Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The authorities are giving final touches to a plan to privatize the inspection wings of the ministries of labor and social development affairs and the rural and municipal affairs, Al-Madina newspaper reported on Sunday quoting informed sources.

The sources said the move was aimed at boosting the performance and enforcing stricter supervision of the markets.

Specialized companies will take over the inspection activities in a move to ensure better services to both citizens and expatriates especially in matters pertaining to the public health, they said.

The sources believed that the privatization of the inspection services will also increase the government’s revenues and will enable the private sector to work side by side with the public sector.

A recent report by the Control and Investigations Board (CIB) noted that the field inspections of the two ministries were weak and that the fees were not properly collected.

Meanwhile, a senior official of the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs said the ministry was planning to privatize a number of its activities including the establishment and operation of car parks.

Khaled Mohammed Al-Dighaithir, director of the ministry’s department to promote municipal investments, said a comprehensive study was conducted on the management of car parks with a view to increasing income and reducing risks.

“The private sector is capable of providing better services than the ministry in this regard,” he added.

There are 16 main municipalities and 269 branch municipalities all over the Kingdom.