“The ministry will leave no stone unturned in the way of improving the efficiency of issuing commercial registrations. We have already simplified procedures by reducing conditions and requirements,” Al-Madinah Arabic daily quoted him as saying.
He said the ministry reduced the number of conditions for the issuance of new commercial registrations from 12 to two and for the renewal and change of registration to three. A branch of Al-Rajhi Bank has been opened at the department for quick payment of fees, he added.
He said businessmen and women would be able to apply for commercial registrations through the Internet shortly. They will be able to download forms for new registration and renewal and change of registrations through the ministry’s website.
“I can assure you that if the application is complete one can receive the commercial registration within two hours. Same is the case for membership in the chamber of commerce and industry. I can tell you that this is a record time for commercial registration,” he pointed out.
Yamani said the ministry has selected six departments including that of commercial registration for electronic services. “A working team of IT experts has already visited the commercial registration department to understand closely how it functions and a program has been designed to provide the service through the Internet. This e-government service will be available very soon,” he added.
Yamani said a Cabinet decision issued three years ago allows establishment of women-only industries within the existing industrial cities. “We are also studying prospects of establishing independent industrial cities for women,” he said. “Some industries have already started employing women in accordance with Shariah rules.”
Yamani disclosed plans to increase the contribution of the industrial sector to the gross domestic product to 20 percent within the next 12 years and achieve a prominent position for Saudi products in the industrial world.
“We are also working to increase industrial exports from 18 to 35 percent of the total,” he added. The percentage of Saudi workers in the industrial sector will be raised from 15 to 30 percent.
The ministers said the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technological Regions was developing new industrial cities not only in major cities but also in other parts of the country. The authority has already allocated land for 536 new industries last year.
At present there are 14 industrial cities in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Makkah, Madinah, Qassim, Al-Ahsa, Asir, Al-Jouf, Tabuk, Hail and Najran. Twelve more industrial cities, covering a total area of 448 million square meters, are being developed in various parts of the country including Sudair, Jizan, Arar, Zulfi, Al-Ahsa, Dhuba, Al-Kharj, Gurayat and Aqeek.
He said a new industrial city is being developed in Jeddah, covering an area of eight million square meters. The first phase of this project will be completed within 24 months, he added.
Yamani said the ministry has facilitated procedures for the transformation of family-based establishments and firms into joint stock companies. “But we cannot insist on any firm to change them into joint stock companies as the decision must be taken by their partners,” he said.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): P.K. Abdul Ghafour
Quelle/Source: Arab News, 11.02.2008
