40 years. There, I was also rich and my husband’s salary plus mine made a good income. Now my sisters in Syria are treating me like never before. They are trying their best to get money from me,” said Carolina.

She added, “In the past I would travel to Europe and they would ask for simple gifts. Since my husband started working in Jeddah, they have asked me to bring expensive gifts, such as certain brands of watches, perfumes, mobiles and other electronic stuff.” Carolina’s husband decided not to let her sisters visit them in Jeddah anymore, as every visit would cost them up to SR10,000 in gifts.

Sara Abdulhamid has been living in Jeddah for twenty years. She experienced similar problems when visiting friends and family in Lebanon.

“When I joined my friends and relatives to a café or resort, they all expected me to pick up the tab. They believe I am the richest among them, because I live in Saudi Arabia. But I am still young and don’t have money. I only have an allowance from my father,” she said.

Abdulhamid’s friends would frequently take her perfumes, make-up sets, accessories and watches, saying “You can get a new one once you return to Jeddah.”

Media campaign on water conservation

2012-01-23T02:13:00.000-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Jan 17, 2012

JEDDAH: BMG foundation launched its competition for all university and school students in the Gulf region Tuesday at Muse restaurant at Jeddah Marina.

Yara Anabtawi, BMG coordinator of BMG financial group said that the competition Our Water, Our Life aims to organize the best media campaign on water conservation and raise people’s awareness on how to save water.

"We are looking to give young people the opportunity to create an innovative and creative awareness campaign. Ideas should be aimed at guiding households on how to apply different methods for water conservation," she said.

She added, "The competition will tour nine GCC cities, including Jeddah, Riyadh, Kuwait City, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Muscat and Doha. It will be a good opportunity for young people to create and work together."

Because we take care of the new generation, children also will be involved in a special competition where they will write poems and comedy. They will also sit in on lectures that discuss the importance of saving water, she said.

The competition will start on February 4 and end in March. Submissions should be presented at www.bmgfoundation.com. A specialized committee of water experts, businessmen and media experts will evaluate the top 10 of submissions that received the highest votes. The voting will continue until April 30. After that the jury will choose the best three projects of thirty participating universities from GCC countries.

The winning idea will be implemented in GCC countries from July till December 2012.

The winning students and their university will receive recognition and accolades. Winners also will travel to the United Kingdom to be honored during a BMG foundation GCC Polo Club in Windsor.

They will be offered an internship opportunity at international companies, said Anabtawi. During the Saudi national day on Sept. 23 winners will also be honored.

Municipal move may ease housing crisis in Makkah

2012-01-23T02:12:00.001-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Jan 16, 2012

MAKKAH: The citizens of Makkah are waiting for the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs to approve the building of additional floors on their apartment buildings.

As landlords and tenants are forced to move out to make room for many expansion projects under way in Makkah, rents are spiraling in the city even in places far away from the Grand Mosque.

Mayor of Makkah Osama Al-Bar had announced that the municipality plans to study the possibility of adding extra floors to buildings, especially those in busy areas. He said the study would take into account the entrances and exits of the city.

“We first want to know if this could be a viable step to overcome housing shortage in Makkah districts or not. Additionally, we want to make sure that these properties do not get in the way of expansion projects,” he said.

Maher Jamal, board member of the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said, “Governmental and private projects have led us to expropriate real estate, which resulted in increased rents for tenants living in Makkah. We can’t deny that people are facing difficulties in finding alternative housing in Makkah,” he said.

Maha Barazeq is a Palestinian housewife who married a Saudi. She has been living in Makkah for five years. When she moved from Jeddah to Makkah, she rented an apartment for SR25,000 per year in an area close to the Holy Mosque. She had to leave her apartment to make room for the Grand Mosque expansion project.

“Because of ongoing expansion projects, I decided to move to an area far away from the Grand Mosque. I found an apartment just like my previous one with five rooms and two bathrooms, but at an annual rent of SR35,000,” she said. “As I couldn’t pay such a high rent, so I decided to move to a smaller apartment with three rooms for SR25,000.”

Khalid Al-Rayyes, a newly wed Syrian resident, works in Makkah. He decided not to rent an apartment in Makkah due to the price hikes.

“When I got engaged, I searched for an apartment in Jeddah. Prices were already high there, so I was happy when my boss transferred me to Makkah. I expected to find an apartment with a lower rent in Makkah in no time. The reality was completely different and unexpected. I found renting an apartment in Jeddah is difficult, but still much easier than renting in Makkah,” he said. “So I decided to rent an apartment in Jeddah and commute between my home and workplace.”

The expropriation process also influenced Saudis, who owned properties in Makkah. Mayor Al-Bar said that many engineering offices had presented inaccurate information about the surface area of real estate. They excluded the empty land around the building, and just recorded the space of the building itself. According to Al-Bar, such inaccuracies made a big difference between the cost of the real estate and the compensation a property owner would receive.

“I advise residents and property owners not to sign any contracts that don’t show the real size of their buildings and plots,” he said. “In such a situation the citizen should raise the issue with the Court of Grievances. Saudi law allows a citizen to ask for compensation that have been defined in the contract registering the real estate and land surface area.”

Ali Al-Ayoubi, the owner of a villa in the central zone of Makkah, said he received a low amount of money as compensation after his house had been expropriated.

“An engineering company evaluated my former villa at SR570,000. Their evaluation is accurate as it cost me that amount 10 years ago. Unfortunately, now I couldn’t find a villa for the same price. I would have to pay at least SR700,000 to buy a villa anywhere in Makkah,” he said.

After a long stay, expatriates fail to make fortunes

2012-01-14T02:35:00.000-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Jan 12, 2012

JEDDAH: Despite the general idea about expatriates making fortunes because they work in Saudi Arabia or other GCC countries, many foreigners state that “all gains from GCC countries are all lost.” Arab News spoke to a number of expatriates living in Saudi Arabia, who talked about their experience after long years of work outside their countries.

Hassan Al-Youssef, a Syrian engineer working in Jeddah for the past 27 years, confirmed that his financial situation was good, but that he was not as wealthy as many of his relatives thought. “Most of my relatives in Syria think that I get a high salary and keep it in the bank. They sometimes say, ‘Why don’t you return to Syria? What are you going to do with all that money?’ They ask these questions without being sure about my real financial status. They imagine me very rich, but the truth is I’m not,” he said.

As many expatriates who live in Saudi Arabia and have families, Hassan spends a big share of his income on his family’s needs.

“I am a father of five — four of them study in private schools and universities. I pay about SR30,000 a year for my children’s education. In addition, I pay SR60,000 for my son, who studies medicine in Egypt. Besides education, expatriates also pay a high amount of money on rents, as they are not allowed to own homes in the Kingdom,” he said.

Hassan confirmed that in his country he might receive a lower salary, but he wouldn’t be required to pay high school fees or rent a home.

“If I were living in Syria, I would have my own home. In addition, my son would study in a Syrian public university for free,” he said.

Ibrahim Mu’tasim Billah, a Sudanese bank employee living in Riyadh for 20 years, said he gained as much money in Saudi Arabia as he spent on his family expenses. “We come to GCC countries in order to make a fortune, but once we have a family we start thinking how to raise that family in good circumstances and offer them a good life,” he said.

Ibrahim added, “When I came to Saudi Arabia, my aim was to stay for maximum five years to gather money and return to Sudan. After spending the first year in Riyadh, I decided to marry and continue my life here.”

Azzam Al-Azizat, a Jordanian doctor who has been living in Makkah for the past 30 years, confirmed that his conception about emigration had changed after his long years in Saudi Arabia.

“My plan was to accumulate money to live well, educate my children, and establish a project in Amman. During the first few years of living in Makkah, I earned a good amount of money and bought a home in Amman. After having two kids, it became more difficult to make ends meet,” he said.

He added, “Most educated expatriates come to Saudi Arabia for a monthly salary of SR5,000. This was considered enough 30 years ago, but now it is not anymore.”

According to Azzam, salaries of expatriates stayed fixed for long years, despite the prices increasing.

“For the past 30 years, my salary has not increased, while my family became bigger and their expenses increased. That is why the money I gained was not enough,” he said.

He added, “To manage with the difficult lifestyle in Saudi Arabia and to offer good education and a living environment, I canceled most of my future projects in Amman. Recently, my father called and blamed me for not owning a real estate or project in Amman. He though I had gathered a big amount of money and saved it in Saudi banks. He does not know the truth of my financial crisis.”

Private school teachers still await official action on pay hike

2012-01-14T02:34:00.000-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Jan 12, 2012

JEDDAH: No measures have been taken for implementation of the Human Resources Development Fund’s (HRDF) participation in paying Saudi private school teachers’ salary, according to the Ministry of Education’s director for private education.

A decision issued in June 2011 by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah said that the Ministry of Education would issue a new contract that forces private schools to pay Saudi teachers a minimum of SR5,600 a month. The decision confirmed that the law, in cooperation with the HRDF, would come into force in the new Hijra year, 1433, which started on Nov. 26.

Saudi male and female teachers have expressed their anger over the delay of the participation of the HRDF in supplementing their salaries. Saudi teachers are still waiting for the decision to be implemented, with no clear vision about their future.

“We have to receive an official statement from the Ministry of Education’s head department, after which we will arrange several meetings with the Human Resources Fund and school directors in order to facilitate the procedures,” director of the private education department Amal Radwan said. “Unfortunately, this announcement appeared widely in the media, but nothing official happened up to now.”

According to Radwan, the department cannot take any steps unless it receives an official statement, something she does not expect to happen in the coming few months.

Arab News spoke to private school owners, who also confirmed that no statement had been issued by the Ministry of Education or the HRDF to implement the decision.

Rafa Binladin, head of the private schools committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and owner of Al-Bayan schools in Jeddah, confirmed that there had been no increase in Saudi teachers’ salaries.

“We have heard several times about participation of the Human Resources Fund in paying teachers’ salaries, but we have not received an official statement yet,” she said. “Most teachers have started asking when they will sign the new contracts and receive higher salaries.”

According to her, the uncertainty makes the teachers angrier, but “we can do nothing until we receive an official statement from the Fund,” she said.

A report issued by the Ministry of Education in 2011 confirmed that new contracts would ensure the rights of Saudi teachers and increase job opportunities for more than 39,000 Saudi teachers. It also stated that the HRDF would equally share the payment of teachers with private schools during the first five years. “However,” stated Rabiha Attar, owner of Rawdat Al-Sighar private school in Jeddah, “we haven’t received any intimation from them yet.”

She added, “We know very well how teachers are suffering from the low wages, but we cannot do anything but wait for the implementation of the new decisions.”

Noura Al-Malki, a Saudi teacher working at a private school in Jeddah, confirmed that the school had been paying her a salary of SR2,000 for three years. She complained about the long working hours and the low salary.

“Despite the fact that I have been working for the school for three years, they refuse to increase my salary. Now we cannot raise our voices, because we are waiting for the king’s decision to be implemented,” she said.

Huda Al-Jehani, a teacher at a private school in Jeddah, said that they were waiting for the new decision with unclear view about the future. “We trust what the king announced, but we need to hear an official statement that explains us the undue delay,” she said.

Women complain of male dominance in job market

2012-01-09T01:37:00.000-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Jan 9, 2012

JEDDAH: Many Saudi women claim getting and maintaining a high quality profession has proven difficult despite the government’s efforts to improve employment opportunities for them because men are refusing to move with the times.

Saudi women claim companies are hiring them only to show off, while in reality they refuse to let them function properly in a working environment.

S. Al-Qurashi works in IT for a communications company. She said she had been working in vain to establish a women’s IT section for the last four years. “Since I started working for this IT department, I have been compiling a team that now consists of seven women. I taught them how to work professionally. The women’s IT section is more active and works harder than the men’s IT section. Still, my boss refused to hire me as a supervisor of female IT employees. The men’s section has a supervisor though,” she said.

Al-Qurashi said her boss believes women should not be hired in any official management position.

She recently moved from the IT section to the business development department to escape her boss. “I studied IT and I have never worked in other field, but I felt too pessimistic and couldn’t continue working under a supervisor who refused women to participate in the workplace. Fortunately, I am now supervised by a more open minded director,” she said.

Shahd Suliman worked for a governmental hospital in Riyadh in human resources. She believes men in the public sector couldn’t accept women participating in the job market.

“Most men working in government departments are quite blatant in their opposition to women in the job market,” she said.

“They sometimes restrict women employees by insulting them and banning them from taking up certain jobs. For example, I presented my CV to the Ministry of Civil Affairs where they transferred me to a governmental hospital in Riyadh and I was recommended to work in the human resources department. The director of the department refused to transfer me to the women’s office. He said that he wanted me to work ‘in front of his eyes’ as a secretary,” she said.

He said he would give her a higher salary if she agreed to work as a secretary, she added.

“I refused that opportunity because he wanted me to waive my opportunity to take a prestigious job and work as a secretary.”

According to Suliman, she got another job opportunity at a government hospital but she still suffers from discrimination from men.

“I am working as a public relations employee. My boss gives me additional work to do such as typing promotions and pamphlets, translating texts, revising and editing texts written by him. However, all these duties are not in my job description,” she said.

“My job is to organize meetings with foreign visitors and doctors, receive them at the airport, organize their accommodation in hotels as well as prepare for events. My boss banned me from doing my job saying women must stay in the office. This is why he made me a writer and editor of the hospital pamphlets,” she said.

Sara Al-Ansari, a Saudi marketing employee, confirmed that she quit her previous job when her boss refused to let her participate in business development meetings with foreign investors.

“I have been working in marketing for six years. During the first five years I was an employee that handled promotions and implemented them for customers. My job was done mainly through the telephone and email. Recently in 2011 the company owner recommended me to be in charge of business development strategies. He asked my supervisor to transfer me to a separate office then trained me how to discuss projects with investors and companies,” she said.

“My boss obeyed the company owner and transferred me to a nice office. However, he never allowed me to visit other companies and discuss projects with consultants. My job was to write letters and send mails from the office. Actually, my boss delayed my contract for three months as he was trying to stop me from doing this job. In fact, he said himself that he couldn’t meet investors while women were with him.”

Jobless Saudis speak out: Hafiz is unfair

2012-01-08T02:53:00.001-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Jan 7, 2012 2

JEDDAH: The unemployment assistance program Hafiz inaccurately selects those entitled to payment, said jobless Saudis. They claimed Hafiz is a “game of chance.”

Hafiz divided unemployed Saudis into two groups. The first group is happy to have been accepted in the program, even though some of them could not meet all its requirements. The second group will not receive a Hafiz payment, even when they met all demands announced on the Ministry of Labor website.

Salma Saleh is the alias of a Saudi woman who gained the opportunity to get paid through Hafiz while she is working part-time at King Abdulaziz University. “I am working at the university as a teacher without a contract. I registered for Hafiz and I think they accepted me because they don’t have any proof of my job,” she said.

Saleh knows she is being dishonest and she is not the only one who lies. “Most of my colleagues did the same thing. The electronic website couldn’t expose us. Seven of the part-time teachers tried to register for Hafiz. Five have been accepted.”

Khadija Al-Qurashi, another Saudi housewife, said Hafiz is an ‘unfair program’.

“My sister and I decided to register. My sister is 37 years old and I am 35. Hafiz accepted my sister, even though the Labor Ministry defined the acceptable age of the unemployed between 20 and 35 years old,” she said. “The same mistake happened with my niece and her colleagues.”

Al-Qurashi said such mistakes encouraged all people to register for Hafiz, even when they did not meet the requirements.

A Saudi man, who prefers to remain anonymous, received a monthly payment of SR840 from the Ministry of Social Affairs. He registered for Hafiz to increase his salary and gain more money. He claimed he would receive only SR1,160.

His sister, however, also received a financial aid to the amount of SR840 from the Ministry of Social Affairs. When she registered for Hafiz, she was assigned SR2,000.

“My sister and I have the same bad financial status. Both of us are unemployed and needy, but Hafiz gave my sister more money without a logical reason. It’s just a game of chance,” he said.

Diaa Suliman, a Saudi woman who graduated from King Abdulaziz University during the summer, heard that her colleagues had registered for Hafiz and they had been accepted. She followed her colleagues’ lead, but luck didn’t smile on her.

“My request has been refused because I am freshly graduated. Only students who have graduated six months ago or more are eligible for Hafiz payment. My colleagues had not yet exceeded the six-month period, but they still got the payment,” Suliman said.

Suliman thinks the Hafiz program lacks in accuracy. “It’s unfair when many benefit from Hafiz and don’t actually need it, while the truly needy are still waiting for God to bless them,” she said.

Some would prefer the registration process for Hafiz not to take place online.

“I suggest the Ministry of Labor should hire a number of committees in charity organizations and offices. These committees should receive the unemployed, check their information and ensure that only needy people who meet the ministry requirements will get paid,” said Hasan Bakhsh, a Saudi banking employee.

“Computers and electronic programs cannot check people’s information. Now luck is playing a very important role in choosing people for Hafiz.”

School trips becoming ‘risky’

2011-12-24T02:58:00.001-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Dec 22, 2011

JEDDAH: Schools’ trips are considered the only free time for students to have entertainment together in one location. In Saudi Arabia, both girls and boys schools usually arrange for one trip per semester, to an institute, a mall or an entertainment area.

After a recent fire in a private school, the bus accident in Hail and a mall fire in Jeddah, many families distrust the level of safety measures in public places. Because parents don’t trust officials in the public sector, they ban their children from participating in schools trips, describing these trips as ‘risks.’

Arab News spoke to families who experienced the dangers of schools trips first hand. They decided to never allow their children to go on such a trip again.

Ahmad Mamdouh, an Egyptian father of three children, said: “My son, aged 11, took part in a two-day school trip. He went there by school bus with his fellow students and teachers. When the time came to go home, the students were gathered on the bus and returned. My son was in the bathroom at that time and missed the bus. The teachers didn’t notice his absence,” said Ahmad.

“My son found himself alone in the institute, two hours away from home. He doesn’t have a mobile phone, as it’s not allowed for students to carry a mobile during school time. So he decided to walk back to school.”

Mamdouh’s son succeeded in finding his way back to school. If the same accident had involved his daughter, he said, she would never have been be able to return home.

Hanadi Al-Amri is the mother of a female student, who had been missed and injured in a school trip three years ago.

“My daughter’s school organized a trip to an entertainment location in Jeddah. When they reached the location, teachers let the students move freely, without observing or controlling their movements. My daughter, who was nine years old, missed her group and teacher, as it was her first time to go to such a location alone,” she said.

According to Hanadi, after searching for her teachers for half hour, her daughter found the escalator leading to the teachers’ section.

“She fell on the escalator and was injured,” she said. Hanadi confirmed that she banned her daughter from taking part in school trips for two years. “I told her that she is still a baby and can’t take care of herself,” she said.

“Nowadays, my daughter is 12 years old. She wants to participate in a school trip to a big mall in Jeddah. I tried to ban her, but she said she is now older and can take care of herself,” Hanadi said.

Hanadi stressed that after the recent mall fire and the buss accident in Hail, she won’t let her daughter to go to the school trip. “I realized that no safety measures are taken neither in schools nor in malls and entertainment locations. I also discovered that teachers here don’t know how to deal with any catastrophe. This is why I can’t ensure my daughter life when she goes to school, or even when she uses the school bus,” she said.

An official from Students Activity Management in the Saudi Ministry of Education, who prefers to remain anonymous, told Arab News that the ministry schedules and designs trips for boys and girls schools. It compiled a list of locations, recommended for school trips. Recently, this list had been updated, as students favor new entertainment locations and malls.

According to the source, safety measures have already been discussed and organized with school mangers, but the risk of a fire or bus accident remains. “We took all safety measures, and discussed the mechanism of teachers work, but we can’t prevent all possible hazards,” he said.

Salwa Bahamdin, a private school director, confirmed that all safety measures were checked before the school starts any trip. “We realize families have become afraid for their children after the recent fire and bus accident, and we don’t force any student to take part in these school trips. Those who believe in God will send their daughters and sons on the trip without any fear,” she said.

She added, “Parents who complain about teachers who allegedly fail to keep an eye out for their children, are overreacting. We make sure our staff are well qualified and they treat the students like their own children. All in all, these trips are optional and parents can refuse them.”

Hafiz program: Women are major beneficiaries

2011-12-24T02:57:00.000-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Dec 22, 2011

JEDDAH: With the implementation of the first phase of the Hafiz unemployment program on Dec. 31, 700,000 Saudis will start receiving their monthly allowance.

Reports issued by the Ministry of Labor confirm that the list consists of 560,000 Saudi women against 140,000 Saudi men, a discrepancy that has sparked the debates on unemployment among Saudi women. Some Saudi men accuse women of registering in Hafiz without ever having looked for a job.

Arab News raised the question whether women registered in Hafiz are involuntarily unemployed or if they simply prefer not to work. Do women participate in Hafiz because they are in need of a job or did they find Hafiz a golden opportunity to earn money for doing nothing?

Aisah Natto, a Saudi businesswomen and board member of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), confirmed there were two important reasons for the large number of unemployed Saudi women benefitting from Hafiz.

“The first is that there are not many work opportunities available for women in Saudi Arabia. It is well known and statistics prove that unemployment is widespread among Saudi women, because they are only allowed to work in the education and medical sectors,” she said.

“However,” she continued, “the second reason is that some women prefer not to work. They decide to stay home to take care of children, especially given that most salaries provided for them are estimated between SR2,000 and SR3,000. Hafiz encouraged them to register and receive a monthly payment from the government without doing any effort. It is expected that those women have never searched for a job opportunity.”

According to Natto, the second group of women will be exposed when the Ministry of Labor finds job opportunities for them and they refuse these.

“For these cases, the Ministry of Labor created a number of punishments, like cutting SR200 or more from the monthly salary,” she said.

Natto stressed that such mistakes were expected to accrue from Hafiz and that women would snatch many opportunities from men, but the salary would be given for only one year. After the year finishes, more men can profit from the allowance and get job opportunities.

Nadia Al-Sheikh, co-owner and regional director of a public relations company, believes that unemployment expands among women because they have less job opportunities in the Saudi market.

“Although more companies start creating job opportunities for women, some major companies still don’t offer any, especially for those who carry certificates in business and communication. Those women find jobs in schools and hospitals, but these don’t suit their educational degree,” she said. “In such cases, most women prefer not to work, unless they find a job opportunity that suits their qualifications and skills.”

According to Al-Sheikh, it is expected that some women benefit from Hafiz despite the fact that they never searched for jobs and they prefer to stay at home to take care of their children.

“Such women, who deceive the government and claim they have searched for jobs, should be punished and the government should stop paying them the monthly allowance,” she said.

Natto, the Saudi businesswomen and JCCI board member, confirmed that Saudi people still did not understand the aim of the unemployment allowance. Hafiz, she stated, is a program that helps Saudis until they find a job opportunity, and not a charity from the king.

Cosmetics salesmen confused on how to approach customers

2011-12-19T08:20:00.000-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: Dec 18, 2011

JEDDAH: Cosmetics salesmen in Saudi Arabia are confused on how to approach customers. If they come on too strong or cute, they might insult their Saudi clientele. When they stay modestly in the background, expatriate customers will complain about a lack of service.

Fawzi Kharboush, a make-up salesman at a Jeddah store, said the art of his trade consists of being nice. Unfortunately, female customers often misunderstand his art, especially Saudis.

“As make-up sellers, we must tell a customer what suits her and offer her advice,” he said. “We try to be very pleasant while dealing with customers. Some of them consider our advice as being rude. We try our best to attract customers, without harassing them. When they feel offended, we don’t know why.”

Fadi Shu’aieb, an expatriate make-up salesman, said he doesn’t flirt with a customer, unless she starts flirting with him.

“We do our job with a big smile on our faces because that’s how we were taught to do it. Otherwise, we do nothing to attract the women. They do sometimes behave very nicely to us, in an attempt to get big discount or gift,” he said.

He added: “The other day, a woman bought cosmetics amounting to SR500. I then gave her a gift. Another customer, who was standing next to this woman, bought a SR170 mascara. She nicely asked for a gift. I told her gifts are exclusively presented with certain products, but she didn’t believe me. When I refused her a gift, her tone changed and she got angry.”

Fatima Abdulhalim is a Saudi woman who buys make-up every two months. She prefers to buy her products from older salesmen.

“I believe young salesmen talk the way they do, to favor the customer. This is their duty, but their talk makes me shy. They offer suggestions on what color would suit me best and what product would look more beautiful on me. These sentences are considered harassment in our society,” she said.

Ghada Khirat, a Syrian woman living in Jeddah, said that in Syria, salespeople in cosmetics stores were of both genders and both would offer advice to customers.

“I don’t consider it an harassment when a salesman suggests a certain product. In Jeddah, most salesmen are expatriate: Syrian, Jordanian or Lebanese. I understand them very well. They try to be nice and they never harass women,” she said.

Abdullah K. is a young Saudi man, who entered the cosmetics sales force six months ago.

“Young Saudi salesmen seem a little shy when they talk to Saudi women. In contrast, they look more comfortable when they deal with expatriate women. They believe that expatriates will accept compliments,”

He added: “If we give advice to a Saudi woman, she might misunderstand us. A Saudi woman will never accept compliments or even a suggestion, unless she wants a gift or discount.”

Saudis complain of huge losses from escaped workers

2011-12-19T08:19:00.001-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: Dec 16, 2011

JEDDAH: Expatriate workers in the Kingdom find it very easy to escape from their sponsors — either a person or a company — without losing money.

Despite the difficulties that Saudi citizens and companies face to import workers in addition to the money they pay for visas — SR7,000 or more per worker — Saudi Arabia does not have a strict law to protect the rights of the citizen or company when the worker escapes. Economists estimate that Saudi Arabia loses SR38 million annually on escaped workers.

Arab News spoke to lawyers and officials in the Ministry of Interior, who confirmed that the government had nothing to do with escaped workers apart from deporting them. They also confirmed that the citizen is the only loser in such cases.

“It is common these days to hear about escaped workers, maids and drivers. They sometimes escape from their sponsor while looking for higher payment and better treatment,” said Abdulrahman Al-Jehani, head assistant of the recruitment department in the ministry.

The government duty, in this case, is to arrest the escaped worker and deport him or her, said Al-Jehani.

He added that workers sometimes escaped because of bad treatment or because they had not been paid their salary on time, but “workers should know that escaping is not the solution for them.”

According to Al-Jehani, it was the Kingdom’s rule to deport those working with no passport, no iqama (residence permit), or with someone other than their original sponsor.

Many citizens complain about the high losses they run into when they import a worker and the Ministry of Interior subsequently deports him or her.

“We pay from SR5,000 to SR10,000 to import a maid or driver with a contract that defines eight working hours and a salary of SR800. Some workers accept this contract and spend a few months with their sponsor, but once they get the opportunity to escape, they do so,” said Abdulaziz Al-Ghamdi, a Saudi teacher who recruited a maid and driver from Indonesia two years ago.

Raeda Bahmishan, Saudi owner of a beauty salon in Jeddah, confirmed that a large number of workers she brought from Philippines escaped after they had cost her SR20,000.

“In the past, it was much easier to bring workers from East Asia, and Saudi women actually favor them. I recruited them with a salary of SR4,000, but as a result of the tough competition between beauty salons, they escaped to work in newly established beauty centers with a SR500 salary increase,” she said. Huge losses, she added, forced her to hire Saudi workers for SR2,500 a month, “although customers prefer Asians.”

Abdullah Murad, a Saudi lawyer and member of the lawyers’ committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, confirmed that many cases involving Saudis and expat workers were in courts, but that such cases took long years.

“Clashes are on the rise between worker and sponsor. Some workers prefer to refuge to court, while most expat workers prefer to escape and search for other work opportunities,” he said.

“When the worker escapes, Murad added, he wastes his opportunity to get his right. In this case, the worker loses his job and iqama and risks being arrested at any time.”

Murad confirmed that there was no rule to give the citizen any rights when his worker escaped.

Studies released by Asharqia Chamber show that most escaped workers are from East Asia, constituting some 62.2 percent. It also shows that Arab escaped workers are estimated at 35 percent, most of them Egyptians. The third highest amount of escaped workers is from Bangladesh, an estimated 27.7 percent. These nationalities are followed by Pakistanis with 14.4 percent, Indians constituting 12.1 percent, Filipinos with 2.1 percent, and Sri Lankans with 1.6 percent.

How much of TV is too much for kids?

2011-12-19T08:18:00.001-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: Dec 16, 2011

JEDDAH: Advanced technology has made it difficult for parents to know what their children are watching on Television and the Internet.

However, experts say parents must keep monitoring what their children look at to prevent them from dangers that might emerge as a result of driving their imagination.

A recent report cited the case of a Saudi boy in Jazan who, influenced by a Turkish soap opera, tried to imitate the serial’s hero attempting suicide. The boy failed twice in his attempt, but the third time, he almost succeeded and was admitted to the intensive care unit.

