Naif : Redouble efforts to realize welfare goals

Crown Prince Naif, deputy premier and minister of interior, has commended a comprehensive report prepared by the Makkah governorate highlighting the progress of development projects in the region during the period 2007-2010. He said it was an important step on the road to activate the role of the Provincial Council and local councils in other areas. \"I would like you to double your efforts in achieving the aspirations of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah for the welfare and prosperity of all citizens,\" Prince Naif said in a cable to Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal. He thanked Prince Khaled and all those who participated in the preparation and compilation of the report and said it contained detailed information about development projects in Makkah. Prince Naif chaired a meeting of the Makkah Provincial Council on June 19, where he witnessed a presentation on the implementation of the development projects in the region. The presentation included information about delayed projects, the reasons behind the delay, and means of rectifying it. Prince Khaled had asked Abdul Aziz Al-Khodairy, undersecretary at the governorate, to lead a work team consisting of 1,700 people to carefully study the implementation of the projects during the first phase of his tenure. The team consisted of representatives from the government and private sector in addition to civil society organizations, university teachers and qualified young men and women. The report also revealed the future development projects that will focus on the development of human resources in the province during the next four years. It said a center for the follow-up of projects would be established at the governorate in addition to a permanent team consisting mainly of Saudi citizens. According to the report, a total of 3,600 projects were scrutinized to check whether they were being implemented perfectly or delayed. It said there were 880 municipal projects constituting about 39 percent of the total number of projects followed by the educational sector, which had 469 projects with a ratio of 21 percent. According to the report, there were 238 service projects, 233 health projects, 114 basic infrastructure projects, 60 transport and 44 economic projects. The report said the execution of 319 projects, worth SR44 billion and representing about 13 percent, was delayed, while work on about 5 percent of the projects valued at SR600 million was halted. It said most of the unfinished projects were in the sectors of health and education.