Security Notice - Riyadh - 11th and 20th March - FYA

There was a small protest on the crossroads of Olaya and Taleteen street yesterday. There were lots of police and it didn't last long.

In most cases people are not driven to protest until they have tried other possible means to have their concerns addressed and little or nothing has been done to resolve them.

Is this rally on the 20th still going to take place, does anyone know? I knew about the protest Nelson is talking about.

Looking at the mood today on the road, I suppose there is no such activity on 20th and even if it is, I guess it would be very very very very very minimal as happended in the past.

Oh my god RIYADH city was in festive mood today;looks like some more financial packages,2 month salary bonus to all SAUDI govt employees,housing schemes and SAUDI had errupted today. It took 2 hrs from us to reach HARA from OLAYYA road today, road is full of cars with KSA flags, people on the roads with families, young driving the cars with full of joy; FULL TRAFFIC JAM; with all speculations in the air, may be there want to show to the world nothing is here

Oh yeah!  Couldn't agree more - in fact if they really planned this right the 20th could have been a Day of Joy if the King had put things back and made the 20th a Public Holiday for all Saudi's - I swear they need to engage me to do their PR for them

Looks like any activist who raises their head tomorrow will have it well and truly knocked off, not by the National Guard, but by the Saudi people!

Funny though as the payments do not come into play until November this year!!! 

Some thing on some day better than nothing

I'd love to celebrate with the Saudis but they never give international schools the day off!

Well Money does solve a lot of problems.. if not all..

gowiththeflowUK wrote:

Funny though as the payments do not come into play until November this year!!! 

Which payments exactly? The doubled salary is next month and the 15% increase for government employees is the month after that!

I drove around the city in the morning, and in the afternoon, there is nothing unusual, just an update for you guys....cheers.

El Flamengo wrote:

gowiththeflowUK wrote:

Funny though as the payments do not come into play until November this year!!! 

Which payments exactly? The doubled salary is next month and the 15% increase for government employees is the month after that!

It's the payment for the unemployed that I am informed begins in November.  If anyone has information to the contrary, would be interested to hear it.

gowiththeflowUK wrote:

El Flamengo wrote:

gowiththeflowUK wrote:

Funny though as the payments do not come into play until November this year!!! 

Which payments exactly? The doubled salary is next month and the 15% increase for government employees is the month after that!

It's the payment for the unemployed that I am informed begins in November.  If anyone has information to the contrary, would be interested to hear it.

GWTF,

You are correct, it does not start until November, however the double salary is being paid at the end of the month which is great as I just heard that our company decided to pay it as well, yipee

MaserMan wrote:

gowiththeflowUK wrote:

El Flamengo wrote:

Which payments exactly? The doubled salary is next month and the 15% increase for government employees is the month after that!

It's the payment for the unemployed that I am informed begins in November.  If anyone has information to the contrary, would be interested to hear it.

GWTF,

You are correct, it does not start until November, however the double salary is being paid at the end of the month which is great as I just heard that our company decided to pay it as well, yipee

I heard its only for SAUDI employees right? or is it for EXPATS as well?

uvnpsaradhi wrote:

MaserMan wrote:

gowiththeflowUK wrote:

It's the payment for the unemployed that I am informed begins in November.  If anyone has information to the contrary, would be interested to hear it.

GWTF,

You are correct, it does not start until November, however the double salary is being paid at the end of the month which is great as I just heard that our company decided to pay it as well, yipee

I heard its only for SAUDI employees right? or is it for EXPATS as well?

The payment as originally announced was for government employees only, but certain companies have decided to extend it to the private sector.

Our company are paying the expats as well!

MaserMan wrote:

uvnpsaradhi wrote:

MaserMan wrote:

GWTF,

You are correct, it does not start until November, however the double salary is being paid at the end of the month which is great as I just heard that our company decided to pay it as well, yipee

I heard its only for SAUDI employees right? or is it for EXPATS as well?

The payment as originally announced was for government employees only, but certain companies have decided to extend it to the private sector.

Our company are paying the expats as well!

that was my original understanding that saudi govt employees were covered and also saw the paper where there was a list of private companies that are also covered.

At my customer place, there was some heated discussion and expats were so furious and discussions and counter discussions that they will/will not be covered. hahhahhaha, this can introduce some another furious arguments between people.

If you are a private company it is purely at the discretion of your CEO whether anybody gets paid, Saudi or expat

Hey MM2, lucky you, I would love to be able to say "the drinks are on you", but we are in the wrong country for that!  Maybe you can host a celebration in Dubai for the occassion

gowiththeflowUK wrote:

Hey MM2, lucky you, I would love to be able to say "the drinks are on you", but we are in the wrong country for that!  Maybe you can host a celebration in Dubai for the occassion

I agree with that, I missed UAE, I will be joining that as well...

BTW congratulations MM, I hope that same blessing will pour upon us too...lol

from tomorrow onwards I'll wear a thob at office and act like Saudi

gowiththeflowUK wrote:

Hey MM2, lucky you, I would love to be able to say "the drinks are on you", but we are in the wrong country for that!  Maybe you can host a celebration in Dubai for the occassion

Orange juice anyone

MaserMan wrote:

gowiththeflowUK wrote:

Hey MM2, lucky you, I would love to be able to say "the drinks are on you", but we are in the wrong country for that!  Maybe you can host a celebration in Dubai for the occassion

Orange juice anyone

Hey tigh-fisted  - champagne in Dubai please!

gowiththeflowUK wrote:

MaserMan wrote:

gowiththeflowUK wrote:

Hey MM2, lucky you, I would love to be able to say "the drinks are on you", but we are in the wrong country for that!  Maybe you can host a celebration in Dubai for the occassion

Orange juice anyone

Hey tigh-fisted  - champagne in Dubai please!

If you are there when I am will be more than happy to buy you some

MaserMan wrote:

gowiththeflowUK wrote:

MaserMan wrote:

Orange juice anyone

Hey tigh-fisted  - champagne in Dubai please!

If you are there when I am will be more than happy to buy you some

Yeah we will make a plan then MM2

Pink dude! how are you?!

well my organization extented the same for all of us, so a yippee!!! here as well!!!

Private message received from Proud2be me:

This is what I got in my inbox in response to the postings on this thread and is a perfect example around the whole debate we had recently on whether locals should or should not be permitted onto this site.  I have seen very constructive responses from Saudi's on this site and on this particular thread.  They were able to provide their perspective and knowledge of the situation and I believe we have all been able to share our views, concerns and opinions without conflict or dis-agreement, opting to simply agree to disagree where necessary.  So, I really take particular offence to such messages and will go back to Julien on this posting received but as Proud2be me made reference to you (being us), I thought it appropriate to share this with the group.  After all, it is an EXPAT site afterall (isn't it)!:

Message received from Proud2be me(un-edited):

"I love the sense of huomar but, as a Saudi I think all of you had been playing the roles of the victim and the judg at the same time, and what makes it worst you had no business with what Saudi do or don't want ( excapt for your own safety) Basically I thought you all were rude to Saudi caltur and believes."

@gowiththeflowUK: time to shut this discussion down?

Agree...  I've been wondering why they have been on the site for the past several weeks anyway...

Should never have been let back on

-discussion closed on demand-

(please keep reporting us any unpleasant pm you may receive)