Presided over by its speaker Sheikh Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al Al-Shiekh, the Shura Council remained adamant at its 98th session here today to the 40 working hours weekly bill instead the current 48 in the private sector. In a press statement following the meeting, Dr. Fihad bin Mu'tad Al-Hamad, Assistant Speaker of the Council, said the issue, cast anew on the debate table by some 18 members who requested it to be reconsidered, received in-depth discussion before the majority stuck to its former decision of amending some labor system articles to read as follows: "it is not allowed to have a worker keeping on actual duty for more than 40 hours a week and with no more than eight hours per day. In Ramadan, working hours for Muslim fasters will be reduced to no more than 35 hours a week and no more than five aday". On the other hand, the Council asked the Customs Department to move to a more advanced electronic system of testing imported goods rather than the manual system currently in force. The meeting also discussed the annual report of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu for the year 1433 / 1434 H., asking it to draw the gas priorities in coordination with the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources and Saudi ARAMCO. The Shura Council also adjourned discussion on the regulation of private schools for further study and passed a bill on elderly care system.
