NEWS FROM THE U.A.E.
Excerpts from U.A.E. Dailies

Delhi office soon to monitor problems of Indian workers in Gulf

DUBAI — 31 Jan:A dedicated office for monitoring the problems of Indian labourers in the Gulf region, including the UAE, will open in Delhi soon, Union Minister for Oversees Indian Affairs disclosed.

Speaking over phone from Delhi Vayalar Ravi, the newly appointed minister for Overseas Indian Affairs told Khaleej Times that his first priority as a minister was to find solutions to the problems of expatriate Indian labourers working in the Gulf region.

"A major chunk of Indian expatriates working in the Gulf region are labourers. Most of them are struggling to make both ends meet and live in miserable conditions. Their contribution to the country's economy is enormous. Keeping this in mind, solving their problems is a top priority for me," he said.

He disclosed that the ministry would consult with Indian missions and social organisations in the respective countries to find out the depth of the problems.

"We will also monitor the way diplomatic missions intervene in these matters. We will have a session with the workforce also to check whether they are satisfied with the assistance they get from the missions," he added.

He pointed out that the airline companies were charging exorbitant amounts to the Gulf region.

"The labourers who are paid meagre salaries cannot afford the huge fares charged by the airline companies. We will discuss with them and insist that the fares be reduced further," he said.

He revealed that he would ensure transparency in his ministry. "Actually, the agents who recruit labourers are the main culprits. The ministry will do its best to root out malpractices by travel agencies. If needed, we will introduce new rules regarding recruitment," he said.

"I need some time to study issues. But it will not take too long, as the bureaucrats do. I will act fast and am really concerned about Indian workforce abroad," he said

He hinted that the ministry might introduce new rules for immigration clearance for women travelling alone to the Gulf countries. "Many girls have been cheated and forced into prostitution after they arrive in the UAE. It should be prevented. The ministry will do all it can to help these women," he said.

KHALEEJ TIMES

Man runs up Dh5m Etisalat bill!

ABU DHABI — 31 Jan:A UAE national got an Etisalat bill for Dh5 million against phone calls and toll services. He refused to pay the bill, arguing that a computer error could have caused the bill to soar to astronomical levels, but the Court of First Instance and the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of Etisalat.

He approached the Supreme Federal Court, saying that the verdicts of the lower courts were unjustified since they had rejected his plea for the appointment of an actuary to assess the records of Etisalat.

 KHALEEJ TIMES

Unemployed dentists seek PRO jobs 

Abu Dhabi: 31 Jan: After a year-long unsuccessful hunt for jobs in the healthcare sector, two UAE national brothers who are qualified dentists have in desperation applied to Tanmia for any job, even that of public relations officer.

Mousa and Sohail Al Zobaidi claim they have been forced to look for other work due to discrimination in the workplace.

Even though they have a Masters in dentistry they have failed to find jobs in either the public or private sectors, they told Gulf News. One brother is now training to work as a TV announcer, but the other is still jobless.

They were also denied the right to be trained and obtain a licence to practice their profession, they said.

Mousa and Sohail Al Zobaidi told Gulf News yesterday they had received no response to their year-long search for work.

"All we got were empty promises," said Mousa, 30, an orthodontist.

He graduated from Dnepropetrovsk University in the Ukraine in 2001.

He obtained his masters degree in 2004 from the same university and got his degrees recognised by the education ministry.

"Isn't it discrimination against national dentists to employ hundreds of foreigners and leave citizens unemployed?" asked Mousa Al Zobaidi.

"We found later many Ukrainian doctors are employed by government and local health authorities," he said, adding it was not where they studied that was the problem.

At the Ministry of Health, we were told there were no vacancies but at least we got an unpaid training period of two months. But the Dubai Department of Health and Medical Services did not offer us even training to allow us to obtain permission to practice in a hospital or open our own clinic, he said.

"It is a waste of resources to spend hundreds of thousands of dirhams on two doctors with masters in dentistry and fail to offer them suitable jobs. Our education cost us approximately $150,000 or more than half a million dirhams."

Sohail, 29, also holds a masters in paediatric dentistry and claims he is the first UAE citizen to hold this degree in paediatric dentistry.

"We registered with Tanmia seeking any job, even that of a public relations officer."

He said he was still unemployed, but Mousa was being trained to work as an announcer with Dubai TV.

Tanmia provides tips for unemployed

The National Human Resource Development and Employment Authority (Tanmia), has released a guide for UAE National jobseekers to assist them in finding suitable jobs.

The 92-page guide, which can be obtained from Tanmia's offices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, presents a detailed explanation on various aspects of successful jobseeking, such as creating impressive resumes, targeting the right job opportunities, interview skills, work ethic, and the importance of on-the-job training.

It emphasises the importance of career planning and highlights various job search tools. It also features a list of companies with job opportunities for nationals.

