Saudi Gazette report

DAMMAM – Those in charge of various committees – including organization, information and recreation committees – intend to lodge written complaints at the Eastern Province Mayoralty to demand settlement of their financial dues. They claim that they have not been paid their dues for the past eight months, a report in a local daily said.

These financial dues have been accrued from their participation in activities in various festivals under the Eastern Province Mayoralty and Al-Khobar Municipality.

They included the “Glory and Respect” (Izz wa Haybah) Festival, which was held on Al-Azizia Beach in Al-Khobar and the Eastern Province Nights Festival (Layali Al-Sharqiya) that was held on the seafront in Dammam, Al-Yaum newspaper said.

Following the conclusion of the festivals, members of these committees expected that they would be paid their financial entitlements on time. However, that was not to be even though they stressed that they have cards and copies of correspondence proving that they worked throughout the period the festivals were held.

Those in charge of the committees said they received replies whenever they inquired on when they would be paid their financial dues. The same was the case when they suggested some alternative solutions. The replies were that organizing the festivals does not come under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Province Mayoralty or Al-Khobar Municipality. However, a contractor is in charge of such festivals and he has not fulfilled his promises in handing over the cash he has to the mayoralty.

A member of the Technical Committee Saleh Al-Shayea said that he worked in the Eastern Province Mayoralty festivals and till now he has not received any financial dues. Furthermore, there is no response whenever he inquires when his dues would be paid.

He added: “I contacted those in charge of the festivals, but all my efforts were in vain. I have evidence proving I worked in these festivals, each of which had a financial allocation set for it.”

He further said: “We are waiting for the intervention by an official to be paid our dues in return for our work in the previous festivals, instead of being issued a certificate of appreciation only (for our contribution).”

In a related development, Al-Yaum has learned that the EP Mayoralty was making preparations to phase out payment of arrears, according to a certain schedule. This will be in line with an understanding with a certain authority. Hence, the matter necessitated delaying payment for some time. The mayoralty called on some members of the committees to submit a letter to the mayor of the Eastern Province so as to approve payment and begin disbursement of the remaining arrears.

While Al-Khobar Municipality shrugs off its responsibility, the mayoralty does not give a convincing response.

In this connection, Al-Yaum daily sent several inquiries via WhatsApp to the media consultant, supervisor of public relations and information, official spokesman of the Eastern Province Mayoralty and chairman of the Executive Committee for Layali Al-Sharqiya Festival Muhammad Al-Sufayyan.

Al-Sufayyan asked the daily to send its questions via email to the mayoralty. This was done, but no reply has been received for two weeks now.

Similarly, Al-Yaum sent to Al-Khobar Municipality its inquiries on the reason for nonpayment for “Izz wa Haybah Festival” organizers.

In his reply to Al-Yaum, the Director of Public Relations and Information at the Municipality Sultan Al-Otaibi asked the daily to direct its questions to the EP mayoralty, as it is the authority in charge of activities and festivals.