Saudi National Day

Being in Riyad at this time of the year, I got to live the Saudi National Day in Saudi! It is wonderful feeling. Although the today is the National Day, we had a holiday yesterday. Spent the afternoon (till after Isha) shopping and window shopping! Yes that is fun way of spending your day off.

The funny thing is, unlike other weekend shopping trips, I was not the least bit tired. Hmmm...

Got to stick a "I Love Saudi Arabia" sticker on the door of my apartment and that was cool.

Nationally it is time to celebrate the country's achievement over the year. Which sector took the cake? Education. Yes and rightly so. A SR138 billion, was assigned for education and training this year. Well that is a wise investment for the future of the country which will not always be oil related. Salute to the King for investing in the future generations. We can see the fruits of the plantations by the numerous schools, universtites and other educational instiutation, springing up all over Saudi. That is something to be really proud of.

Apart from the educations sphere, there is massive constructions going on; new buildings, consturctions around the Makkah, expansion to the harmain, new housings, airports and other projects.

Saudi's rich heritage is something to celebrate about and that is partly exhibited in the recent Paris display of the country's treasures of the past, history and culture - certainly something to be proud of.

Saudi has a lot to celebrate and this is the time, peoplewill take to the streets to rejoice and celebrate!

May God bless you Saudi Arabic, the leaders and the people!

Happy National Day.

Caring Means Never Having to Work Under the Hot Sun

While I was in Bahrain, people use to complain about the poor laborers who used to toil in the hot summer’s sun. Soon after that, a law which banned them from working in the hours when the sun is the hottest.

I found that during these hours, the laborers would just sleep on the roadside waiting for the sun to go down. Many laborers said that going back to their camp and then returning to the working site was just too much of a hassle, so they preferred to stay on location and rest.

Now its great to know that Saudi is implementing the same law as in Bahrain. A decree is passed which bans companies from allowing their workers to toil from 12 noon to 3pm at the start of July till end of August -starting from next year! That was the news few days ago. Some workers have complained why they have to wait one year while they are suffering the effects of heat even now. Contracting companies have to prepare who this change so its not easy to implement this all of a sudden, hence they are given time. Considering the Ramadan is round the corner and the timings will change anyway, I don’t think it is such a big deal. Contractors are worried that the projects’ deadlines have to be met and by reducing the working time, they might not be completed in time. I believe that in Bahrain, to compensate for the lost hours, workers start earlier in the day and end at a later hour. Not sure if this is the case in Saudi.

Some are of the view that taking care of the employess and protecting them will ensure efficiency and better results. Why do they need to suffer under the sun and why wait for a year to get relief.

Companies that fail to comply, will face a fine or a shut down or both.

Both countries have passed this law in line with international labor laws which asks to protect the workers and provide them with healthy and safe environment. UAE, too, has a similar law where employees have to work between 12:30 pm till 3 pm from mid June to mid September.

Hopefully workers in Saudi do not have to work during the hottest hours from this year.