Friday 27 December 2013
Shoura Council members and Saudi intellectuals have criticized Commerce and Industry Minister Tawfiq Al-Rabiah for preventing journalists from attending his session with the consultative body on Tuesday. "It's the media's right to attend the Shoura to tell the public what the minister discusses with its members and his answers to questions raised by the public," said Fahd bin Juma, vice chairman of the economic and energy committee at the 150-member body.
"Minister Al-Rabiah did not provide an answer when I asked him why nonoil exports decreased over the past two years from 31 percent in 2011 to eight percent in 2012," Bin Juma said. Hanan Al-Ahmadi, another Shoura member, said the minister gave a lukewarm response when she asked about the role of women in the industrial sector. "At present, women's participation does not exceed 2 percent, although there are many industries where women can work, such as clothes designing, jewelry, assembling of electrical devices, medical, food and plastics industries."
Al-Ahmadi said the ministry lacked a strategic vision to encourage greater women's participation in the sector. "We need a strategic approach to create more jobs for women in the sector, by providing them with adequate training. Women's investment in the sector should also be encouraged." Khaled Al-Sulaiman, a columnist in an Arabic daily, opposed the minister's action saying it is unacceptable. "The Shoura discussions should be made public. The minister has nothing to hide from his people. Parliaments hold closed-door meetings only to discuss national security issues."
Badr Almotawa, a Saudi journalist, said he doubted that the minister had prevented journalists from attending the meeting because he has found Al-Rabiah to be a media-friendly person. "The minister's good track record shows that even if he had asked for a media ban it would have been done for the benefit of the public," he told Arab News.
© Arab News 2013