GULF NEWS

Helicopters to fight fires in Dubai's high-rise buildings

Dubai: 31 Jan: Helicopters spraying jets of water will be used to fight fires in Dubai's high-rise buildings in the next few months, a senior Civil Defence official said yesterday.

Dubai will be the first city in the UAE to adopt airborne firefighting techniques, and the UAE will reportedly be the third country after Holland and Canada to use helicopters to douse blazes.

The Dubai Civil Defence will be flying helicopters to fight fires on the orders and support of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Colonel Rashid Thani Al Matroushi, Director of Dubai Civil Defence, said this year the civil defence will have two helicopters, which are ready for operations.

"In the next few years, the number of helicopters will increase to four," Colonel Al Matroushi said.

Upon receiving a fire report, the helicopter will move to the scene within minutes. It can take water from the sea, swimming pools, or any other available resource.

"If the water finishes, the helicopter can go back to fill up the tank and come back in three minutes," Colonel Al Matroushi said.

He said the civil defence is preparing a team to go abroad for training on the use of this system.

He explained that firefighting helicopters is a sophisticated and automatic system to fight fires by using ejectors that mix water with compressed air in vertical and horizontal directions by employing a certain technique of multiplying water drops by seven times.

Colonel Al Matroushi said these helicopters are part of a number of new firefighting systems that will also include, bringing in more modern fire engines, firefighting boats and setting up more fire stations to meet challenges of urban expansion.

"This year, we will also undertake smart systems to monitor protected buildings, which monitors the alarms and prevention systems of the building," Colonel Al Matroushi added.

GULF NEWS

 
Gang jailed for stealing Dh2m from exchange staff
 

Dubai: 31 Jan: Nine members of a gang have been jailed for conning two money exchange employees and walking away with more than Dh2 million in Dubai.

The Dubai Court of First Instance sentenced eight of the gang members a UAE national, a Chadian woman and six Sudanese, to three years in jail each. The ninth accused, a Sudanese, identified as A.A., was given a three-month term.

All the expatriates will be deported after serving their sentences. Dubai Public Prosecution had slapped the nine accused with various charges of stealing, impersonating police personnel, possessing crime-related materials, and aiding and abetting a crime.

The court heard that the UAE national, identified as A.S., contacted the exchange house and claimed that he wanted to change $1 million to dirhams. He met with two of the exchange house employees in a building near the Clock Tower Roundabout.

The employees carried with them more than Dh2.1 million in cash in a bag. Then four of the accused stormed the meeting place with one of them posing as a police official. They told the employees that it was illegal to exchange money like that, and that they were arresting the national.

The four men took the bag and the employees' mobile phones and identification cards then walked away along with the national.

The police heard that the five men headed to the Chadian woman's apartment. The national took Dh500,000, and the mastermind of the theft who was identified as O.I., took Dh400,000. The rest of the cash was divided among the other gang members.

The employees reported the incident to police. The police launched a search campaign and arrested the national within 12 hours. Police found in his possession a huge amount of cash and one of the identification cards that was stolen from the employees.

Police arrested the rest of the gang members. The female accused was arrested minutes before boarding a plane at the Dubai International Airport. She was carrying Dh300,000 in cash.

GULF NEWS

 
Radar catches one speedster every minute in Dubai

Dubai: 31 Jan: Dubai saw more than one radar violation being committed every minute throughout last year or 2,065 violations every day, police said yesterday.

The last four years have seen a total of 8.2 million radar violations, rising steadily to 754,111 violations in 2005, as per data issued yesterday.

Motorists paid at least Dh150 million in fines, which is a conservative estimate.

The surge in radar violations in recent years has prompted Dubai police to take steps towards the e-monitoring of violators, said Brigadier Mohammad Saif Al Zafein, Director of the General Traffic Department.

He said the focus usually is on roads that witness an increase in the number of drivers caught speeding, or a jump in road accidents that lead to fatalities or injuries.

Meanwhile, Dubai police have set up a special toll free number to receive tourist-related inquiries.

The toll free number 8004438 is open to nationals, residents and tourists to report any objectionable behaviour.

"A caller can even ask for the results of the information he gave and the procedures the department took regarding that issue, unless it was related to security," said Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Bin Suray Al Muhairi, Director of the Tourist Security Department of General Department of Criminal Investigation (CID).

Radar devices caught 754,111 offending vehicles last year compared to 554,900 in 2004, an increase of nearly 36 per cent, police said yesterday.

Brigadier Al Zafein said the department has already identified locations needing more radars to intensify the monitoring of motorists exceeding the speed limit. "The increase in number of radar devices is aimed at reducing the number of traffic accident victims," he said.

Dubai has seen a steady rise in the number of speeding violations, leading to a corresponding jump in accidents and road fatalities, he said.

