day election for Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) board that started here Tuesday is being fought on promises such as creating a favorable investment climate in Riyadh and its suburbs, removing bottlenecks for doing business with foreign business enterprises, raising private sector's voice in the government forums and easing of land leasing procedures for establishing industries in Central Province. A total of 27 candidates including three women are contesting the election. The polls were through electronic ballots. Long queues of voters were seen waiting in lines to cast their ballots at the RCCI. The four-session polling will continue on Wednesday. The election result will be declared on Thursday. Abdulmalik F. Al-Senani described the turnout of voters as excellent during the first two sessions on Tuesday. He said there are around 41,000 registered voters at RCCI, that will elect the 18-member board – 12 elected candidates and six nominated by the Ministry of Commerce. He said polling through electronic ballots was simultaneously organized in six other branches located in the suburbs of Riyadh such as Dawadmi, Wadi Dawasir, Shagra, Rumah, Afeef and Muzhamemia. Each polling booth was equipped with a computer that gives details about the candidates. “The polling mechanism is developed in such a foolproof way that it serves as both electronic and paper balloting,” Al-Senani said. The two groups of candidates of 12 each were led by the incumbent RCCI president Abdul Rahman Al-Jeraisy, and Khalid Saud Al-Shubaily, a renowned businessman, respectively. Women voters cast their ballots in a separate polling station set up at the RCCI's Women's Branch at Ma'ather Street. The RCCI has already opened a separate branch for women aimed at facilitating them with independent business environment. However, media was not allowed to approach the women's polling station. Al-Senani, chief organizing officer for the election, said the number of registered voters was doubled this year to 41,000 as compared with a mere 20,000, some four years ago, the RCCI board term. Muhammad Al-Khalid, a voter, who owns a medium-size medical company, said he was studying the agenda presented by the two panels of contestants before casting his ballot. “The new board should work hard to protect the Saudi market from cheap medical products entering the country,” he said. For this to happen effectively the RCCI should closely work with Saudi Arabian Standards Organization (SASO), which is in the process of privatization of its lab facilities, he said. – SG __
