Warning comes after a company is accused of using official logos in promotional video RIYADH: Experts have warned against investing in projects that have not been properly licensed. The warnings come after the authorities initiated action against the promoter of the so-called “Kingdom’s Island,” a largescale development with hotels and entertainment facilities in the eastern city of Alkhobar. Mohammed Al-Sufayan, the spokesman of Eastern Province municipality, told Arab News that the company that promoted the project did not submit any documents for project tender, and had put the Vision 2030 logo and Eastern Province Municipality logo in its promotional video without prior consent from the authorities. The municipality said the company approached the investment department in the municipality and presented the idea for the project. However, the department officials explained to the company that it should go through the official procedures in order to compete for the project with other companies. The municipality officials explained also to the company CEO that the project would be put up for public tender. But the company did not submit its documents to participate in the tender. Abdul Hadi Al-Shammari, the head of the municipal council of Eastern Province municipality, said the promoters of the project would be held accountable for this action. “We’re discussing this issue thoroughly before taking the next step. The municipality put up the project for tender for all investors and was clear and transparent about the proper way to participate in the project and explained all the steps that companies should take to apply for the tender. But for some reason the company who posted the video did not follow these steps,” he said. Al-Shammari urged the general public and businesses to make sure that all companies promoting investment should have proper licenses. Mohammed Al-Hamad, former chairman of the Consumer Protection Association, called upon anyone who wanted to invest their money in a project to make sure that the investment project was legal and has been licensed properly. Dr. Turki Abdul Aziz Al-Matrouk, an assistant professor of sociology at King Saud University, said people assumed that a project of such magnitude must have been licensed by the authorities and that it never occurred to them to check whether the project was licensed properly or not. Increasing public awareness, he added, was important and government authorities could help by organizing awareness campaigns.