Businesswomen in the Eastern Province gathered late last week to put pressure on the Minister of Trade and Industry to make a female appointment to the regional Chamber of Commerce following the failure of the three women candidates at last month's elections. “The time has come for women to rise to their rightful place on the new board,” the gathering of senior businesswomen from various Eastern Province organizations in Dammam heard late last week. “I'm sure the minister will appoint one woman at least to reinforce the economic role of women, as the time has come for women to get their chance on the board,” said well-known local businesswoman Samia Al-Idrisi. Al-Idrisi added that the minister's appointee should be chosen from members of the Businesswomen's Forum, who, she said, had “the experience and knowledge” for the job. The three candidates at November's Eastern Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry elections – Fawzia Al-Karri, Diana Al-Faris and Su'aad Al-Zayedi – failed to win any of the 12 elected places on the board and now pin their hopes on ministerial appointments which will fill the remaining six seats. Minister of Trade and Commerce Abdullah Zainal is, however, at liberty to choose from elsewhere, and forum member and businesswoman Aisha Al-Mane' named five fellow forum members as potential candidates – Al-Karri, Al-Faris and Al-Zayedi not among them – citing their work efficiency and experience. “I hope the appointments are made without the influence of any personal relations which severely harms public and women's economic interests,” Al-Mane' said. Hana Al-Zuheir, Chief Executive of the Prince Sultan Fund for Small Projects, praised the work of the trade minister and said he would choose “the most capable person for representing us on the Chamber's board.” “The selection of the appointee should take a different direction to serve small business projects and the trade and service sectors,” Al-Zuheir said, without proposing names for candidates. “All the businesswomen possess high levels of competency to represent women in the Chamber, as the time has come for women to reach an important position on the board and push women forward in all economic fields.”
