JEDDAH – Municipality inspectors have shut down nine gas stations for their failure to meet the local authority's requirements. Director of public relations at Jeddah Municipality Muhammad Al-Bogami said the inspectors gave a number of station owners a grace period to comply with the municipal laws and regulations. He said: “We run inspection visits periodically to all gas stations in the governorate and impose penalties on violators. “Some stations have been given a two-year grace period to meet our requirements.” A number of gas station owners have complained about the Ministry of Labor's decisions, saying they are not flexible. Muhamad Al-Rabea, who owns a station, said the decisions are complicated and discourage new investors from venturing into this industry. Several large companies participated in the tenders put up by the municipality for developing gas stations but pulled out because they could not meet the hard requirements and conditions set by the ministry. Al-Rabea said: “One of the difficulties is meeting the Saudization requirement. “Rarely a gas station owner would find a Saudi who would fill gas in cars or change car oil. “A Saudi would only agree to work in a station as a manager or supervisor.” That is why violations of residency regulations are common in this field, he claimed. Many owners tend to employ expatriate workers without transferring their sponsorship because of the complicated regulations, Al-Rabea said. Jeddah Mayor Hani Aburas has recently announced that SR4.5 billion had been allocated to implement 141 development projects in the governorate.
