NEWS FROM THE UAE

No extension in service of expat staff over 60: Hanif

DUBAI — March 29:  Minister of Education Dr Hanif Hassan has reiterated that the ministry will not consider any application for extension of services from non-UAE national inspectors, teachers and administrators, aged 60 and above.

The minister called on the Education Zones not to forward any such application to his office.

Sources in some of the zones said a decision was issued by the Cabinet with regard to the extension of services for some categories of employees, including teachers and inspectors, to up to seven more years after they have reached the retirement age of 60.

The Dubai Education Zone recently requested the ministry to extend the services of six competent workers. But the ministry rejected the appeal, according to top officials at the ministry.

“If there is a dire need to extend their services, it is fine. But the Dubai Education Council has to pay them the salary,” Dr Hanif Hassan was quoted as saying.

KHALEEJ TIMES

Two Indian mechanics with burn injuries fighting for life

RAS AL KHAIMAH — March 29: Two Indian automobile mechanics, who suffered serious burn injuries at a construction worksite here yesterday, are now fighting for their life in Saqr Hospital.

Penson Devasiya, 24, from Kerala in southern India, and Shinto, 21, are both admitted in the hospital’s intensive care unit and their condition is reported to be “very critical and serious” respectively by doctors attending to them in the ICU.

Penson and Shinto, according to sources, were present at a construction worksite at about 3am yesterday when a fire broke out there. While the precise cause of the fire is still being investigated, it is being speculated that it may have been caused by an electrical short-circuit.

Prasad, general secretary of the Indian Association, who visited the two victims in hospital yesterday told Khaleej Times: “A Consul from the Indian Consulate in Dubai has assured that all possible help and support would be extended to them and he has also expressed his sympathy to their families.”

KHALEEJ TIMES

Crackdown on landlords likely

DUBAI — March 29: Dubai Municipality (DM) has reiterated its resolve to crack down on landlords renting out their premises in residential areas to bachelors.

Marwan Abdulla Al Mohammed, head of the Building Inspection Section at the Building Department of DM, said they were currently mulling several options to curb this problem, including imposing of heavy penalties on the erring landlords.

The official noted that the Municipality was aware of the problem. “The landlords are not listening to us. More and more of them are renting out their flats in residential areas to bachelors. There has been a nearly 15 per cent increase in such violations in 2006. The worst affected areas are Bur Dubai, Satwa and Deira,” he admitted.

However, he pointed out that the Municipality was conducting regular raids, in coordination with the Dubai Department of Economic Development ad the Land and Property Department, to curb this problem.

The official pointed out that bachelors were permitted to live only in areas like Al Quoz and Jebel Ali in the emirate.

“The problem will be sorted out. We hope the crackdown on the erring landlords will work. Any landlord who is found violating the law more than once will be referred to the Dubai Public Prosecution,” the official warned.

KHALEEJ TIMES