24 May 2017

JEDDAH – Saudization at Jeddah malls has reached 50 percent, said Mohammed Alawi, chairman of the committee for commercial centers at Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He commended the Ministry of Labor and Social Development for nationalizing jobs in the sector. “Salaries given to Saudi workers will be spent inside the country,” he pointed out.

Alawi urged the ministry to supply enough Saudi workers required for malls after providing them with necessary training to expand Saudization program in the sector.

“The rate of Saudization of jobs in Jeddah malls is the highest in the Kingdom,” he told Al-Madina Arabic daily. “In some Jeddah malls the number of Saudi workers has reached 60 percent,” he added.

Alawi said as many as 700 Saudi women work in some malls. “We hope all malls and retail centers would respond favorably to the ministry’s Saudization campaign,” he added.

There are more than 30 major malls in Jeddah. “The ministry should publish correct statistics of workers in malls and train the national cadre to speed up Saudization process,” Alawi said.

The ministry should have a complete plan to Saudize mall workers in phases, he added.

Alawi commended the ministry’s plan to support training academies, provide part-time jobs to university and secondary students and receive public opinion through its website. “All these plans will enable the ministry to nationalize jobs in the sector over the coming years,” he explained.

He dismissed suggestions that 100 percent Saudization of jobs in malls would encourage some investors to leave the market. “Intelligent businessmen know how to deal with the ministry’s decision without any foul play. Their main concern will be how to get enough Saudi workers. They will also focus on training Saudis and allowing Saudi students to work part time in order to fill the shortage,” he said.

Alawi pointed out that employment of Saudi women at malls was successful as they find a comfortable and secure working atmosphere in these shopping centers.

Nidal Ridwan, chairman of the federation of labor committees in the Kingdom, also backed the ministry’s move to gradually Saudize jobs in malls.

“It will not have any negative impact on investment in the sector. On the other hand, this decision will drive away foreigners engaged in tasattur (cover-up) business in the name of Saudis,” he added.

Saudization of jobs will strengthen the sector and bring more profits to investors, he said.

“In order to encourage Saudis to work in the sector, investors should provide them with good salaries and suitable working hours,” Ridwan said, adding that the ministry’s decision would create more job opportunities for Saudi men and women.

“We expect more such decisions by the government to eradicate unemployment among Saudi men and women in the coming years,” he said.

© The Saudi Gazette 2017