ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Wednesday 24 April 2013 14 Jumada II 1434 - Volume 18 Number 5679 Price: QR2 Ashghal to Majestic Bayern tender $11bn Munich outclass projects Barcelona 4-0 Business | 17 Sport | 28 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Emir meets Joe Biden Qataris seek 2,950 firms ‘QR7bn in loans’ for mega IPO DOHA: A huge cash-mobilisa- flouting labour tion effort is on in the cash-rich Qatari community as people are eagerly looking forward to subscribing in a big way to the $3bn mega initial public offer- laws: Survey ing (IPO) to be launched next month by the state-backed Doha Global Investment . 11,133 companies without workers According to financial and stock analyst Bashir Al Kahlout, excited DOHA: A recent survey by the earlier announced that it was Qataris have so far sought bank Labour Ministry of 56,000 pri- classifying private sector com- loans worth QR7bn ($1.92bn) for vate companies has found that panies into three categories (A, the giant primary offer. “There nearly 5 percent (or 2,950) of B and C) with twin objectives—to is heightened demand for bank them have little regard for the post the groupings on its web- loans in the Qatari community labour law. site so that foreign workers being due to the upcoming issue,” Al Grouped into the last or C cat- offered jobs here could check the Kahlout said yesterday. He said egory, these are the companies credentials of their potential small investors were also selling involved in major violations of the employers, and encourage the stocks to mobilise cash. Asked provisions of the labour law, the companies to improve their per- about large sell volumes of ordi- Ministry of Labor has said in its formance and grading. nary Qatari investors on the classification. According to the survey, only Qatar Exchange yesterday, he said The nature of violations by 6,410 of the more than 56,000 most booked profits as industrial these companies is not mentioned firms covered have made it to shares were up and they got a but it can be safely assumed that the elite ‘A’ list and some 1,440 of good price. THE PENINSULA they include illegal visa trade them have just one to six workers The Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani with US Vice President Joe Biden in Washington yesterday. Continued on page 4 as well. each in their employ. The Emir attended a working breakfast hosted by Biden. It is interesting to note that Another 1,336 companies have 1,351 of the C-category firms in their employment only six to have between one and five work- 10 workers, while barely 56 of ers each, while 191 of them have these firms have workers exceed- between 100 and 500 workers, ing 500. and 108 of them even have a staff “There are no companies in this QF plans norms for treatment of workers strength exceeding 500. category that were found to be Some 83 percent (46,655) of the without workers and all of them DOHA: Contractors and sub- ethical treatment of low-income Qatar Foundation and all its been designed to curb unfair companies surveyed have been have been found to be complying contractors working on Qatar migrant workers. contractors, who are required to employment practices. A workers’ put in the B category and as many fully with the provisions of the Foundation projects as well as The Foundation is busy insti- comply with the requirements welfare department is being set as 11,133 of them have no work- labor law,” the survey said. its business partners will need tuting what it calls ‘Mandatory and rules that have been set forth. up under the Foundation’s health, ers, shows the survey, local Arabic The companies surveyed so to treat their migrant work- Standards of Migrant Workers’ The organisation said it seeks safety, security and environment daily Al Arab reported yesterday far total 68 percent, while the ers ethically based on stand- Welfare’ that would help apply to create an exemplary model for directorate to act as a regulatory citing figures. remaining 32 percent are to be ards being developed by the minimum requirements with the ethical treatment of workers body. The said body will institute The survey isn’t complete yet covered later. organisation to retain their ties respect to recruitment, living by guaranteeing that all contrac- fair employment standards and since almost 27,000 companies The ministry said it has with it. and working conditions as well tors and sub-contractors, such ensure that all rules and protocols remain to be classified based on informed all ‘A’ category firms of The Qatar Foundation as general treatment of migrant as labour suppliers, labour agen- are being followed by respective their compliance with the labour their status, while only 15 percent for Education, Science and workers engaged in its construc- cies, and other service providers, parties, while