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711 - 720 from 1018 . In "Opinion / OP-ED"
‘Collective bill’ and the fate of SMEs
EVER since the imposition of various fees on expatriate workers by the Ministry of Labor and Social Development, the country’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are in a state of confusion on how to handle the precarious situation. They are anxious that the policy of the ministry will deal a big blow to their businesses and force most of these small enterprises to shut down and sack both Saudi and foreign workers because of their inability to pay the bill. The ministry’s decision to impose the “collective bill” and the dependent’s fee on expatriate workers was instrumental in producing negative impact on these businesses. There are mixed reactions on this move as they are appearing in the local newspapers and social networking sites as well as in the private gatherings of...
March 07, 2018

‘Collective bill’ and the fate of SMEs

A mosque should be more than just a prayer hall
THERE’S a mosque being built in every locality or so it seems. In the couple of square miles of neighborhood of where I’m at, I can count three mosques standing and one in the process of construction. And just about every mosque has large courtyards and adequate parking space for the whole neighborhood.The increase of numbers of places of worship has, however, diluted attendance at the individual mosque, with worshippers barely making up half of the expanse within the structure. Rarely does the number spill out to the courtyard and beyond. Even Friday congregations draw much less than desired.Some explain it as a result of the mass migration of expatriates following the decision to impose a financial levy on their presence in the Kingdom. Others dismiss it as simply an...
March 07, 2018

A mosque should be more than just a prayer hall

Tragedy of Sridevi and media vultures
THE passing of a loved one makes one acutely conscious of one’s own mortality. In a country crazy about cinema and cricket, the massive public interest and outpouring of grief over the sudden death of Bollywood icon Sridevi coupled with the non-stop media coverage is understandable. It came as a shock to many of us, especially those who grew up in the ‘1980s and ‘90s when she reined over the box office.Long before the aficionados of Hindi cinema fell in love with her histrionics, Sridevi had been the reigning queen of cinema in the South. Although immensely successful in the Mumbai cinema, thanks to Yash Chopra’s Chandni, Lamhe and Shekhar Kapoor’s Mr India, her work up north doesn’t constitute even a quarter of what she had accomplished down south.She was loved and admired in...
March 06, 2018

Tragedy of Sridevi and media vultures

War on Lebanon?
THE Lebanese taxi driver was both happy and upset. “You Saudis and Gulf visitors are always good news for us,” he started. “For years now we have fewer and fewer of you. Instead, we receive Iraqis, Afghanis and Iranians. Most of them come via Beirut on their way to Syria. Some are pilgrims visiting Shiite shrines, others are fighters joining Hezbollah and other (Iranian) militias. Few are diplomats or merchants. But in all cases, they don’t spend much here. They live in camps or cheep accommodations. Most bring along their food and water,” he complained.“You, on the other hand, come as tourists, investors, importers and residents. You bring your families, stay longer, usually in good hotels and apartments, hire limousines and taxis, dine in top restaurants and cafes, shop in...
March 06, 2018

War on Lebanon?

Japan’s fear of China!
WE often need an out-of-the-box idea in a traditional surrounding in order to have new and different perspectives on the same issue. There is an interest in what is happening in our region not only from the United States, Russia and Europe, but an important and pivotal country, Japan, is also watching the developments in this part of the world with keen interest. Nearly six years ago, I was invited by a global industry research and decision-making center to meet with ambassadors and representatives of the Japanese Foreign Ministry to discuss about the region’s tumultuous events. Japan is very interested in the region because it has been engaged in important economic activities and its companies have been operating here for a long period of time. Moreover, it imports more than 85 percent...
March 05, 2018

Japan’s fear of China!

Traffic department making a come back
I HAVE written many articles in the past about the need for clear traffic department rules and their strict implementation. I have come out in defense, repeatedly, in favor of the Saher system, an automated system for the management of traffic via e-systems covering major cities in Saudi Arabia. I have engaged in endless discussions with those who condoned flouting of traffic rules, overlooked speeding and other rules in favor of safety of drivers. I have also engaged in endless discussions with violators, who love speeding and see it as a proof of manhood by riding the thrill of being in the fast lane and driving against traffic directions and challenging authority by running through traffic lights; and the driver is an extra macho-man if he commits these violations in front of traffic...
March 05, 2018

Traffic department making a come back

The future of the peace process
In an earlier article, I argued that the Palestinian cause is absent at all levels including the media and politics, as well as public opinion because of the so-called Arab Spring. I attributed this absence to three factors: Arab countries are busy with their internal issues in light of deteriorating economic conditions and high prices; the emergence of “terrorism” has echoed throughout the media at the expense of developments in Palestine and a Palestinian internal division occurred after 2007. However, the recent announcement of US President Donald Trump acknowledging Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem brought the Palestinian cause back to the forefront of the media and the political scene. The decision highlighted the fact that...
March 01, 2018

The future of the peace process

Saudization is no excuse for bad behavior
I had an absorbing dialogue with an expatriate named Abdunnaser who wanted to share with me his perspective on the Kingdom’s fast-moving changes in all aspects. Whether it was about Saudization, the hunt for illegal expats, low oil price, doors opening for family entertainment, etc., Abdunnaser was certainly a man who was never at a loss for words.As he bluntly put it: “Let me come to the point: No one can say anything against eliminating illegals from the land of Saudi Arabia, as this is quite normal for any country in the world. However, there are proper ways to do so. I can honestly tell you that some of the officials deployed to do this job are not aware of the proper ways as I have many examples of their negligence or indecency when dealing with expat workers.“In a crowded...
February 28, 2018

Saudization is no excuse for bad behavior

Friends of Humanity support stranded Pakistanis
Friends of Humanity, a non-profit charity society founded by Pakistani immigrants in Chicago, carries out charity work in various places. Its activities are concentrated mainly in the camps of stranded Pakistanis in Bangladesh, which were set up after the secession of Bangladesh from Pakistan in 1971. These stranded people are waiting for the Pakistani government to undertake their repatriation and rehabilitation. They were part of the population of East Pakistan until the civil war that ended with the creation of the state of Bangladesh. During the civil war, they stood by the Pakistan army and consequently Bengalis considered them to be traitors and drove them out of their homes and into camps scattered in different parts of Bangladesh.Recently, I received a set of photographs from...
February 28, 2018

Friends of Humanity support stranded Pakistanis

Mirage of Muslim-Dalit Unity
The Dalits have struggled on the margins of Indian society, suffering in silence, for thousands of years. Being born at the bottom of the caste hierarchy is the ultimate curse in the ancient land of ours. This is an issue that is as old as Mahabharata. The earliest voice of protest raised against the social and caste order of Hindu society had been that of Buddha. But even the Wise One did not have much success against the forces of status quo. Indeed, Buddhism that conquered much of Asia was rooted out of India, its land of birth.Successive Hindu reformers, from Raja Rammohan Roy to Vivekananda to Gandhi, all did their best to fight untouchability and discrimination sanctioned by scriptures. The Mahatma was perhaps the first leader to realize that without the involvement of all sections...
February 27, 2018

Mirage of Muslim-Dalit Unity

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