Buthina Khoja, a psychologist at a private hospital in Jeddah, stressed that the first two years of life constituted a critical time for brain development. Although TV encourages the child to explore, play and interact, it may also create a dangerous atmosphere around the child.

“As kids get older, too much time in front of the screen can interfere with activities such as reading, homework, playing with friends and spending time with family. It also affects children when they get too much involved in the scenario they watch and start imitating,” she said.

Khoja related that in the past, TV was considered a good educator, especially for preschoolers. “It can help small children in learning the alphabet, scholars can learn about wildlife on nature shows, and parents can keep up with current events on the evening news. There is no doubt that TV can be an excellent educator and entertainer.”

Despite these advantages, too much television can be detrimental, especially with the absence of parent observation, she said.

According to Khoja, kids who view violent acts are more likely to show aggressive behavior and they may fantasize that something bad might happen to them in this scary world.

TV characters often depict questionable behavior and present racial stereotypes. This can influence kids’ mindset and behavior, the psychologist said.

Although some parents advise their children to spend more hours per week watching educational programs, others assert that parents should better control the use of TV and the Internet and teach kids that these media are for occasional entertainment, said Sara Al-Ghamdi, an education expert.

She added, “That’s why it is so important for parents to monitor the content of TV programs and set viewing limits. They should ensure that their kids do not spend too much time parked in front of the TV to watch magic, action movies and horror scenes.”

She confirmed that in the preschool age, most children, while playing, imagine themselves to be the heroes they watch on TV.

“In the preschool age, most children are not yet able to grasp the world around them. As a result, they often make up their own imaginary explanations for how things work.”

The preschool years are called “the magic years,” Al-Ghamdi said. “During these years, kids combine what they see on TV with their own imagination to come up with fantastical ideas about why and how things happen.

We don’t wake up until we get slapped in the face: Saudi author

2011-12-19T08:16:00.002-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: Dec 15, 2011

JEDDAH: In the days following the private school fire, we realized we were not as prepared for disasters as we thought, according to an academic and an author who spoke to Arab News.

Reports show that Saudi Arabia has encountered a large number of disasters over the past ten years. These include the Jeddah floods in 2009 and 2011, several girls’ school fires, and the collapse of a historic building in addition to 8,000 buildings on the verge of collapse in Jeddah alone. Beside these disasters, many Saudi female teachers have died in dangerous traffic accidents with no accurate studies about their number and causes. Arab News asked officials if we had learned any lessons from these occurrences.

Jamal Banoon, a Saudi author and head of the Saudi Center for Studies and Media, said, “We are shocked about the large number of accidents that happened in Jeddah during a short period of time.”

He wondered if we had learned any lessons from the accidents. “Natural and man-made disasters can teach us and the government useful lessons on how to act in the future,” Banoon said.

However, Banoon believed that “We don’t wake up until we get slapped in the face. As a nation, we got slapped in the face during the 2009 and 2011 floods. The result is that we are now trying to understand the lesson. The Saudi government recently announced the launch of the largest drainage system as a step to avoid floods in future rains.”

He added, “The recent fires that broke out in private girls’ schools led to many questions in the field of safety measures that should be taken in schools. However, the Civil Defense recently issued a press release that confirmed that no safety measures were taken in most girls’ schools.” According to Banoon, we should ask the Civil Defense: “Where were you before the recent fire in a private school?”

He added, “Unfortunately, the fire last week was not the first. Studies show that 32 fires broke out in Saudi schools within two years. Students and teachers are aware of the dangers they are facing, but the officials show no concerns.”

Banoon thinks it is very easy to demonstrate that the focus shifted dramatically after the Jeddah floods toward a drainage system. “On the other hand, officials ignored dilapidated buildings, road accidents involving teachers, and school fires,” he said.

“We need to realize that both rains as well as fires and other accidents are critical incidents that require quick responses. We cannot prevent natural disasters, but we can be prepared for them,” said Banoon.

Saud Al-Kateb, a media professor at King Abdulaziz University, thinks that it is a lesson that the government as well as businesses need to learn.

“We have to build our plans around worst-case scenarios, which might occur due to natural or man-made disasters,” he said.

Personal preparedness is as important as ever, but government preparedness is of even greater value. The recent fires, floods and teachers’ deaths in road accidents have shown that most government authorities are not prepared to face disaster.

While there is a responsibility on the side of the population, responsibility is completely absent among officials, said Al-Kateb.

According to him, ministries should make sure that their employees are working well without crossing the limits or cheating.

“When you look at the floods, private school fires and teachers’ deaths in road accidents, the message is that people cannot count on the government officials,” said Al-Kateb.

He added that as long as there were no strict punishments, officials would absent themselves from reforming the issues that threaten the life of citizens.

Banoon, for his part, stressed that Saudi Arabia needed to create a “Safety Observation Committee” that takes care of ensuring safety measures in governmental buildings and roads.

Banoon and Al-Kateb both stressed that officials needed to rethink about studies and plans to ensure the safety of Saudi governmental buildings.

“We have to understand what the legitimate expectations are,” said Al-Kateb. “If we set performance goals, we will achieve perfection.”

He added, “It is not just about getting people out before a disaster hits. We have to begin with plans to predict a catastrophe and deal with it perfectly. Trained staff are required in many sectors related to humanity and rescue teams.”

Governor presented Makkah New Era Award

2011-12-19T08:16:00.001-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: Dec 12, 2011

JEDDAH: Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal was presented with the honorary award for Revolutionary City Transformation at the Makkah New Era Awards ceremony on Saturday. He was given the award in recognition of his extraordinary efforts and role in the historical transformation of the city.

Other key figures were also honored during the ceremony.

Jeddah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Majed was presented with the Honorary Award for Iconic Cultural Vision. Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, received the Honorary Award for Excellence in Hospitality. The Honorary Award for Dynamic Urban Environment was awarded to Hani Abu Ras, mayor of Jeddah.

The event was organized by French business information company Naseba, and Saudi-based Star Group Holdings. It was held in conjunction with the 2nd Annual Modern Makkah Summit and Awards. The awards ceremony highlighted the extensive efforts being made to modernize Makkah province while balancing the preservation of its heritage.

Fabien Faure, Naseba managing director, said Makkah recently experienced major improvements in its infrastructure. “More than 62 tunnels throughout the Makkah mountains and holy sites have recently been constructed at the request of the Kingdom’s government,” he said.

“These projects were a major factor in the success of this year’s Haj season. With additional development work, further improvements to safety and ease of transit could be achieved.”

Rapid urbanization calls for smart city solutions

2011-12-11T01:23:00.000-08:00

Schneider Electric’s country president Christophe Campagne speaks at the second edition of the Modern Makkah Summit and Awards ceremony in Jeddah on Saturday.

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Dec 11, 2011

JEDDAH: Global energy management specialist Schneider Electric wants to help develop and modernize Makkah province. The company’s country president Christophe Campagne said this on Saturday at the second edition of the Modern Makkah Summit and Awards.

The event gathers government officials as well as project developers, construction companies, architects and contractors looking to capitalize on the province’s huge bank of opportunities. The two-day summit focuses on the city of Makkah and other cities in the Kingdom to discuss the investment opportunities that will develop these cities.

With urbanization increasing rapidly, it is estimated that cities consume 75 percent of global energy. By 2050, cities will accommodate 70 percent of the world’s population, up from the current 50 percent. Therefore, governments and municipalities are looking for solutions that ensure efficiency, sustainability and affordability.

Campagne said such projects would save 30 percent in the construction and utilities industry by offering unified solutions to help improve infrastructure for cities worldwide. These solutions range from mature cities in developed countries to hyper-growth destinations in emerging regions.

In panel discussions, real estate experts from companies such as Al-Saedan Real Estate Company, ACAW Holding Company, Saudi Green Building Council, Alfanar Group and Schneider Electric will share ideas on planning, designing and implementing advanced infrastructure to facilitate traffic flow and services to pilgrims as well as plans for the Grand Mosque expansion.

Campagne spoke about his company’s SmartCity concept. It combines hardware, software and services to deliver higher infrastructure efficiency, increased sustainability and improved city facilities to meet the immediate and long-term needs of the province.

“Our innovative SmartCity can help realize energy savings of up to 30 percent. Solutions for SmartCity include Smart Grid for managing demand in electricity, Smart Water for managing water hazards and growing water demand and Smart Building and Homes, optimizing resource consumption and comfort through green buildings for hospitals as well as residential and commercial centers,” he said.

Campagne believes this summit provides a stage to introduce concepts of integrated solutions. “These will make cities efficient, livable and sustainable. We present smart solutions for smart cities.”

Schneider Electric is working on projects in more than ten cities across the Kingdom, said Campagne. “These days we focus on Makkah and its development extension project. To observe the working area, we will open our new office in Makkah by the end of this year,” he said.

“We are confident that our solutions will increase efficiency at all levels throughout the Kingdom and improve the quality of life for the residents and pilgrims of Makkah.”

Hafiz payouts ‘less bountiful’ than thought

2011-12-11T01:22:00.000-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Dec 9, 2011

JEDDAH: Many unemployed Saudis are unsatisfied about the Hafiz unemployment assistance program. They claim its aid turned out less helpful than they anticipated at its launch.

Numerous Saudis had looked forward to receiving a monthly salary of SR2,000 when King Abdullah announced the Hafiz program in November 2010. When the Ministry of Labor revealed that there would be requirements to be accepted in Hafiz, Saudis were less pleased. Hafiz would help Saudis to find job opportunities in cooperation with a program called Taqat, the ministry said. Taqat provides a four-month training in finding a private sector job to Saudis who are already registered in Hafiz.

“I was planning to buy a car and pay its installments using Hafiz payment,” said Anas Hemaid, a Saudi unemployed high school graduate.

“When the program was announced, they said the unemployed would receive SR2,000, and they didn’t mention any time span. After I registered I discovered my high school certificate allows me to receive only SR975 each month for one year. My plans for a car have been canceled, as this amount is not even enough to pay my mobile bill,” he said.

Smaher Al-Rougi, a Saudi woman who is registered with the social security program of the Ministry of Social Affairs, said she expected Hafiz to be a golden opportunity for her. “I had planned to save the monthly SR2,000 Hafiz payments to start my own business. I got shocked when I discovered I would receive about SR1,200 because I already receive financial aid from the Ministry of Social Affairs,” she said.

She added: “My sister carries a high school certificate and should get SR975. She later found out she would receive only SR125 per month, as she receives SR850 from the Ministry of Social Affairs.”

Bandar Swaileh, 24, is unhappy about the Taqat program. “Saudis will first look for a job in the governmental sector, as the salaries are higher. Why should we enroll in a four-month training course, setting us up to find a job in the low paid private sector?”

Aisha Natto, Saudi businesswoman and board member of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), said the Hafiz program confirmed that there are only one million unemployed Saudis in the age group of 20 to 35 years.

“Those who are not registered with Hafiz shouldn’t be considered ‘unemployed’, even when they don’t have a job. They don’t meet the Hafiz requirements for registration, so they can find jobs in other ways. The Labor Ministry will help them,” she said.

Natto added that Hafiz was launched to help Saudis until they find job opportunities. “It’s not a charity. People should understand who are the needy group that must benefit from Hafiz. Those who are not registered are already enjoying other financial sources.”

Expat’s death sparks debate on elevator safety

2011-12-11T01:21:00.001-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Dec 7, 2011

JEDDAH: Madinah police recently discovered the corpse of a Pakistani man who died after being trapped in a building elevator for many days. This incident has sparked a discussion about who is responsible for checking elevators in Saudi Arabia.

Regular maintenance and checking of the safety of elevators is of utmost importance, but a big number of building owners who are unwilling to spend money on this ignore the issue. Civil Defense and the municipality, on the other hand, also never arranged visits to buildings in order to check the safety measures applied there.

Arab News spoke to several building owners who confirmed that elevator checkups are a must, but the high cost is reason for them to ignore it.

“I own five buildings which have one elevator each. I never contracted a company for the periodic maintenance of the elevators because of the high cost. The charge ranges from SR4,000 to SR6,000 per elevator. Companies increase the cost in accordance with the height of the building. Such unlimited costs discourage me from hiring any company,” said Hamad Al-Zahrani, a Saudi landlord.

Marwan Al-Youssefi, general manager of a residential building group in Jeddah, confirmed that he was responsible for six buildings, each with six floors. He said that he paid about SR30,000 a year for the maintenance of elevators. “When the owner bought the buildings, she contracted a maintenance company that took care of the elevators annually. The company asked for SR5,000 per elevator,” he said.

Al-Youssefi agreed that taking care of the elevator was not an important issue for many building owners. “Building owners mostly teach the guard what to do if the elevator breaks down.”

Abdullah Al-Qurashi, owner of two buildings, confirmed that he had never maintained or even checked the elevators. “As I do not live in the buildings that I own, I never thought about the need for maintenance.”

He did not know whether the buildings’ guards were taking care of the issue.

Jamal Basiouni, supervisor of elevators’ maintenance in a private company, confirmed that most of their customers were hotels, furnished apartments, companies and malls. “We never received a building owner who is looking to contract us for annual checkups, except for those who bought elevators from us.” He thought that some landlords preferred to deal with a mechanic without contracting a company. “This would be much cheaper,” Basiouni said.

All proprietors who spoke to Arab News confirmed that they had never been investigated or visited by the municipality or Civil Defense teams to check on building maintenance and safety measures.

Ruwida Al-Hwamde, a Jordanian living in a third-floor apartment in Jeddah, confirmed that she disliked elevators because they were always damaged. “Our building’s elevator sometimes stops suddenly for a few minutes, and then it works again. I prefer not to use it because of its bad maintenance. My husband, however, never asked the building owner to check the elevator, because he is afraid that the owner will increase the rent,” she said.

Saleh Al-Kathiri, a Saudi resident living on the third floor of a building, stressed that he had never thought about elevator maintenance. He did not check the elevator when he started renting his apartment and did not ask the landlord whether he checked the elevator regularly or not. Later, he discovered that the elevator always malfunctioned “because of the heavy loads residents are putting in the elevator.” He noticed that neither the building owner nor the residents were aware of the safety meas
.

Handicapped Saudis still suffer in marriage

2011-12-11T01:17:00.000-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Dec 4, 2011

JEDDAH: Handicapped persons in Saudi Arabia still suffer in terms of marriage and in many other areas of life, said Dr. Talal Al-Bakri, head of the social affairs committee in the Shoura Council.

Despite the fact that people with disabilities in Saudi Arabia have gained the right to study at government universities and work in both private and government sectors, many believe that they are still an ignored group of society in terms of marriage.

Al-Bakri agrees with them: “Handicapped people face difficulties in almost every step they want to take. Society and the government have never given them their rights.”

He added, “Most families refuse to marry their healthy son or daughter to a handicapped person. One of the reasons is that the handicapped always suffers from financial problems. If the Ministry of Social Affairs facilitates loans to a handicapped and offers job opportunities with high fees, the society may change its view and accept the marriage of a handicapped to an able-bodied person.”

Some people encourage marriages between two handicapped persons, but this is from Al-Bakri’s point of view a “negative step.”

“Marriage of disabled couples could make life more difficult, especially with the absence of well-equipped apartments, hospitals, malls, and government offices for handicapped.” He also believed that such step might increase the rate of handicapped people, as two handicapped have a bigger chance to get disabled offspring.

Al-Bakri confirmed that he discussed the rights of handicapped people in the Shoura Council more than once, but there were no responses from governmental associations.

“We called several times for facilitating marriage of handicapped people by offering them special apartments, loans, and job opportunities. We also called for equipment in the street to facilitate the movement of handicapped. In the Kingdom, we issued many decisions, but there is no executive plan to ensure implementation of the decisions, “ said Al-Bakri.

Arab News spoke to assistant secretary-general of the Disabled Children's Association Dr. Abdullah Al-Dukhail, who said that the association did not present any help in terms of marriage of handicapped. Amira Noor, a Saudi blind woman, narrated her story: “I got married two years ago, when I was 32 years old. In the past, I was thinking of marriage, but there were no opportunities. My family refused my marriage with a man who could not walk, because they believed life would be very difficult for two disabled persons,” she said.

Amira added, “Recently, my neighbor told me that she knew a healthy elderly man who wanted to marry. I accepted this marriage because I was 30, and my chance to get married was very small.”

According to Amira, her family also accepted the marriage despite the age difference, because the groom had no disabilities.

Ajlan D., a Saudi handicapped man, got married to a deaf Saudi woman just to make sure that both of them were equal.

“I am suffering from a movement disability. Getting married to a non-handicapped woman was not a dream for me, as I believe such marriage would end with divorce or cheating. I know how the Saudi society mistreats the handicapped, so I preferred to marry a deaf woman,” he said.

School fire survivors may need help to overcome trauma

2011-11-23T01:52:00.000-08:00

A girl injured in Saturday’s school fire receiving treatment at a local hospital. (AN photo by Abdullah Al Mohsen)

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS

Published: Nov 23, 2011 02:01 Updated: Nov 23, 2011 02:01

JEDDAH: The fire that broke out in a private school in Jeddah on Saturday will have a bad psychological effect on students as well as teachers, according to experts who spoke to Arab News.

Fires are disasters that occur without a warning. In most cases, natural disasters, such as earthquakes, fires and floods, have negative impacts, as they are highly stressful events.

“Fires are considered the most difficult disasters that stay in people’s memories for many years," said Abir Shaban, a psychologist working in a private clinic in Jeddah.

According to Shaban, the private school fire could cause mental and emotional disorders to the victims and induce stress and trauma, either in the short or long term.

She added, "Traumatic events can fundamentally change not only victims' way of life, but also their psychological outlook. This equally applies to natural disasters and man-made catastrophes such as war."

Shaban confirmed that returning to the location after a fire is often very difficult, especially when the victims live in close proximity to the scene where the disaster occurred. The school students who witnessed Saturday's fire will be reminded daily of the past and the event. They will always be concerned about possible accidents in the future.

The victims of the November 2009 Jeddah floods, one of the major catastrophes to hit the city in recent years, still cannot lead a normal life, as the scenes of death and misery vividly remain in their memory, Shaban said.

"Even if the immediate source of the trauma is removed, time does not necessarily heal all wounds. The survivor may, in fact, continue to suffer for many years. Children suffer a lot because of the stress they felt without having any idea on how to escape and what would happen later," she said.

Dr. Murad Saher, a psychiatrist who treated several cases after a house fire in Jeddah, confirmed that many victims suffered post-traumatic stress disorder and required supportive counseling and medication. Despite the different psychological treatments, such problem may be a lifelong one and can become worse over time.

"The obstacle many students and teachers face is resuming their activities after injury and returning to school. This could be worse in case of facial or hand burns," he said.

According to Saher, society should cooperate to help burned students. "Many burn survivors complain of feeling as though they had a disease. People should deal normally with the burned students in order to help them forget the accident and live as they did before the fire.”

According to Saher, the Health Affairs Department in cooperation with the Ministry of Education will send a team of experts to visit the burned students and their families in order to direct them how to deal with the society and how to overcome the crisis.

"Families refused to send their sons and daughters to experts to overcome their psychological suffering after the floods in Jeddah. The Ministry of Education set up a special committee to take care of the shocked students and give them lectures on how to face the disaster. I hope to increase the number of lectures and make sure that we are ready to face any natural and man-made disaster," said Saher.

JCCI announces Jeddah Shopping Festival

2011-11-23T01:50:00.000-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Nov 22, 2011

JEDDAH: Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) announced during a press conference that a shopping festival would be held in Jeddah from January 18 until February 18.

The Jeddah Shopping Festival 2012 will be organized by the JCCI in cooperation with the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) and several other business sectors.

A number of businessmen and economists joined the press conference to highlight the main aim of the festival.

“The festival will play an important role in developing the commercial sector of the Kingdom. It will serve all society segments, as citizens, tourists, pilgrims and Umrah performers will all benefit from this festival,” Sheikh Saleh Kamel, chairman of JCCI, said.

Kamel stated that Jeddah was considered the tourism gate of the Kingdom. For that reason it had been chosen to host the first shopping festival in Saudi Arabia.

“We will work to support the retail and tourism sectors, such as hotels, entertainment venues and resorts, and encourage them to reduce their prices. The second aim of the event is to attract the largest possible number of pilgrims, visitors and residents,” he said.

Kamel added that the JCCI had developed a strategic marketing and integrated media campaign to give the festival a positive image and to deliver its message in a modern way to the audience they target.

According to Kamel, Jeddah receives five million tourists yearly, excluding Umrah tourists, which is why the government wants to benefit from this number in advancing the economy of the city through shopping programs.

“The most important aim of the festival is to reduce the expenses of Saudis on shopping and tourism abroad. International statistics show that the number of Saudi tourists abroad is increasing each year, with the estimated number heading to four million. They spend more than $50 billion a year on tourism and purchases,” he said.

First traditional Finnish school to open soon in Jeddah

2011-11-22T01:27:00.000-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Nov 22, 2011

JEDDAH: In an initial step of cooperation between the Kingdom and Finland, Sara Al-Khariji, a Saudi education expert and businesswoman, will establish the first Finland International School in Jeddah together with EduCluster Finland Ltd. (ECF).

Jarno Syrjala, ambassador of Finland to Saudi Arabia, attended the event to celebrate the announcement of the first Finnish school in the Kingdom. He expressed his wish to start several educational programs with the Saudi government.

“Education is one of the priority sectors, and this initiative will open the door for educational cooperation with Saudi Arabia. It is a Saudi initiative, but we are very happy to have this school in Jeddah.”

He added, “The school will be a traditional Finnish school, which will teach the history of Finland. Despite the number of Finnish families being small in Saudi Arabia, a considerable amount of students from Finland join the American schools and graduate with no knowledge about their history.

A Finnish school will familiarize the students with different topics about Finland, such as its history and the environment,” he said.

According to Syrjala, the Finnish Ministry of Education together with the Embassy of Finland in Saudi Arabia had presented a memo with suggestions to establish cooperation between the Saudi government and Finland to offer scholarship programs for Saudi students.

Elis Tarvaninen, a business director at EduCluster Finland Ltd. and director of the Finland school, spoke to Arab News about her further plans to develop Saudi education through a special teaching environment and experts.

“We cooperate with Saudi businesswomen to launch the first Finland educational program that serves all levels of society. Saudi and expatriate students as well as Finnish students will get the opportunity to study in the school, following an international educational program. High-quality and world-class education will be offered to all society segments,” she said.

She added, “Our school will serve low-class people as well as the growing expatriate community. It is a great opportunity to present such educational program in Jeddah. We hope to have several other branches around the Kingdom as well.”

Elis has a long history in the field of teaching in Finland and, according to her, she wants to present her experience to Saudi Arabia and the expatriate community here.

“We will bring other experts and organizations from Finland to support this project. Our role will be consulting and creating an educational program. We will also cooperate with local experts in Saudi Arabia,” she said.

Architect Stephan von Walzel, Middle East regional director of Vahanen, had been chosen by Finland and Saudi partners to design the school in Jeddah.

“We are specialized in designing schools and universities. It is very important to create an environment that sympathizes with both Saudi and expatriate students, without crossing the Arabic limits,” he said.

According to Stephan, there is a great difference between Saudi government schools, private schools, and international American schools and the Finnish school.

“The Arabic cultural aspect will be taken into consideration, but we will do that in a modern way. We cannot follow the typical Arabic design, as we have studied that and concluded that it doesn’t help in developing education,” he said.

Sara Al-Khariji, the project’s owner, confirmed that the Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia had facilitated all requirements for her and welcomed the cooperation with Finland.

“We in Saudi Arabia witness a great leap in the field of education. Many Saudi and expatriate mothers have been talking to me and are looking forward to having a school that teaches the students how to create,” she said.

Sara said she searched two years to find the perfect educational program worldwide, and she found that education in Finland was ranked first in the world in many subjects.

“The school will be an opportunity to offer special education for the Saudi and expatriate community in Jeddah. Students will go through a new and strange educational program that they have never experienced before,” she said.

According to Sara, the school will bring experts from Finland to train Saudi teachers. “Within the first four years, Saudi teachers will be qualified to teach at our school,” she said.

Al-Fayez visits the blaze-hit

2011-11-21T00:46:00.001-08:00

Deputy Minister of Education Noura Al-Fayez consoles a fire victim in Jeddah on Sunday. (AN photo)

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Nov 21, 2011

JEDDAH: A committee from the Ministry of Education will start investigating the fire that broke out at a private school in Jeddah on Saturday.

Noura Al-Fayez, deputy minister of education, visited Al-Jada’ani Hospital in Jeddah, where she spoke to 10 injured students and their parents.

The students, aged between five and 15, are still in Al-Jada’ani Hospital. One four-year-old student is still in the intensive care unit.

Al-Fayez spoke to the students’ parents, with one angry father accusing the Ministry of Education. She gave him her business card and said that she was ready to receive all complaints directly.

Razan Al-Najjar, a student in the intermediate section, narrated her story to the deputy minister. She said that the students on the third floor escaped to the teachers’ room after the fire had increased and the smoke had surrounded them. She said that they broke the window and jumped out of it, which is why they were wounded, with some of them in a critical case.

Student Diana Al-Najjar said that the students threw themselves out of the window before the Civil Defense arrived. She said that the teachers did not know how to use the available fire extinguishers.

Mamdouh Al-Etaibi, father of a student in the private school, confirmed that people in the street reacted much faster than the authorities. He said that his daughter escaped to the school’s roof after suffering from suffocation.

He added, “We need to boost the students’ and teachers’ skills and teach them how to face a crisis successfully.”

When the fire bells sounded, he said, initially the teachers thought it was a test and there was no fire in the school.

According to Al-Etaibi, a fire had broken out in the school last year, but it was a small one and not as dangerous as the fire this year.

Al-Fayez also visited the student who is still in the intensive care unit but refused to comment on the case.

Abdullah Al-Thaqafi, director of education in Makkah, said that they were ready to serve all parents. Classes will be interrupted for a week, and a team of psychological experts will visit the students.

Training program on crisis management planned

2011-11-21T00:45:00.000-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Nov 20, 2011

JEDDAH: Sphere, a training program on how to face crisis and disaster, will be hosted on Sunday in Park Hyatt Jeddah under the theme “We are all Jeddah.”

The international training program is held under the supervision of the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation in cooperation with the International Center for Research and Studies (Medad) and the Association for Human Development and Management (Ata’a).

Tariq Bin Ziad, executive manager of Ata’a, confirmed that Sphere was an important program to teach people how to deal with crisis or disaster. The Sphere Project, launched in 1997 by a group of humanitarian NGOs and the Red Cross and Red Crescent, is an initiative to define and uphold the standard by which the global community responds to the plight of people affected by disasters.

“We present Sphere in order to organize the volunteer work in Saudi Arabia. This program has gathered all international humanitarian work strategies and experiences. It helps raising a person’s ability to face a crisis,” he said.

Bin Ziad added that trainers would become more qualified to deal with crisis or disaster, and that the program would open the way for volunteers and trainees to achieve the highest benefit from their energies. “Trainee teams will be registered in Saudi governmental competent authorities, such as the Civil Defense, Public Security and the Saudi Red Crescent.”

The program will be attended by 30 men and 30 women who are qualified leaders in the charitable sector and volunteering in Jeddah.

“This program is considered the first step in order to raise the performance of volunteers and help to implement global standards to achieve effective cooperation with the official authorities,” he said.

According to Bin Ziad, the program would start in Jeddah, but experts would then move to other provinces to launch the program.

“Our further plan is to establish a center for volunteering in order to organize our work,” he said.

21 students airlifted to hospital

2011-11-21T00:44:00.001-08:00

A fire victim rescued atop the school building is taken to safety by a chopper with the aid of a rescue officer. (AN photo by Khalid Matar)

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS

Published: Nov 20, 2011 01:17 Updated: Nov 20, 2011 01:17

JEDDAH: Red Crescent airlifted 21 students affected by the fire that blazed in a Jeddah private school Saturday afternoon.

Capt. Abdul Hakeem Al-Joufi, director of air evacuation, said: “Three helicopters took off in response to the call for assistance. On reaching the site, the choppers managed to transfer the injured to the hospital within five minutes,” he said.

He said the air ambulances reached the site within minutes despite the distance from where the helicopters had taken off — the Al-Shumaisy station in Makkah.

Al-Joufi confirmed that air ambulance helicopters helped to transfer the critical cases to hospitals while ambulances took the less critical cases, and some others were offered first aid on the site.

The ambulances had to negotiate rush-hour traffic.

‘More evacuation training, preparedness needed’

2011-11-21T00:43:00.001-08:00

A fire victim is taken out of the fire scene by rescuers. (AN photo by Ghaza Mahdi)

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS

Published: Nov 20, 2011 01:26 Updated: Nov 20, 2011 01:26

JEDDAH: Despite the fact that Saudi Arabia has vivid memories of fires that had caused damage in Jeddah, Makkah, Riyadh and Dammam, people still don’t know how to react in emergencies, especially in schools, hospitals, malls, and even companies, a top Civil Defense official said.