pushing for con- law and performance, including of ‘B’ category companies have Community Development said in tion and other projects. adhere to strict regulations and tinuous improvement. how they treat their workers and been intimated. a statement yesterday it planned These standards will be incor- comply with guidelines. THE PENINSULA respect their rights. The ministry THE PENINSULA to soon become a role model for porated into agreements between The new welfare initiative has Continued on page 4 WEDNESDAY 24 APRIL 2013 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME QC, Gates Foundation join hands to fight polio Fundraising drive to rid the world of polio by 2018 QC names two new ambassadors for DOHA: Qatar Charity (QC) disease that can lead to paraly- The Summit is organised to will soon launch a fundraising sis or death. Due to tremendous continue the momentum of the campaign to support the Global advances in 2012, today there are Decade of Vaccines – a vision and humanitarian work Polio Eradication Initiative’s the fewest number of polio cases commitment to reach all people (GPEI) new, comprehensive six- in the fewest countries ever, cre- with the vaccines they need. DOHA: Qatar Charity (QC) year plan to achieve polio eradi- ating a unique opportunity to end Critical to this vision is polio yesterday named Secretary- cation by 2018. the disease forever. eradication, along with the devel- General of Qatar Olympic The campaign will be launched Polio remains endemic in opment of affordable new vac- Committee Sheikh Saoud as an agreement was signed only three countries – Pakistan, cines and the ability for every bin Abdulrahman and tele- between QC and the Bill and Afghanistan, and Nigeria – down country in the world to deliver vision presenter Mohammed Melinda Gates Foundation to from 125 in 1988. In response vaccines to every child. Saadon Al Kuwari as support achieving a polio-free to this opportunity, the GPEI The joint cooperation hopes Ambassadors of QC’s world. developed a long-term strategy to support other future causes. humanitarian campaigns. QC will raise funds specifi- to achieve global eradication by The six-year GPEI plan simul- Sheikh Saud bin Abdul cally to support polio vaccination 2018. taneously addresses the need to Rahman and Al Kuwari will campaigns to protect children in The agreement was signed interrupt transmission of the take on their new role in targeted areas and to help raise by Bill Gates, Co-Chair, Bill wild poliovirus by the end of the Global Polio Eradication awareness of the importance and Melinda Gates Foundation, 2014, strengthen routine immu- Initiative in Pakistan, as of permanently ending polio in and QC CEO Yousef bin Ahmed nization, and lay the groundwork part of the agreement signed Pakistan. Al Kuwari, in advance of the for securing a lasting polio-free yesterday between QC and The foundation will match Global Vaccine Summit, being world. Qatar Charity CEO Yousef bin Ahmed Al Kuwari presents a memento to Bill and Melinda Gates funds raised by QC during the held in Abu Dhabi during World It is estimated that GPEI could Co-Chair of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, after signing Foundation. campaign. Immunization Week (April 24 to deliver net benefits of $40bn-$50bn QNA the agreement at the Global Vaccine Summit in Abu Dhabi. Polio is a vaccine-preventable 30). by 2035. THE PENINSULA Attiyah meets Singaporean envoy QR854.43m real Indian envoy to open IMF estate contracts photo exhibition today from April 14-18 DOHA: A photo exhibition and Indian journalists in Qatar, in DOHA: Real estate transac- competition showcasing over association with the Quality tions between April 14 and 18 100 photographs will open today Group. for sales contracts registered at a specially arranged gallery A special section at the exhi- at the Ministry of Justice are at Quality Centre on Airport bition will portray the growth worth QR854.43m, the real Road. and progress of the Qatar Police estate registration depart- Held under the theme ‘Qatar’s Department arranged by the ment at the Ministry said in Culture and Heritage’, the exhibi- Public Relations Department its weekly report yesterday. tion will be inaugurated by Indian under the Qatar Interior Ministry. The list of properties that Ambassador to Qatar Sanjiv The exhibition will be held from were traded by sale includes Arora while Security Media Head 7.30pm to 10.30pm today and from open plots of land, villas, of PR Department of Interior 9am to 10pm tomorrow and on houses and residential and Ministry Captain Mubarak Salim Saturday. commercial buildings located will be the chief guest. An expert panel of judges will in Al Wakra, Al Shamal, Al The exhibition will showcase select the winners and award cash Daayen, Al Rayyan, Doha, works of 30 professional and ama- prizes.