ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Monday 4 March 2013 22 Rabial II 1434 - Volume 17 Number 5628 Price: QR2 Ooredoo Pujara, Vijay revenue rises put India on top to QR33.7bn in Hyderabad Business | 22 Sport | 32 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Tough British visa rules upset Qataris Government urged to intervene DOHA: The allegedly long and economies in times of recession,” cumbersome procedures for commented another citizen, obtaining a visit visa to the UK who introduced himself as Saif have angered several Qatari cit- on Qatarshares.com, a popular izens, triggering calls for urgent Qatari social website. The issue action to address this issue. was a topic of discussion at a The issue is being discussed in popular programme on the Qatar the local media and social net- Radio — Watanee Al Habeeb, working sites, with some citizens Sabah Al Khair — yesterday. complaining that their plans to The presenter read out a mes- visit the UK were upset due to sage sent to the radio by a citi- delays and complicated proce- zen, who complained of delays in dures in obtaining a visa. obtaining a British visa. They have called on the Qatari “I submitted my passport The Heir Apparent H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani with outstanding students at the annual Education Excellence Day held at the Qatar National government to force the British (at the British embassy) on Convention Center yesterday. authorities to simplify the pro- February 20, along with the cedures. “The British (visit- passports of my wife and daugh- ing Qatar) are getting visas on ter. When I went to apply for arrival at the airport but they the visa an employee asked “do are making us go through com- you want a normal visa or urgent Heir Apparent honours achievers plicated procedures and inter- visa”. He said if I pay QR1,700 views and forcing us to pay too the visa will be ready in five days. DOHA: The Heir Apparent The Heir Apparent, who is also celebrate its excellent children in is imperative for us to keep up much money,” lamented a citizen. I paid the amount but still didn’t H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad the Chairman of the Supreme education, including PhD holders, the pace with the technical and According to statistics released get the visas, upsetting my travel Al Thani yesterday honoured 24 Education Council, presented undergraduate students, second- scientific developments in a uni- by the British embassy recently, plans,” read the message. outstanding academic achiev- the awards to platinum and gold ary school graduates, teachers versal community heading toward over 33,000 Qataris obtained visas Similar views were expressed ers at the annual Education medal winners. and outstanding schools,” the globalization, in which there is a to travel to the UK in 2012, almost by callers at the radio programme Excellence Day. In his opening remarks, the Minister said. place only for the excellent and double the number of tourists two last week, drawing support from The ceremony, held at the Minister of Education and Higher He also said that investing in the creative,” the Minister said. years ago. The number of tourists some Qatari columnists. Qatar National Convention Education, Secretary General of the Qatari youth will remain the The celebration also aims to from Qatar to the UK grew by “While British authorities are Center, was attended by the Prime the Supreme Education Council foremost wager of the education encourage all individuals and edu- almost 60 percent between 2006 humiliating the Qataris with per- Minister and Foreign Minister and Chairman of the Board of sector toward sustainable devel- cational institutions to improve and 2011. sonal interviews and too many H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem Trustees (EED) H E Saad bin opment and to realize the goals their performance and strengthen “Countries like Qatar should requirements and high fees their bin Jabor Al Thani, the Chairman Ibrahim Al Mahmoud said that and objectives of Qatar National the positive trends towards deal with other countries in the citizens are getting the Qatari of Administrative Control and development can only be attained Vision 2030. knowledge and outstanding sci- same way they treat Qatar, espe- visa on arrival at the airport. Transparency Authority H E through serious investment in “As we live in a changing world, entific research. cially since the Qatari invest- THE PENINSULA Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah suitable education. where knowledge changes and THE PENINSULA ment in Europe is rescuing their Continued on page 4 and a number of senior officials. “It is a pride for Qatar to grows at an accelerated pace, it Continued on page 4 New law on workplace safety soon DOHA: The Ministry of Labour based on a Cabinet decision. Chamber and the private sector. is drafting a new law on occupa- Once the draft law is ready, it There is a sub committee that tional health and safety, a sen- will be presented by the Minister conducted several technical sur- ior official has said. of Labour to the Cabinet for fap- veys and reviewed