RIYADH: Adel Fakieh, Minister of Labor, has described corruption as “a malady we have to combat” and “not exclusive to the Ministry of Labor”. “There are some businessmen who are enthralled by money in order to get what they have no right to,” he told a gathering of businessmen at Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) Saturday. The minister said that there were “hundreds of thousands” of young Saudi male and female unemployed, adding that the most optimistic statistics put the figure at half a million. The 15-year-old Ruling 5 move to introduce Saudization, he said, “has seen no success”. Saturday's meeting was opened with a speech by JCCI chairman Saleh Kamil, who described unemployment as “pushing people to turn to moral corruption”. “Let's not let traditions and customs block the way of Saudi women into the labor market,” he said, saying that Shariah teachings and rules apply. Kamil reiterated appeals for universities to keep up with the needs of the labor market and call for the introduction of studies concerning work ethics and market requirements. He also suggested that the ministries of Labor and Finance work together to bring in a minimum wage for private sector employees. When later asked during the meeting about a minimum wage, Minister Fakieh said he was “still in the silent phase”, explaining that he was addressing the gathering in his capacity as a businessman, and not as minister of labor. “I will not be responding to any questions… I will look at all suggestions and proposed solutions and study them.” Fakieh did, however, describe some of the proposals he heard in the meeting as “immature”, and “not understanding the nature of the local market”. “We need solutions that are capable of being properly implemented,” he said. Late last month Minister Fakieh, who left his post as Mayor of Jeddah to join the Ministry of Labor following the death of previous incumbent Ghazi Al-Qosaibi in August this year, asked the public via his Facebook page for three months before he engages with them, he needed time to become fully au fait with the workings of his ministry. “I have nothing to say to the press at the moment,” he told a reporter who contacted him on Facebook, “except to say that I'm still getting to know the various aspects with which my new post is tasked, but I will be constantly available at a later date for discussion with you concerning issues of importance and proposed solutions.”
