Saudis call for creation of new ministry

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, May 17 (UPI) -- Civil engineers attending a conference in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday called on the government to streamline the bureaucracy involved in public works.

The Management of Delayed Engineering Projects forum urged the government to create a Ministry of Public Works that would oversee all public works projects, pinpointing deficiencies and standardizing regulations, the Saudi Gazette reported.

Attendees told the Saudi Gazette red tape and a lack of transparency work in favor of corruption, which they said could be tackled through the formation of a governmental body.