SUNDAY APRIL 11, 2021 SHABAN 29, 1442 VOL.14 NO. 5229 QR 2 Fajr: 3:58 am Dhuhr: 11:35 am FINE Asr: 3:05 pm Maghrib: 5:56 pm HIGH : 34°C LOW : 21 °C Isha: 7:26 pm Nation 16 Business 8 Sports 14 QF to mark Ramadan with QIIB launches special finance Rizwan, Ashraf take Pakistan series of virtual activities offers for Ramadan through T20I thriller at Wanderers Awqaf calls for Ramadan crescent sighting today Qatar’s labour reforms tangible: GCO THE Cres- cent Sighting Guardian’s report on workers’ deaths misleading Criticism of Qatar World Cup is misplaced: Official Committee at the Ministry TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK tion with its international part- development has been the dis- of Awqaf and DOHA ners,” Sheikh Thamer added. mantling of the “Kafala” system, Islamic Affairs During the interview, Sheikh with workers no longer required has called on THE calls to boycott the 2022 Thamer outlined how report- to obtain an exit permit to leave all Muslims living in Qatar to sight the crescent World Cup in Qatar were based ing from The Guardian claiming the country and able to change of Ramadan on Sunday, Shaaban 29,1442 AH, on misleading media reports, 6,500 workers have died work- jobs as they wish. corresponding to April 11, 2021. Sheikh Thamer bin Hamad Al ing on stadium infrastructure is He noted that on April 1, The committee said whoever witnesses Thani, Deputy Director for Media both misleading and “a far cry 2021, Qatar implemented a man- the crescent should head to the headquarters Affairs of the Government Com- from reality”. This figure includes datory minimum wage, the first of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs in munications Office (GCO), has all deaths over the past ten years of its kind in the Middle East, Dafna (Towers) area to report his testimony. said. of residents in Qatar from India, providing additional financial se- The committee will meet immediately after In an interview with the Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Nepal. curity for every worker in Qatar the Maghrib (sunset) prayer. (QNA) French newspaper Le Figaro, However, contrary to what The and their families abroad. Sheikh Thamer said those calling Guardian claims, not all of these On the health and safety for a boycott ignored the progress people were working on con- front, he said, “Qatar has raised Qatar has made in reforming its struction sites. the standards. Outdoor work is labour law and promoting mi- “Expatriates from these coun- banned during the hottest hours grant workers’ rights. tries also include students, the el- of the day in the summer and He said that it was good to derly, and workers employed in new technology has been intro- see that in recent weeks, many ● Qatar is constantly reviewing its laws to improve the offices, retail shops, schools, and duced to keep workers cool when football associations, NGOs and conditions and rights of workers hospitals. Qatar has over 1.4 mil- they are on site. Modern accom- fan groups have realised that a lion expatriates from these coun- modation has been built across boycott is not a constructive out- ● Qatar implemented a mandatory minimum wage, the first of its tries. Only 20 percent of them are the country for workers, and the come, explaining that Qatar fully kind in the Middle East, providing additional financial security employed as workers in the con- scope of competencies of labour supports footballers and football for every worker in Qatar and their families abroad struction sector, which accounts inspectors has been extended to associations who use their plat- for less than 10 percent of all monitor working conditions and form to promote human rights. deaths between 2014 and 2019.” conditions of accommodation”. “Their criticism of the 2022 placed. Qatar has made tangible has shown its commitment to During the interview, Sheikh World Cup, however, is mis- progress on labour reforms and continue the process in coopera- Thamer said the most significant Continued on page 2 Ministry urges students to get vaccinated THE Ministry of Education and Higher Educa- Kahramaa launches tion (MoEHE) has called on students to take ‘Quarantine Cell’ plays vital the COVID-19 vaccine to protect themselves as well as others. “Vaccination is prevention, initiative to cut water, health and safety, hurry up to take it to protect role in COVID-19 fight: HMC yourself and others, as per the date set for you via text message to avoid crowd. Try bringing TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK power usage by 5% not more than one companion to avoid crowd- DOHA ing, knowing that this campaign is intended for students only, and not others,” the ministry THE role of the ‘Quarantine Cell’ in QNA tiative aimed at energy sustainability in said in a tweet. (TNN) Qatar’s fight against COVID-19 is DOHA accordance with Vision 2030 and the no less important than the rest of National Strategy 2018-2022. the units