JEDDAH, 25 September 2006 — Saudi businessmen, academics and executives have called upon authorities to consider changing weekly holidays to Friday and Saturday saying the move would be essential in order to promote the country’s international business relations.
Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have already changed their weekly holidays to Friday and Saturday. And Saudi businessmen have urged a study to make sure whether the three GCC countries had benefited from the move. “If we want to change the holidays just to imitate others, then I am not in its favor. If it is to protect our interests then it should be considered,” said Abdul Rahman Al-Jeraisy, chairman of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
He emphasized Saudi Arabia’s economic position in the world. “We have concluded several agreements with other countries and have won admission to the World Trade Organization,” he added.
Dr. Abdul Ilah Saati of King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah supported the idea and said it was essential to protect the Kingdom’s economic and commercial interests. “At present we are cut off from the rest of the world for four days — Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. If we change holidays to Friday and Saturday we will get an extra day to make business contacts with companies in other countries.”
He emphasized the significance of the new proposal in the age of globalization. “I don’t see any obstacle. The change will benefit our industries and businesses as well as educational and medical institutions,” he explained.
Jamal Aba Hussein, an investor in advanced medical equipment, called for a serious study by the government on the matter. “Saudi Arabia has strong business relations with other countries and time is a significant factor in business deals and we have lost many businesses as a result of the time difference,” he pointed out.
Abbas Ibrahim, who is a CEO of a major Saudi company, believes that Saudi businesses would benefit from the new move. Khaled Al-Khudair, who has investments in the education sector, said the new move would help students. But Ibrahim Al-Eissa, a legal consultant, had an opposite view. He said the change concerns only businessmen. “I will have no benefit from this change,” he added.
Businessman Ahmed Al-Rajhi, however, said the change was essential to strengthen GCC economic relations as three GCC members have already changed their holidays to Friday and Saturday. “How can we speak about GCC common market and joint currency when we have different working hours,” he asked.
Many citizens and expatriates have termed it a “positive move.”
Indian Consul General Dr. Ausaf Sayeed termed it a good move. “As it is, some GCC countries have already changed their weekly holidays to Friday and Saturday. Under the existing system of holidays on Thursday and Friday, the Kingdom’s businesses are internationally disconnected for four days since businesses worldwide are closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Friday is the main holiday for prayers and so shifting the holiday from Thursday to Saturday would give the Kingdom a day more for international contacts.”
Zahir Ahmed Eskander, cargo manager at Saudi Arabian Airlines, welcomed the move and said: “The most important day for us is Friday which is our weekly holiday and so changing the other day from Thursday to Saturday will mean an extra day for our international businesses and contacts. Our international banking especially is affected on Thursdays when our banks are closed and banks the world over are open. Our businessmen will surely gain by working on Thursdays. I hope this will be done soon as it is in our interest.”
“It’s a positive move,” said S.M. Arshad, the Jeddah-based corporate director of a new company. “It’s a globalized approach. It will bring the Kingdom on a par with the global business atmosphere and settings. With existing days off on Thursday and Friday, we disconnected ourselves from international business for four days a week. With the new arrangement to be off on Fridays and Saturdays, we’ll be technically disconnected with world business for only one day — Friday — as Saturday and Sunday are days off for world business.” He also suggested that most of the companies should adopt a five-day work week as that would boost the morale of the work force. Employees can then devote more time to their families and thus become motivated to work with more commitment and dedication.”
In Riyadh, Saifuddin Thassim who works in a major bank, welcomed the proposal: “We’ll be gaining an extra day under the proposed move. Thursday as an additional working day during the week will definitely add to productivity in both the government and private sectors.”
“We’ll have a longer working week this way,” Dr. Akram Masry, director, technical affairs, Inter-Media Arabia said, adding that anyone who has international dealings will welcome the proposal.
K.S. Rajan, marketing manager at Saudi Catering Company, said: “Such a move will definitely be beneficial to businessmen as they can maintain their contacts with the Western world in particular on Thursdays.”
Anees Kudeihi, a Saudi economic journalist, said: “It will not only boost the Kingdom’s imports and exports but will also put the Kingdom in line with a system that is followed in most of the world.”
— With input from K.S. Ramkumar & Mohammed Rasooldeen