Lt. Gen. Saad Al-Tuwaijri, director general of the Civil Defense, said despite government authorities being trained in drills to act orderly during emergencies, society itself is not geared to act in an event an accident occurs.

“We do our best to train government authorities on how to evacuate a location when any fire breaks out or other emergencies, but people are not disciplined enough to follow the training they had received during an incident. What needs to be done is for people themselves to undergo a lot of exercises and courses on orderly evacuation and on how to act in various emergencies,” he said.

In the private school fire in Jeddah on Saturday most of the injuries suffered were due to the haphazard rush to escape. Also the crowding at the exits where lots of pushing and shoving led to the injuries, he said.

“This rush to escape without any order or system is much more dangerous than the fire itself. In today’s fire, the school with 700 students had a toll of two dead and 45 injured with many suffering suffocation and inability to get out. This could have been minimized if the teachers and students had known and followed an evacuation drill,” he said.

Al-Tuwaijri said authorities in the country are well trained and ready to assist in such cases, but the people need to learn and practice these exercises and surviving techniques in order to help the authorities manage emergencies and calamities.

“We used the ‘Red Report’ that is usually set in motion to rescue people since the first minute of the fire. Such report sends out a signal to all government authorities to be ready, such as Civil Defense, Red Crescent, hospitals, traffic and police,” he said.

In addition to this, our future plan is to send observers to schools and they will be in charge of observing the evacuation process.

“We can’t ensure how strictly the schools are implementing the evacuation plans. Our duty is to give them instructions, and the school’s administrator’s duty is to make sure that evacuation process is put into the school’s system with regular drills and practice,” said Al-Tuwaijri.

There have been rumors that some girls’ schools are locked from outside by the guard, and, in that case, Al-Tuwaijri confirmed that the evacuation teams, police, Civil Defense, and Red Crescent are allowed to break the locked doors to control the situation.

According to Kawthar Al-Jehani, a Saudi teacher in an intermediate school, “Most of the girls and staff are not able to escape if a fire breaks out in a building, because they do not remember the drills taught to them,” she said.

She said, “Despite the fact that many schools contains several exits and conduct mock fire drills to prepare the students for emergencies, students consider these exercises a kind of game, and refuse to take the instructions seriously.”

The Ministry of Education, in cooperation with Civil Defense, organizes several campaigns, but no one takes these campaigns seriously, said a Saudi school’s administrator who preferred to be anonymous.

The main problem that girls’ schools suffer from is not having an ideal school building with open spaces to escape.

“The Ministry of Education has tried to prepare schools that are prepared for emergencies, while being able to accommodate many. The problem is that most teachers and students don’t know what to do when a fire breaks out,” she said.

Tradition under spotlight at mall exhibition

2011-11-16T02:16:00.000-08:00

Saudi workers who came from Umlog show their skills to make a traditional house at the exhibition.

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Nov 16, 2011

JEDDAH: A special exhibition on heritage, art and entertainment activities that formed part of the first National Built Heritage Forum kicked off on Tuesday at the Red Sea Mall in Jeddah.

The exhibition featured a number of interactive events and activities to attract people who want to find out more about Saudi architectural heritage. The event will run until Nov. 18.

It was inaugurated by Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), who toured the exhibition and interacted with participants. A large number of university students participated in the event and put on display traditional Saudi handicrafts.

“The event’s main aim is to highlight Saudi heritage and the necessity of old buildings, and the effectiveness of drawing and coloring to show these buildings in a very simple and artistic way,” said Usama Sarhan, spokesman for the exhibition. “Art and photography are the most important parts of the event. Currently we are displaying several photos taken by Prince Sultan bin Salman in the expo.”

The displayed photos cover many years of the Kingdom’s history, according to Wadi’e Al-Sha’bi, event organizer and student at King Abdulaziz University. “This section includes photographs taken more than 100 years ago. They had been taken in several regions of the Kingdom. The section shows our heritage and the nature of the Kingdom,” he said.

Ra’afat Dahlan, student at King Abdulaziz University, said his pictures show an old building and places that were destroyed by fire.

“These pictures display old houses in Makkah, Jeddah, Asir, Baha, Hafouf and many other cities in the Kingdom. Such houses were huge and many princesses and famous traders lived in them. Nowadays, most of these buildings are ignored. We wish to take advantage of this forum and refurbish these old buildings that attract many tourists,” he said.

Children and teenagers attended the exhibition in full force to participate in the photography contest and view the art gallery of architectural heritage.

Christin Ralf, a German tourist, visited the exhibition to learn more about the Kingdom’s heritage. “This is my first visit to Saudi Arabia. I heard a lot about its lifestyle and nature, but what I learned is very different from what I am seeing today. My visit to the heritage exhibition is the most amazing experience here,” she said.

Sola Roni, a Filipino, participated in the art expo where she drew and colored an old, traditional Saudi building. “This is my first time seeing these buildings. I enjoyed the event as I learned about this new culture. Despite living in the Kingdom for two years, I have never seen such attractive traditional buildings. Today, I am painting these buildings with Saudi children and many other nationalities,” she said.

Elderly people and expatriates were amazed at the number of different Saudi houses.

Peter Johnson, an American marketing employee who lives in Saudi Arabia, said the expo played an important role in defining the Kingdom’s heritage and history.

“It is the first time I learned that Saudis were living in buildings that were 100 years old. I thought that they were living in tents. These houses are very simple but very attractive. They’re just like drawings. Here I got an idea about the Kingdom’s different provinces,” he said.

Mortgage alone can help citizens realize their dreams, say experts

2011-11-14T02:31:00.001-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Nov 14, 2011

JEDDAH: Owning a home in Saudi Arabia is considered the most difficult mission for any young and — sometimes — elderly man. Experts and economists confirm that Saudi youth cannot own houses due to high real estate prices. According to them, owning a home in any other GCC country is much easier than in Saudi Arabia. Despite the royal decision to allocate budget to implement a mortgage program, Saudis remain pessimistic about the issue.

For 2011, Saudi Arabia announced the largest budget ever of SR580 billion. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has issued a decree aiming to improve living conditions of all Saudi citizens. For example, the capital for the Real Estate Development Fund has been increased to SR40 billion, and the size of the loans has risen from SR300,000 to SR500,000. Under the supervision of the General Commission for Housing, a project totaling SR250 billion was announced to build 500,000 residential units in all regions.

Experts feel that such project will develop the real estate sector and allow most Saudis to own houses. It also increases the standard of living and can improve the social fabric of society through community building. However, the decision has been suspended until the construction of 500,000 residential units, which has made most Saudis very pessimistic.

Arab News spoke to real estate experts to know more about the mortgage program and how it could help Saudis to own houses.

Talal Samrqandi, head of consultation engineering offices in Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said a mortgage program could help Saudis to own houses at affordable prices, but the program needed time to be implemented perfectly.

“A mortgage program has to be implemented after other requirements are taken care of. Saudis cannot own houses because of high prices of land and real estate, which have increased by 100 percent. In the past too, owning a house was impossible, because banks offered loans with eight percent profits. Now, banks have decreased this to 3 percent,” he said.

He added: “The launch of a mortgage program would decrease the demand in the real estate sector by 15 to 20 percent. Unfortunately, most community segments are already registered with the mortgage program. Fifty percent of them are poor, while the other half are middle class families.” According to Samrqandi, the mortgage program list is full now. As a result, it does not allow new applications anymore.

“The plan was to build 500,000 residential units, but that would not be enough. It covers only 25 percent of the country’s need. Statistics by the Ministry of Public Work and Housing indicated that they received more than two million loan applications, which is why they stopped receiving applications,” he said.

“The Ministry of Public Work and Housing has to take into consideration several points before establishing the mortgage program. These points include offering building materials with suitable prices to avoid lack of materials, allowing all investors to implement the building projects, hire observers to control the mechanism of building houses to suit with Saudi society lifestyle, and cooperate with banks that offer loans for Saudis. The government pays the profits, which would be only 3 percent.”

Manar Al-Munif, General Electric executive manager of Middle East and Pakistan, confirmed that only 20 percent of Saudis own houses in the Kingdom. The other 80 percent rent them. “The absence of a mortgage program is increasing the difficulties of owning a home in Saudi Arabia. For the last 30 years, we have been calling for this program,” said Al-Munif. She added: “Banks still make huge benefits of housing loans. They decreased the profit rates, but they are still high. A person who takes a loan of SR300,000 has to pay SR150,000 as profits.”

Abdullah Al-Zahrani, a Saudi employee who receives a monthly salary of SR25,000, said the dream of owning a house in the Kingdom had become impossible due to the high prices.

“In the past, when my salary was SR15,000, it was my dream to own a house in Jeddah. Recently, I realized that I would never be able to own a house in Saudi Arabia, even though my salary increased to SR25,000. Average land price in a middle-class area is SR680,000, and I have to pay SR100,000 in cash which I do not have. The bank does not give a loan to a customer, but buy the land itself. The building could cost around SR1,000,000; no bank would offer this amount of money,” he said.

He added, “If I want to buy a two room apartment, this could cost me SR700,000. No Saudi family is willing to live in such a small house.”

Families warned against SMS promoting maid recruitment firm

2011-11-13T03:44:00.000-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Nov 13, 2011

JEDDAH: The Ministry of Labor has warned citizens against responding to text messages promoting a fake recruitment office for maids in Jeddah.

A big number of citizens in Saudi Arabia recently received messages on their mobiles about a company in Jeddah that offers maids and drivers with a salary of SR600 to 800. They claimed that customers could choose between two contracts. The first contract costs SR5,000 and its duration is two years, while the second contract is SR8,000 for more than two years.

Arab News spoke to officials in the ministries of labor and interior to verify the validity of these offices.

Saeed Al-Ghamdi, head assistant of the recruitment department in the Ministry of Labor, confirmed that such offices were fake and not licensed by the ministry.

“We want to warn the citizens from these offices, who just claim they offer maids and drivers to gain money. These offices are illegal. We sent a team from the Ministry of Labor to visit the address that was written in the SMS, but there was no office to receive the customers,” said Al-Ghamdi.

Abdulrahman Al-Jehani, head assistant of the recruitment department in the Ministry of Interior, stressed that such fake companies sent large numbers of messages in an attempt to benefit from the maids crisis. “The Ministry of Labor recently discussed the possibility of establishing specialized companies that rent maids and drivers for customers. This project is still under study and no licenses have been issued for any office. Some fake offices try to benefit from the media propaganda and maids crisis, which is why they create such fake companies,” he said.

Al-Jehani is opposed to the establishment of recruitment companies, as he believes that such steps would increase the number of maids running away looking for higher salaries.

“Such companies will increase the number of investors in the field of maids recruitment. In addition, it would increase the number of maids who are coming to work under a company sponsorship and then escape,” he said.

Al-Jehani confirmed that there were already large numbers of private recruitment offices that bring maids and rent them for families in Saudi Arabia. He stated that these companies were already licensed by the Ministry of Labor.

The maids crisis started in August after the Saudi government decided to stop hiring Indonesian domestic workers. Indonesia also prohibited its citizens from working as domestic servants in Saudi Arabia after the beheading of a maid convicted of murdering her Saudi employer. The ban, which remains in place, increased the salary of maids and led to what they called a “maid crisis.”

Red Crescent airlifts victim of road crash

2011-11-13T03:43:00.002-08:00

The scene of accident in which three Indonesian pilgrims were injured Friday morning. (AN photo)

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS

Published: Nov 13, 2011 01:03 Updated: Nov 13, 2011 01:36

JEDDAH: Three Indonesian pilgrims were injured in a terrible accident on Makkah-Madinah Expressway on Friday and the Red Crescent airlifted one of them to a Madinah hospital.

The bus the pilgrims were traveling in crashed near an under-construction railway bridge on the highway.

Capt. Abdul Hakeem Al-Joufi, director of air evacuation, said his unit received a SOS call Friday morning and "we immediately responded to the request".

“Three helicopters took off to respond to the accident and to transfer the injured to hospital. One pilgrim was airlifted to King Fahd Hospital in Madinah, while the other two were treated on the spot,” he said.

He said the air ambulances reached the accident location within 15 minutes despite the distance.

Al-Joufi confirmed that air ambulance helicopters in Riyadh and Jeddah were stationed in Madinah and Makkah to cover areas that did not have specialized ambulances.

“Air ambulance is now implementing the third phase of the Haj plan, where we accompany pilgrims who are moving around Makkah and Madinah on a 24-hour basis,” he said.

He said the air ambulances were on high alert for Haj, during which they airlifted 17 cases.

Making use of social media

2011-11-13T03:43:00.001-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Nov 6, 2011

JEDDAH: Pilgrims are using social networking sites in large numbers to help them perform Haj with ease, said Dr. Abdul-Aziz bin Abdullah Al-Khudairi, deputy governor of Makkah Province.

“We decided to use the new media to promote our campaign this year. Those seeking to perform Haj used our social networking pages to learn about Haj, conduct and rituals,” he said. “Through the social networking sites we could reach a large number of users and were able to send cautionary messages plus providing them with the latest reports about Haj this year,” he added.

According to Al-Khudairi, about 36,200 members joined the campaign page on the Facebook during one month. He added, the campaign fan page was “liked” by many users from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Britain, Jordan and Algeria. People from various ages — from 25 to 44 — had joined the campaign page on the Facebook.

Al-Khudairi stressed that such social networking sites facilitated the campaign. He also indicated that a large number of users preferred to follow the information on Twitter.

“About 2,117 followers on Twitter had joined our page and re-tweeted the published information on the link twitter.com/#/hajjcamp. The YouTube link of our campaign had 1,741 viewers. The link was Youtube.com/hajjcampaign,” he said.

On Google, there are about 100,000 users trying to find news about the campaign. He said that Google search would open 200 pages when the theme “Haj is worship and Civil Behavior” was searched.Al-Khudairi confirmed that they used a mix of the traditional media tools and new media to communicate with the hope to reaching the largest segment of the society.

The campaign’s aim is to send cautionary messages to the society whether through traditional media such as newspapers and television or through social media. “Our staff is working 24 hours on both the media tools to fulfill pilgrims’ needs,” Al-Khudairi added.

Pilgrims warned to watch out for gold fraud

2011-11-13T03:41:00.000-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Nov 3, 2011

JEDDAH: During every Haj season one of the most sought-after goods by pilgrims is gold and jewelry from the Kingdom.

They prefer this market, because of their belief that the precious metal and designer jewelry from the region is of top quality, and they would not be cheated.

But such is not the case any more, with an increase of fake gold in the market. The Ministry of Commerce too has noticed an increase of fraud cases against jewelry shops in the Kingdom.

Some of the tricks that traders use are easily detected, while others are quite sophisticated and cannot be discovered quickly.

Arab News spoke to a number of gold salesmen who confirmed that most customers, especially pilgrims, were unaware of gold fraud.

“We receive large numbers of customers who cannot distinguish between original and fake gold. For example, they are unaware of the importance of the trademark on jewelry. Others cannot distinguish between 18-karat and 21-karat sets,” said a salesman who works in a well-known jewelry company in the Kingdom and preferred to remain anonymous.

He added, “Mixing zircon with gold is a well-known trick that all shops follow. Most customers prefer such mixed items. Five percent of zircon costs the customer about SR450. If he wants to sell the item after one day, he will not be paid the cost of zircon.”

According to the salesman, the Ministry of Commerce defined a maximum of five percent zircon in each set. If the set contains a higher quantity of zircon, it is considered fraud.

“This percentage cannot be measured when you are purchasing the item, and that’s why traders infuse a large quantity of zircon and customers are not aware of the quantity in a particular item,” he said.

Faisal Al-Buqami, a Saudi gold salesman, confirmed that many fraud cases occurred during the Haj season when the traders could benefit from the pilgrims’ high volume of demand.

“The pilgrims prefer Saudi gold as well as gold from Bahrain and Kuwait, but they cannot discover fraud. We ourselves, in some case, too are taken in,” he said.

Al-Buqami added, “There’s a seasonal spike in gold prices. Despite this, pilgrims buy jewelry and gold with no concern about the quality. They trust the gold quality in Saudi Arabia more than the quality in their countries.”

Hussein Fahd Al-Aidi, a member of the customer protection committee at the Ministry of Commerce and former head of the commercial fraud committee at Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that gold fraud was increasing in the Saudi market largely due to the absence of inspection tours by the ministry.

“The Ministry of Commerce doesn’t arrange spot inspections, unless it receives calls from traders or customers. When someone reports fraud, they immediately investigate the shop owner and the source of his products,” he said.

Al-Aidi added, “Many fraud cases are not detected. Fraud cases are widespread in small shops and the local gold market. Unfortunately, most pilgrims prefer to buy gold from these small shops,” he said.

Al-Aidi claimed that fraud cases in the Saudi gold market reached 35 percent during normal days, but rose up to 50 percent during Haj.

Most fraud cases appear in Saudi, Indian and Bahraini gold sets, which pilgrims like most, he said, adding many gold traders try to make a quick buck during the season by fraudulent means.

“Haj is the season most gold traders wait for to make profits. Due to the high cost of gold and the weak purchasing power of Saudi citizens, traders try to attract pilgrims and some may cheat them,” said Al-Aidi.

The Saudi gold market consists of about 6,000 shops, and 250 manufacturing workshops that include 30 factories, in addition to 700 repair workshops.

Expat ownership of businesses may lessen fraud cases: Experts

2011-11-01T03:19:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Nov 1, 2011

JEDDAH: Lawyers and Saudi economists are in favor of allowing expatriates to own small commercial ventures in the Kingdom.

Saudi laws prohibit expatriates to run their own businesses. The government strictly implements this rule, but expatriates and Saudi citizens have found ways to flout it.

Most expatriates register their enterprises under a Saudi name, a so-called sponsor. In this case, the government cannot find out whether the business is Saudi or non-Saudi. This trick threatens both parties as it increases chances of fraud.

Arab News spoke to a number of expatriate and Saudi victims who lost their monies in such arrangements.

Yassin Youssefi, a Syrian who established a restaurant in Jeddah, lost SR50,000 to the Saudi who registered the restaurant under his name.

“I opened a restaurant in Jeddah at a cost of SR150,000. I registered the restaurant under my close Saudi friend’s name, who initially did not want any money for this. After the first day, however, he asked me to pay SR70,000 otherwise he threatened to sell the restaurant within a week,” said Youssefi. “His attitude changed when he became the official owner of my restaurant.”

According to Youssefi, he was helpless, because he did not have money to pay the Saudi man.

“I couldn’t convince him to wait for one month or more. I proposed to share the restaurant profits with him, but he refused. I was forced to sell my wife’s jewelry, which was worth SR50,000, to pay him the amount,” he said.

The next hurdle for Youssefi was to find another Saudi to be the sponsor. “I asked one of my friends to nominate a Saudi relative who was unemployed and looking for a monthly payment. I found someone, and we agreed on a monthly payment of SR2,000. In addition, he took food from the restaurant daily for free,” said Youssefi.

Another victim of such an arrangement was Assad Abu-Laban, a Palestinian running a clothes shop. He lost his shop and stayed jobless for several years.

“I opened a shop in Al-Murjan Mall under the name of my Saudi friend. After my friend died, his sons refused to give me my rights and took away the shop. I lost all my money and remained unemployed for three years,” said Abu-Laban.

According to him, he learned a lesson from his experience and decided to rent a taxi to work as a driver. “I will never deal with Saudis again. A taxi is the best way to earn money without fear. I became poor as a cabbie doesn’t earn much money. Nevertheless, I am happy, because I feel safe now,” said Abu-Laban said.

Saudi national Ali Al-Shehri suffered when he registered a mechanic shop under his name and the shop owner escaped leaving behind loans for him to clear.

“I registered a mechanic shop for my Egyptian friend under my name. He worked in the shop for one and a half years and paid me SR1,500 a month. Recently, I received a call from the rent office informing me that my friend had sold all equipment and instruments and shut down the shop without paying the rent for six months,” Al-Shehri said, adding that he was forced to pay arrears, as it was him who had signed all contracts.

Habibullah Turkestani, professor of marketing and business management at King Abdulaziz University, advises the government to allow expats to invest in small projects with periodical fees.

“It would be much better if the government allowed expatriates to invest in small projects. This could be done under certain requirements, such as paying a fee to the Chamber of Commerce,” he said.

He added: “Such step would achieve equality between Saudi and expatriate business owners. It might also decrease fraud.”

According to Turkestani, the Saudi community has become a “consuming” instead of a “producing” nation. “Saudis prefer to own expatriate businesses for a monthly payment without working.”

Turkestani added that 80 percent of ventures in Saudi Arabia are small, but there are no clear data to suggest how many of these are not originally for Saudis.

Abdullah Murad, a Saudi lawyer and member of the lawyers’ committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, confirmed that many cases involving Saudis and expat victims are in courts. “Such issues are on the rise. In these cases, both the Saudis and expat caretakers of businesses are transferred to the general investigations unit,” he said.

The lawyer’s committee then investigates the issue. “If the expatriate presents papers that guarantee his ownership, we immediately give him his right. In addition, we punish both of them, because they violated the rules.”

Murad encourages the idea of allowing expatriates to own their business ventures with periodical fees to the government.

“This experience has already been implemented in Dubai, and it’s very successful,” he said.

Saudi gold trade ‘losing its glitter’

2011-11-01T03:17:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Oct 31, 2011

JEDDAH: The World Gold Council (WGC) has reportedly suspended its activities in Saudi Arabia, saying that the market has become too weak here and that countries such as China and India are more attractive than the Kingdom for bullion traders.

The decision by Aram Shishmanian, CEO of the WGC, follows his recent trip to Saudi Arabia.

“During his latest visit, Shishmanian met both government officials and some of the gold industry’s leading figures and discussed the continuing prominence of gold within the Saudi economy and explored initiatives and partnerships to enhance the Kingdom’s gold sector,” said Mohammad Azzouz, general manager of Azzouz House for Gold and Jeweler and member of the National Committee for Precious Metals and Stones. He claimed that the council suspended its activities in the Kingdom because of the huge losses in the Saudi gold market.

“We cannot deny that most Saudi citizens have become unable to buy gold as they were doing 10 years ago.”

Weak purchasing power is a general status of most Arab citizens, Azzouz claimed.

“Recent high increases in the gold prices made it difficult for many Saudis and Arabs to own gold and jewelry. In addition, political changes in the Middle East also contributed to weaken the purchasing power,” he said.

Azzouz, citing recent studies and reports, said youth made up 60 percent of the Saudi population and they were opting for other products over jewelry.

The Saudi gold market was cooperating with the council to improve the gold industry in the country, said Azzouz.

“They presented, for example, development ideas to design modern jewelry items that attract youth. However, most Saudi traders were keen on protecting the status quo without developing it to suit modern trends,” he said.

The continuing production of traditional gold designs also discouraged youngsters from buying gold, he added.

Saudization is another factor that prevented improvement in the Saudi gold industry, said Azzouz.

“Saudization of the gold sector also weakened the sales of gold,” he added.

He said most traders were busy hiring Saudi nationals who were fresh in the field. As a result, he said the development of the market stagnated over the past 10 years, leading to what he termed as “uncreative products”.

Azzouz confirmed that the large number of gold exhibitions, held annually in the Kingdom, also had a negative impact on the local gold market.

Fifty percent of the gold market needs are now served by foreign companies that took part in international gold and jewelry exhibitions, he said.

He alleged that such exhibitions offered low-cost sections for foreign traders in addition to easing many procedures. These incentives encouraged many foreign gold companies to compete with local traders, he alleged.

Azzouz also expected a low demand for gold during this year’s Haj season, as “political changes have weakened the financial status of many Arab countries”.

Ahmad Al-Sharif, CEO of Al-Sharif Company for Gold and Jewelry, confirmed that the Saudi market was weak, but that “it is part of a global trend.”

Al-Sharif, a member of the gold and jewelry committee at Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the gold price crisis had affected all countries including China and India.

Al-Sharif said although the purchasing power of Saudi nationals had declined many traders and families still saw gold as a safe haven investment.

He also said the Kingdom still needed a large quantity of gold for investment schemes.

“The council should not compare the Kingdom with countries such as China and India, who have a totally different population,” said Al-Sharif.

He said the WGC’s role is to promote the gold industry in Saudi Arabia, present development plans, arrange meetings between Saudi traders and international experts, and sponsor the “Jeddah Gate of Gold” and many other festivals.

“This role, however, is not so important, and we can work alone to cover this gap,” he said.

Red Crescent airlifts 17 pilgrims hurt in accidents

2011-10-30T03:19:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Oct 30, 2011

JEDDAH: The Saudi Red Crescent Authority (SRCA) airlifted 17 pilgrims who were injured in three separate road accidents on Friday, the first day of Dul Hijjah.

The first accident took place on the coastal road. “Two helicopters were sent to evacuate five accident victims who were in serious condition to King Abdulaziz Hospital in Jeddah,” said Capt. Abdul Hakim Al-Jawfi, director of SRCA’s air ambulance operations.

Al-Jawfi said the SRCA received another call from Madinah, where six pilgrims were injured. “Two of the six pilgrims were airlifted to a nearby hospital, because they were in serious condition. The rest were transferred by road,” he said.

The third accident was near Yalamlam, 125 km southeast of Makkah. “Six pilgrims were injured after their car got stuck in the sand,” said Al-Jawfi.

He stressed that the air ambulance teams were on around-the-clock alert to receive emergency calls from pilgrims in distress.

“This service is offered for free, and all pilgrims can call the number 997,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Civil Defense identified the locations for medical evacuation in the Grand Mosque, Mina, Jamrat complex, Arafat and on the Mashair Railway lines at a meeting in Makkah on Saturday. The meeting also discussed the medical evacuation strategy during Haj.

The medical wing under the Interior Ministry, Health Department, National Guard, armed forces, police, the Red Crescent and Makkah municipality will participate in evacuation activities.

— With input from Badea Abu Al-Naja

Indonesia recruitment crisis remains unresolved

2011-10-29T02:19:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Oct 28, 2011

JEDDAH: Refuting a report that appeared in a local daily early this week, recruitment offices in Jeddah said the issue of visas for Indonesian maids is still resolved. Both the Saudi and Indonesian authorities stopped processing visas for Indonesian maids last August.

According to spokesman of the Ministry of Labor Hattab bin Saleh Al-Anzi, the Kingdom will no longer hire Indonesian domestic workers, citing strict requirements and unfair regulatory provisions imposed by the country. Indonesia prohibited its citizens from working as domestic servants in Saudi Arabia after the beheading of a maid convicted of murdering her Saudi employer. The ban started on Aug. 1 and remains in place until the Saudi government agrees to sign a memorandum of understanding to protect Indonesian workers’ rights.

The ban has led to a sudden increase in salaries of maids in Saudi Arabia to between SR1,500 and SR2,000. As a replacement, Saudi families have started looking for Ethiopian maids who have been living in the Kingdom for many years. However, Ethiopian maids’ salaries have also increased, due to the recruitment crisis.

Arab News spoke to a number of recruitment offices that confirmed the desire of Saudi families to bring Ethiopian maids in place of Indonesian maids.

Abu Hassan, owner of a recruitment office in Jeddah, stated that Ethiopian maids are now popular among Saudi families.

“Most families ask for Indonesian maids, but we are unable to bring them from Indonesia. We cannot make promises either, as we have no news about any new development on this front. We advise families to try Ethiopian maids,” he said.

Abu-Hassan added that recently, his office brought 17 Ethiopian maids. “The contract was free of requirements, except the sponsorship ID and a fixed salary of SR800 a month.”

Ghazi Omar Ghourab, a member of the recruitment committee at Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, confirmed that many rumors had been published in the media about the issue, but nothing officially had been announced so far.

“The issue of Indonesian maids is still pending. There are reports that a solution would be found by the yearend. However, no decisions have been announced so far,” he said.

Saudi officials had announced plans to hire more domestic workers from Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Eritrea, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Mali and Kenya. “Most Saudi families, nevertheless, are waiting for a decision to bring Indonesian maids again,” said Ghourab.

Some families prefer to hire Indonesian maids who are already in the Kingdom even if the salary is very high. Sara Al-Amoudi, a Saudi teacher, pays high fees for Indonesian maids, just to avoid maids with other nationalities.

“My kids prefer Indonesian maids to any other nationality. Recently, I brought an Ethiopian maid on a salary of SR800, but my kids didn't like her. I returned her to the recruitment office and hired an Indonesian maid locally.”

1,244 flights to transfer pilgrims

2011-10-19T03:19:00.002-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Oct 19, 2011

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabian Airlines has begun to gear up for Haj with 1,244 flights, Saudi Airlines Vice President for Public Relations Abdullah Al-Ajhar said.

“We are ready to handle more than two million pilgrims who are expected to arrive for this year's Haj,” he said. Haj is due to begin on November 4.

“Over 188 flights are scheduled daily between Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam. Of these, 94 flights are only for pilgrims; another 94 flights are for other passengers, but pilgrims can also benefit from these on 6 and 7 Dul Hijjah (November 2 and 3),” he said.

