Saudi- 'Investors seek improved service from ministry 

(MENAFN - Arab News) Although businessmen praise the Ministry of Commerce and Industry's efforts to develop the Saudi, they say more needs to be done.

The ministry recently diminished the time it takes to issue licenses and business registrations. Investors can now have their commercial registrations completed in one day instead of two weeks. They can have their industrial licenses in three days instead of 30.

Customs exemptions remained an issue for many businessmen and businesswomen who met on Wednesday with Qassim Al-Maimani, Commerce and Industry under minister.

Al-Maimani discussed the obstacles they faced in their businesses at Jeddah Chamber for Commerce and Industry (JCCI).

They focused on two issues that concerned small and large businesses owners: the customs exemptions on spare parts imported for factories and the availability of market databases to make feasibility studies.

The amount of complaints and inquiries from business owners forced Al-Maimani to promise to hold a special workshop that would gather them with representatives from customs, the Ministry of Labor and other involved departments.

The businessmen also asked the ministry to provide its branches outside Riyadh with more authority.

Al-Maimani admitted that the government sector is behind on the private sector in terms of service quality.

"We are working hard to make our employees increase their service levels to investors and this is new to the government department. I'm not saying other departments are bad but we know that the culture is different in the two sectors," he said.

Al-Maimani said his department is trying to adopt the advantages of the private sector in the government sector.

He said that improving the work environment in the government sector is very difficult and asked for investors' patience as the ministry's services were being developed.