Roads on the periphery of the city have been particularly susceptible to serious accidents, and police will concentrate their efforts on e-monitoring such danger spots, he said.

"We will use all possible ways including raising awareness and monitoring to implement the strategy of traffic safety," he said.
 
GULF NEWS

Online recruitment firm performs vanishing act
 

Dubai: 31 Jan: Job-seekers who have paid to register on a Canadian-based recruitment website fear they have been conned.

The applicants who logged onto the site www.jobsindubai.com were promised jobs in the Gulf and the Middle East in reputed companies across the region. The website also featured a branch office address on Shaikh Zayed Road. However, applicants who went looking for the office said they were shocked to learn it did not exist.

"The company kept in touch with me through e-mail for sometime but all communication on their part came to an abrupt end. I have ample evidence to prove it. I tried calling them but to my utter surprise the telephone was disconnected. I then went to the company's Shaikh Zayed Road address that was listed on its website. I was told by the building security and the watchman that no such company existed," said Omer Shareef, an Indian.

There was no response when Gulf News tried to get in touch with the recruitment company on the contact number listed on its website. The site features detailed information on the services it offers, a list of employers, the process of applying and a company profile. It also features a well-tailored profile on Dubai.

The applicants said that they were required to submit a fully refundable application fee of $34 (Dh125) and $74 (Dh271) for non-residents of Canada or America.

"The fee was payable by draft or money order. An option was also given to us to pay online. A job was promised to me within a month. We were told the employers would contact us directly and that the company was just a facilitator," said Zafar Isiake, a Nigerian.

Another applicant who did not want to give his name said: "I have been in correspondence with this particular recruitment company for the last three months and now all of a sudden I fear that the whole thing must be just a scam," he said.

The building's watchman said he was tired of fielding telephone calls from people enquiring about the recruitment company.

"All enquiries come on the building's telephone number. It is turning out to be a headache. Each individual that I have held a conversation with said that they had come looking for a recruitment company located on the first floor.

"They told me that they had paid money online to a recruitment company. I have received at least a dozen people enquiring about a recruitment agency," he said.

GULF NEWS

Cooperatives take Danish goods off shelves

DUBAI — 31 Jan: The UAE Cooperative societies have withdrawn all Danish consumer products from the shelves of its outlets since Saturday.

Ibrahim Al Bahr, Operations Manager of Union Cooperatives, told Khaleej Times yesterday that the decision was taken following the publication of the blasphemous drawings in a Danish newspaper recently.

He explained that the initiative to boycott the Danish products was taken by the Union Cooperatives and Sharjah Cooperatives Union after communicating last Thursday with the Consumer Cooperatives Union and other cooperative societies in the country following pressure from the consumers to boycott Danish products.

Al Bahr disclosed that the cooperatives have withdrawn a total of 37 Danish products including major brands such as Lurpak, Al Areesh Chicken Nuggets, Buke Cheese, Three Cows Cheese, Artic Gold Chicken and others.

The societies have instead offered alternative choices of dairy products from other countries and from the Gulf countries at cheaper prices, he said, adding: ''We appreciate the combined move made by all society members who are giving their fullest support to the boycott call made by Muslim religious scholars across the globe.''

In addition, the Union has also posted a list of all Danish products available in the UAE for the awareness of the consumers to enable them support the boycott.

Al Bahr said he was contacted by BBC to know why they proposed to continue with their boycott of Danish goods despite the apology by the Danish newspaper and condemnation of the publication by the Danish government with the Ambassador of Denmark in Riyadh confirming on behalf of the Danish prime minister that his country respects Islam as a religion and has no agenda to hurt Muslim sentiments.

“I told them we want an apology for 1.3 billion Muslims all over the world. And after the apology we want the Danish government to take action against the offenders,” he said.

Al Bahr noted that if the Danish believe that if the blasphemous drawings were an outcome of their freedom of expression, then even the Muslims across the world have the freedom to boycott their products.

Al Bahr stated that the local agent of the major Danish companies in the UAE has apologised and has issued an apology letter posted on the web site of the Danish newspaper as well as letters by Danish prime minister and Danish minister of foreign affairs reproduced by the Danish ambassador in Riyadh.

''But we refuse to accept this because the apology is not issued to us directly,'' he remarked.

He pointed out that the societies have not determined any specific period of time during which they will boycott Danish products, but added they will continue with the boycott and if necessary stop completely all imports of Danish products into the country.

Meanwhile, Thomas Bay, Consul and Trade Commissioner at the Royal Danish Consulate and Trade Commission of Denmark in Dubai, expressed fear that the cost of the controversy will be high as Muslims are not likely to forget and forgive quickly.

Already, Danish companies in the UAE have reported losses of millions of dirhams.

 
KHALEEJ TIMES