“There have been only 411 international flights so far. We are expecting a large number of flights to arrive in the coming few days.

“We work as one team to overcome obstacles and avoid delays. We are prepared to deal with unexpected situations that might come up during the Haj season as well as to respond to the demands of the pilgrims,” Al-Ajhar said.

“Saudi Airlines rented 34 airplanes to serve other passengers during Haj without using planes that are reserved for pilgrims. This will facilitate the movement in the airport and avoid delayed flights,” said Al-Ajhar.

According to him, the Haj terminal has the capacity to handle more than 3,700 pilgrims per hour.

Red Crescent finalizes air evacuation plan for Haj

2011-10-19T03:19:00.001-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Oct 18, 2011

JEDDAH: The Saudi Red Crescent Authority (SRCA) has finalized its landmark air evacuation plan for this year's Haj, said Capt. Abdulhakim Al-Jawfi, director of the Red Crescent’s air ambulance operations.

The service was initiated during last year’s Haj to help pilgrims in case of accidents or emergencies. It was also implemented during the holy month of Ramadan this year to serve the huge numbers of Umrah performers.

“The program’s strategy is to accompany the pilgrims from the moment they arrive at the airport, so we will be available at all locations to help them as soon as they need us,” said Al-Jawfi.

According to Al-Jawfi, all air ambulances are now ready on the roads that link King Abdulaziz International Airport with the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.

“Air and land ambulances will cooperate during Haj to swiftly transfer sick and injured people to hospitals. For example, there will be three main helicopters — one in Makkah, another in Arafat, and a third in Madinah,” the director said.

“On the day of Dul Hijjah 7, all our teams and air ambulances will move to Arafat,” Al-Jawfi said, adding that the air ambulances would not be used in all cases.

“The medical team will discuss each case and helicopters will only be used in certain instances.”

The third phase of the SRCA’s program starts on Dul Hijjah 13, when all pilgrims finish their rituals and return to Makkah. “In this phase, our team will also accompany the pilgrims everywhere they move,” said Al-Jawfi.

There will be five medical helicopters in use during Haj, which will serve the holy sites and ring roads around Makkah and Madinah.

Besides the helicopters, about 150 personnel, including pilots, doctors, engineers and technicians, will be on hand around the clock.

“We are trying our best to learn from our experience last Haj. That’s why we divided the plan into three stages. The first stage is to cover the roads that lead to Makkah and Madinah, the second is to cover the holy sites, while the third stage is set to cover pilgrims until they return to their home countries,” said Al-Jawfi.

He said no mistakes were committed during last year’s Haj, but this year the SRCA tried to increase people’s awareness about the air ambulance.

“We increased our media campaigns to make people aware of how to behave when accidents happen. For example, during last Haj, pilgrims gathered around places of accidents, making our task more difficult,” said Al-Jawfi.

The program has been launched under the supervision of the General Authority for Civil Aviation. Members of the public can report emergencies to the Saudi Red Crescent Authority by calling 997.

School owners fume over minimum wage for teachers

2011-10-18T03:35:00.001-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Oct 17, 2011

JEDDAH: Following a June 2011 decision by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, the Ministry of Education will issue a new contract that forces private schools to pay Saudi teachers a minimum of SR5,600 a month.

The law, in cooperation with the Human Resources Fund, will come into force in the new Hijra year 1433 (Nov. 26).

According to the ministry, the new contract will ensure the rights of Saudi teachers and increase job opportunities for more than 39,000 Saudi teachers.

The Human Resources Fund will equally share the payment of teachers with private schools during the first five years. Arab News spoke to a number of private school owners who despite this compensation expect big losses.

“The Human Resources Fund will pay 50 percent of teachers’ salaries only for the first five years,” observed Rabiha Attar, owner of Rawdat Al-Sighar private school in Jeddah.

“Some schools will be able to pay the new minimum wage for teachers, but others will not. At my school, I pay teachers with significant experience more than SR5,000; teachers without experience receive SR3,000. We will save money as long as the Human Resources Fund contributes to the wages, but when they stop their participation we will lose a lot,” she said.

There should be a mechanism to distinguish between schools. High-class schools should implement this decision, but not the low-income ones, she added.

According to Attar, schools that lease their buildings will hardly implement this decision due to the steep rent increases every year.

Rashed Al-Shirmbi, owner of Al-Sahel private school, confirmed that the decision would lead to the shutdown of many private schools.

“Some private schools only receive SR6,000 per student. These schools will never be able to pay 50 percent of the SR5,600 salary for their teachers. This decision should only cover high-class schools that take SR20,000 per student,” he said.

“It would be better if the ministry hired the teachers and paid their salaries than sharing the payment with the Human Resources Fund,” Al-Shirmbi added.

Other school owners find the decision the perfect way to save money as long as the Human Resources Fund pays half of their teachers’ salary. “If a school used to pay SR3,000 to their teachers, it would only have to pay SR2,800 now,” said Abdulqader Al-Bakri, owner of Green Hills International School in Jeddah.

He added, “Schools that were paying only SR1,500 will suffer, as they will have to pay almost double for their teachers. Such schools will face financial problems and will not be able to continue, especially when the Human Resources Fund stops paying its share after five years,” he said.

Um Adnan, who preferred not to mention the name of the school she owns, confirmed that the decision would force many private schools to increase their fees.

“Most schools will try to benefit from the decision and ask for dramatic fee raises. Low-class schools that receive SR5,000 per student will not be able to pay 50 percent of the SR5,600 salary," she said.

Um Adnan expressed her worry that experienced teachers who already receive more than SR5,000 would ask for a raise, as they would not accept the same salary as their inexperienced colleagues.

According to Um Adnan, if schools raise their fees, the number of illegal schools that hire teachers with low salaries will go up too. “Many middle-class families will withdraw their children from recognized schools and send them to illegal schools that charge low fees,” she said.

King Abdullah to host 1,400 pilgrims this year

2011-10-18T03:34:00.001-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Oct 15, 2011

JEDDAH: A record number of 1,400 Muslims from around the world will perform Haj this year as guests of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, Islamic Affairs Minister Saleh Al-Asheikh said Saturday.

Al-Asheikh announced that this year, the King Abdullah program for hosting pilgrims would receive pilgrims from Indonesia, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Turkey, Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Russia, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Singapore and Myanmar.

So far, 18,000 Muslims from around the globe have performed Haj as guests of the Kingdom. The program has been managed by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance.

“This year, Muslims from countries that were not covered by the program in previous years are being invited. Our plan is to include the largest possible number of nationalities,” Al-Asheikh said.

Electoral system still in an early phase, poll monitors say

2011-10-18T03:33:00.001-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Oct 12, 2011

JEDDAH: The national council in charge of monitoring elections issued its final report about last month’s municipal polls at a function at the InterContinental Hotel in Jeddah on Wednesday. The report included several suggestions for improvement.

Chairman of the Lawyers Committee in Jeddah Majid Qaroub said the council had noticed a lack of election culture in the Kingdom. He said that the country was still in the first stage of developing its electoral system. The report recommended all government agencies to work on educating citizens about the elections.

According to Qaroub, the voting locations were not perfect, as there had been no specified locations for the handicapped and the elderly. Besides, he said, there were no cafeterias to provide water for voters and no air-conditioners in some of the polling stations, which had increased voters’ anger.

Qaroub however said that the election strategy had gone well in 752 election centers. Only 10 centers, located in Riyadh, Asir, Qassim, Dammam and Makkah, had to close for five hours because of the crowd and some skirmishes.

The heads of election centers had not been fully aware of the strategy to work with observers, said Qaroub. The media, both government and private, had also committed several mistakes during the election coverage. “They were not neutral,” he said.

The national council issued a number of recommendations for the next elections.

“We want all civil society organizations to participate in the next elections. They were not involved in the elections, although they had been invited to,” said Qaroub. He added that all private companies had been absent, despite the fact that it is part of companies’ social responsibility to participate in the elections. Most companies did not allow their employees to go vote, and employees who left work early to vote were considered absent, he said.

Qaroub also called for the importance of finding a way to deal with illiterate people, who mostly asked employees for help.

“We are afraid that the employees advised these voters to choose a certain candidate,” he said.

Qaroub welcomed the participation of women in the next municipal elections and called for special centers to receive about 2 million Saudi women voters.

“It is important to share the franchise with women. Their participation will improve the election process,” he said.

Qaroub said he also welcomed the participation of Saudi female lawyers and engineers in the national council to observe the elections, but they had not shown any interest.

Poll monitors to issue final report today

2011-10-18T03:32:00.002-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Oct 11, 2011

JEDDAH: The national council in charge of monitoring the municipal elections will issue its final report in Jeddah on Wednesday.

About 500 observers, some of them lawyers, filed reports and remarks after observing the election process in various parts of the Kingdom. Many surprises are expected during Wednesday's announcement as a number of discrepancies have been discovered, said Majid Qaroub, chairman of the Lawyers Committee in Jeddah.

Qaroub confirmed that “the election culture” was apparently lacking. “We noticed a general disinterest in participating in the elections due to the lack of a sense of social responsibility. Saudis still have a negative attitude to the principle of elections in general in addition to the discontent with municipalities,” he said.

According to Qaroub, the national council was shocked when many lawyers and engineers refused to participate in the election monitoring process.

“We hope to benefit from the mistakes during this election. In next elections we are looking for greater cooperation from the public,” Qaroub said.

Advantage for disabled Saudis as companies go on hiring spree

2011-10-18T03:32:00.001-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Oct 11, 2011

JEDDAH: Saudi companies are hiring handicapped Saudis in large numbers to achieve a high Saudization target under the Nitaqat system.

The system requires companies to increase the rate of Saudi employees and warns of punitive measures if they fail to do so.

The Saudi government encourages the recruitment of handicapped employees by equaling the recruitment of one disabled Saudi to hiring three able-bodied Saudis. As a result, most companies find hiring handicapped Saudis a good way to achieve Saudization targets in a short span.

Dr. Aisha Natto, CEO of the Eye-to-Eye optical company and member of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) board, confirmed that companies’ desire to hire handicapped Saudis had increased substantially.

“Since the launch of the Nitaqat program, we are receiving large numbers of requests from companies that are looking to hire handicapped people. We arranged several meetings with these companies to make sure that the offers were suitable for the handicapped employees,” she said.

The Ministry of Labor assigned the JCCI to hold several workshops with companies to ensure the best work environment for handicapped employees, said Natto.

The JCCI teaches companies how to deal with handicapped employees. “There are many skills that are unknown to employers as well as employees,” said Natto.

According to Natto, office work that doesn’t require movement is mostly available for handicapped. They include such positions as graphic designer, accountant, secretary and data entry operator.

“Such job opportunities are considered the most suitable for the disabled, except for the visually impaired. We try to ensure that handicapped employees receive a salary of between SR4,000 and SR5,000,” she said.

Natto added, “The Ministry of Labor will soon issue a decision to bring contracts between handicapped employees and companies under the JCCI umbrella. This step will ensure the handicapped employees’ rights, as we will make sure that all requirements are applied.”

Dr. Abdullah Al-Dukhail, assistant secretary-general of the Disabled Children's Association, said his association also receive many calls from companies looking to hire disabled Saudis. “Some companies ask for 20 employees, while others ask for three or five employees,” he said. “Most companies are looking to hire male staff, as handicapped women generally prefer to work in a secluded environment.”

According to Al-Dukhail, the association arranged several forums between the handicapped and private companies. “We will have a forum next week, which more than 100 companies will attend. Such forums facilitate contact between handicapped people and employers,” said Al-Dukhail.

Al-Dukhail confirmed that after the Nitaqat program was launched, large numbers of companies were looking to hire disabled Saudis and were offering good salaries. He said most companies offered salaries ranging from SR5,000 to SR8,000 to handicapped employees.

Al-Dukhail is of the view that the companies were offering jobs to the disabled not just to take advantage of the Saudization incentives, but also to help society as part of corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Majed Asiri, a Saudi who cannot walk, studied business administration at King Abdulaziz University but was unable to find any job opportunity because of his disability. “In the past, I was looking for a job, but with no result. I found only a job opportunity in a fast food company with a salary of SR2,000, which I refused,” he said.

Asiri said after the launch of the Nitaqat, the situation has changed. “I heard that a construction firm was looking for a Saudi accountant. I immediately applied and was accepted two weeks later.”

Health Affairs geared for Haj

2011-10-10T04:55:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Oct 9, 2011 3

JEDDAH: The Health Affairs Department has equipped Jeddah’s seaport and airport with medical centers to receive pilgrims.

“We hired 579 doctors and medical experts to work at King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA). We also hired 138 doctors for Jeddah Islamic Port. Both locations will operate 24 hours a day starting today until the end of the Haj season,” said Sami Badawood, director of Health Affairs in Jeddah.

He added, “We have equipped several medical centers and clinics with all necessary facilities.”

According to Badawood, the Jeddah Health Affairs Department set up specialist clinics to administer required vaccines and drugs in case of a flu outbreak. “Pilgrims who need specialist medical care will be transferred to hospitals in Jeddah and will receive free treatment and medicines,” said Badawood.

The Ministry of Health warned pilgrims to make sure they take the meningitis, cholera, yellow fever and dengue fever vaccines.

“We have already given vaccines to staff working at the airport and seaport, as well as those working at the health centers,” said Badawood.

Badawood confirmed that preparations for this year’s Haj season had started early with leave suspended for medical staff and technical support personnel in all hospitals in Jeddah, Rabigh and Laith, so that they would be available on call to work in Jeddah or at the holy sites.

Real-life success stories fascinate TEDx audience

2011-10-08T02:56:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS‬
Published: Oct 7, 2011 23:33 Updated: Oct 8, 2011 10:59

JEDDAH: Stories of real-life successes abounded in the "Live Your Dream" themed TEDx Arabia 2011 as members of different walks of life stressed the theme in their battle with adversity.

Writers, artists, musicians, bloggers and inventors narrated their journey to success at the event in Dar Al-Hekma College on Thursday. The riveting personalized accounts held the 108 attendees spellbound from 3.00 p.m. to midnight.‬

‪Basma Adnan Al-Seioufi, a Saudi training expert and self-development consultant and author of five books, set the tone of the event with her amazing story.

‪"I believe every person has to do his duty with no concern to the difficulties he endures,” she said while highlighting her achievements.

"Despite health issues and mental pressures early in my life, I overcame that phase with determination. I decided to live my life to the full and chase my dreams. Achieving my dreams and doing the job perfectly were the focus of my life," she said.‬

Youth should look for perfection in doing everything. They should wait for the word "wow" as a feedback for everything they do, she said while stressing that the fact she took pleasure and satisfaction in her work helped her to achieve her goals.

“No one can distinguish between simple and hard work, but all should know that even simple work requires big efforts,” Al-Seioufi said, adding, people should not wait for opportunities to come to them, but create them through hard work, overcoming all odds.

‪Thamer Shaker too stressed that hard work and using one’s opportunity were the key to success, and he related his experience to highlight this. A Saudi writer, columnist and author of five books, Shaker said that after seeing tough times in trying to get his writings published, it was social media that facilitated his pursuing his aims.

‪"I started writing since I was 15, but at that time there was no opportunity to publish my writings. It was very difficult to contact any publication or newspaper, and also there were no social media like Facebook or Twitter where one could blog," he said.‬‬

‪"The new generation is lucky because they are living in a different age,” he said, adding,‬ "Every person can reach an audience through the digital media. I used the social media to reach the biggest number of audience of all ages and nationalities."

‪Thamer stressed the importance of social media but, said that it needs to work with traditional media. "Social media is considered the new media that delivers the voice of the youth. It has facilitated my journey in the world of writing. After five years, I am now linked to many Saudi and non-Saudi readers through the Net," he said.‬

‪Mohammed Abu-Azzah, marketing and communications manager at Knowledge Economic City, talked about entrepreneurship and marketing leadership.

‪"When we talk about marketing we talk about big companies that add value to a product, but this can be done at the conceptional stage. Success is not to find a job or to complete a project that doesn't add value, but it is when the person takes an idea to fruition by adding value," he said.‬

‪Sultan Abdulmohsen, a Saudi interviewer at alif alif FM radio, said success comes from a quick aptitude and the ability to recognize an opportunity. "I started from scratch in media, given a job of retouching photos in a local magazine. After a year I learned everything about journalism — writing, editing, photography plus designing pages," he said.‬‬

‪He added, "I took this challenge because I wanted to become the voice of Saudis in the Middle East."‬‬

‪Sultan said he recently took a team of Saudi youths to work on Saudi programs. It was the first time that an all-Saudi crew completed the program — from conception to production.‬

Housing allowance eludes public sector employees

2011-10-08T02:54:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM & WALAA HAWARI | ARAB NEWS
Published: Oct 5, 2011

JEDDAH/RIYADH: Saudi and expatriate workers in the public sector have expressed fears that they will not be eligible for housing allowance soon, as an expected discussion on this issue in the Shoura Council has been delayed.

The Shoura Council on Monday adjourned talks on the issue due to lack of time, according to Council Chairman Abdullah Al-Asheikh.

The allowance would only include government sector employees, not expatriates and Saudis working in the private sector.

Many working in the private sector are calling for a minimum amount as house rent allowance.

Though Saudis are still waiting for the housing allowance decision to be approved by the Shoura Council, some are not optimistic. Some council members voiced reservations that this new provision would put a strain on the government budget.

The estimated cost of this allowance could reach up to SR17 million.

The recommendation presented by Mohammad Al-Quaihis, a member of the council’s housing, water and general services committee, suggested that government employees should receive three months’ worth of pay as housing allowance, pointing out that 50 to 60 percent of public sector workers do not own houses.

The recommendation was to be put up for discussion and voting, but was postponed. The delay triggered rumors that the recommendation would be vetoed or diluted during the debate.

Chairman of the National Society of Human Rights (NSHR) Moflih Al-Qahtani expressed his hope that the Shoura would approve the decision. Al-Qahtani described the proposal as essential to help citizens meet high rental costs while also supporting those who have taken housing loans.

“There are some government employees who receive housing allowances, therefore it is fair for all employees to receive it,” said Al-Qahtani, adding that the pros outweigh the cons.

However, private sector employees oppose the proposal for fear that average rent levels would increase across the country.

Ali Al-Tayyar, a Saudi teacher at a government school in Jeddah, confirmed that such a decision would increase his salary by 15 percent. He said that he was living in his father’s building, so he would benefit from the housing allowance without paying anything for the apartment.

“Although I do not need the housing allowance, I do need this money, as my salary is only SR7,000.”

Abdullah Al-Zahrani, a private sector employee, said he was against such a step: “The decision could raise real estate prices, while my benefits remain the same.”

Mohammed Al-Youssef, a real estate officer and owner of five buildings in Jeddah, confirmed experts were expecting a hike in real estate prices.

“I won’t increase prices until I make sure all prices of the buildings around mine go up,” he said. “Most tenants, especially expatriates, phoned me to ask whether I was going to increase the rent or not.”

Al-Youssef agreed that expatriates and private sector employees would be the real victims if the decision is implemented.

Salem Al-Ramahi, a Jordanian doctor who rents an apartment in Jeddah’s Al-Bawadi district, confirmed that he moves from one apartment to another every three years because of the steep hike in rents.

“I have been living in my apartment for two years and pay SR27,000 a year. The three-room apartment is very small, but it’s new. When I met the owner recently, he told me that the prices might increase in the new contract, because the Shoura Council could approve a housing allowance for public sector employees,” he said.

“When I told him that I would not benefit from the decision, he said that these were general prices and he had nothing to do with it.”

Saeid Bogar, a real estate dealer, confirmed that most building owners told him their prices would increase by about SR2,000 starting from next year.

“All owners have decided to increase the prices starting from 2012. Not only will rents increase, but building prices as well,” said Bogar.

Faten Bukhari, a Saudi doctor who works in a government hospital, confirmed that she was not receiving housing allowances because she is single. She expressed fear of price increases, as she might be unable to pay for her apartment.

“I am the one in charge of paying apartment fees for my family, because my father is not alive anymore. Despite the fact that medical sector employees do receive allowances, as a single person I do not. That’s why I will not benefit from the housing allowances,” she said.

Final report on transparency of municipal elections next week

2011-10-05T02:01:00.002-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Oct 4, 2011

JEDDAH: The national council in charge of observing the Saudi municipal election will issue its final report on the transparency of the polls held in all cities of the Kingdom next week.

About 500 Saudi lawyers and engineers are currently examining reports and observations of the election in various parts of the Kingdom in preparation for the issuance of the general report, said Majid Qaroub, chairman of the Lawyers Committee in Jeddah.

“We noticed a high level of cooperation from all officials in the election centers across the Kingdom,” said Qaroub.

According to Qaroub, the elections were successful because of the Saudi Council of Engineers’ huge effort in cooperation with different government departments.

“They immediately participated in the establishment of the national council for the control of the municipal elections, which resulted in the involvement of more than 500 lawyers and engineers to control the elections during the polling as well as screening stages,” he said.

He noticed that monitors of the municipal elections had participated in several training courses where they trained at different workshops held by chambers of commerce in several areas of the Kingdom.

Qaroub thanked all lawyers who participated and worked hard to serve the country. He also declared that a press conference would be held next week to announce strategies and mechanisms to maintain the integrity and transparency of the elections.

No recognition for Ukraine universities, students left in lurch

2011-10-05T02:01:00.001-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Oct 1, 2011

JEDDAH: Saudis studying at Ukrainian universities are calling for the Ministry of Higher Education to solve their problems, which started when the ministry withdrew its recognition of universities in Ukraine.

Saudi students who study at these universities face a big problem when their certificates are not authenticated in the Kingdom.

Most Saudis in Ukraine are studying at their own expense. They traveled to Ukraine escaping the difficult procedure of getting admitted at Saudi universities.

Amira Sabbah, a Saudi who graduated from a medical college in Ukraine, claimed that she and her sister applied to the university after receiving the green light from the Ministry of Higher Education. According to Sabbah, the Saudi students in Ukraine met with a Saudi delegation, which told them to continue at the same university. They also promised to approve their certificates. “After we returned to Saudi Arabia, the ministry refused to approve our certificates. As a result, we are now jobless,” said Sabbah.

Ibrahim Al-Marzougi, a Saudi who studied the preparation year at his own expense in Ukraine, has shifted to the UK after the Ministry of Higher Education warned him that his university was not recommended. “I spent SR35,000 in my first year. A delegation visiting the university warned me that the university was not on the recommended list, so I switched to a university in the UK,” he said.

Abdullah bin Ali Al-Qahtani, general director of the certificate equivalency department in the Ministry of Higher Education, told Arab News that there was no approval for any certificate issued from Ukrainian universities.

He said, “Education delegations from the Ministry of Higher Education have arranged several visits to Ukrainian universities in the past few years to assess the quality of education. They reported numerous violations in the universities, who accept foreign students with very low grades even in medical schools.”

According to Al-Qahtani, many students who studied medicine in Ukraine had originally been graduated from literary sections in Saudi schools. “The Ministry of Higher Education has issued a strict rule not to approve certificates from any Ukrainian university. We sent delegations to warn Saudi students not to study in Ukraine or at any university that is not recommended by the ministry,” said Al-Qahtani.

He added that any Saudi studying at a university not included in the recommended list should transfer to another university within six months. Otherwise, the certificate would not be authenticated.

Al-Qahtani also said they noticed that the private sector was hiring students with certificates from universities not included on the list. “To avoid this, we are going to form a committee with representatives of several authorities that will be in charge of authenticating the certificates in each sector,” said Al-Qahtani.

Domestic tourism makes up 7.5 percent of GDP: JCCI official

2011-08-14T03:23:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Aug 13, 2011

JEDDAH: A Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) board member has claimed that domestic tourism contributed to 7.5 percent of the Kingdom’s GDP.

Saleem Bin Salem Al-Harbi said domestic tourism is a main element in the plan to reduce dependency on oil and provide job opportunities for Saudis. “Tourism has become an important sector that offers job opportunities to young Saudis. The latest statistics confirmed that about 490,000 jobs were created in the tourism sector in 2010. The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiques (SCTA) confirmed that 130,000 Saudis joined the tourism sector in 2010,” said Al-Harbi.

Businessmen highlighted the importance of the Jeddah summer festival in increasing investment opportunities in the tourism sector and creating competition between companies. The latest statistic issued by SCTA confirmed tourists in the Kingdom spent on average SR268 million in 2010, compared to SR168 million in 2009.

The statistics revealed that Saudi tourism depends mainly on local and GCC tourists.

“The tourism sector is developing rapidly worldwide and particularly in the Kingdom because of new rules and regulations that encourage private companies to invest in this domain and to compete in providing the best services to tourists,” said Al-Harbi.

According to Al-Harbi, the tourism sector is expected to become one of the most important sources of revenue and is expected to generate more than SR40 billion in the future.

“Saudi tourism is growing rapidly which is why we are expecting this sector to provide more than 90,000 additional jobs by 2014,” said Al-Harbi.

Khaled Al-Harthi, head of JCCI’s hospitality committee, confirmed that the committee is working to improve its Saudization levels and offer more job opportunities to citizens in the hospitality and hotel sectors.

“We are working with a private company to classify restaurants in Jeddah and create a recruitment plan for Saudis in cooperation with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Human Resources Development Fund,” said Al-Harthi.

“We decided to hold an annual Saudi hospitality day to discuss Saudization constraints in the sector and find solutions and regulations.”
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To survive, companies hiring unqualified Saudis

2011-08-14T03:22:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Aug 11, 2011

JEDDAH: The introduction of the Nitaqat system has caused concern among many companies in the red category. Consequently, some have rushed to employ Saudis, even if they are not qualified, to escape from this category. Other companies have begun reducing the number of foreign workers.

In the Nitaqat system, companies are classified into three categories: red, yellow and green. Companies in the yellow category are given a grace period of nine months and those in the red category six months to improve their status by hiring more Saudis before facing punitive measures. Yellow companies will not be able to extend their foreign employees’ work visas beyond six years, while red companies will be unable to renew their foreign workers’ visas at all. Companies in the green category are in an excellent position. They have achieved the Saudization percentage target.

Most companies have started hiring Saudis, even if they are unqualified.

Khalid Al-Ghamdi, human resource manager at Alshiaka, said: "Companies have begun hiring less qualified or even unqualified Saudis to get away from the red category and to fill positions. This will negatively affect the Saudi labor market and stop the development of the employee and the country."

He added, “Most companies are now hiring Saudis with low salaries, demanding that they only show up and register their name in the daily attendance sheet. This causes the companies huge losses."

Al-Ghamdi confirmed that companies temporarily hiring unqualified Saudis to move away from the red category would soon return to that category once the Saudi employees were fired. “Unfortunately, many companies find themselves trapped and quickly try to increase their Saudization rate without planning.”

Al-Ghamdi gave the example of the company he previously worked for, which had a Saudization rate of only 17 percent. To escape from the red category, they hired unqualified Saudis, and the percentage increased to 28, he said.

“Some companies decided to hire Saudis for SR2,000 a month in a training program that ends with employment. After two years of training, the Saudi trainees will be hired in the company with a monthly salary of SR3,000 to SR4,000.” According to Al-Ghamdi, such a long-term strategy program was considered better than hiring unqualified Saudis to achieve Saudization.

Another human resources manager working in a private company in Jeddah, who did not want to be identified, confirmed that both big and small companies were now hiring unqualified Saudis only to achieve a high Saudization rate.

Some companies are even hiring handicapped Saudis, because giving employment to one handicapped Saudi counts for filling four positions.

“The Nitaqat program, in my opinion, is misused. It is going to fail. Neither the employee nor the country will benefit from this program. The Saudi government should create job opportunities that suit Saudis without terminating expatriates or hiring unqualified Saudis,” he said.

He added: “There is a huge number of unemployed Saudis holding high school degrees. How can companies hire Saudis without higher qualifications?”

Wael Al-Zeben, a Jordanian employee working in a private company, was sacked by his company and replaced by a Saudi who has neither the requisite qualification nor experience for the job.

“I was working in an insurance company for more than five years. The company had been classified in the red category. To escape from this category, they terminated 19 of us expatriate workers. They replaced us with Saudi high school graduates. The newly hired Saudis get lower salaries than what we used to get,” said Wael. His previous boss told him that they were struggling with the new employees, because they had no training or experience on how to do the job.

Nuha Al-Kesiabri is a Saudi girl who found a job in a private polyclinic immediately after she finished high school. The polyclinic was searching to hire Saudis immediately, because they were in the red category. The polyclinic employed her as a receptionist without any interview. She knew that the polyclinic was only hiring her to escape from the red category.

Citing high cost of living, Saudis call for minimum wage increase

2011-08-08T06:35:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Aug 7, 2011

JEDDAH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah recently announced an increase the minimum wage of Saudi employees in the public sector to SR3,000 per month. However, with rent prices skyrocketing and the cost of living up by more than 50 percent, many Saudis worry that the proposed minimum wage may not be enough. Some have even called for the minimum wage to be increased to SR5,000.

