Shoura wants KAEC port linked to Riyadh-Jeddah land bridge

RIYADH: The Shoura Council asked the Economic Cities Authority (ECA) to ensure that the port of the King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) be linked with the land bridge between Riyadh and Jeddah within the Kingdom’s railway network projects.
The council’s request came Tuesday after council members listened to a report presented by the Committee of Haj, Housing and Services.
The council also asked the ECA to coordinate with government agencies to address regulatory and administrative problems, which may affect the implementation of projects.
In the same session, the council listened to a report presented by the Committee of Human Rights and Regulatory Bodies.
The committee asked the Government Accounting Bureau (GAB) to put a financial ceiling on consultancy contracts signed by some government agencies to support their training, hiring and IT programs. The committee had noted that there was an expansion in such contracts.
The committee also asked the GAB to add certain criteria for privatization programs to a number of government agencies.
Meanwhile, a female Shoura member said there was duplication of powers between government-controlled agencies, and asked for unification of efforts in this regard.
Later, the council listened to a report of the Committee of Social Affairs, Family and Youth based on the annual report of the General Authority for Sports (GAS).
Among its recommendations, the committee asked the GAS to include in its upcoming reports the new structure of the sports body, the number of employees and their jobs, the Saudization rates, and the rank of Saudi teams in games in regional, continental, and international contests.
One member said the report did not contain any elements to assess the performance of the GAS unless its new structure is issued. Another female member called for the introduction of a curriculum on sports education, which will teach students the importance of sports, and renunciation of violence and extremism.