that are on the frontlines THE Qatar General Electricity and Wa- He said the initiative will enhance the against the virus, the Hamad Medical ter Corporation (Kahramaa), represent- culture of rationalisation of consump- Corporation (HMC) has affirmed. ed by the National Program for Conser- tion, which the national programme “The Quarantine Cell, headed vation and Energy Efficiency (Tarsheed), seeks to consecrate socially over time, so by Central Operations Department has launched its new initiative to reduce that it becomes an integral part of “our Director Colonel Hassan Mohamed water and electricity consumption by 5 lives and a daily indispensable way for Al Kuwari, works round the clock to percent in the residential us, leading to the building coordinate and organise the quaran- sector. of a balanced consumption tine process for all travellers coming The initiative con- pattern, through which to Qatar, issues temporary travel tributes to Qatar Nation- everyone bears full respon- permits and answers queries,” the al Vision 2030 by raising sibility”. HMC said in a tweet. awareness, endorsing ra- He added the initia- “Its role is no less important tionalisation techniques tive will have an important than the rest of the units that are and promoting responsi- role in raising awareness on the frontlines to confront the ble consumer behaviour of methods of rationalis- COVID-19 pandemic.” with detailed follow-up ing consumption, as well The cell is comprised of repre- techniques being im- as how to contribute to sentatives from the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), Hamad Medical Corporation, Ministry of plemented to provide preserving the local envi- Interior, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Administra- customers with support ronment and sustaining its A special supplement is being tive Development, Labour and Social Affairs, Qatar Tourism, Ministry of Transportation and and guarantee long-term natural balance for current issued with this edition Communications, Qatar Airways and Discover Qatar. results. and future generations, in During a press conference, held order to achieve the comprehensive de- remotely, Public Relations and Com- velopment that Qatar seeks to achieve. munication Manager at Kahramaa Mo- For his part, Tarsheed president en- hamed Ali Saleh Al Mohannadi affirmed gineer Abdulaziz Al Hammadi indicated the corporation’s keenness to launch all that the initiative is closely related to the initiatives to raise the efficiency and im- sustainability goals of Qatar and the 17th Municipalities intensify inspection prove operational processes to ensure global strategic goals in accordance with the provision of the best services to all the Paris Agreement signed by the State customers and contribute to the pres- of Qatar to reduce its carbon footprint of food outlets ahead of Ramadan ervation of natural resources of Qatar, and combat climate change. and to exploit it without attrition. He QNA complexes and pastry shops have ration for the blessed month of stressed the importance of the new ini- Continued on page 2 DOHA been intensified. Ramadan, provided that the The work timings during working hours are daily from 5 MUNICIPALITIES have prepared Ramadan will be in two shifts am to 4 pm. a comprehensive action plan to (morning and evening), and the Veterinarians will be avail- intensify campaigns and inspec- work of veterinary inspectors in able in all civil and commercial MoPH reports 964 new COVID-19 cases tions ahead of the Holy Month slaughterhouses will be from 5 am slaughterhouses and central fish QATAR on Saturday reported 964 COVID-19 54, 58, 81 and 92 – who were receiving the of Ramadan to ensure health re- to 4 pm. markets to ensure veterinary in- cases — 808 from com- necessary medical care suc- quirements are met by all food Food inspectors and veteri- spections of all slaughtered sheep munity and 156 from cumbed to the virus. Five of establishments and their work- narians will direct and alert all and fish in these facilities. travellers returning from them had a history of chronic ers. They have also stressed their kinds of food establishments to A practical plan has also been abroad, the Ministry of disease, the MoPH added. commitment to applying precau- apply health requirements in han- prepared for inspecting food es- Public Health said in its The ministry said a total tionary measures in light of the restaurants, cafeterias, butcher- dling food, and to observe all pre- tablishments and the distribution daily report. of 1,062,250 COVID-19 vac- challenges imposed by the coro- ies, commercial complexes, so- cautionary measures related to of specialised staff of inspectors Also, 552 people cine doses have been admin- navirus (COVID-19). cieties and centers, to ensure the the coronavirus. and veterinarians to carry them recovered from the istered since the start of the The work plan includes in- safety of products offered for sale.