Fahd Al-Dosary, an employee at Jeddah's King Abdulaziz International Airport and father of three, complained that his salary finished before the end of the month. He said that his salary was not enough to support his family and buy basic needs. “It is difficult to support a family of four with SR3,000 a month,” he said.

Al-Dosary added, “Prices increase every day in Saudi Arabia, but our salaries remain the same. I quickly start budgeting my salary when I receive it. I put SR1,500 aside to save for apartment rent, which costs SR18,000 a year. The rest is divided to buy rice, meat, dairy, bread, water, children needs, gasoline and to pay bills.

Jamal Banoon, a Saudi economic author and head of the Saudi Center for Studies and Media, said that the minimum wage should be at least SR5,000.

“The minimum amount is not enough for Saudi or even expatriate families. We are facing tough times when prices increase every day, making it difficult for people to satisfy their daily needs. Defining the minimum wage is very important, but it should be compatible with the monthly needs of individuals and families,” he said.

Many Saudis are putting off marriage in order to save enough money.

Anas Al-Harbi, a 25-year-old Saudi who graduated from a health institution two years ago, complained that he couldn’t find a good job with an appropriate salary. He currently works for a medical center for SR2,800 a month.

“My salary is not enough to start a family. I am planning to get married soon, but with this salary it’s impossible. I have been engaged for two years, but unless I find a job with better pay, I will not be able to get married,” added Al-Harbi.

He said that he could not afford to pay for the dowry or even rent an apartment. “I can only save SR500 from my salary. With the rest, I pay the monthly installment for my car and other bills.”

Faisal Hamdan, a 32-year-old Saudi photographer working in a private company and a father of four, complained of the low salary he has been earning for the past two years.

“I have been working as a professional photographer for a long time now. Currently, I am working in a private company for SR3,000 a month. This salary is not enough to support my family. My salary is gone in the first ten days of the month; after that I moonlight to earn money or borrow money from my brothers.”

Jamal Banoon said increasing crime rates were an indication of growing poverty.

“A person who wants to earn quick money sometimes snatches cell phones and sell them for SR200 in order to buy milk for his children or groceries.”

According to Banoon, private companies sometimes cheat employees. They give the employee only SR3,000 despite the company getting financial support from the Human Resources Fund.

“Some companies still pay the employees less than SR3,000,” he said. Banoon confirmed that most companies were cheating employees because in Saudi Arabia there is no organization to protect the rights of employees.

“The solution is not to offer job opportunities, but to offer job opportunities with suitable salaries. We have many youth who are working, but they are very poor and barely make ends meet.”

Jeddah festival activities continue into Ramadan

2011-08-06T04:42:00.001-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Aug 3, 2011

JEDDAH: The Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) issued more than 100 licenses for Saudi malls and commercial centers to hold events.

These events are considered part of Ramadan and the Jeddah Summer Festival, which continues for 70 days and targets 4 million tourists.

“We are looking to continue holding summer events in Ramadan. The number of visitors and tourists increased during Ramadan. Most malls demanded to add more events and celebrate Ramadan differently to attract more tourists,” said JCCI Secretary-General Adnan Mandoura.

According to Mandoura, Jeddah malls are considered important tourist attractions.

“We have about 200 malls in the city, which are vying to attract Ramadan visitors by holding competitions and offering gifts,” said Mandoura.

The JCCI will hold Islamic symposiums and awareness lectures inside malls from Aug. 6 to 19, added Mandoura.

The Jeddah Center for Forums and Events will open its doors from Aug. 11 to showcase local Saudi dishes, various competitions, and gifts for families and children. The forum will continue till the end of the holy month.

Mohammed Abdulrahim, director of the tourism sector at the JCCI, confirmed that all Jeddah malls were contributing to celebrate the summer festival.

“Traditional markets in Al-Balad, such as Al-Badu, Al-Nada and Al-Alawi, offer special gifts that belong to Ramadan at reasonable prices. Umrah performers and visitors prefer to buy souvenirs and gold from such old traditional malls,” he said.

Abdulrahim confirmed that malls, hotels, and exhibitions were celebrating Ramadan showing old Jeddah habits such as Hakawati, Mesahrati and a Saudi traditional fashion show.

Youth can also participate in football and basketball matches that are going to be held in several locations, said Abdulrahim.

When it's not right to look the other way

2011-08-06T04:41:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Aug 2, 2011

JEDDAH: A sense of social responsibility among individuals living in a neighborhood seems to be absent, as many people refrain from taking the initiative to report a problem or getting together to fix one. Most people believe it is not their responsibility to get involved when they see something wrong or detect suspicious activities. To them, it is the duty of the municipality, police or the Passport Department to fix the problem.

In the past, people were more involved in matters related to their neighborhood security to ensure the safety of the district they lived in. Suspicious activities were often reported, and any problems were fixed with the help of the neighborhood mayor, or “umda.” These days, anyone who cares about what is happening is referred to as a “nosy person.” Even the role of the umda has been marginalized.

Samir Yassin, a Saudi apartment building owner, criticized the silence of some of his tenants when he discovered that one of his apartments had been turned into a brothel. He said he was angry that this problem happened in one of his apartment buildings and even angrier when he learned that the other tenants knew about it and did not report it. "I rented the apartment to a married Saudi tenant. I reviewed and got a copy of his marriage contract and family card. According to other tenants in the building, he was bringing different women and sometimes holding big parties with many men and women. The other tenants did not even bother to complain or report it, saying it was not their problem," Samir added. He came to know about the problem when a man living in the same street complained to him about the noise and alerted him to the suspicious activities.

Marwa Al-Ghamdi, a 46-year-old mother of six, was accused of being a nosy neighbor when she complained about a restaurant in the street. The restaurant started to use the sidewalk in front of the restaurant for customers to sit outside. This bothered many of the residents. However, they did not file an official complaint. They only whined to each other about the smell, the smoke, the noise and sometimes harassment. Marwa took the initiative and complained to the municipality. They came and warned the restaurant against using its tables outside.

"I was surprised when they accused me of being nosy. I believe that it is my right as a citizen to report any negative behavior to authorities. As a citizen, I will not be silent and allow violations to go unreported," she added.

Mukhtar Muhammad Saeed, an Egyptian expatriate in Jeddah, reported to authorities about 12 expatriates living in a small apartment for families only. When he complained, the owner of the apartment was angry and accused him of getting involved in private matters. "I was indeed not living in the same building, but it is wrong to squeeze more than 10 people in one small apartment that is supposed to be for families only. As neighbors, we should report illegal behavior to authorities and help eliminate them from our society. I am part of this community, even though I am Egyptian."

Qassem Kutbi, umda of Al-Thaghr district, confirmed that the umda’s role was not limited to paper signing and following up the cases in the municipality. The role of the umda is to ensure the safety of residents in the district.

“Many people come to my office to complain about problems, and my role is to help them. Some people describe those who are reporting problems as nosy, but that is not true.” According to Kutbi, there are many problems among families, building owners, shop owners and neighbors. “Some problems end in my office, while others end in the police office,” he added.

Umrah pilgrim arrivals up by 7% this year

2011-08-06T04:40:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Aug 2, 2011

JEDDAH: Umrah pilgrim arrivals in the Kingdom through King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) from mid-March until Sunday (Aug. 1) rose by more than 7 percent compared to the same period last year, a General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) report showed on Monday.

The report said a total of 2,279,993 arriving Umrah pilgrims were recorded this year on board 13,829 flights, compared to 2,126,637 pilgrims on board 12,235 flights during the same period last year.

Arrivals in the past six days reached 141,308 pilgrims on board 860 flights. On the other hand, departing pilgrims were recorded at 103,429 on board 638 flights in the past six days.

GACA said it had finished all preparations in cooperation with KAIA to receive guests of the two holy mosques. The management of KAIA laid out a plan to transfer Umrah pilgrims coming from the north and south terminals to the Haj terminal.

Municipality has tough time clearing streets of peddlers

2011-08-01T05:57:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS

Published: Jul 30, 2011

JEDDAH: With the approach of Ramadan, many stores and street peddlers in south Jeddah are selling food products for cheap prices. Poor families find peddlers the best option to shop for Ramadan, because of their competitive prices.

However, some of the products peddlers sell are past sell-by date or near expiry date. Customers are not aware of it, and even if they were, they would not have any choice.

The Jeddah municipality has been working hard this month to put an end to the problem of street peddlers before the start of Ramadan.

“The municipality has started implementing a plan to control peddlers during Ramadan and fight fake street vendors,” said Sami Nawar, head of the municipality’s historic area branch. “This plan has been approved by the mayor of Jeddah, Hani Abu Ras.”

Nawar said that the number of peddlers increased mostly in downtown area, where many poor families and illegal expatriates live. “Most of these peddlers have licenses issued by the municipality, because they are qualified, but in Ramadan they start cheating in order to earn more money,” he related.

Nawar added, “We intensified our field inspections in the downtown area to ensure people’s safety. We seized quantities of expired food, which we destroyed. Those selling food products without municipality licenses are committing a violation. Most of the street peddlers arrested are overstayers.”

The municipality urged citizens to cooperate with the responsible authorities to fight street peddlers. Apart from being illegal, peddlers often stand in the middle of the street, which disturbs the traffic movement and incites shop owners.

Ardal Zakaria, who owns a Turkish restaurant in Al-Kandara neighborhood, south Jeddah, complained of street peddlers standing in front of his restaurant selling expired food. “Most Asian customers and some Saudis prefer to buy from the peddler, who stands in front of my shop and has ‘special offers.’ We complained many times to the municipality, but every time they left, the peddlers came back,” said Zakaria.

Hamada Al-Masry, an Egyptian seller of pastry at Bab Sharif in the historical area, complained about the high competition he faced from peddlers each Ramadan.

“Although my store is one of the famous pastry makers in the historical area, I still face a real challenge in Ramadan because of peddlers. They prepare some pastry at home and fry some in the street, which is not healthy at all. Despite the low quality they offer, they still attract many customers from different nationalities,” said Al-Masry.

According to him, low prices were the factor that attracted many customers to buy from peddlers and ignore shops. “The old families that used to buy pastries from my shop still refuse the peddlers’ products. However, with prices increasing, many go for the peddlers.”

Future of traditional media discussed at Jeddah seminar

2011-07-26T14:05:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: Jul 26, 2011

JEDDAH: Noon Cultural Forum has organized a symposium in Jeddah entitled “Media Between the Curriculum and the Field.”

The symposium discussed the future of the traditional press. The symposium has brought together media and technology experts to discuss the mix of new media and technology with traditional media. Experts examine whether traditional media will disappear because of new media.

Dr. Saud Kateb, media technology professor at King Abdulaziz University, confirmed that traditional media were facing a great challenge due to new media.

“Traditional media are being challenged by new media users. However, students in mass communication colleges in Saudi Arabia suffer weakness in several fields, such as language, self-confidence, creating ideas, writing and using technology to promote their work. Traditional media students have to develop their skills to keep the established press alive,” said Kateb.

He added, “Traditional press will die if officials continue to fight the media that use new technology.”

Kateb blamed the Ministry of Education, university officials, and press companies for ignoring the weaknesses of Saudi students.

Kateb urged journalists to work on developing their writing, interviewing and reading skills without referring to university or press companies.

Muna Siraj, editor of Sayidaty magazine, called on the importance of hiring specialized journalists.

“Most press companies hire journalists who are not specialized in the field. Some of them don't hold a mass communication certificate, but they do have the talent to write. Despite that, we have many famous names of journalists who are not specialized. We are still looking for qualified journalists who can cope with modern technology and the changes that appeared in the Middle East and the rest of the world," she said.

Kateb and Siraj confirmed the importance of mixing new media with old, traditional media, as both of them were important and required.

Employees should be aware of company policies: Experts

2011-07-24T14:31:00.001-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: Jul 24, 2011

JEDDAH: The recent shooting incident reported in Dammam, where a dismissed Saudi employee shot three of his former colleagues, has raised the alarm about how to deal with sacked employees. A Saudi man was killed and two Asian nationals were injured in the attack; one of them is in critical condition. There are no accurate statistics about violence at work, but according to numerous human resources managers interviewed, it happens frequently.

A Saudi boss interviewed who did not want to mention his name recalled an incident that happened with an employee he fired because of his lack of productivity. He said that three days after he had fired him, the employee showed up in a restaurant and attacked him. People at the restaurant jumped to his defense.

“The sacked employee was waiting for me at the restaurant, because he knew it was my favorite and I always buy from it on Fridays. He attacked me in front of my children. I was slightly injured and reported the incident to police, who took action against him,” said the boss.

Human resource managers confirmed that some employees might resort to violence if they are fired. They said that firing an employee was a skill that bosses and HR personnel urgently needed to learn to avoid violent reactions.

Khaled Hassan Al-Ghamdi, an HR consultant at a private company, said, “The first step is to familiarize the employee with the company policies and the dos and dont's. Each company has its own policies that outline the company’s discipline process, behavior at work, and other rules. Unfortunately, most companies don’t have these rules printed for their employees. Big companies always provide their new employees with the company rules, so if there is any problem or warning, it is clear why it happens.”

He added, “Previously, I worked for two companies. Both were not strict on providing employees with the company policy. Employees were committing violations, because they did not know the rules and regulations. Whenever the company passed a warning to them, they resented it and claimed they were victims. When they got fired as a result, most of the time it got ugly and physical.”

Majid Qaroub, a Saudi lawyer, has received countless cases involving employees wanting to settle the score with former employers in court.

“The law of labor office in Saudi Arabia urges all companies to follow specific procedures before terminating an employee’s contract. For example, companies must give one verbal warning, one written warning, and can then terminate the contract after the next incident. The company should develop forms for both verbal and written warnings that supervisors can use. The boss and HR employee are required to document any verbal warnings that are given to the employee, so the employee will have an idea about his weakness and the reasons that may lead to his dismissal,” said Qaroub.

He added, “Although the Saudi law ensures the right of employees, in case they get fired, most companies still don’t apply the law. This is why some employees tend to react strongly against their companies, bosses and colleagues. However, the tough reaction is not acceptable at all in any company.”

Buthina Shaaban, a psychological expert, confirmed that bosses and companies had to understand the psychology of their employees and deal with them based on their personality.

“There is a dramatic increase in violent reactions against companies and bosses in America and the Middle East for financial and social reasons. When managers talk to employees, they should be calm and objective and never make it personal. Managers should be gentle when they tell their employees about their unsatisfactory work. Employees should also drop their ego and be receptive to professional criticism,” added Shaaban.

Your company is keeping your passport illegally

2011-07-24T14:30:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: Jul 21, 2011

JEDDAH: The fire that ripped through the six-story Alesayi Plaza in Jeddah last week and destroyed about 17,000 passports of expatriates working for the company raised a debate about why workers cannot keep their passports with them in the first place.

The fire disrupted the holiday plans of many employees who were due to travel this month and facing the headache of obtaining new passports from their embassies and consulates. It is understood that there were some workers whose passports were already stamped with exit/re-entry visas.

International law gives passport holders the right to keep their own passports with them.

There is no law that forces employees to surrender their passports to a person or workplace. In Saudi Arabia, expatriates are forced to hand them in to their employers.

Some non-Saudi employees don't realize the potential problems of keeping their passports with their company, especially if it gets stolen, lost or damaged. Some countries have very tough rules when issuing new passports. Some employees may not get their new passports for years if an investigation has to be conducted.

“Saudi laws allow a non-Saudi employee to keep his or her passport and iqama (work permit). In fact, the passport belongs only to its holder,” said Matouq Al-Sharif, a member of the National Society for Human Rights.

“Although the Council of Ministers has allowed expatriates to keep their passports, many companies and Saudi employers still refuse to implement this rule. There is no department that supervises the implementation of this rule and protects the workers’ rights.”

According to Al-Sharif, most workers are unaware of their rights and they think handing their passports over to the company is legal.

He said all workers should have the right to freely change jobs between companies and transfer their sponsorship. “During my last meeting with Labor Minister Adel Fakeih, he said that expatriate rights must be ensured and the Nitaqat program will respect the expatriate workers’ rights,’ said Al-Sharif.

Fakeih confirmed that part of Nitaqat procedures is to recruit monitors in each company who will ensure the rights of expatriate workers and make sure their passports are kept with the employees.

Al-Sharif confirmed that using passports as a weapon to blackmail and pressure employees is against Saudi law.

“As soon as the Nitaqat program begins its implementation, the companies will face five possible levels of punishment if they violate expatriate employees’ rights” said Al-Sharif.

A human resources manager at a private company in Jeddah who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed that his department keeps hold of the employees’ passports.

“Keeping the expatriate workers’ passports protects the company’s investment. It guarantees that the worker will not leave the country suddenly,” he said.

“It also allows the company to update its employees’ data with the labor office. How can we update the information without having the passport in our possession? However, the company invests a huge amount of money to recruit employees. If they have their passports with them they might leave suddenly, causing huge losses.”

He added that passports should be kept in a special place away from danger. There are special iron safes that protect the passports from fire and theft.

Yasser Khalil, an Egyptian engineer working for a private company, said that his Saudi employer blackmailed him using his passport.

“He refused to pay my salary for three months. When I demanded my salary and passport so I could move elsewhere, he refused and said that he would only return my passport if I signed a paper waiving any legal right against his company.”

Khalil complained to the local Labor Office, which was told by the employer that the passport had been stolen.

An investigation revealed that the boss had kept the passport in his possession all this time and was using it to get out of paying the outstanding three months’ wages.

A human resources manager at a private company in Jeddah who also did not want to mention his name said that he does not see any logic in keeping passports. He said employees in general cannot travel outside the Kingdom without an exit/re-entry visa and said it was not a threat to the company if workers kept their passports.

“In case of death or a sick relative in the employee’s home country, the worker has great difficulty in obtaining his or her passport, especially during the weekend. The companies’ human resources departments are shut over the weekend, in the evening and the Eid and national holidays. Some HR officers open the department on the weekend or vacation to respond to quick cases, but most of them refuse to do so,” he said.

Saudia at higher altitude with 14 percent boost in passengers

2011-07-24T14:28:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: Jul 16, 2011

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabian Airlines has set a record in the number of domestic and international flights in the first half of 2011 compared to the same period last year.

According to Director General of the airline Khaled Al-Mulhem, Saudia transported 9,915,578 passengers on 73,544 flights compared to 8,712,668 passengers on 68,753 flights during the same period of 2010.

The number of passengers increased by 14 percent, while the number of flights increased by 7 percent.

He said that domestic flights accounted for 65 percent of the total number of flights in the first half of 2011.

He added: “We focused on providing the best service for travelers inside the Kingdom, especially when we noticed a spike in reservations. In order to facilitate the movement of passengers, we added additional capacity of 2 million seats and increased local flights.

“To avoid overcrowding between Jeddah and Riyadh, we scheduled a flight every hour on this sector — with a total of 18 flights daily in each direction. Traffic movement between Jeddah and Riyadh accounts for 25 percent of all Saudia flights during the summer of 2011,” said Al-Mulhem. Trips between Dammam and Riyadh also increased, and the airline scheduled one flight every two and a half hours. Flights between the three major cities accounts for 40 percent of the total number of domestic flights.

According to Al-Mulhem, international trips also increased by 11 percent compared to the same period last year. Saudi Airlines transported 3,466,045 passengers on 20,993 international flights during the first half of 2011 — 2,436 more flights than last year. Asian destinations were among the highest international flights registered, followed by African and Gulf destinations.

Luai Kanetah, member of the board and representative of Taif Chamber for Commerce and Industry, confirmed that the number of domestic flights increased during summer 2011 due to many factors.

“This year saw a real challenge in the Saudi tourism sector. It is a golden opportunity to attract the biggest number of tourists and give them top services. Many Saudis canceled their vacations abroad and decided to visit local destinations. Hotels and furnished apartments are enjoying a rush season — 80 percent of them are fully reserved till the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan,” he said.

He added: “The short duration of this vacation due to Ramadan in addition to the political changes in many Arab countries have led to an increase in local tourism.”

Kanetah denied that Saudi tourists chose Europe in place of chaos-hit Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Tunisia. Saudi tourists who spend the summer vacation in Europe every year will not change their habits, but those who used to spend the summer vacation in Arab countries canceled their vacation because of the chaos and the short vacation period.

Saudi men with foreign moms not sons of soil?

2011-07-10T01:47:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Jul 8, 2011

JEDDAH: Saudi nationals who have mothers from different countries claim they are often referred to in a derogatory manner as “half-Saudi.”

They complain of being mistreated or mistaken for expatriates, especially if they have blue eyes or blond hair and talk with an accent.

They said they are often called “non-original Saudis” and are made fun of or treated according to their mothers’ nationalities.

Anas Al-Kesaibri, an 18-year-old Saudi man who has an Egyptian mother, is made fun of because of his accent. He is close to his mother and therefore picked up her accent.

He said that he finds it hard to convince people he is a Saudi because of the way he speaks. One of his school friends even told him that he would only be regarded as a citizen if he spoke like one.

“At school, my friends call me ‘the son of the Egyptian’ as if it was an insult,” Al-Kesaibri said, adding that his friends always make fun of the way he talks by mimicking him.

Khaled Al-Harbi, who has a Syrian mother, was also teased a lot by his friends because of his accent.

“Al-Harbi is the name of the main Bedouin tribe in the Kingdom. My friends who also have Al-Harbi name find it insulting that I speak with a Syrian accent. Some of them tell me not to speak at all when we’re hanging out while others try hard to help me stop speaking like someone from Syria.”

Feras Al-Amoudi, a Saudi with a Palestinian mother, is also targeted because of his accent. Whenever his friends need to insult him, they refer to him as the son of a Palestinian woman in an insulting manner. “They always pick on me when I get excellent marks during exams. They love to remind me that I have a Palestinian mother. A friend of mine told me not to take offense to this because if I was 100 percent Saudi, then I would not be excellent at school,” he added.

Hala Hassan, an Egyptian mother of a Saudi boy, said: “My son graduated from an engineering college in the UK along with his cousin. When I was searching for a bride for him, families would reject him because of where I’m from. The funny thing is that one of the families accepted his cousin, despite the fact that my son is better educated.”

When in Rome Saudis should behave like Romans

2011-07-06T14:51:00.001-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: Jul 7, 2011 00:05

JEDDAH: Saudis traveling abroad for summer vacation find it difficult to respect the rules of the country they are visiting.

Saudis studying and living abroad are calling on their compatriots to avoid bad behavior on the road and in public, as not respecting local laws could land them in trouble.

Many Saudis traveling for vacation claimed it had been difficult for them to respect the laws of the countries they visit because they do not respect their own laws in the Kingdom.

There are many laws that Saudis might have heard of for the first time and find difficult to follow.

Some of the rules they might have difficulty dealing with include crossing the roads using pedestrian crossings and avoiding bad behavior while in restaurants.

Ahmad Marzouq, a Saudi student who has been in the UK for the past three years, is an example of a Saudi who eventually respected the law when he traveled abroad but found it an initial struggle.

“I was not taught how to behave in public places and how to respect traffic signs when driving. In the UK, things were different because people obey the law,” said Marzouq.

He was criticized by the British family he stayed with in the UK, especially with regard to his table manners, his driving and organization of his day-to-day activities. He was nearly involved in a traffic accident because he tried to cross the road away from a pedestrian crossing. He said it was a learning experience for him.

Marzouq now sees many Saudis on vacation behaving badly in public. He himself began advising them to obey the laws of the country to avoid trouble. He stopped a group of three Saudis from smoking in a shopping area. They told him that they knew about the law but they thought it would not be enforced.

Abdullah Al-Zahrani, a Saudi teacher and father of two who lives in Jeddah and is planning to spend his summer vacation in a European country, said: “I used to smoke in malls, airports and sometimes inside medical clinics. When I travel abroad, I strictly follow the laws of the countries because of the fines imposed and because I do not want to face trouble in unfamiliar areas. I always ask my friends about the rules of the country I am visiting before I travel. I know I am wrong to say this but I have never respected any law here when it comes to behaving in public and on the road because they are not enforced.”

Rana Maghrabi, a Lebanese teacher married to a Saudi and living in Saudi Arabia, said: “My husband used to eat in Saudi restaurants and cafés using his hands. He never used a fork or spoon. This embarrassed me especially when we sat in open areas. Being a Saudi was an excuse for him to ignore all sense of etiquette,” said Maghrabi.

“Last year, my husband and I were planning to travel to Paris to spend the summer vacation. I told him that I would not travel with him unless he respects the laws and follows my instructions. His answer shocked me because he said, ‘I know that when in Rome, do as the Romans do'.”

Baheya Fashion: Mixing Egyptian culture with modern lines

2011-07-06T14:47:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: Jul 6, 2011

Baheya Haggag is a young Egyptian fashion designer. Her inspiration on which she bases her designs comes from a character in Youssef Chahine’s movie “Al Osfour” (The Sparrow) who was personified by the actress Mohsena Tawfik.

She has achieved her goals by returning to the beauty of the Egyptian woman through a unique line of clothing that is unprecedented in its loyalty to the traditional Egyptian garb. Haggag has utilized the texture, colors, materials and prints of the Arish (North Sinai) national dress to create a modern casual chic line of clothing.

The word ‘Baheya’ embodies beauty and radiance, and that is what Egyptian fashion should be about.

“I have strived to strike a balance between modernity and our identity as Egyptians, whose national dress in Sinai is black and embroidered with colorful thread. This can be easily noticed in my designs,” tells Haggag.

She adds, “Working as a designer is a glamorous yet hectic job. Having a private business in the first place is very new for me. It requests a very well rounded person with good judgment and a good eye.”

As a designer, Haggag spends plenty of time doing research on the fashion front to be updated with international upcoming lines, and on the cultural front to find her inspiration.

“Both job requirements are very interesting for me; I love fashion and appreciate the international advanced designers. However, the most special part for me is to tour Egypt hunting for what is new and special and awaiting me to modernize it and make it more wearable.”

Being interested to spot light on the beauty of Egyptian women doesn’t mean that Baheya is not following international trends.

“I follow international lines as closely as possible. For example, for the ‘fallaha’ collection, I used the loose lines of summer dresses, the ‘sherwals.’ For the winter collection, I introduced a long vest that was inspired by international lines.”

Haggag presented her summer collection during her first fashion show in Cairo and Dubai.

“My summer collection was a big success both in Cairo and Dubai. The mix of colors and fabric that I used was very well received by the market,” she says.

She continues, “I used black and white viscose fabric, the traditional ‘mindil’ – a small bandana, still used by Fallahin (peasants) to cover their head – with very colorful and big flowers, in addition to plain colorful cotton satin fabric. The output was very modern and catchy, yet with a Fellah twist.”

Her aim is to come up with collections that are inspired by various cultures to show the world the diverse cultures that Egypt offers.

Haggag made an initiative to spot light on the ‘Sinai Bedouin’ collection, which was cross-stitching, to be integrated with the modern wear.

“Some people prefer to wear traditional inspired stuff as an accessory, so I started introducing different types of shawls and scarfs as well.”

Haggag will present her new collection to spot light on the Arish fashion.

“My new collection is pretty, striking and colorful embroidery made of small crosses and endless motifs, highlighting the look of Arish fashion. For example, I used the long black dress with bright colorful embroidery on the chest, skirt and sleeves of the dress,” she says.

“It will also contain a silky dress that women wear under the black thick dress, under which the collar usually shows.”

Part of the collection will be head covers and accessories. Haggag chose to display head covers with the iconic embroidery, beads, seashells and buttons, in addition to traditional face covers, embellished with metal coins.

“Although this collection looks very traditional, I decided to renovate the look of the dress to make it more modern and wearable, taking into consideration the current international fashion,” she explains.

The Baheya Fall/Winter 2011 collection is all in black and navy blue, offering a dress, a hooded wrapper, a jacket and a top.

“All items are made of thin Italian wool and hand embroidered in Bir Al-Abd, a town 100 km away from Al-Arish, the capital of North Sinai. I cooperated with Bedouin women in their small houses, where they did the hand cross stitching,” says Haggag.

The only item made of an Egyptian rare material, called ‘Ikhmim,’ is the blouse. It is silky and comes from Asyut (Upper Egypt). It is inspired by the blouse Bedouin women wear under their black embroidered dress, adds Haggag.

Baheya’s goal is to design for women who are comfortable with their own body and personality, and are self-expressive in their aura and sense of dress.

“I target women who are interested in culture and art and have a sense of elegance that is approachable and very friendly,” she says.

Baheya has never presented any collection for veiled women, although she believes that veiled women nowadays have become very trendy.

“I don’t design things for veiled women, but they buy my pieces and layer it with bodies and other layers to make it as decent as they wish,” Baheya tells.

Baheya has not presented any pharaonic costumes yet, but she sees that the Egyptian drama is different from what she might do.