legal docu- Hussain Al Mulla, undersec- proval, according to the regular ments from different countries. retary at the Ministry of Labour procedures. The law will be comprehensive and head of the Health and The Health and Occupational and will cover different aspects Occupational Safety Committee Safety Committee was set up such as health, security and said the committee has already on the basis of the Cabinet deci- safety of all segments, including started work on the proposed sion and includes representatives families. law and the executive regulations from different ministries, Qatar THE PENINSULA Mercury to Over 94,000 labourers rise sharply DOHA: The temperature is recruited last year expected to rise by three to five degrees Celsius starting today, DOHA: More than 94,000 fresh work permits. More than according to the Meteorology labourers were recruited from 90 percent of these requests were US Secretary of State John Kerry walks with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal on his arrival in Riyadh, Department. The heat wave is oversees last year for the ongo- approved. yesterday. Saudi Arabia is the seventh leg of Kerry’s first official overseas trip. likely to last for at least three ing development projects in the More than 300,000 work visas days, with the temperature country, according to latest for labourers were turned down returning to normal levels by statistics. by the Ministry. In the semi- GCC slams world inaction on Syria Thursday, a senior official of the The Recruitment Department skilled and unskilled category, as department said yesterday. at the Ministry of Labour received many as 94,043 labourers were The maximum temperature 31,866 fresh requests for work recruited last year, which included RIYADH: Gulf states criticised serious and rapid action” towards such interference” from the Shia forecast for Doha over the next visas in 2012, an Arabic daily drivers (20,808), cleaners (18,602) world inaction on Syria and resolving the two-year conflict Islamic republic across the Gulf, three days is 31 to 34 degrees reported yesterday. and technicians (17,578). Iranian “interference” in their which the UN estimates has has he said. Celsius, with a higher forecast for Out of a total 27,783 applica- Other workers who came here internal affairs as US Secretary cost more than 70,000 lives. The GCC talks came with the southern parts of the country. tions, some 71.5 percent were last year were carpenters (14,618), of State John Kerry arrived in The GCC nations also slammed Kerry arriving in Riyadh, with The minimum temperature will approved and 18.7 percent of brick makers (12,284), foremen Saudi capital yesterday. what they charged was Iranian Syria and Iran likely to top the be between 21 and 24 degrees. them (5,949 applications) were (10,273), engineers (9,956), sales- “The Syrian crisis has become interference in their internal agenda at his meetings. Yemen, “The weather will go back to rejected. men (9,659) and painters (9,324). more of a quasi-catastrophe affairs. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the GCC states’ restive neighbour the normal levels by Thursday or The remaining 3,134 requests Some 9,296 plumbers, 8,173 through the unjustified killing Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, undergoing a difficult political Friday,” the official said. “Starting for visas, which form some 9.8 steel fixers, 8,037 blacksmiths, of the Syrian people,” Bahraini Kuwait, and Oman “look forward transition, and the Saudi missile Thursday, the country will be hit percent of the total applications, 7,759 construction workers, 7,373 Foreign Minister Sheikh Khaled towards better relations with Iran, defence shield are also likely to be by fresh to strong Northwesterly are yet to be finalised. waiters, 6,981 general electricians, Al Khalifa said at the opening ses- but unfortunately the latter con- discussed, a diplomat said. Kerry winds which will cause the tem- Some 10,215 requests were also 9,792 heavy vehicles drivers, 6,673 sion of a Gulf Cooperation Council tinues to interfere in their internal is also due to visit the United perature going back to the nor- made by women under the spon- accountants and 6,607 workers for (GCC) meeting. affairs,” Sheikh Khaled said. Arab Emirates and Qatar. mal average of March,” said the sorship of their relatives for work plasters were also recruited. Sheikh Khaled criticised “the “It is important for our coun- AFP statement. permits which also included 4,287 THE PENINSULA international community’s lack of tries to stand united against See also pages 12&13 THE PENINSULA applications for the issuance of Continued on page 4 MONDAY 4 MARCH 2013 HOME www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 03 QTA to present tourism potential at ITB Berlin Qatar Pavilion to showcase developments in hospitality sector; 18 Doha hotels to participate DOHA: Qatar will take part QTA will use the event to out- and sports fixtures to underline and safe atmosphere, Qatar has export market for tourism, QTA Grand Hyatt Doha, Hilton in the ITB Berlin, one of the line major development of tour- the country’s appeal.