and Nawaf Efit Okaz/Saudi Gazette RIYADH – A high level committee is studying a directive that makes it mandatory for senior officials to receive petitioners and listen to their complaints three times weekly. The Control and Investigation Board (CIB) is tasked to oversee the implementation of the King's directive, which makes it mandatory for all officials to keep their doors open for the petitioners and is meant to enable the citizens to access the officials to look into their complaints and needs. As per the Royal Order 7/B/ 6218 dated 27-4-1417H, the Control and Investigation Board, which is responsible for overseeing the business hours in all government agencies, will ask the ministries and senior officials to provide it with precise data about the periods they have set for receiving the citizens. The CIB will then enforce the directive by sending their personnel to the various ministries to ensure compliance. Informed sources say that the initial plan was for officials to keep their doors open for the public throughout the week, but their need to follow-up on projects, chair meetings and oversee the flow of work in their administrations and ministries made the legislators consider this and restrict the ‘open' days to three days a week. Dr. Ibrahim Bin Abdullah, member of the Administration and Human Resources at the Shoura Council, said the problem is commonly felt in all the offices of government officials who usually surround themselves with an army of employees, secretaries and guards posted at their office doors. He felt this decision would not achieve its goals, unless a strong control body ensured its implementation. Prince Mit'eb Bin Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, Minister of State, Member of the Council of Ministers and Commander of the National Guard said, “We are following the King's steps in the open-door policy. This policy is obligatory for every single official regardless of his status and a genuine right for every citizen. Thus, they should keep their doors open besides allocating special places for receiving them and discussing their problems.” He urged the officials to adopt the King's open-door policy pointing that the main objective of the officials is to probe the citizens' needs and solve their problems. __
