Saudis push for Friday-Saturday weekend.

Riyadh: Saudi businessmen and economists yesterday called for changing the weekend in the kingdom to Friday and Saturday.


They said that the present Thursday-Friday weekend was negatively affecting the economy of the kingdom.


Saudis believe that it was essential for the kingdom's economy to switch the weekly off days from Thursday and Friday to Friday and Saturday. They added that at the present time they are cut off the other world countries for four days - Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Businessmen said that if the holiday were changed they would have an extra day and an opportunity to make business contact with companies in other parts of the globe.



The Secretary General of the Eastern Province Chamber Commerce and Industry (EPCCI) Adnan Al Naeem said, in press statements, that some world countries have Friday and Saturday as the weekly off days, others have Saturday and Sunday and some east Asian countries are having Sunday and Monday as weekly holiday.


"As a result this difference will nearly affect our economy if we continue to have Thursday and Friday as the weekly holiday," he added.


Saudi economists see the importance of the change due to the kingdom's major business transactions with other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states as well as with other countries. They ruled out any chaos would take place due to the weekly holiday change. They said citizens will cope with the new situation.


http://archive.gulfnews.com/region/Saudi_Arabia/10150833.html