“In drama, they use the actual national dress as it is. Designers, on the other hand, do a lot of work to modernize it. If I present a pharaonic collection, I will take the soul of the dress and turn it into something else,” she states.

Baheya further plans to cooperate with Egyptian actresses. She already enjoyed designing for some of them; actress Menna Shalaby is one of her customers.

Baheya believes that there is a variation in the Egyptian society, which allows her to deal with different categories.

“The A/B classes in Egypt are mostly not veiled and they look gorgeous – very similar to Europeans. These are my customers. In fact, they are very fashion-oriented and wear a lot of international designers’ clothes.” she says.

Beware of traffic squads on wedding days

2011-07-06T02:31:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Jul 5, 2011

JEDDAH: The Traffic Department has warned people against excessively decorating their cars for weddings, as it reinforced its practice of penalizing drivers with such vehicles.

With the start of summer and the wedding season, many grooms and brides decorate their cars with flowers and different colors of spray blocking up to 80 percent of car windows. The sprayed car windows enhance the risk of traffic accidents.

According to Col. Mohammed Al-Qahtani, director of the Jeddah Traffic Department, traffic squads report many violations daily because of the large number of decorated wedding cars.

“Decorating the car with colors, spray and flowers is considered a violation. A fine of SR300 to SR500 is imposed. The fine will increase if the front window is also sprayed with colors. It is very dangerous and can lead to accidents. If the driver is unable to see the street well, he will be slapped with the maximum fine,” he said.

Al-Qahtani confirmed that being a groom is not an excuse to break the rules.

“Police officers have the right to stop cars decorated for weddings. The driver will be forced to remove anything added to the car. In case the bride is also in the car, we will register the violation without stopping the driver,” said Al-Qahtani.

Even though the traffic police consider it a violation, many people continue to decorate their cars and block the front and rear windows. Grooms pay large amounts of money to redesign the entire car.

Naif Battal, a wedding car designer, receives a lot of orders to decorate wedding cars every summer. “Grooms love to show off by embellishing their cars. Although it is illegal, grooms demand to color all the windows to ensure some privacy inside the car. I leave a small space open on the front window in the shape of a heart to give the driver a clear look on the road. I know it is illegal, but the driver will not be driving at a high speed anyway,” he said.

Battal confirmed that despite the recent 40 percent increase in the price of car decoration, which costs between SR800 and SR1,200, demand is still high.

Syrian artists on 'honor list' for supporting Assad regime

2011-07-06T02:28:00.000-07:00

By DIANA A-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Jul 4, 2011

JEDDAH: Several Syrian actors and artists have appeared on television in recent days to express their full support for the current government and have also held several meetings to discuss ways to maintain unity and implement reforms under the current leadership.

Syrians recently issued a so-called “honor list,” which included the names of stars who have supported the president. This in contrast to Egypt, where several artists and actors were blacklisted for opposing the recent protests.

Syria’s list included many actors such as Abbas Al-Nouri, Sulaf Fawakherji, Suzan Najm El-Din, Fadia Khattab, Amal Arafa, Basem Yakhour, Wael Ramadan, Rashid Assaf, Durid Laham, George Wassouf, Nidal Sergio, Ayman Zaidan and Samo Zein.

The Syrian artists voiced support for reforms in order to secure their country’s future, security and prosperity.

They recently held a meeting with President Bashar Assad on May 15 to show solidarity with the regime and its policies. The artists said their meeting with President Assad was frank and addressed all concerns.

“The meeting underlined the role of artists in social reform and promoting awareness and the need to reflect reality to help solve problems,” said Suzan Najm El-Din on Syrian state television.

Actress Sulaf Fawakherji appeared on TV with her husband Wael Ramadan where she claimed the president discussed the solutions put forward by the artists.

In appreciation of their sacrifices, several artists visited injured army and security personnel at Tishreen Military Hospital.

Syrian singer Asala Nasri surprised many with her statements against Assad and his regime. She confirmed her support for the Syrian revolution.

Greenery adorns KAIA lounges

2011-07-06T02:27:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Jul 4, 2011

JEDDAH: Small gardens have been planted in the departure and arrival lounges of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. This step is considered the first of its kind in the airport.

“The airport management allocated space within the arrival and departure lounge sin the north and south terminals of the airport to support a green environment. Plants have been shaped in several attractive forms,” said Khaled Al-Khaibary, spokesman of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA).

“The airport management decided to greet this summer season with new decorations and gardens inside the airport to attract the tourists and travelers. These small gardens are located close to waiting areas and restaurants, so travelers can enjoy watching the colorful decorations,” he added.

According to Al-Khaibary, the designs were all made by professional engineers and experts.

The ugly face of beauty salons

2011-07-03T04:11:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Jun 29, 2011

JEDDAH: With the start of the summer vacation and the wedding season, business is booming in local beauty salons in Jeddah.

However, women complain they often pay high prices, while the service they get is not up to the standard. Most of the women working in these beauty salons are not trained and are unprofessional.

Female customers frequently complain that the workers are not up-to-date about fashion and beauty.

Owners of beauty shops tend to hire women workers with only basic knowledge. They take advantage of the summer rush and hire women without proper training.

After a quick basic instruction in services, such as massage, manicure and skin care that relate to health rather than beauty, these women are made to serve customers. This often leads to serious problems.

Nadia Khan, Saudi woman and former owner of a beauty salon, recounted her tough experience working in this line of business. She said it was difficult to find qualified beauticians and health experts.

After 10 years, she made the hard decision of closing down her business. “Although I was after profit, I was looking to provide the best of services that would reflect a good image of my business,” said Khan.

However, she discovered that in most cases professionals were not easily available. This forced her to depend on trainees who were not committed to work. Even if a worker was trained to become a professional, she would leave one day to work elsewhere for a higher salary.

Khan observed that people should be more aware of the quality of service provided and be vigilant about "the many tricks owners and so-called beauty experts use.”

According to Fatima Yahya, owner of a beauty salon in Jeddah, there were two types of customers: those who are aware of the service they are getting and those who are not.

The first group is usually picky and complains most of the time. The other type usually comes from cities outside Jeddah.

“In summer, most of our customers are visitors from outside Jeddah attending happy occasions here. Oddly enough, they do not ask about credentials or care about the services we provide. In fact, they are happy with what we do, even if it was not up to the standard because of their ignorance about beauty center services,” Yahya explained.

Other beauty center owners stress that basic safety procedures are important, especially where liquid products like creams and oils are applied.

Amal Younes is the owner of a well-known beauty center in Jeddah. She told Arab News that professionals in this field were only working in hotels, spas and well-known beauty centers like hers.

“Beauty professionals who wish to work at my salon are required to produce a certificate showing that they have completed proper training course at an authorized training center,” she said.

Younes said, “When the H1N1 virus was spreading around the world, including the Middle East, we noticed a growing level of awareness among most of our customers. They insisted on receiving perfect service and on high hygiene standard. However, they stopped asking about details when there were no viruses or fears anymore.”

Many public and private sector organizations have launched training programs for women working in this field emphasizing the importance of providing a perfect service to customers at acceptable prices.

“We are launching several training courses under the supervision of the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation to make sure that all workers in beauty centers are qualified,” said Nora Siddique, owner of Al-Anamel Al-Thahabiya training center in Jeddah.

“After completion of the training, trainees are sent to the municipality to obtain permits to work in these centers,” she noted.

The municipality has also advised all beauty centers to openly display their certification in the centers, so that customers know that they are in a rule-abiding establishment.

Siddique pointed out that during high seasons, most beauty centers hire part-time workers who are almost always employed without any health checks, certification or training.

“Therefore, the municipality has increased the frequency of surprise checks on beauty centers,” she explained.

Alarian plans to produce movie

2011-07-03T04:10:00.001-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Jun 29, 2011

JEDDAH: Egyptian director Tarek Alarian will start producing his first movie that will focus on the life of the Antichrist after getting the go-ahead by Cairo’s Azhar University, which is also a center that issues religious edicts.

Scriptwriter Mohamed Hafez has already started writing the script, which will portray the Antichrist in a different light than what had been presented in the past. Alarian announced that he was considering Egyptian actors Khaled El-Sawy and Asser Yassin to play the Antichrist role.

Alarian confirmed that the new movie would present the character using special techniques and vision. Alarian added that the movie would be a high-budget production. “Several production companies will help produce the movie in order to afford the $50 million budget,” said Alarian.

Motorists turn to window stickers as a means of expression

2011-07-03T04:09:00.001-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Jun 26, 2011

JEDDAH: Young motorists have taken to expressing themselves by placing stickers on the rear window of their cars. While many place their BlackBerry PINs, others place poems, posters of their favorite teams and even religious quotes. Even though the traffic department considers this a violation, many continue the practice.

The recent campaign for women’s right to drive and the recent attempt by Manal Al-Sharif to drive in the Eastern Province was not welcomed by many in the Kingdom, as demonstrated by special stickers stating: “Together against women driving.”

Yaman Masrahi, an 18-year-old Saudi, posted his mobile number on the rear window of his car. He did that because he wanted to attract girls’ attention.

“I find this the best way to attract attention. I received many phone calls from girls. I also received, however, two traffic tickets because of this. I take the post off and then I put it back again,” said Masrahi.

Expatriates express love for their country by posting certain phrases, pictures and their national flag.

Adel Al-Battah, a Syrian expat who lives in Jeddah, faced some trouble when he posted the picture of the Syrian president on the back of his car to express his support for his country. He was driving when another group of Syrians followed him in a car and threw objects at his car window. He said the attack lasted for few minutes as they chased him down streets in Jeddah’s Rawdah district.

“When I managed to escape, I took the poster off my car to avoid any trouble. All I wanted to do was express my opinion,” said Adel.

Saud Al-Harbi, a 35-year-old Saudi and fan of Al-Ahli football club, regretted placing posters of his favorite team on his car.

“I used to leave the scarf of my team inside the car along with posters. One day I found my car trashed, the paint scratched and windows smashed. Those who did it left a note telling me to support a better team. Since then I stopped posting anything in my car,” said Al-Harbi.

Ma’en Al-Harthi, a Saudi teenager who had never posted anything in his car, recently did so to express his opinion against the campaign supporting women driving.

“After the recent attempt by Al-Sharif to drive in the Eastern Province, I posted a sticker against women driving to express my opinion. Although many people passing gave me the thumbs up, the majority are giving me the thumbs down,” he said.

Samer Abdulrahman, a Jordanian expat from Jeddah, posted the Shahadah (Muslim declaration of faith) on his car.

“I did this seeking reward from Allah. Although placing this poster in the rear window is a violation, the police never stopped me,” he said.

“Sadly, youths are now posting useless stuff in their cars. I have never seen a young man who has stuck something useful on his rear window. Ten years ago, large numbers of youth created a phenomenon by posting the word ‘Mashallah,’ or ‘God is Great’ in addition to pictures of Saudi kings.”

The Ministry of Interior issued a directive in October 2004 banning all vehicles in the Kingdom from posting pictures, flags, or phrases on vehicle windows.

Traffic plan drawn up to avoid summer jam

2011-06-25T01:53:00.002-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Jun 23, 2011 00:21 Updated: Jun 23, 2011 00:21

JEDDAH: Jeddah’s traffic department has approved a new summer traffic plan to ensure road safety in the city during the summer and Umrah seasons.

“We are determined to ensure the safety of Jeddah’s roads during the summer. It is going to be a tough mission, especially when we are undergoing many projects in several major areas of Jeddah,” Traffic Director Brig. Gen. Muhammad Al-Qahtani told Arab News.

According to Al-Qahtani, Jeddah traffic department will work around the clock to ensure smooth traffic flow near all tourism attractions.

“Our aim is to raise the sense of responsibility among drivers, tourists and Umrah pilgrims, especially when we are expecting a hurry season because of political issues in most countries in the Middle East,” he said.

“Police will be present everywhere to provide help for people. Our main priorities will be around malls, amusement locations, the city center, Obhur and areas where the Jeddah summer festival will take place,” said Al-Qahtani.

“There will be a huge presence of traffic police at major roads across the city such as Jeddah’s beaches, the airport road and roads that link Jeddah to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.

“We have selected locations with high concentrations of people. Police are also present around ongoing projects to organize traffic to avoid accidents and jams.”

Al-Qahtani said the campaign is primarily concerned with tourism events that will take place during the Jeddah summer festival.

“We will arrange with festival organizers to send additional police squads to every location.”

He urged people to drive carefully and not park their cars in the middle of the roads, especially with the limited parking available in malls, airport, and entertainment centers.

Al-Qahtani emphasized the importance of patience on the roads, especially in areas where construction work is taking place. He also urged motorists to ensure their vehicles are safe to avoid accidents.

Would-be grooms feel the heat as jewelers raise summer prices

2011-06-25T01:53:00.001-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Jun 23, 2011

JEDDAH: Prices of gold have continued to rise across the Kingdom because of the summer season.

The summer is considered the perfect time for gold retailers to make a profit, as it is also the wedding season.

For Saudi families, gold is the perfect gift for brides, but they are already complaining that they cannot afford the high prices.

Some Saudi families are finding alternative ways to buy gold without exceeding their budgets.

Some families are purchasing 18 carat gold jewelry instead of 24 carat ones. Others are buying less expensive gifts like iPhones and iPads.

Abdullah Al-Asbali, owner of Al-Asbali jewelry shop, said: “High gold prices have put off many Saudi families. The sales of gold have dropped sharply. It is a big problem buying gold as a wedding gift.”

“Recently we started to stock lightweight sets of gold that cost less to make it more affordable for families of new couples, but they are also considered too pricey,” he said.

Al-Asbali said the bride’s family always insists on buying the most expensive gold set while the groom is always looking for a reasonable price, adding that the girl’s relatives considers gold a safe investment for the future.

However, he added, the cost of gold is increasing in Saudi Arabia since the beginning of 2011 because of political changes in the Middle East.

“As the prices of gold globally are going up, this could be the worst season for marriages in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. In the Kingdom, we too have inflation and couples could focus on purchasing other gifts than gold,” said Mamdouh Alawi, a seller for a famous gold company in the Middle East.

“As soon as gold prices increased, some couples started buying 18 carat jewelry because they are cheaper.”

He confirmed that along with gold, silver has also increased in global markets.

Suleiman Al-Rouwais, a young Saudi would-be groom who is planning to marry at the end of June, said he was in Dubai last week and found that gold prices there had increased by 50 percent compared to last year.

“Many businessmen in the Kingdom import gold from Dubai which is why they have to sell it at high prices. Recently, I discovered that buying 24 carat gold could cost SR185 for one gram,” he said.

“My fiancée’s family is traditional. They asked me to buy traditional gold sets imported from Dubai, Bahrain and India. Despite that, my wife prefers the new modern gold, which is 18 carats and costs less. However, I am forced to buy traditional gold for a price that I may not be able to afford, which means I will have to borrow money from people.”

Owners of gold and jewelry shops at the main gold souks at Al-Yamama Souk and in shops in Jeddah’s Balad district said the steep rise in gold prices have shocked young people wanting to get married.

“Our sales fell to zero over the last five months because of the high prices,” said Akeel Al-Suwaidan, a gold trader at Al-Yamama.

“One month ago, we were expecting a little increase in gold sales as soon as the wedding season approached. However, we still have not been able to match even 50 percent of last year’s sales.”

When an obsession becomes a disorder...

2011-06-18T03:00:00.001-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Jun 18, 2011 00:20 Updated: Jun 18, 2011

JEDDAH: People with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and phobias often find it difficult to acknowledge their problems. They refuse to face the truth and visit a psychologist to overcome their suffering, even when they realize they have a problem. This makes it difficult to overcome their obsessions.

This problem comes in many different forms. A person can be obsessed or phobic about the future, an illness, the evil eye, traveling, etc. In all these cases, the OCD or phobia is an idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person’s mind which makes him or her repeat or avoid certain behavior to reduce the distress.

Khalida Taha, a Jordanian housewife and mother of one daughter, is very preoccupied with her daughter’s health.

“I worry a lot about my daughter’s health, but I don’t believe it is an obsession. As I lost my first baby when he was just three-months-old, I fear that I may lose my daughter in the same way. I always imagine her getting sick and dying.” Such feelings disturb Khalida’s life, and cause many nightmares.

Her husband and in-laws, however, think she is obsessed: “My husband’s family, who lives next to us, always ask me to send my daughter over to play with them, but I refuse. This angered them and my husband too, but I don’t care. I care about my daughter’s safety and I am sure that no one takes care of her like I do,” Khalida said.

Huda Al-Jihani, a Saudi married woman aged 37, never had problems with traveling by car. Recently, she had an accident and lost her husband, which always niggles at the back of her mind.

“Last year, my husband and I traveled to Yanbu to attend a relative’s wedding. We had an accident, in which my husband died. Since that day I am afraid to travel by car to Yanbu. In contrast, I traveled to Madinah twice this year without any problems,” Al-Jihani said.

Rakan Al-Ayoubi, a 30-year-old Saudi man, witnessed a car hitting his brother when he was five-years-old. As a result, he was afraid to drive a car for many years. “My brothers also saw the car crash, but they weren’t as traumatized as I was,” said Al-Ayoubi.

According to Al-Ayoubi, when he decided to marry, his fiancée taunted him for not being able to drive a car.

“My fiancée advised me to get psychological treatment, but I refused. She kept threatening to break off the engagement if I didn’t take action. My family also encouraged me to get treated. After undergoing treatment, I gradually overcame the fear of driving a car.”

Dr. Mohammed Al-Hamed, head of the psychological department at Bakhsh hospital, confirms that most people who suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder are unaware of it.

“Obsession is an idea that repeats itself several times in the patient’s mind. The patient realizes that this idea is trivial and untrue, but he still fears it. Not all obsessions are real obsessions. Some problems can be identified as phobia, while others can be called personality disorder, in addition to many medical terminologies that the average person doesn’t understand,” said Al-Hamed. He added, “Most of those suffering from OCD or fears refuse to face the truth. They also refuse to visit a psychological clinic; the obsessed person prefers to continue his life, suffering in silence. He believes that no one notices his obsessions. But the truth is people around him are upset about his obsession.”

Al-Hamed confirmed that the floods in Jeddah caused fears among a large number of people.

“I still receive many patients that can’t forget a scene of dying people during the 2009-flood. Their fears increase when the weather becomes gloomy,” said Al-Hamed.

OCD is linked to several elements, such as a psychological element, a biological element, heritage and environmental elements.

“A person who suffers from OCD or phobias may have got it because of the way his parents raised him, the environment he lived in, traumatic accidents that affected him psychologically, or because of inheritance from the parents,” said Al-Hamed.

Medical team to take care of raped children

2011-06-18T02:57:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM| ARAB NEWS
Published: Jun 14, 2011 12:28 Updated: Jun 14, 2011 12:28

JEDDAH: Dr. Sami Badawood, director of Jeddah Health Affairs Management, has issued a decision to form a medical team consisting of experts to take care of raped children and rehabilitate them.

The decision was issued after Jeddah police arrested a Saudi schoolteacher on charges of being a serial rapist linked to kidnapping and raping of 13 girls since 2006.

The committee will contain children experts, children surgery experts, social experts, and psychologists.

“Rape crimes defiantly affect the lifestyle of the victims and their families, which is why we are looking to offer the best treatment for them. After overcoming the psychological and negative health effects, the children face difficulties to interact with the society,” said Badawood.

According to Badawood, the medical team’s role is to facilitate the interaction between the raped girls and the society.

“The victims have to be accepted by their families and the society, so they can live a normal life. If the society rejects them, they will fail in their life, study and work in the future,” said Badawood.

He added, “The medical team will cooperate with Jeddah police to arrange several meetings with the victims and follow the social and psychological consequences of the crime. They will also meet the victims’ families to teach them how to accept the occurred and how to deal with their raped children.”

A number of online campaigns and committees recently started to investigate the phenomenon of raping children in Saudi Arabia. A report published in Okaz daily newspaper in April 2011 confirmed that Riyadh had recorded 583 cases involving rape and torture of children over the past three years.

The cases included 404 boys and 179 girls who had been subjected to rape, physical and sexual torture and other forms of violence at home and outside.

Vacationing abroad on borrowed money

2011-06-12T14:28:00.001-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: Jun 12, 2011 23:59

JEDDAH: Political uprisings in the Arab world have changed the preferences of Saudi travelers from the Middle East to Europe for the summer vacation, according to tourism agencies in Jeddah.

This leaves many Saudi families with no other choice but to take bank loans or borrow money from relatives to travel abroad.

The average cost of traveling to European destinations including tickets and hotel is SR20,000 for a couple for 15 days.

In comparison, it costs an average of SR10,000 to travel to destinations in the Middle East, like Egypt and Syria, for the same period. This amount excludes personal shopping expenses.

Spending vacations in Europe is becoming a necessity for some families, not only because of the revolutions elsewhere, but also because of its ostensible prestige and the cool weather. However, spending a good time in Europe requires a good amount of money that the majority of Saudi families cannot afford. This forces them to either take bank loans or borrow a large amount of money from relatives and friends.

Financial manager at a tourism agency in Jeddah Abdulrahman Salmeen confirmed the trend: “It is expected this summer that Europe will witness an increase in the number of Saudi tourists, while the number of Saudi tourists to Arab countries such as Egypt and Syria will decline due to the current chaos there,” he said.

Some men are driven by their wives to go to Europe for the summer holidays. Abdullah Al-Zahrani, a Saudi government schoolteacher earning SR10,000 a month, prefers to travel to Arab countries in order to spend less money, while his wife insists on traveling to Europe. “I can afford traveling to cities like Cairo, Dubai, Beirut and Damascus. My wife began nagging about traveling to Europe, because she wanted to be equal to her friends who travel to Europe every year. I managed to save SR30,000 in 15 months just to finance the trip. Coincidentally, various revolutions happened in Arab countries, so I am faced with no choice but to travel to London or any other European destination,” added Al-Zahrani.

Thuraya Al-Marzougi, a Saudi teacher and mother of three children, prefers to travel to Europe, but her husband cannot offer the trip. Al-Marzougi decided to take a loan from the bank in order to travel to Paris or London during the next summer vacation.

“Every summer, I travel to an Arab country. My relatives began criticizing me for this. My husband never took any loans before and was against the idea. I had no choice but to take a SR40,000 bank loan in order to finance my trip to a destination in Europe for a whole month,” said Al-Marzougi.

Razan Taha, a Saudi university student who will get married next month, decided to have her honeymoon in Spain. Her fiancé had other plans: “My husband was planning to have our honeymoon in Malaysia because of the beautiful nature and the affordable prices. My friends, however, advised me to travel to Spain, because that country is more beautiful. In addition, Malaysia has become an old-fashioned place for honeymooners,” she added.

Razan offered to borrow money from her mother in order to finance the trip to Spain. Besides the tickets and hotel prices, she borrowed SR20,000 to help her husband in case he fell short of money during the trip.

Congestion on Jeddah roads to be eased as school exams begin

2011-06-08T02:05:00.001-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Jun 7, 2011 23:38 Updated: Jun 7, 2011

JEDDAH: A new traffic plan will be launched in the city that focuses on the safety of students during the examination period that begins on June 11.

Col. Muhammad Hassan Al-Qahtani, director of Jeddah Traffic Department, said the plan was part of a long-term strategy designed to reduce the number of road accidents and deaths during the exam period. “The plan covers most of Jeddah’s main roads. There will be additional traffic squads, especially around schools during the two-week period,” said Al-Qahtani.

The department will cooperate with the Ministry of Education to avoid accidents and problems like students spending time around malls and girls’ schools and joy riding.

According to Al-Qahtani, the main roads are not the only places that would see traffic officials and police deployed. “They will also be around unidentified schools, universities, and institutions. Police will be available to control the movement from the time the exams begin until afternoon,” he said. Besides, he added, the police will organize the traffic flow to make it easy for the students to avoid jams.

The Traffic Department and the Ministry of Education have decided not to allow students to leave schools until their exam hours were over in order to protect them from accidents, he revealed. “During the exam period, most of the young students try to leave early and drive recklessly, which causes accidents.”

Teachers and students will cooperate with the Traffic Department by informing it about any violation of rules. “Undercover police officers, students and teachers will tip us off about students who left school early. Students who speed and do stunts will also be arrested.”

For violating rules, students risk being fined SR1,000, having their vehicles seized, or being taken to court. “If the student repeats the violation, we will fine him SR1,500 and impound his vehicle,” stated Al-Qahtani.

To prevent jams, Al-Qahtani called on students to leave home early, given the large amount of roadwork currently in progress.

“In case of accidents, the police will be ready to complete paperwork quickly in order to help students reach schools on time,” he added. Traffic signals on main roads will be monitored to shorten the waiting time. Al-Qahtani said trucks would not be allowed to operate in the city during peak hours — 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 12 noon to 3 p.m.

Al-Qahtani also drew attention to parents’ responsibility: “I hope parents do not allow children who do not have driving licenses to drive. Parents should check up on their sons in times of exams end ensure they return home on time.”

Lingerie shop jobs: Immediate response to order demanded

2011-06-07T13:07:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: Jun 7, 2011

JEDDAH: Saudi businesswomen have called for quick implementation of the decision to hire women in lingerie stores, before the decision evanesces again.

Earlier this week, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah ordered officials to set measures that only allow Saudi women to work at lingerie shops within a month. The step was welcomed by officials and businesswomen.

Many years have passed since the Labor Ministry requested lingerie shops to replace male salesmen with women, but there has been no response from officials. After a large number of campaigns and discussions, the ministry issued the decision in 2005, but it was never implemented.

“We immediately started hiring female staff during the year 2005. Initially, it seemed to be a good step. However, the number of customers decreased considerably, because only women were allowed to enter our shops,” said Sarah Bin Sahal, area retail manager for the Nayomi lingerie chain, which still operates more than six “women-only” shops.

Later on, they established five more stores that received only families. “Only women or couples are allowed in. The number of customers increased, as women felt free to deal with women sale clerks without any embarrassment,” she said. In 2005, the ministry asked lingerie shops to begin moving toward women-only staff, giving them a two-year deadline that has lapsed.

Bin Sahal added: “Four years later, only a few shops attempted to adhere to the ministry’s noncompulsory order, as shop owners are more likely to hire men in order to increase the number of customers. We now need a quick movement and accurate deadline. We also request cooperation from businessmen and shop owners.”

Reem Asaad, economic writer and member of the Saudi Economic Association, launched a campaign to boycott lingerie stores managed by male staff.

She spoke to Arab News about the importance of implementing this decision with a concrete deadline.

“Issuing the decision is an important step, but we need to see the implementation. Since 2005 we have heard the decision, but nothing has happened,” she said.

Reem added, “I think it is not enough to hire saleswomen in lingerie stores. Management, accounting, and customer service are other fields in which women should be equal to men.”

According to Reem, the decision called for hiring women in stores including those selling perfumes, makeup, clothes, and children-care products.

Fatima Qaroub, a Saudi woman who started a campaign titled “Enough With Embarrassment,” confirmed that many Saudi women joined the campaign after they had experienced an embarrassing situation with salesmen in lingerie stores. “A large number of supporters joined the campaign and we had more than 5,500 members on our Facebook page,” she said. Qaroub called for the necessity of putting a deadline for the implementation of the decision, or it will die again.

“Women in the Kingdom have suffered enough embarrassment when they want to buy lingerie. They have to respond to males about questions regarding the size, description and colors of the lingerie they are looking for,” said Qaroub.

Qaroub’s campaign has reached official bodies, and all of them have been supportive since the year 2005. “We visited religious authorities, municipality, and the ministry to call for our right. Many positive results are apparent everyday, and we are looking to expand women participation’s in many other fields,” she added.

Parents seek to quell blooming Arab Spring — at the dinner table

2011-05-26T16:08:00.001-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: May 25, 2011

JEDDAH: With the Arab Spring blossoming all around, talking politics has reached the Arab dinner table. Over are the times when families avoided discussing the affairs of state. The new generation talks about politics openly and doesn’t shy away from heated discussions.

Interviews in Saudi Arabia show that many families are divided on how to deal with the challenges facing this part of the world.

One camp comprises families that are fine with discussing politics, but only in the privacy of the home. Others try to ban the younger family members from discussing the topic altogether, even going as far as monitoring the youngsters' e-mail and Facebook accounts, or asking teachers to steer clear of political topics.

Mahmoud Farag, an Egyptian teacher working at a private school in Jeddah, said that discussing the winds of change has very much become part of Arab daily life — but he tries to keep his son from talking about revolution.

“Discussing what has happened in Egypt and what is going on in Libya, Bahrain, Yemen and Syria is important, I think," he said. "I would prefer for my son not to talk politics because he is only 21 years old, but, honestly, what do I do? After January 25, we as Egyptians got complete freedom to discuss and criticize, so my son should know what is going on — but he shouldn’t discuss it in public.”

Farag says that despite the fact his students rifle him regarding what he thinks about what's going on in Egypt, "I have tried to avoid talking about it.”

