DAMMAM, 13 May — Confusion is mounting over the statement of the Eastern Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vice President Abdul Rahman Al-Rashid concerning the refund of iqama fees as Chamber officials fail to issue any clarification on the subject.
Al-Rashid had said in a statement that the Chamber would help in getting iqama fees refunded to those workers who had paid from their own pocket.
The Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry had strongly reacted to his statement. Members of the board of directors of the EPCCI also took exception to this statement on ground that the issue did not fall under the purview of Chamber.
Officials at the Chamber on Wednesday had said that it would issue an official statement yesterday. However, since yesterday morning no higher official of the chamber was available for comment, and the media department of the chamber expressed ignorance about the promised statement.
Some of the board members were upset over the statement and one member said that “it was like redefining the role of the chamber.”
“Since when has the chamber started working as the guardian of employees?” he asked. One member questioned the authenticity of the interview and said that Al-Rashid was upset as he was not correctly quoted in the newspaper which published it. Al-Rashid, however, is fluent in English and he gave the interview in English.
Many individual expatriates who approached the chamber with their cases expressed their frustration as they did not receive any response.
Chamber President Khaled A. Al-Zamil was also not available to make any comment. Although on Tuesday his secretary confirmed that he will be issuing a statement.
Unless an official statement on the issue is released, the confusion will keep increasing and the silence may be misinterpreted.
