ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Thursday 31 October 2013 26 Dhul-Hijja 1434 - Volume 18 Number 5869 Price: QR2 QE becomes Kohli, Dhawan full member power India to of world body thrilling victory Business | 21 Sport | 32 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 State key employer of Qataris Emir meets UAE Crown Prince Country has lowest unemployment rate in the world, says Minister DOHA: Notwithstanding the jobs provided to nationals in the He said that as part of a five- “Our aim, therefore, is to see government’s thrust on push- above period,” H E Abdullah Saleh year (2011-15) strategy to increase this gap between the private and ing nationals in private jobs, the Mubarak Al Khulaifi said. the participation of Qataris in the state sectors narrowed down,” said state continues to be a major Addressing an event on Qatar’s job market, bigger private compa- the Minister talking about pay employer of Qataris. Population Day, he said more than nies have been asked to absorb packages for Qataris. Official figures suggest that half (53 percent) of the 30,000 locals in leadership positions and “We are also encouraging more nearly 30,000 Qataris have been nationals who were provided with jobs that require specialisations. and more women to take up pri- absorbed in jobs in the past six employment were women. The Minister, however, hinted vate jobs.” years — 75 percent of them in the He said data made available that no force was being applied on The other challenge in pushing government sector. by the Ministry of Development these companies as they needed citizens into private employment is The Minister of Labour and Planning and Statistics based on to keep their human resource that they need to be encouraged to Social Affairs said yesterday that a survey conducted in the second requirements in mind while hir- pursue higher and technical edu- of the 29,788 citizens who entered quarter of 2013 reveal that the ing staff. cation, said Al Khulaifi. the job market between 2007 and rate of joblessness among nationals One of the challenges facing the The Ministry is now working to 2013, 22,505 were absorbed in state was negligibly low at 0.3 percent. job nationalisation drive in the implement the above strategies in jobs. “This is the lowest unemploy- private sector is a huge disparity all earnest and as per a timeframe, “The state sector, thus, ment rate in the world,” said Al between pay and perks in this and added Al Khulaifi. The Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani with the Crown Prince accounted for 75 percent of the Khulaifi. the public sector. THE PENINSULA of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, H H General Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi yesterday. Sheikha Moza presents WISE awards Qatar, Bahrain in Syria talks face delay causeway talks DOHA: Qatar and Bahrain as big powers split yesterday resumed talks on the proposed 40km causeway that AMMAN: International pow- show that the November 23 goal would link the two countries and ers are unlikely to meet their will be difficult to meet,” said one decided to review the project’s goal of convening peace talks of the officials involved in prepar- cost in the wake of rising prices on Syria in Geneva next month ing for the talks. of construction materials. as differences emerge between US, Russian and UN envoys The causeway is proposed to Washington and Moscow over are due to meet in Geneva next be a cable bridge with a four-lane opposition representation, Arab Tuesday as part of the prepara- road. In addition, there would be and Western officials said. tion for the long-delayed peace an emergency lane and a pedes- Failure of the main Syrian conference, which was first trian walkway. Work on the National Coalition to take a clear proposed back in May. A main causeway was expected to begin stance over the talks, which aim point of contention, the official by 2011 at an estimated cost of to find a political solution to said, is the role of the Western- $4.5bn. The 40km bridge would Syria’s 2-1/2 year civil war, are backed opposition coalition - an link Al Ishairij in Qatar to Al also expected to contribute to a issue which has flared up since a Askra in Bahrain. The cables will delay of up to one month, the offi- meeting in London last week of be hanging at a height of 40m on H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser with the winners of the 2013 WISE awards for education at the gala dinner cials said. “A clearer picture will Western and Gulf Arab countries Qatar’s side and 27m on Bahrain’s yesterday. (Report on page 6) AR AL BAKER emerge when the US and Russia opposed to Assad. REUTERS side. THE PENINSULA meet next week, but all indications See also page 10 HOME THURSDAY 31 OCTOBER 2013 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 