Syria has been rocked by clashes between demonstrators and security forces for weeks, and Syrian families in Saudi Arabia have begun talking to their children about the developments. However, many are pleading with their kids to avoid talking about it with their friends.

Karim Al-Shaher, a Syrian engineer working in a private construction company in Jeddah, said he has banned political talk at the dinner table, but the latest news from Syria has forced him to share his ideas with his children.

“The clashes in Syria have heightened my fears," he said. "My children have started to believe what has happened there is a revolution like in other countries, so it was my duty to give them my opinion. I told them that Syria faced a dirty plot.”

Like others, Shaher says he has ordered his kids not to talk about this issue with kids at school.

Muna Falah, a primary teacher at an international school in Jeddah, says she is hearing children tell jokes about Arab leaders and the revolutions that are taking them down.

“In the beginning I wasn’t sure whether I should allow them to behave like this, so I talked about it with the students’ parents. They were adamant that I shouldn’t allow it,” she said. “Most of the parents are not happy with the political views of their children.”

Spurred on by YouTube videos, children have become bolder in their criticism of leaders, something parents are trying to curb with threats of punishment.

“My mom and dad told me not to discuss politics, but they do so themselves! How can they not let me if they can?” said Yemeni student Khaled Basalem, who then answered his own question: “They threatened to withhold my allowance. That’s how.”

Basalem said his father is now monitoring his Facebook activity, too.

"He wants to make sure I am not joining any revolutionary groups," he said. "I don’t have any privacy anymore.”

Zeinab Radwan, a Lebanese student at a private university in Jeddah, said her parents simply took a direct approach: they asked her not to talk politics because they were supporters of all Arab leaders and were against revolutions as a matter of principle.

Seven breast cancer cases detected in Jeddah survey

2011-05-18T15:45:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: May 18, 2011

JEDDAH: Seven breast cancer cases were detected during the Health Affairs Department’s latest survey in Jeddah, announced Dr. Sami Badawood Monday at Jeddah Radisson Blu Hotel.

The campaign started under the patronage of Jeddah Health Affairs Department in cooperation with King Abdualziz Hospital’s Cancer Center and King Fahd General Hospital.

Badawood advised all women to visit Jeddah medical centers and hospitals to undergo mammogram tests.

“The aim of our latest survey is to detect the disease in its early stages, as this can help in quick recovery. The first phase of the campaign finished with the discovery of seven cases in its beginning. The survey includes 1,167 cases,” said Badawood.

Dr. Eman Baroom, head of Central Organization Unit of Breast Cancer, spoke about the campaign details.

“We offered free mammogram tests to all women as part of the first phase in the nation’s breast cancer-awareness campaign. This campaign was launched six months ago at medical centers and hospitals by Jeddah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Majed,” she said.

According to Baroom, the campaign includes the support of government hospitals for cancer patients aged between 40 and 60. Only pregnant women are excluded from the test.

“We have already launched campaigns in malls and small villages in the western region, where we noticed that many Saudi women wanted to have mammogram tests,” said Baroom.

She added: “The campaign focused on Jeddah because of the large number of women who visit the city. Breast cancer is one of the most widespread forms of cancer among Saudi women, affecting 22 percent of the population.”

Dar Al-Hekma’s vital role in grooming Saudi women lawyers under spotlight

2011-05-16T14:34:00.002-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: May 17, 2011

JEDDAH: Dar Al-Hekma College launched a law forum on Sunday under the title “First Steps for Saudi Women Lawyers” in Jeddah.

The forum, first of its kind, trains 15 Saudi female undergraduate lawyers in skills they need when they enter the job market. It discusses three important themes — Saudi law, environment law and human rights.

Wahy Lukman, director of legal studies at Dar Al-Hekma, stressed the importance of the event to support women lawyers’ participation.

She said: “The forum coincides with the graduation of 15 Saudis who will work in the field of law and litigation. It is an important step toward the involvement of Saudi women in the fields of human rights and justice.”

She added: “This forum will be held annually to discuss with senior experts the latest and most important issues in the field of law as well as women’s participation to change women's status in society.

“We are looking to boost our students’ knowledge about judicial proceedings in the courts, the initial steps of lawyers in Saudi Arabia, and how to have a fair trial within the constitutions of the Gulf region.”

According to Lukman, the contribution of Saudi women to the field of law is a great step toward involving Saudi women in the community issues.

“Hiring Saudi women lawyers will allow women to discuss their issues openly. After the graduation of the first female lawyer generation, Saudi women will find educated and cultured lawyers who can defend women’s rights and understand their suffering,” said Lukman.

Suhair Al-Qurashi, dean of Dar Al-Hekma, spoke about the importance of the Department of Law for Saudi women.

“From now on, women will be able to discuss their issues openly. Since the arrival of Islam, elderly women have participated in wars. They played a role in solving community problems. Being a female lawyer is not in violation of Islamic rules,” said Al-Qurashi.

She added: “Women will be able to change their status in society, which has become an urgent need today.” Al-Qurashi focused on the available areas for Saudi female lawyers in the job market and said: “Our law department creates opportunities for students to work in the field of personal status and finance, all branches of private law, civil law, commercial law, and public international law.”

According to Al-Qurashi, the success of Saudi female lawyers is ensured as they satisfactorily concluded training courses in legal offices and organizations.

“From the first year onward, we linked our students with law offices. They also received training and employment in legal institutions. In addition to practical work, our students studied both Arabic and English law, which made them familiar with all local and global studies,” said Al-Qurashi.

BlackBerry Messenger: Boon or bane to family relations?

2011-05-16T14:34:00.001-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: May 17, 2011

JEDDAH: BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), the instant messaging app for BlackBerry Smartphone owners, has not only helped users make large numbers of friends and facilitate their communications regardless of distance and time, but it has also created a gap among family members. Most children find this latest communication method an easy way to chat and entertain themselves.

BlackBerry Smartphones take their users from their world and transfer them to another world. Communicating with friends worldwide has never been as easy as since the introduction of Smartphones. However, the increased use of these handheld wireless devices and the constant access to people in other places lead to weakening of ties among family members. The most common scene for Arab families these days is that parents and children are gathering around one table, but each of them living in a different world.

Nadin Akbar, a Saudi graphic designer, confirmed that the technology had a devastating effect on her romance:

“I thought that BlackBerry Messenger could keep me close to my fiancé all day long, making our relationship stronger. Later I discovered that this was not true, because text messages and chatting are completely unanimated. It became hard to understand my fiancé, as these means of communication don’t show facial expressions and vocal tone. He also became tired of contacting me through BBM. Whenever we met, he spent most of the time texting to his friends and work colleagues.” She added, “He told me that texting every single minute diminished his interest to call or meet me.”

Caroline Aslan, a Syrian housewife and mother of three girls, expressed her fear of BlackBerry interaction: “It is seriously interfering with families and their abilities to interact with each other. The ones most affected by this trend are young teenagers. This generation believes that virtual social networks are good overall. However, it turns bad when cyber relationships become more important than those in the ‘real’ world.”

She added, “My three daughters use BBM in order to communicate with our relatives in Syria. They also make friendships with unknown people. In the beginning I was very enthusiastic to buy a BlackBerry for them, but later I discovered that while it strengthened my daughters’ relations with their relatives in Syria, it ruined the family relations.”

Suzan Ishqi, a Saudi teacher working at a private school, stressed that the traditional look of Arab families had been changed for the worse:

“In the past, family conversations and gatherings were popular, but now it has commonly turned into text messaging conversations. This takes away all personal and social aspects a person-to-person conversation offers. Instead, it is replaced with abbreviated words that miss true emotion and caring. The consequence is that many families now lack the close emotional bonds that linked them when they had more interpersonal contact,” Suzan added.

Mansour Bin Askar, Islamic Sociology Professor at King Saud University, confirmed the importance of organizing the use of BlackBerry’s:

“BlackBerry use has become very common, because it is an easy way to contact each other and share information. This is not a negative thing, but families should know how to deal with the phenomenon. For example, it is imperative that parents sit down with their children and decide how much time can be spent on Internet activities. Allowing children and teens to have a BlackBerry is something negative only when it is used without rules. However, many BlackBerry users do not realize this,” said Bin Askar.

He added, “Parents should educate themselves about the kind of communication methods available to children and how to control the use of these. If parents don’t know what their children are doing or are unaware of the dangers, they are unable to protect their children from these cyber dangers.”

Samira Al-Ghamdi, a psychiatrist and trainer at the Education Development Center in Jeddah, confirmed that BlackBerry dangers included elderly people:

“BlackBerry use limits the interactions the between family members. Unfortunately, not only children and teens; elderly people, such as parents and couples, are also involved. They become unable to express their feelings, both negative and positive ones, because they only virtually share their feelings with others,” she said.

Better think twice before giving your boss a gift, it could be ‘unethical’

2011-05-15T06:41:00.001-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: May 14, 2011

JEDDAH: There is a general belief in the work place that when employees present a gift to their manager, there is an unethical motive behind it. Some people give their bosses gifts at work to appease them in case they arrive late. Others do it to increase their chances of getting promoted. Female bosses seem to be more flexible in accepting gifts from their employees than male bosses, who mostly refuse gifts.

A gift presented to a male boss always raises suspicion. From the employee’s point of view, the gift is given as an appreciation of work. The manager, however, could see it as an attempt to bribe him or to ask for something — mostly unethical — in return. Some managers avoid awkward situations from the beginning by creating a culture at work of not accepting any gifts.

Bashir Njaim, a former human resources employee at a private company in Jeddah, said that employees should be careful before presenting any gifts to their managers, because it could be easily misunderstood. He said, “Presenting gifts always create a pleasant atmosphere at work. Managers can easily determine if there is a demand behind the gift. Some of my colleagues tried to be closer to our boss by presenting a gift, but the boss accepted the gift without changing his treatment.”

Yasser Alwani, a Syrian director at an engineering construction company, confirmed that there are a few employees at work who give gifts in order to receive a bonus or get to work overtime.

“Some employees believe that being close to the boss is the best way to get a bonus and additional work hours. That is why they try to present gifts to their boss,” he said.

He added, “Being a boss for many years in Saudi Arabia taught me not to receive gifts from employees, as they always look for something in return. They also tell the other employees that they presented gifts and became very close friends with their boss, while the truth is the opposite.”

According to Alwani, such thinking gets employees who give a present to their managers in trouble.

Karim Al-Masri, an Egyptian employee in a car insurance company, confirmed that he would never give his manager a present, because this may actually trigger his boss’ doubts about him.

“I would never present a gift to my boss, because it may make my boss suspicious, and he may begin to guess for the reasons behind the gift,” he said.

He added, “Avoiding personal relationships with bosses is the best way to avoid dilemma’s of presenting gifts. For example, I attended my boss’ wedding party because he invited all the employees. Some employees, however, visited him at home and presented a gift, but I didn't,” he said.

He added, “My boss is a kind person. He asked me to visit him at home, but I declined the invitation to avoid any personal relationship with my boss.”

On the other hand, according to Rafa'a Al-Johani, director of a governmental school in Jeddah, women bosses are more flexible in receiving gifts. It is in women’s nature to organize parties and invite even employees from work. They also try to attract every new employee to join these parties. Exchanging gifts between her and the teachers is a habit they would never stop.

“As teachers, we always give each other gifts. We do that because we appreciate each other,” she said. She added, “Unlike men, we love gifts and rarely someone tries to present a gift with an unethical motive behind it. Of course, it is different from one person to another, whether giving the gift or receiving it.”

Fares Al-Mulla, a Saudi director of a private company in Jeddah, prefers to accept gifts from his employees only when they return from vacation, on the condition that it is not something expensive.

“Most employees who return from vacation bring small gifts to all employees and managers. Such gifts are acceptable, because it is an old habit and everyone does that. In contrast, I will never accept any gift from an employee without reason,” said Al-Mulla.

He added, “I avoid sharing my personal news with employees, so they won’t present any gifts on the occasion of my wedding or baby birth.”

Charge up to overcome obstacles, Saudi women told

2011-05-15T06:39:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: May 12, 2011

JEDDAH: Saudi women gathered Thursday at Jeddah's Dar Al-Hekma College to share experiences and obstacles they have faced in their careers and lives.

The discussion, titled “Charge Up Your Life,” was attended by Saudi women who have excelled academically and professionally.

The forum was held for the third time under the supervision of Princess Sita bint Abdullah and was organized by Orbits of Development for Empowerment Consultants (ODECO).

Lamia Qazza, a member of the Dar Al-Hekma faculty, welcomed participants.

“Our aim is to support the Saudi woman and boost her role in the international and local scenes,” she said. “This can be done by offering job opportunities for women and launching academic programs that gather both international experts and skillful Saudi women.”

Hana'a Jamjoum, deputy student affairs coordinator at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, spoke to the audience about the changes that have occurred recently in lives of Saudi women.

“Now you can see women in the position of deputy minister and as active members of the boards in organizations,” she told the audience, referring to Deputy Education Minister Nora bint Abdullah Al-Fayez, the first Saudi woman to ascend to a ministerial-level position.

Lubna Al-Ghlalini, event organizer, underscored the importance of holding such panel discussions in order to encourage young Saudi women to participate in making their future.

“We are aiming to develop programs and strategies in order to boost women's role in society and the Saudi job market,” she said. “Here we present many successful stories of individual effort.”

The Saudi woman should be a citizen who has positive feelings toward her society, she added. She should participate and influence in the future positively by following strategies and development plans.

Salwa Al-Hazza, head of the Ophthalmology Department at King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh, attended the panel discussion.

“A woman should know that she may start from zero or sub-zero,” she said. “To achieve success, the woman should know that she is in the minority and she should work 10 times harder than the man to prove her worth.”

According to Al-Hazza, all women from Gulf, Arab and European countries are facing the same obstacles because they are in the minority, but women can overcome the obstacles with patience.

Arwa Alaama, vice mayor of Jeddah, and Arwa Mutabaghani, the first female member of the Saudi Equestrian Olympics delegation and first member of a sports union in Saudi Arabia, spoke to the audience about their experiences and how to have a positive attitude.

“I believe that my attitude determines my success,” she said. “That’s why I accepted a position in the Jeddah Municipality. It was a great risk, but I accepted it because I wanted to make changes in my society. I also tried to create several job opportunities for Saudi women, and I did. Every one of us should think about making changes and leaving positive changes in this society.”

PME mounts campaign against plastic bags

2011-05-09T16:08:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: May 10, 2011

JEDDAH: Prince Turki bin Nasser, head of the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment, on Monday launched a campaign titled “My Environment... Green Flag... Green Nation.”

The campaign aims to raise awareness on the importance of reuse and rationalization of consumption of plastic bags.

“The campaign will cover all the Kingdoms' regions to raise awareness on the danger of using plastic bags, as statistics confirm that such bags need about 400 years to break down and raise the incidence rate of cancer,” said Majeda Abu-Ras, assistant professor at King Abdulaziz University and director of the Environment and Sustainable Development Forum.

She added, “We will distribute more than 1,000 warning billboards in Jeddah streets. The billboards call citizens to replace the plastic bags with bags made from other materials such as fabric.”

According to Abu-Ras, Jeddah schools are also involved in the campaign: The society will distribute more than 2,500 pamphlets to raise the students' awareness.

“The wide use of plastic handbags, especially during shopping, might lead to the killing of millions of seabirds plus thousands of other sea animals because of their chemical contents,” said Abu-Ras.

Some people throw plastic bags on the road or in gardens, which delay the growth of plants.

“One of the main reasons that block plants from growing is that plastic bags impede their access to sunlight and air. In addition, its presence on the grass and on tree branches attracts animals and insects and pollutes the environment,” said Abu-Ras.

Early identification of learning disabilities a challenge: Expert

2011-05-04T15:47:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: May 4, 2011

JEDDAH: A session about learning difficulties was held at Dar Al-Hekma College on Tuesday with the participation of 18 Saudi and Gulf experts specialized in the field.

More than 500 participants from various relevant sectors attended the session that will last four days.

Suhair Hassan Al-Qurashi, dean of Dar Al-Hekma, gave a speech, welcoming the guests and explaining why they chose to discuss learning difficulties in Gulf countries.

“We are aiming to organize a number of programs and activities on the occasion of today's ‘Gulf Learning Difficulties Day’ in order to raise awareness: How to detect learning difficulties at an early stage, how to deal with them, and the services available for students who suffer from learning difficulties,” she said. “The Gulf Learning Difficulties Day will include lectures and educational workshops for teachers of public and private education.”

According to Al-Qurashi, a child who suffers from learning difficulties is almost always an intelligent child. “This group of children knows that they have learning difficulties, which makes them frustrated, especially when they live in an environment that does not understand the problems they are facing,” she said.

According to Al-Qurashi, it is not easy for the family to detect their child’s disability at an early stage.

“Learning difficulties are considered one of the most confusing problems that a family might suffer. Statistics about Saudi families issued recently confirmed that the family needs private information about their child in order to answer the important question: ‘What role can the Saudi family play in order to provide the appropriate home environment for the care of children with learning difficulties?’”

Mervat Tashkandi, vice dean for academic affairs and director of the special education program at Dar Al-Hekma, stressed the importance of organizing this event to educate the community on the concepts of learning difficulties.

“An estimated 10 percent of the Saudi population suffers from learning difficulties, so for every 100 people there are 10 people who suffer from this problem,” she said.

“A school with 400 students will have approximately 40 students with learning difficulties. This rate is considered very high and dangerous, given not all schools know how to deal with this problem,” she added.

The learning difficulties program started off with a lecture given by Amal Al-Yamani, a director of the special education program and assistant professor in the program of special education, who said that “we should be aware of what learning difficulties are, how to discover them and how to evaluate them.”

According to Al-Yamani, global statistics confirmed that between seven and 10 percent of children have difficulty both reading and writing, and 40 percent of them drop out of school because of this.

“Some studies and researches indicate that many students with learning difficulties have difficulties with learning mathematics. These problems often start in elementary school and continue through secondary school and perhaps college,” said Al-Yamani.

Young expatriates face unemployment crisis

2011-05-03T02:09:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: May 3, 2011

JEDDAH: Expatriates who have been living in the Kingdom for many years are facing an unemployment crisis due to Saudization programs and private sector ignorance. Expatriates born in Saudi Arabia who wish to continue staying in the country are feeling the heat of unemployment with the declining number of jobs available on the market and the rising number of Saudi youth entering the job market with the support of the Saudization policies.

Latest statistics and a report issued by the Central Department of Statistics in Saudi Arabia in 2010 confirmed that the population of Saudi Arabia stands at 27.1 million, of which nearly one third are expatriates; an estimated 8.4 million. This number increased Saudi fears of expatriates seizing job opportunities available on the market. Although many Saudis are using expatriates as an excuse for not finding a job, many expatriates are facing difficulties too in obtaining a job, not to mention the sponsorship transfer problem that comes with it. They, in turn, point the finger of blame on Saudization programs.

Hanadi Ma’moun, an Egyptian pharmacist living in the Kingdom with her parents for 26 years, graduated two years ago but could not find a job.

“Ever since I graduated, I have been searching for a job opportunity in both private and governmental hospitals. Whenever I submit my CV to a certain hospital, they immediately inform me that my chances to be employed are impossible due to Saudization,” said Hanadi.

She added, “I was left with no chance but to work as a volunteer in a private hospital in Jeddah, which is better than staying at home. I was promised employment, but the biggest obstacle I faced was Saudization.”

According to Hanadi, after she finished five months of volunteering at the hospital, her supervisor told her that there was no opportunity to get a position and advised her to be patient and wait.

Mohammed Al-Ramahi, a Jordanian employee at a private medical insurance company, was born and raised in Saudi Arabia. After he graduated in 2001, he found a job at a private medical insurance company only after 10 years of unemployment. They promised to give him the job and transfer his sponsorship to the company.

“I agreed with no hesitation to transfer my sponsorship, because it was very difficult to find a job for me as an expatriate. After working for that company for two months, they informed me that due to the Saudization plan, they could not hire me neither as a full timer nor as a part timer. After two months of employment, I was unemployed again.”

Karima Khlafallah, a Sudanese woman dentist graduate from a private university in Egypt and living in the Kingdom with her family for 30 years, preferred to work as a math teacher at home over being unemployed. “I couldn’t get any opportunity despite the fact that my father is a doctor. I searched for job opportunities in medical centers and hospitals, but with no luck. This forced me to teach mathematics, which pays well,” said Karima.

She added, “Many factors affected young expatriates working in Saudi Arabia. Most young expatriates find it difficult to get a job opportunity because of the Saudization plan. They also can’t return to their countries and work there, because they have been living here for plenty of years with their parents.”

Dr. Mahmoud Maqsoud Khan, a human capital consultant and ex-member of Jeddah Chamber for Commerce and Industries (JCCI)’s human resources committee, said, “There are a large number of jobs available for both Saudis and expatriates, especially after the establishment of many projects, such as King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, economic cities, airport development projects, and the construction of tower buildings. Such projects require large numbers of workers and employees of all nationalities,” he said.

He added, “The Saudization plan affected the hiring of expatriates at a rate of 60 percent. The number of young Saudis ready to enter the labor market is not enough. They could satisfy only 40 percent of the Saudi labor market needs. This number confirms that we need expatriate employees and workers.”

The competition in the labor market has become tough, especially with the arrival of a third group of expatriates who come to work in the Kingdom for low salaries, added Khan.

According to Khan, the government restricts some fields for expatriates in order to increase Saudization. Such fields are very popular among Saudis. For example, Saudi girls show interest in joining marketing, while others prefer human resources.

“There is less pressure on other fields, such as medical and engineering sectors. The competition in these sectors is between the ‘newcomer expatriates’ and expatriates who have been living here for many years,” said Khan.

He added: “Unfortunately, there is a lack of communication between young expatriates in Saudi Arabia and private companies. This forced those companies to contract a large number of expatriates living outside the country and bring them into the Kingdom.” Khan stressed the importance of hiring expatriates who have lived in the Kingdom for many years.

“It’s the JCCI’s responsibility to promote expatriates in the Kingdom by arranging meetings and career days for them, especially when they are considered part of this country,” said Khan.

Masses do not trust the Arabic media

2011-04-29T14:24:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: Apr 29, 2011

JEDDAH: Many people in the Middle East are blaming the Arabic media for contributing to the fervor for revolution in the region, adding that they do not trust the media any longer.

A recent survey by Grayling Momentum, an independent PR consultancy, confirmed that Al Jazeera is the most watched and trusted source of news in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also lauded the channel for its coverage of events in the Arab world.

However, in spite of the results, many Arab viewers find it frustrating that some revolutions in the Arab world have been under the spotlight, while others have not.

Rima Obida, a Syrian housewife and teacher who lives in Jeddah, feels that the Arabic media is very negative in its outlook. “I can’t believe what the Arab media broadcasts, especially when they depend mostly on videos recorded by ordinary members of the public ... real journalists shouldn’t depend on videos recorded by ordinary people,” she said.

“Real journalists should show both protests and government responses … these channels, however, only take their leads from witnesses and don’t ask officials for responses,” she added.

Abdulrahman Hanafi, an Egyptian pharmacist who works in Jeddah, said that during the Egyptian protests, he became confused from where to get news. “At the beginning of the protests I was confused because I know that each channel has its own agenda. I believe that no channel can convey news impartially. I cannot deny the role of the media in covering what happened during the Egyptian revolution. However, they didn’t put the spot light on the number of gangs that appeared during the revolution. They only focused on promoting the revolution without warning citizens about these gangs,” he said.

“Even now, we’re seeing an unfair coverage of revolutions in other Arab countries.”

Media experts confirmed that the Arabic media is not credible in covering revolutions, as each publication or channel has its own agenda. “We cannot deny that news channels are the most effective and quickest in broadcasting revolutions and events. Most people refer to channels and ignore newspapers because news is something that develops all the time,” said Mahmoud Al-Wadi, editor in chief of Alam Al-Rajul magazine.

“Each channel or newspaper has its own agenda … people are aware of this, and that is why there’s little trust in the Arab media,” he added.

He also said that the resignation of some journalists from famous news organizations has diminished people’s faith in the Arabic media. “We shouldn’t blame the staff that works for certain organization or newspapers because they have to follow the agenda of the news outlet,” said Al-Wadi.

He added that news is often edited or fabricated to make it sensationalistic.

Dr. Saud Kateb, professor in mass communications and media at King Abdulaziz University, said Arabic channels were successful in covering the revolution but were not neutral.

“Viewers must distinguish information that they receive because the media coverage depends on videos taken from ordinary people on the street. Unfortunately, most of these videos do not originate from journalists or official bodies,” said Kateb.

“Although the media has been successful in covering revolutions, viewers have little trust.”

Jeddah jewelry expo to display rare masterpieces

2011-04-29T06:24:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: Apr 28, 2011

JEDDAH: The world’s most expensive handbag — valued at more than SR14 million — is among a range of elegant products to be displayed at a major jewelry show in Jeddah next month.

The four-day show at Jeddah Hilton is expected to attract more than 7,000 visitors, said event organizer Hyat Sindi.

Princess Lolowah Al-Faisal, vice chairperson of Effat University’s board of trustees and its general supervisor, will open the Second International Jewelry Exhibition on May 20.

Sindi said the planned display of rare masterpieces such as the French-made handbag reflected the importance of the prestigious show.

The exhibit, made from 18kt gold, incorporates 4,517 diamonds with a total weight of 381.92 carats.

This masterpiece was handcrafted by 10 highly skilled artisans working for a total of 8,800 hours.

It recently received official certification from the Guinness Book of World Records as the most valuable handbag in the world. “

More than 1,000 exhibitors and 65 local and global companies will take part in the event, said Sindi.

She said the show, organized by Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, aims at boosting the national economy.

Parents voice concern at violence shown on news channels

2011-04-28T16:12:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: Apr 29, 2011

JEEDAH: Some parents in Jeddah have started preventing their children from watching Arabic news channels due to the abundance of violence that is being broadcast from ongoing conflicts within the Middle East and North Africa region.

Parents are so concerned that some of them have placed passwords on Arabic news channels to ensure their children are not exposed to violent scenes on television. Such scenes never used to be seen in the Arab world until the advent of satellite TV and the Internet in the late 1990s.

“We can’t deny the fact that the media have a deep impact on the behavior of people,” said Buthina Khoja, a psychotherapist who works at a private clinic in Jeddah. “Although the new generations … are exposed to violence in Western movies and violent cartoons, the situation is different when they watch actual scenes of violence and blood. It is more harmful when they know that this is what is happening in their own countries or in their neighboring countries,” she added.

Khoja said such scenes make youngsters feel sad and can lead to them having nightmares. “Viewers who are used to seeing violence in places such as Palestine develop a sense of indifference to such violence. But those who were not used to such violence on news channels are now exposed to them because of the ongoing developments in the region,” said Khoja.

“Showing violence on TV along with media commentary on how such crimes are carried out makes children feel depressed,” said Kinda Barazeq, a Palestinian mother of an 11-year-old boy.

“What is happening in the Arab countries is unusual. These scenes can affect children mentally,” she added.

Dina Hafez, a Syrian self-improvement trainer and mother of three teenagers, said the violence that is being shown on Arab news channels everyday is harmful to society.

“My 14-year-old son told me about a nightmare he saw. This was because of the mutilated body of a Syrian soldier that was shown on the news,” said Hafez, adding that she has now banned her children from watching the news.

Rawan Maher, a Syrian student at a private university in Jeddah, spoke about an unforgettable scene she recently watched on TV. As a result, she decided not to watch the news anymore.

“I watched footage of an eight-year-old Syrian girl who was attending her father’s funeral; her father was a soldier and had been killed by gangs in Syria. She cried and spoke how proud she was of him, how great he was and that he should go to paradise. It was a sad scene. Her three-year-old sister was also there. She was sad but couldn’t understand why her sister was crying,” said Maher.

“I cried when I saw it. Then I forgot it. After a few hours, I tried to go to sleep, but I couldn’t because I kept thinking of that crying girl. I could remember her words which made me cry all night.”

Jeddah forum to discuss technology investments

2011-04-25T14:29:00.001-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: Apr 26, 2011

JEDDAH: Investments in technology and the growing role of small and medium enterprises are likely to be analyzed at the second edition of Jeddah Commercial Forum next month.

The event, organized by the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), is set to open on May 16 under the theme “Commerce Partnership and Investment ... Development and Success.”

Commerce and Industry Minister Abdullah Zainal Alireza is among a line-up of top officials and industry decision-makers attending the forum, said JCCI Secretary General Adnan Mandoura.

JCCI Vice-President and forum Chairman Mazen Batterjee will announce vital details of the three-day event on Tuesday.

The forum aims to serve as a distinguished professional trade platform that regulates and tackles trade issues and concerns faced by Saudi business community in order to create a favorable investment environment.

Najran launches new investment strategy

2011-04-25T14:26:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: Apr 26, 2011

JEDDAH: Prince Mishaal bin Abdullah, governor of Najran Region and president of the Board of Investment in Najran, has implemented a new plan, including strategies to activate investments and infrastructure projects in the region.

