ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Tuesday 6 May 2014 7 Rajab 1435 - Volume 19 Number 6057 Price: QR2 Businessman Tanzifco for revamp of win 2014 Qatar Chamber Workers’ Cup Business | 21 Sport | 31 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Advisory Council for taller buildings in old areas Proposal referred to Services Committee DOHA: A proposal approved by “A member of an extended The old infrastructure and the Advisory Council yesterday family can continue to live in the building designs in those areas, urges the government to allow same building after marriage, coupled with the issues of safety taller buildings in old areas. albeit separately. and security involved with each In these localities, many of “This will reduce pressure structure, would not permit rais- them in Doha, structures of more on land and slash construction ing the height of buildings, he than two to three storeys are not costs,” said the proposal. said. permitted. A debate was held on the According to Al Oruqui, this The Advisory Council’s pro- proposal and although it was can be easily done in new areas posal asks multi-storied build- lauded by many a member of the and it would benefit extended ings to be allowed in those areas Advisory Council and passed, Qatari families as it would save to cater to the rising demand for those opposing it said the gov- them money and they could live housing and commercial use due ernment’s approval would have together in a building. to the exploding population. a negative impact on real estate It would have a positive impact The Council, after approving prices in the country. on land and rent prices and the proposal that was tabled by a “Real estate prices are stable at reduce construction costs, he said. member, Nasser Rashid Al Kabi, the moment but if the proposal is Meanwhile, in an interview to referred it to its Services and accepted by the state, the status Al Sharq last month, a Central Public Utilities Committee for fur- quo would be disturbed,” said a Municipal Council (CMC) mem- ther study. member. ber from New Salata area of Doha, The Council has asked the com- He said there would be imbal- Abdullah Al Sulaiti, had said since The Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Emiri Diwan mittee to get in touch with the gov- ances as some areas would be Qataris had moved from the area yesterday. President Abbas briefed the Emir on the latest updates of the national Palestinian reconciliation which ernment agencies concerned and allowed to have up to 10-storey and had rented their houses, own- was signed in Gaza recently and its implementation mechanism. discuss the proposal and get back buildings while the others might ers should be allowed to raise the to it with details. be permitted to have structures height of buildings so they could The government has been with only a few floors. make more rental income. urged to create an environment Since commercial areas have He said the CMC had made Abbas, Meshaal hold talks in Doha conducive to making it possible to been spreading all over at the such a proposal in respect of sev- raise the height of existing build- expense of residential localities, eral areas and the civic ministry DOHA: Palestinian President Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, a achieve it,” a Hamas statement ings in old areas. citizens must be allotted plots of had replied that it was conducting Mahmoud Abbas held “positive” senior Palestinian official told said. The idea is to create enough land elsewhere to build houses, studies. talks with Hamas chief Khaled AFP in Ramallah. “The meeting was positive, with housing stock and enable an argued the member. Observers say that some areas Meshaal here yesterday in the “Abbas and Meshaal held a both leaders expressing a serious extended Qatari family to accom- In remarks to this newspa- having been allowed to have first meeting since their rival long meeting this afternoon willingness to turn over a new modate itself (vertically) in a per, however, real estate expert, multi-storied buildings while the movements signed a surprise in Doha to discuss the lat- leaf, based on national partner- building instead of having to Ahmed Al Oruqui, said that others denied that privilege is unity deal last month. est Palestinian developments, ship,” it added. The last time the buy separate plots of land and although the proposal was good leading to a disparity in Qataris’ The meeting began at 0900 including the reconciliation two leaders met face-to-face was build houses for their breakaway it was not feasible to implement income levels. GMT shortly after Abbas held agreement and creating a posi- in Cairo in January 2013. AFP members. it in old areas. THE PENINSULA talks with the Emir H H Sheikh tive atmosphere in which to See also page 10 Nutcracker Ballet wows Doha crowds Qatar takes full SEC may let schools hike control of national airline fee next academic year DOHA: Qatar has taken full DOHA: There is a possibility be allowed based on the finan- control of its national airline that private schools might be cial situation of the school and Qatar Airways. “We became permitted to increase their tui- its need to do so, and make sure fully government-owned in July tion and transport fee in the next that it guarantees quality and last year,” airline CEO Akbar Al academic year due to rising costs. efficiency of education. Baker said at a news conference Under increasing pressure “We need to support schools in in Dubai yesterday, Reuters from private schools to let them meeting their increased expendi- reported. increase their fees, the Supreme ture, as also make sure that the Baker declined to comment Education Council (SEC), has fee raise does not affect parents,” on the amount paid for the hinted it might allow them the said Al Ghali. stakes by the Qatar Investment privilege in the next academic The SEC will analyse last year’s Authority (QIA) or to speculate year due to inflationary pressures. financial situation of each school on what triggered the change in However, the fee increase that has applied for permission to ownership. would be small and allowed in a raise their fee and see how many Al Baker said that after the gradual manner, the SEC said. times they have resorted to fee hike ownership change, the airline The raise would be permitted in in the recent past, QNA reported. planned to announce its 2013 such a manner that it matches A severe shortage of private financial results before the third the average rate of inflation. schools amidst exploding popula- quarter of the year. The SEC said it is going to tion is a serious problem for many “We are a very profitable air- apply in the next academic year a parent, say community sources. line. We don’t announce the (2014-15) scientific and trans- There is a huge demand-supply results because we are private and parent evaluation methods to gap and this clearly means that publicly held in the past. Now we deal with requests from private one cannot stop private schools will announce profits”, Reuters The opening show of “The Nutcracker the Acrobat Ballet” at the Katara Opera House in Doha yesterday. The schools to raise their fee. from raising their fee. Community quoted Al Baker as saying. show, which features a dance company from Shanghai and combines ballet, acrobatics, stunning costumes The head of private schools’ sources are thus of the opinion THE PENINSULA and exotic stage design, was met with thunderous applause. Two shows were staged. The Nutcracker tells office at the SEC, Hamad that private investment should Mohamed Al Ghali, said in a be encouraged to fill up this gap. the story of an aspiring shy young dancer, Marie and how the Nutcracker helps her to win a dance competi- statement the fee increase would THE PENINSULA Sisi says if elected tion. There are two more performances today, one from 3pm to 5pm and another from 8pm to 10pm. army will have no ruling role CAIRO: Egypt’s former army First US MERS patient improving, gets ready for discharge chief Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, the frontrunner in a new presidential election, said yesterday that if he MUNSTER, INDIANA: The first US and they all have tested negative,” Dr Alan to Indiana to visit family. Saudi officials track down anyone who might have had was elected the army will have patient to test positive for the often deadly Kumar, chief medical information officer yesterday said the toll from a recent out- contact with him during his journey to the no role in ruling the country. MERS virus is off supplemental oxygen of Community Hospital in Munster, where break was still rising, with 18 new cases in United States. Sisi is expected to win the May and walking around his hospital room in the patient is being treated, told a news the capital city of Riyadh, where the US There is no vaccine to prevent MERS 26-27 election easily. “The army Munster, Indiana, as health officials begin conference. patient works. All of the Indiana hospital and no cure for the lung infection it causes. will not have a role in ruling planning the man’s release, state and fed- The US Centers for Disease Control and employees and the patient’s family mem- Some research has suggested it may be Egypt,” Sisi told two private televi- eral authorities said yesterday.