03 Food labs may be set up in private sector SCH ready to grant permission if there are investors Wassan Al Baker (Supreme Council of Health), Dr Shadi Salah Zeyadah (Doha Municipality), Joelle Hamamji Seyouri (Qatar Foundation), and Mohammed Hassan Ibrahim, (Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning), at a panel discussion during the Food Chain conference at the Hilton Hotel yesterday. DOHA: Qatar may soon have industry experts and representa- Al Baker said Qatar is working food laboratories in the private tives of SCH, Qatar Foundation on new food safety regulations, sector with decks being cleared and the Ministry of Municipality which will come into force with for such facilities. and Urban Planning. the establishment of the proposed A senior official of Supreme Al Baker said once authorised Food Safety Authority. A draft Council of Health (SCH) said yes- food laboratories are established law on the authority is awaiting terday that the regulatory body in the private sector, companies the Cabinet nod. The authority is ready to grant permission to working in the food industry will will be responsible for control- private food laboratories, if there be able to do quality tests there. ling and monitoring all stages of are potential investors. “However, the government lab- the food supply chain, including “Establishing food laborato- oratory will continue to conduct retailing, transportation, labelling ries in the private sector will in food tests by collecting samples and packaging. fact reduce our burden since all from the market to ensure the It will also lay down rules for tests related to food safety are quality and safety of all food prod- recall of products, which is pri- conducted in the government ucts in the country.” marily the responsibility of the laboratory. Permission for such Earlier, in a presentation on companies, added Al Baker. facilities will be granted sub- food safety regulations in the She said a food safety regime is ject to strict quality standards,” country, Al Baker said the GCC lacking in Qatar. Insufficient stor- Wassan Al Baker, Director, Food states are working on a unified age facilities and improper han- Safety and Environmental Health food safety system and a uni- dling are leading to huge waste Department at SCH, told The fied food law. “Unified food safety of food. The new regulations will Peninsula yesterday. guidelines are ready for imple- focus on a risk-based assessment She was speaking on the side- mentation and the draft food law system to ensure food safety, she lines of the ‘Food Chain’ confer- has been completed.” added. ence which began at the Hilton The unified food law will be in Dr Shadi Salah Zeyadah, Hotel yesterday. The two-day compliance with the food laws of food consultant at the Doha conference attended by repre- the member countries and will Municipality also addressed the sentatives from the local food serve as a common guideline on opening session, among other industry saw presentations by food safety-related issues. speakers. THE PENINSULA THURSDAY 31 OCTOBER 2013 04 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME Qatar team participates in Yemen Orphan Care projects SANAA: A Qatari team, led by the Assistant Foreign Minister for International Cooperation H E Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohamed bin Jabor Al Digital media expert cautions Thani, participated yesterday in laying the foundation stone for projects affiliated to Yemeni Orphan Care Centre, a development organisation, with donations from Qatar charities. The projects include an education centre, graphics and multimedia centres and labs for electronics and physics. QNA firms against similar content Advertising staff should not handle real-time communications: Scott Abdul Latif Al Mahmoud, CEO of Dar Al Sharq; Khalid Al Sayed, Editor-In-Chief of The Peninsula and other officials listening to David Meerman Scott (inset) at a seminar on ‘The Rules of Digital Marketing’ organised by Dar Al Sharq in collaboration with Digital Marketing Arts Academy at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel yesterday. ABDUL BASIT DOHA: Many companies with Digital Marketing Arts content but also think about end up with similar content Academy. Scott, who is the the perspective of customers because they rely too much on author of eight books, includ- and buyers. agencies to handle marketing ing three international bestsell- “You need to find somebody and public relations for them. ers, said that companies should who is a good communicator and A leading expert of digital train their own people to handle I truly believe that a journalist is media said yesterday that while PR if they wanted to distinguish a right person to do that.” companies should hire in-house themselves from others.