The collapse of a crane in Mecca on September 11th “deeply troubled” Saudi Arabia’s King Salman as analysts say the King took unusually swift response in sanctioning the Binladin group.
According to an AFP report which cited unnamed western diplomats, authorities were “embarrassed” by the accident and expressed surprise that the company was sanctioned only a few days later, saying that “[o]rdinarily things move pretty slowly here.”
King Salman tours the site of the crane collapse in Mecca.
“Salman ordered prosecutors to prepare an indictment but also took immediate steps — suspending the company from new public contracts and forbidding its executives from leaving the country, pending the completion of judicial processes.
“Analysts said the sudden punishment of the firm was astounding given its huge size and longstanding ties with the Saudi authorities.”
Meanwhile, experts have called on Saudi Arabia to form a special body overseeing the execution of health and safety requirements on major projects being carried out in the Kingdom, so as to avoid accidents such as the crane collapse at the country’s Grand Mosque, according to a report in Arab News via ConstructionWeekOnline.com.
