Saudization: 20,000 Riyal fine for each expat working in gold sector

News Network
November 29, 2017

Jeddah, Nov 29: Gold and jewelry shops that employ foreigners will be asked to pay a fine of Saudi Riyal 20,000 (around Rs 3.5 lakh) for each expat worker after Dec 3 when 100% Saudization of the sector comes into force.

The ministry also intends to appoint permanent inspectors in every market and mall to conduct surprise inspections and punish violators of the Saudization law.

Khaled Aba Al-Khail, spokesman of the Ministry of Labor and Social Development, said field inspectors will track down violators and impose fines after the Dec. 3 deadline.

However, members of the precious metal and stone committee at the Council of Saudi Chambers have expressed their reservation over the success of Saudization in the sector.

“We need to fight tasattur or cover-up business to make Saudization successful,” said Abdul Mohsen Al-Namir, a member of the committee, referring to jewelry shops run by expats in the name of Saudis.

There are more than 6,000 gold and jewelry shops in the Kingdom that employ about 25,000 workers including expatriates. Some of them are owned by foreign investors.

“The success of Saudization depends on the success of fighting corruption. Many owners of gold and jewelry shops and showrooms are foreigners,” Al-Namir told Al-Madina Arabic newspaper.

“Many of the shops are in the name of Saudis but they are actually owned by expats. Some foreigners have entered into partnership business with Saudis,” he explained.

Al-Namir also spoke about the possibility of accommodating Saudis involved in tasattur business as investors.

He asked the ministry to study the reasons for the failure of Saudization and give shops enough time to deal with the reasons that have prevented 100 percent Saudization of the sector for the last 16 years.

“At present Saudization rate in the sector does not exceed 50 percent,” he pointed out.

Abdul Ghani Al-Muhanna, another member of the committee, expressed hope that the ministry’s full-scale Saudization will lead to saving the sector from tasattur (cover-up) business.

“The decline in the number of Saudi employees in the sector is really a matter of deep concern,” he said told Al-Madina newspaper.

He said expatriates were purposely trying to keep Saudis away from the sector to maintain their dominance.

Saudi employees in the sector are forced to work long hours affecting their social and family commitments, Al-Muhanna said.

“Many Saudis receive low salaries which has forced them to leave their jobs at gold and jewelry showrooms,” he pointed out.
 

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Althaf
 - 
Wednesday, 29 Nov 2017

Acche din for saudis. 

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News Network
January 15,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 15: Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology in Bengaluru has decided to remain shut for two days after a group of BJP workers wiped out graffiti on its outer walls claiming it as anti-Modi and allegedly warned them against any anti CAA agitation there.

According to sources, the group led by Yelahanka MLA S R Vishwanath allegedly even towed away some vehicles of students and faculty parked in front of the institute alleging that they were blocking the road and causing inconvenience to the local people.

Some students have alleged that they were threatened by BJP workers and also the institute's authorities regarding the graffiti and the blocking of the road using traffic police.

They even claimed that BJP workers warned them against organising any anti-NRC or CAA protests.

A few local residents are also said to have joined the BJP workers and raised complaints about the conduct of the institute's students.

According to local BJP workers, the MLA and a few party men had gone near the institute on receiving complaints from locals about vehicles parked there blocking the road, and when they came across the graffiti they painted it with saffron paint to avoid any controversy, and there was no altercation as being alleged.

However, there is no clarity on who drew the graffiti regarding Modi, which according to BJP workers allegedly depicted the PM in poor light.

The institute has declared holiday on Thursday and Friday to avoid any further escalation, keeping the interest and safety of students in mind, sources said.

Interestingly, on Tuesday graffiti had appeared overnight on the shutters of some shops and walls on the Church Street against Modi, CAA and NRC, following which the city police have launched an investigation.

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coastaldigest.com news network
June 17,2020

Bengaluru, Jun 17: The Congress on Wednesday decided to field senior party leader B K Hariprasad and incumbent Naseer Ahmed as candidates for the coming legislative council polls in Karnataka.

"The Congress President Sonia Gandhi has approved the proposal for the candidature of B K Hariprasad and Naseer Ahmed as Congress candidates to contest the biennial elections to the Legislative Council of Karnataka to be elected by the MLAs," the AICC said in a release.

The election is necessitated as the term of seven MLCs- Naseer Ahmed, Jayamma, M C Venugopal, N S Bose Raju, H M Revanna (all Congress), T A Sharavana (JDS) and independent D U Mallikarjuna- will end June 30.

Polling will be held on June 29 to fill seven MLC berths, and June 18 is the last date for filing of nominations.

While the BJP is in a position to win four out of seven seats, the Congress can win two and the JD(S) one.

Twenty-eight valid votes of MLAs are required for each candidate to win.

Hariprasad’s candidature has been announced as his tenure in the Rajya Sabha is coming to end on June 25.

He has also served as general secretary of the party.

Naseer Ahmed, who is retiring as MLC on June 30, will be seeking another term.

According to state Congress president D K Shivakumar, more than 200 aspirants have sought tickets for the two seats that the party can win in the legislative council polls.

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Agencies
June 10,2020

Bengaluru, Jun 10: The Karnataka Anti-Corruption Bureau on Wednesday conducted raids at 14 places linked to four government officials in the state.

On receiving received credible information about the officials amassing disproportionate assets, an illegal assets case was registered and raids are being conducted at 14 places linked to them, ACB said in a release.

It said the raids are still on and investigation is being carried out about their assets.

Raids are being conducted on properties linked to L Sathish Kumar, Additional Commissioner, Department of Commercial Tax; N Ramakrishna, Divisional Forest Officer, Srinivasapura, Kolar; Gopalshetty Mallikarjuna, Executive Engineer, District Development Cell, Raichur; Raghappa Lalappa Lamani, Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigam Ltd official in Almatti, Bagalkote, the release said.

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