Minister of Economy and Planning Dr. Khaled Al-Gosaibi declined to comment on criticisms of his office's 9th Development Plan because the Shoura Council is discussing it. “I don't want to comment on the matter while it is still being discussed in the Shoura Council,” he said in a brief telephone conversation Friday. Al-Gosaibi's short statement has come at a time when 150 Shoura members are getting ready to vote Monday on the 2010-2014 Development Plan, on which implementation started about seven months ago. Implementation before the Shoura Council's vote angered some members who registered five observations, most prominent of which include beginning the plan's execution before it was approved by the related authorities, its lack of schedules for execution, a lack of means to measure execution of objectives and its non-conformity with the priorities, latest developments in the society and challenges it faces. The Ministry of Planning, which prepared the plan, hopes the Shoura Council will approve it before the summer vacation, according to informed sources. “The Ministry of Planning is striving to get the approval of the Shoura Council for the draft in its present form in order to avoid its rejection or postponement,” one source said. “Meanwhile, the Shoura Council members are of the view that approval of the development plan should be postponed so observations can be dealt with, in view of the importance of the plan for the future of the country.” Council sources said that the Minister of Economy and Planning has expressed an interest in visiting the Shoura Council to address observations and answer questions about the plan and its work programs. The minister's interest was expressed after members of the Shoura Council's Economic Affairs and Energy Committee had a meeting at the Ministry of Economy and Planning and the ministry's undersecretary explained the plan, the sources said.
