JEDDAH: Dr. Mohammed Al-Abbas has been a member of the Saudi Consultative Council, Shoura Council since his appointment upon a royal decree in December 2016.  Al-Abbas holds a bachelor’s degree from Imam Mohammed bin Saud University branch in Abha, a master’s degree in accounting from King Saud University in Riyadh, and a doctorate in philosophy from Aberystwyth University in Wales, UK.  He has held several positions in the public and academic sector. Before he became a member of the Shoura Council, he was the vice president of King Khalid University for three months and assistant vice president of King Khalid University for five months. Previously, he was dean of the Administrative and Financial Sciences College at King Khalid University, and dean of the Faculty of Business at the University of Yamamah. Al-Abbas served as the executive director of the Saudi Institute of Internal Auditors and executive director of the Accounting and Auditing Organization of the Gulf Cooperation Council for two years and eight months between 2010 and 2013.  In addition, he is a columnist and economic analyst who has written for several Saudi and Arab newspapers and websites. He currently writes for Al-Eqtisadiah. He has been an active member of a number of councils and committees and participated in several specialized conferences and symposiums locally and internationally. Moreover, Al-Abbas has considerable academic contributions and research in Arabic and English. Al-Abbas, in an interview with Arab News, said the Saudi government was not expected to impose fees on the remittances of foreign workers despite a related proposal submitted to the Shoura Council to discuss the subject. He believes that the move will not work as a solution to national economic issues, such as unemployment. “I do not think such a project will even have a good impact on the national economy, in that it will not contribute to reducing unemployment rates,” he said. Moreover, it would only cause harm to foreign laborers. In that connection, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Finance earlier denied reports that it was planning to impose fees on the remittances of foreign workers.