No job is demeaning and all professions, however considered lowly, must be respected. This was the message Minister of Labor, Dr. Ghazi Al-Gosaibi, delivered when he donned the uniform of a waiter and carried out orders from the catering department's head. He also kissed the head of a Saudi waiter at one of Jeddah's restaurants in an expression of admiration for the man who caters to the food needs of many customers on a daily basis oblivious of the stigma and the negativity attached to the profession. The minister was patronizing the first Saudi Hospitality Day organized by the Hospitality Committee (earlier known as Restaurants and Cafes Committee) of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry at a famous Jeddah restaurant. Every year 22 Jamad Al-Thani, the sixth month of the Hijra calendar, will henceforth be observed as as Saudi Hospitality Day, Dr. Gosaibi announced, Al-Madina reported on Tuesday. The minister also demanded a tip for carrying out the orders “satisfactorily and related his own tale when he himself worked as a waiter in a restaurant while studying in the United States. He also cited the examples of many businessmen and senior officials who worked as waiters or did some menial work in order to sustain themselves during their university days. He particularly mentioned Dr. Ali Al-Ghufais, head of the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, who worked as a clerk in a store while studying in the United States. Abdullah Al-Sarhan, Secretary General of the Council of Ministers, Dr. Al-Ghufais, Saleh Al-Turki, head of Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, all wore the service uniforms and served food and drinks to the Saudi crew in the restaurant. Dr. Ghazi gave himself the title of an Honorary Host and told Saudi waiters the job is tough at the beginning. “With ambition and hard work, goals will be achieved,” he said. Saleh Al-Turki said the Hospitality Day was a private sector's initiative to emphasize on the importance of integrated work with the public sector. He said nationalizing jobs in this sector is mainly obstructed by the social viewpoint. “It has to change. The Hospitality Day should be utilized in conveying the message of the required change in the attitude,” he said. Dr. Al-Harthi, chief of the Hospitality Committee, admitted that changing society's views takes time. “We are dealing with a cultural issue and the structure of the society.” He said a journey of a thousand miles begins with a small first step. Dr. Gosaibi said his ministry would look into any complaint against any establishment that does not implement the summer training program. __