The plan follows an “Unlimited Opportunities Land” forum patronized by Prince Mishaal, which concluded with recommendations for investment projects in the region.

The new deal to Najran comprises many important strategies.

They include building an attractive environment for investment, recommending a specific investment strategy, promoting administrative support to ensure sustainable investment and attract investors, and creating a system in consonance with the investment strategy of Najran.

The plan focuses on educating citizens about their duties and investment returns.

New “Complete Service” centers are be established.

These centers will offer various services for local investors and facilitate the procedures.

The new strategy also seeks to enable the various government agencies for the issuance of licenses in several fields such as education, health or business without reference to Riyadh.

Such steps require the Najran Chamber of Commerce and Industry to support investment projects with an updated data bank.

In addition, obstacles related to investments need to be studied and solutions found.

The plan calls for supporting sustainable investments in the region by recommending strategies, systems and regulations and how local and international experience in the field of investment could be beneficial.

It also stresses on rebuilding the infrastructure for future economic growth by developing water and sanitation, solid waste, electricity, telecommunications, information technology, agricultural, tourism, and industrial and military facilities.

The plan confirms the importance of cooperative work between the government agencies and board of investment to meet the requirements of economic growth.

Prince Mishaal also confirmed the need for taking effective measures to reduce the delayed infrastructure projects in Najran with a view to promoting education, health services, security, culture, posts, telecommunications and transportation.

In addition, he called for the need to focus on tackling pollution and preserving the environment.

It also calls for the development of human capital to support economic growth and the streamlining of government departments to support investment.

Prince Mishaal said that there is an urgent need provide orientation and training to both men and women investors from small and medium enterprises.

Women in Najran will also be facilitated to promote their investment projects.

In fact, the new deal aims to facilitate the procedures for the establishment of businesswomen’s projects and arrange for the issuance of licenses quickly, as well as raising women’s awareness on the financing options of their projects.

Above all, the deal encourages the need to create many projects in a number of fields such as mining, tourism, agriculture and livestock production in the region.

Marriage after 50 a unique challenge

2011-04-25T04:40:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Apr 24, 2011 23:10

JEDDAH: Marriage is a wonderful experience that every person wants to have when he or she is young. But not only youngsters want to get married, more and more older people also tie the knot, even beyond the age of 50.

However, for women these late marriages constitute a considerable challenge. Some even fear they are going to end in a catastrophe. Arab News talked to the women who took this step late in life about the problems they faced.

Buthina Mansouri, an Egyptian medical doctor, who got married at 48, faced major problems adjusting to her new life.

“Getting married at this age completely turned my life upside down. I quickly realized how much time my husband wanted to spend with me. As a result, I lost almost all of my leisure time I had spent before. To be honest, it feels like I lost a lot of my freedom,” she said.

According to Mansouri, she was working for 12 hours a day when she was single. After her marriage, she was forced to sell her own business and was just left with her job at a private hospital in Jeddah.

Khaidja Al-Hamden, a Saudi woman, got married when she was 55. She said she was forced to leave the school where she learned to read and write. “I went to adult school for five years. When I got married, my husband asked me to quit and devote all my time to him. I took this step, although it was very difficult for me.”

But soon she regretted this decision. “After one year, my husband married a second wife. Now, I had a lot of spare time again so I went to my literacy school to continue but they wouldn’t let me.

They said I had to start again from scratch,” she said. She added, “I took a risk and now I regret it. I believe that my marriage was a mistake. By getting married to this younger wife, my husband destroyed my old successful life.

Um Mohammed, a Saudi widow who got married at 52, warns that when tying the knot after 50, women should expect a hostile reaction from society. “When I got married for the second time, I wanted to be loved unconditionally. I wanted to share my life with someone who could shield me from life’s difficulties. But I faced a lot of criticism from my friends and relatives, and my son was furious,” she said.

Her critics have not quieted down and her son has not reconciled with her, she said. “He believes I got married because I was looking for sexual adventures. That is a great source of shame for him.“

Parents struggle to retain control over their children

2011-04-25T04:39:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Apr 23, 2011 5

JEDDAH: Many Arab parents say they are losing control over their children due to their new lifestyle and independence.

They believe the duty of parenting is not just to ensure their children’s health and safety, but also to teach them morals, family values, manners and etiquette.

Parents say looking after their children has become more difficult, especially when the new generation is looking for freedom and independence in making decisions.

Nouf Ghazzawi, a Saudi housewife and mother of two, believes that new communication methods have weakened her role in raising her children.

“The possibility of losing control over my children was unexpected. My husband and I were raised under the control of our parents in addition to our elder brothers and sisters. This was the case for most children in our time,” she said.

“I got married 10 years ago and I was expected to raise my children as my mother did with me. When I had my son nine years ago, I was able to control him for the first seven years of his life. Later after he went to school, I tried to maintain the same control but I discovered that nowadays he has his own world and is influenced by groups and friends on Facebook. They changed his attitude and broadened his horizons.”

Ruwida Rami, a Lebanese teacher at a private school and mother of three, said most children become very independent because they have their own communication tools like a laptop, iPad and mobile phone.

“Parents will be most effective if they adapt to the changes in their children’s characters instead of fighting to control them. Losing control over our children has become a truth that we cannot deny or fight. There is no law that says parents and teens must engage in power struggles that turn homes into battlegrounds,” she added.

According to Rami, many of her friends complained about losing the control of their children after they got their own communication tools.

“Communication tools almost create a private world for its users. Sometimes it takes the child from his family, so he believes that he is independent and is not ready to obey his parents or share his private world with them.”

Some parents interpret “losing control” as meaning that the job of parenting is over. Jihan Ali, a Syrian mother of four teenagers, believes that her life turned upside down after her daughters and sons got their own Facebook profiles, smart mobiles and e-mail accounts.

“Back when they were children, they looked to me for everything. Not only food, clothes and love, they were asking me to make their decisions, set their boundaries, and keep them safe,” Ali said.

According to her, after she lost control over her children, she devised a new strategy to regain that control without antagonizing her children.

“My new strategy was based on studies and published research talking about the newest strategies of parenting for a new generation that fights strongly to have their own independent lifestyle,” she said.

“For example, I try to listen to their concerns without offering advice or opinions and certainly not criticisms. This made them free to talk to me openly. I did that because I realized that most children want to express concerns, not receive advice.”

She added that she always reminds herself that what worked for her generation may not be applicable to her children.

“Our children are raised in a different environment. In addition, every child is unique with his or her own nature, talents and personal issues. I concluded that losing control is natural at this stage, but parents should try to restore control by developing their parenting skills and education.”

Dr. Buthina Bukhari, a child psychology expert, confirmed that every parent’s ultimate goal should be establishing a family democracy based on open communication, honesty, trust, and the ability to express views openly.

“Family democracy would significantly reduce insolence and rebellion. When children help their parents in making decisions, they will certainly obey their parents and become more satisfied about their lifestyle,” said Bukhari.

“Most families complain about losing control over their children when they reach a certain stage, which is often adolescence. This stage is the bridge between childhood and adulthood. As a society we readily acknowledge that it can be a challenging transition. During this stage, parents should understand a certain amount of attitude and rebellion is normal.”

Losing control is a feeling that all parents will feel when their children become adults and develop their own lifestyle.

In addition, new communication methods have led Arab teenagers to become more rebellious and parents should be smart in overcoming this, said Bukhari.

“As a society we should treat this level of conflict between parents and teens as normal. Many people believe that it’s a predictable stage of family life. But it isn’t. It is possible to have a good relationship with teenage children. But parenting the new generation of teens does require a literal shift in style. All that is required from parents is to have a sense of democracy.”

Political tension upsets vacation plans of Syrians

2011-04-19T16:04:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: Apr 18, 2011

JEDDAH: Many Syrian families living in the Kingdom are canceling their plans to spend their summer vacation back home due to political developments in the country.

Syrian families tend to make preparations for their annual vacations months before the holidays actually arrive. They save part of their income for the annual vacation. Some go to the mall on the pay day itself to buy gifts and accessories, while others wait until the schools close before they go shopping.

The average shopping expenses for a family of five is SR8,000. Arab News interviewed a number of Syrian expatriates, who said they now need to make a tough choice: whether to continue their preparations for the vacation or not.

Ghidaa Al-Basha, a Syrian housewife and mother of three, confirmed that her decision is not final yet. She opted to cancel her vacation, but if the situation improves, she will travel. “I started preparing for the summer vacation at the beginning of the school year in the middle of 2010. The political situation was stable at that time, so we planned our summer vacation like every other year. I have been putting money aside since last year to have enough funds for the holidays,” she said.

Al-Basha added, “I was calm when the protests started in Deraa and Latakia, but recently there were clashes in many cities. The presence of gangs and killers everywhere is frightening.”

According to Al-Basha, buying gifts can be a big problem for many families. “I already started to buy gifts for my relatives. I am not sure where I can keep all these gifts if I cancel my vacation this year. So far, the purchases cost me SR3,000 and I still need to buy more gifts. I am confused whether to stop buying gifts or to continue. Maybe the political situation will stabilize, and I can travel. Actually, I prefer not to keep these gifts for the next year, because they will be old-fashioned and maybe damaged,” said Al-Basha.

Rwaa Al-Alawi, a Syrian doctor who is newly married, bought a large number of electronic gadgets, carpets, and home accessories in Jeddah.

Al-Alawi, who came to Kingdom only a year ago, was planning to take her purchases to Syria during the summer vacation.

“As a newly married couple, my husband and I are building our home in Damascus. This year we planned to buy the furniture in Jeddah. We started with buying small accessories and carpets, in addition to food sets that are very expensive. This cost us SR25,000. It is now stored at home and must be moved to Syria as soon as possible,” said Al-Alawi. “Since the beginning of the protests until Sunday, I was hopeful of going to Syria during the holidays. I ignored minor incidents in some cities. Recently, we saw that a large number of weapons and guns had been seized on the Syrian border with Iraq. This made my husband afraid. Then we saw on TV unknown gangs in Homs, shooting citizens for no reason. These scary events forced my husband to cancel the vacation this year.”

According to Al-Alawi, this sudden decision disrupted her plans: She spent SR5,000 buying clothes and accessories.

Karim Baidoun, a Syrian marketing employee working for a fragrance company in Jeddah, was planning to hold his wedding in Aleppo during the next holiday.

“I believe the situation in Syria is very dangerous and it wouldn’t be the perfect time to hold my wedding party,” he said.

Baidoun expressed his fear that his decision to delay the wedding might upset his fiancée.

“I am planning to call my fiancée and explain the situation to her. She might get angry, especially because I have already delayed our marriage several times,” said Baidoun.

Annoyed by the probing question? Lie about your earnings

2011-04-11T14:39:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: Apr 12, 2011

JEDDAH: “How much do you make a month?” is a question that bothers many people who work.

Most believe that this is an invasion of privacy and a fact that needs to be kept from nosy people because they fear people’s envy and their evil eye. Others keep their salary secret to avoid being asked for money. The best way in their opinion is to lie about it and give a lower figure.

Lina Essam, a Jordanian employee at a private medical center in Jeddah, said that her mother’s friends are constantly needling her about how much money she makes. “I joined a marketing firm as a trainee after graduation for SR2,000 a month. My mother did not want to say how much I earned because she was afraid her friends would make fun of me. She imagined they would think, she graduated to earn such a small salary,” said Lina.

She said that these nosy friends did not give up and even called the marketing firm to find out how much her salary was. The firm did not give them the information. “But that they went this far was highly annoying,” said Lina.

Nahed Matar, a Palestinian teacher at a private English school in Jeddah, also said that she suffered from intrusive people who kept asking her about her husband’s salary.

“After I got married, my husband asked me to quit my teaching job because I only made SR1,000 a month. Soon after I resigned, my friends asked how much money my husband made because they thought it had to be huge if I could resign. I was very annoyed because it was none of their business.”

She said that she did not like anyone to interfere in her life, yet her family and friends were curious by nature. “They kept on asking about my husband’s salary until he got the evil eye. His salary was reduced and because of their envy we are now going through a tough financial situation,” said Nahed. Since then, she decided to be rude and to simply say, “That is not your business!”

Amnah Ismail, an Egyptian employee in an advertising company, said, “It is natural to be curious but people should differentiate between curiosity and being intrusive. I have this problem with some of my colleagues. But I don’t let on because I’m sure that they would make a fuss if they found out I’m making more than them.”

And it goes both ways. She said she was devastated when she found out that some of her colleagues received a higher commission for the ads they brought in.

Eman Al-Ghamdi, a medical student at King Abdulaziz University, also said she always lied when someone asked her about her salary.

“My mother is a general manager in the Ministry of Education. Most of my colleagues and friends keep asking about my mother’s salary, especially when they see my fancy car and my lifestyle. I tell them my mother’s salary is SR3,000.

“As a student I receive SR1,000 a month. When I get good grades, the university pays me another SR1,000. All my relatives keep asking me how much I saved since I joined the university. I always tell them I spend all the money on clothes, books and medical equipment,” she said.

Syrians in Kingdom want reform, but no turmoil, back home

2011-04-09T15:39:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: Apr 8, 2011

JEDDAH: Syrians living in Saudi Arabia have expressed worry about the protests in Syria that started three weeks ago. They hope that President Bashar Assad would introduce political and economic reforms without sinking the country into turmoil.

Most Syrians in the Kingdom say they did not know whether to believe media coverage of the large-scale protests.

After the president’s speech Syrians became optimistic and were happy to wait for reforms without protesting.

“We can realize our dreams because now we can express our opinion and voice our demands. I cannot deny that previously we were not free to express our views or press our demands, but this had been the situation in most Arab countries,” said Kamel Al-Shami, a Syrian teacher who has been working for a private intermediate school in Jeddah for 10 years.

“Actually, I want change, but with President Assad remaining in office. Since he became president 11 year ago I have been expecting many changes. There have been noticeable changes in the economy, as most employees are getting higher salaries. But this is not enough as we are looking to end corruption in the government.”

Nadia Mukhles, a Syrian engineer who has lived in the Kingdom for 20 years, believes the protests in Syria was the result of foreign meddling.

“Like many Syrians in the Kingdom, I watched with concern what was happening in the country on TV and on the Internet. I spoke with my relatives who live in Latakia and they said things were not as dark as portrayed in the media. The phone calls were the only way to make sure,” she said.

“The Syrian TV channels played a very important role in calming the Syrian people down, especially when they exposed information, videos and pictures that had come from other countries as fake.”

Dr. Rami Al-Rehani, a Syrian doctor who left the country 30 years ago to live in Saudi Arabia, confirmed that he was looking for change and revolution but the damage that occurred in Egypt and Libya left him frustrated.

“Unfortunately, most Arabs misunderstood the real meaning of revolution. They created damage everywhere in the country. President Assad realized that he should introduce changes and announced them in Parliament before discussing why he had delayed reforms that he had promised in 2005,” he said.

“As a Syrian citizen who loves his country and president, I prefer to wait and see. President Assad did announce a number of reforms one day after his latest speech. He also thanked the Syrian people who trust and support him. The president’s latest speech encouraged me and many Syrians to ask for reforms, not his resignation.”

Muthana Al-Battah, a mechanic, believed that Syrians could learn from reform movements in other countries without having to resort to violence.

“We didn't have to have a revolution. When people took to streets voicing their demands, President Assad immediately issued a number of quick decisions,” he said.

According to Al-Battah, Assad claimed he was unable to quickly implement reforms due to political instability and military conflicts in Iraq and Lebanon.

“Why don’t we wait till he implements what he announced last week?” Al-Battah asked.

“The second day after his speech, he created an authority to study the possibility of removing emergency laws. He also confirmed that this authority would finish its work before April 25. Salaries were increased on April 1.”

All Syrian people who spoke to Arab News were very optimistic following President Assad’s speech. They were also happy with the decisions he made after his speech. They also noticed a great change in Syria's state media.

“I have watched Syrian television for 30 years. Over the last three weeks I noticed a great change in the nature of its coverage,” said Aslan Qustanitine, a Syrian engineer who has been living in Saudi Arabia for two years.

“They became free to show the reality of Syrian streets. They visited people and asked them to say their demands loudly. Citizens were not hesitant in calling for an end to corruption and more media freedom.”

Gossiping maids create headaches for families

2011-03-28T14:31:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: Mar 27, 2011

JEDDAH: Maids have a tendency to divulge family secrets to third parties to take revenge against their employers, something that often leaves many families embarrassed.

When people employ maids at their homes, they are often faced with the dilemma of how to treat them. Should they treat them like part of the family and speak about all issues in front of them, or should they be tight-lipped?

Noura Ali, a Syrian doctor and mother of a 12-year-old boy, believes that sometimes maids spread home secrets without being aware. “My maid has been with me for three years. I leave her at home for long periods of time. I consider her an integral part of the family. She knows me better than anyone else,” said Ali.

“However, giving her freedom and allowing her to know my secrets made her a more deciding power in my house than me,” she added.

“One day I met a neighbor in the elevator. She asked me about my work hours and how I balance my time and take care of my son’s education. I found the question strange, especially since we hardly have a relationship and never indulge in deep conversations,” she said.

“Later on, I visited her to find out more. She then told me that her maid told her about my son’s poor performance in the recent exams. The maid also told her that I don’t have enough time to take an interest in my son’s education,” she added.

Ali said sometimes maids divulge secrets without knowing. She believes that maids have nothing important to talk about and that is why they speak about their employers and their families with other maids.

Mesbah Al-Sheikh, a Saudi teacher and mother of five, said all maids suffer from a bad habit: gossiping about their employers.

Al-Sheikh said that whenever she tells her maid a secret, she spreads rumors based on it.

“My maid used to visit my neighbor’s home and was asking them to give her part-time work,” said Al-Sheikh.

“At the beginning, I was unaware of what she was doing. Later I found out that she was working for my neighbors and speaking badly about me and my husband. She told the neighbors that we weren’t paying her and that she needed extra work to make money,” she said.

Al-Sheikh said that a neighbor then complained to the landlord. “My husband met the landlord at the mosque. He told my husband that a neighbor had complained that our maid was always visiting them and asking for work and money. He also said that the maid had been spreading rumors about us,” she added.

The maid had been telling people that she was not being provided with food to eat, a salary and a room to sleep in.

Hind Radi, a housewife and mother of three, once asked a friend to find a maid who then spread rumors about her.

“My friend brought a maid who was her maid’s friend. Whenever my friend visited me, the two maids would sit together in the kitchen. After five months, the maid escaped. Then my friend called and said that the maid was claiming I would get a lot of male guests at home who would insult her,” said Radi.

“She’d also been telling the other maid things about my personal life. She said that I would always fight with my husband and that I’m always nervous … the maid had focused on me being nervous. I know that I am nervous but it doesn’t mean I’m always fighting with my husband,” she added.

Expat teens become lost on return to home countries

2011-03-24T17:12:00.000-07:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: Mar 25, 2011

JEDDAH: Many expatriate families have expressed concerns at difficulties that their children, who have lived all or most of their lives in the Kingdom, experience when they return to their home countries for good.

Many of these children become used to life in the Kingdom and struggle to cope when they return to their countries of origin. Most expatriates come to the Kingdom to earn money, and return after a number of years, a shift that often leaves their children in turmoil.

Abdulhakim Al-Mardoud is a Syrian engineer who worked in Jeddah for 17 years before leaving for good.

Al-Mardoud, who is from a traditional Syrian family that lives in a small village, said that on returning to Syria, his son became very independent and that he struggles to keep him under control.

“Most expatriate families who live in Saudi Arabia have a strict regime for their kids. This doesn’t end even after their kids become teenagers. We lived in Jeddah until my son turned 17. During that time, he wasn’t allowed to leave home and go out with his friends,” said Al-Mardoud.

“I was his only friend apart from some of his class fellows at school. My son’s main concern was watching Saudi football matches and playing football with his classmates. He used to always stay at home and never used to go out or ask me if he could go. I used to think this was his character and that he is very shy and calm,” he added.

Things, however, changed after the family left the Kingdom. “On coming to Syria he changed totally. He has become very inquisitive. He wants to go everywhere and discover Syria. I used to be his best friend, but now he wants to make new friends and go out with his relatives. He’s also recently struck friendships with girls from our extended family,” said Al-Mardoud.

He added that while living in Jeddah, he could limit his son’s movements by stressing that they were expatriates and needed to be disciplined. “After returning to Syria, he keeps saying that we’re in our home country. He says he wants to hang out with his cousins and that there shouldn’t be a problem as this isn’t Saudi Arabia. He’s also started taking decisions without consulting me,” said Al-Mardoud.

Maha Taher is an Egyptian teacher and mother of three who lived in Saudi Arabia for 11 years. She moved to Egypt along with her children, while her husband decided to remain for work. At first she thought raising her children in Cairo would be better for her children’s sake. Now she thinks otherwise.

“I thought raising my children in Cairo would help them in their education. However, after coming here, I’ve become busy with the new lifestyle and this has affected their education,” she said.

“One of the main problems I’ve faced is balancing between my children’s education and social life,” she said, adding that her children have struggled to settle down in Cairo.

“They like the entertainment opportunities in Cairo. In Jeddah, I was able to force them to stay at home. In Jeddah they couldn’t go anywhere unless they had money, but the situation in Cairo is different. There are many free tourist destinations and they can also get money off their other relatives whereas in Jeddah they couldn’t do this,” she said.

Taher has been able to control her two daughters and settle them down. She has, however, struggled with her son. “He never misses an opportunity to go to the movies and watch football matches. I still can’t believe he’s so free and walks around,” she added.

Some expatriates said their children become big spenders when they return to their home countries. Ola Al-Zeben, a Jordanian mother of one, left Riyadh for Amman after 20 years.

“Me and my husband were forced to leave for Amman at a critical time when my daughter was 17 and at high school. We left and we were sure that this would affect her education and behavior because Amman is more liberal than Riyadh,” said Al-Zeben.

“During her time in Riyadh, the only entertainment she had was going to the mall. Now, in Jordan she visits every place of interest. She also never misses a music concert. She believes that she is free and can spend money freely,” she said.

“As a teenager, she feels that life in Amman was the best. Making friends with boys is not an issue whereas it wasn’t even an option in Riyadh. She’s become rather wild and this has affected her education. As a result, she failed to get a good score in high school,” said Al-Zeben.

Most expatriate families say that they can offer their children everything in the Kingdom except freedom and independence.

Maya Hajjo, a psychiatrist who works at a private hospital in Jeddah, said that most expatriate children feel insecure and yearn for independence. “Children enjoy their disciplined life in the Kingdom because that’s all they know. However, once they discover the world out there they are unable to control themselves,” said Hajjo.

She added that for expatriate teenagers who return to their home countries, searching for an identity and doing all those things that they could not in the Kingdom becomes their main goal.

“They believe that having lots of friends, going out and having romantic relationships will empower them and bring them satisfaction. … The parents suffer when they see all those efforts they made to keep their children in line while in the Kingdom going down the drain,” she said.

Football fanaticism in Kingdom not just men’s forte

2011-03-12T13:58:00.000-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: Mar 13, 2011

JEDDAH: Although Saudi women are banned from playing sports in schools, sports clubs and universities, many of them are ardent soccer fans and support football clubs.

They watch the National Football League on TV but are not allowed to attend matches in stadiums. During last year’s World Cup, many Saudi families — despite the Saudi side not participating in the event — regularly visited coffee houses and malls to watch their favorite teams play.

Saudi women also have special ways to show their support for their teams. They use football memorabilia that are designed for men to express support for their teams and also sometimes create their own feminine-like memorabilia.

During the last World Cup, many young Saudi women wore abayas designed in the colors of their favorite teams and exhibiting the numbers of their favorite players.

Nadia Al-Amoudi, a student at King Abdulaziz University, became an Al-Ahli Club fan while at high school after she noticed that all girls in her class were divided into groups according to the football teams they supported.

“Although I am the only girl at home and my brothers are addicted to football, I have never supported a football team as this wasn’t something I was into,” she said. “After joining secondary school, I noticed that all students are divided into groups according to their teams. This prompted me to support Al-Ahli, the team that my friend supported. I’ve been supporting Al-Ahli ever since,” she added.

“Although I’ve finished school and gone on to university, I’m still supporting Al-Ahli even though my old friends are not here with me. I’ve been watching football for many years and I’ve discovered how brilliant the game is; it is an adventure for which I have a lot of enthusiasm. It makes me very happy,” said Al-Amoudi.

Lubna Al-Ghazzawi, a Saudi mother of two teenage girls, said she prefers for her daughters to be fascinated with football, not reality TV programs and soaps. “My daughters have been in love with Al-Hilal Club since they were very young. They love football and Al-Hilal because they’ve grown up with their father who watches football. They’ve become like their father and support his favorite team,” said Al-Ghazzawi.

“After they grew up and became teenagers, they continued watching football and supporting Al-Hilal with better understanding. They are, unfortunately, a little fanatic in their support for some players. For example, my elder daughter likes Yasser Al-Qahtani because she believes he is handsome, while my younger daughter prefers Mohammed Al-Shalhoub because he is a skillful and fast footballer,” she added.

Al-Ghazzawi feels that watching football is better than spending time watching reality TV shows. “At least they will not spend money watching these matches whereas in reality TV programs people vote with their cell phones and end up spending lots of money,” she said.

Reem Youssef, a 20-year-old Syrian, never showed interest in Saudi football teams until recently when she was influenced by a girl that lives close by and supports Al-Ittihad.

“I wasn’t really into football. Besides Saudi players aren’t as handsome as Syrian players. I however became interested after I began hanging out with a girl that lives close by,” said Youssef.

“She is an only girl and has been supporting Al-Ittihad since she was a child. She’s an ardent fan. I like the way she supports her team and she has a lot of football memorabilia expressing her support for Al-Ittihad,” said Youssef.

“My friend has also made a business out of her support for Al-Ittihad — she sells Al-Ittihad memorabilia at school. She makes special items in the team’s colors of black and yellow for other girls. The items she makes are very feminine-like and elegant. She also makes mobile phone covers, hats, scarves, necklaces and bracelets,” she added.

Red Sea Mall promotes young artists

2011-03-10T06:29:00.001-08:00

By DIANA AL-JASSEM
Published: Mar 9, 2011

More than 130 young artists are participating and presenting their artwork for the graffiti competition and exhibition, which is taking place at Jeddah’s Red Sea Mall since two weeks.

Some artists chose to draw Jeddah, while others drew their name or a welcoming for the return of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah after being away from the Kingdom for treatment.

“The expo is displaying more than 33 artworks from different art schools where participants choose their mediums. This is a good opportunity for the youth to show their art, especially since this form of “street art” is not allowed to be done here in the streets,” said Saudi artist and organizer of the competition, Fatima Ba-Azeem.

The competition, which kicked off early March and continues till March 18, aims to promote young Saudi artists by organizing meetings with companies, such as advertisement companies, that are looking to cooperate with those artists. It also aims to promote Arabic calligraphy.

“That is why we are displaying several works such as caricature illustration, photography, animation, street art, and graphic design,” said Ba-Azeem. “Every year, we arrange this exhibition to discover young artists and give them the opportunity to promote their artwork. Some of the participating artists are contributing for the first time while others have long experience in this field.”

According to Ba-Azeem, many companies called her and Red Sea mall to cooperate with the artists and give them projects to work on. “Red Sea mall took this initiative in order to promote the artists and give them the opportunity to interact with the people without being afraid of receiving professional criticism,” she said.

Abdullah Ghulman, a 13-year-old Saudi boy, is a fifth time participant in the competition. He presented a drawing on a three meters canvas. “I drew a picture of Jeddah’s beauty to showcase the positive side of Jeddah. The pictures will be used on the mall’s outside walls,” he said, adding that he practiced at Twelve-Art Club in order to develop his skills.

Hisham Raddada, a 22-year-old Saudi, studied map drawings at King Abdulaziz University. He said he benefits from local art workshops and the chance to display his work, as it is difficult to find a venue.

“I am always searching for art exhibitions to participate in, and I’ve already participated in previous exhibitions at Red Sea Mall,” said Raddada. “In my artwork, I wrote ‘Jeddah the Bride’ in graffiti and colored it with several colors that are associated with Jeddah.”

Mazen Al-Shumrani is another graffiti artist who studied electricity. “I shifted from electricity to graffiti since last year, as I enjoy it more. Facebook helps me to contact the art expo here in Red Sea mall,” he said. “I drew the king’s picture to say ‘welcome back’ and chose the colors green, white and black to symbolize the Kingdom’s flag.”

He added: “Those exhibitions promoted us. I have received many offers from companies and people to paint their offices, homes and projects.”

Mohammed Dous is a Saudi accountant and artist who chose to participate for the first time in this competition.

“I started drawing graffiti since a year ago. Today, I drew my name to express my style and feelings through the form and colors that I chose. I used many colors that symbolize my love of life, which typically expresses my character,” he said.