An array of assigned inspection teams from the Ministry of Labor and Social Development and other public agencies conducted 23,508 field visits to cellphone shops in all regions of the Kingdom, with the aim of carrying out the 50 percent Saudization in the telecom sector in its first phase of the plan. Dr. Fahad Al-Owaidi, deputy minister for inspection and development of work environment at the ministry, said the nationwide inspection campaign is working hard to implement the ministerial decision that replaces expat salesmen and maintenance workers with Saudi males and females. Al-Owaidi said that a total of 20,174 establishments have shown compliance across the Kingdom, ensuring that the directive has opened new avenues for Saudi nationals to embark on this vital sector as it generates financial benefits and stable job opportunities for them. The deputy minister for inspection and development of work environment added that the regulation aims to protect the cellphone business from security issues, maintaining social and economic aspects as well as curbing cover-up business. In cooperation with the Ministries of Commerce and Investment, Municipal and Rural Affairs, Communication and IT and Interior, the collective inspectors have detected so far 3,233 violations, whereas 2,370 of them were forwarded to the penalties committee. In the aftermath of such patrols, 1,841 establishments were shut down, and another 863 have warned of permanent closure if they continue to ignore the ministry's directive, occurring during the period from the beginning of Ramadan (June 6) till Dhu Al-Qadah 6 (Aug. 9). Meanwhile, the ministry urged customers to report violations relating to the nationalization of the sector through visiting the website at rasd.ma3an.gov.sa or contacting the uniform customer service No. 19911. The ministry assured that all reports will be handled promptly as the ministry is keen to improve and develop the labor market. In this respect, the ministry would not tolerate anyone who is reluctant to comply with the directive through further inspections in order to completely nationalize the telecommunication sector before Sept. 2 (Dhul Hijjah 1). The ministry gives no exception for any telecom establishments to opt out of the directive whether they are mega, large, medium or small sizes.
