ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Wednesday 5 December 2012 21 Muharram 1434 - Volume 17 Number 5539 Price: QR2 Qatar Holding India hope raises stake in to restore QE to 88pc pride Business | 25 Sport | 34 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Take on climate change: Emir HMC official grilled over Developing nations called on to honour commitments alleged medical errors BY MOHAMED IQBAL & Al Maslamani rejected the BY SATISH KANADY MOHAMMED OSMAN criticism saying, “I am heading this committee and I can say it DOHA: The Emir H H Sheikh DOHA: A senior Qatari offi- is functioning with full neutrality Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani cial of the Hamad Medical and without any bias”. “There is has called for urgent need for Corporation (HMC) was grilled no clear-cut definition for medi- international cooperation and by citizens at a popular pro- cal errors. Only a specialised multilateral global action to gramme on Qatar Radio yes- committee can take decision on counter the risk of climate terday, who raised doubts about such complaints. We also have change. Negotiating process the neutrality of the HMC com- to differentiate between medical on climate change convention mittee investigating medical mistakes and side effects of the should emanate from a sense of errors and narrated more sto- medicines,” the official said, in his global unity and collective ini- ries of alleged medical mistakes introductory remarks. tiative, he said while address- committed by HMC doctors. Surgical procedures also have ing the opening ceremony of the Dr Yousuf Al Maslamani, head medical complications which high-level segment of COP18/ of the Medical Complications can lead to death. “However, CMP8 here yesterday. Committee at the HMC that any unnatural development in The session was attended by is responsible for investigat- patient’s situation is subject to H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, ing complaints about medical investigation even if there are the Heir Apparent H H Sheikh errors was hosted by Watanee no complaints. Once we receive a Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Al Habeeb- Sabah Al Khair complaint, we set up an investi- the Prime Minister and Foreign (Good Morning My Beloved gating committee,” he added. Minister H E Sheikh Hamad Country) programme of Qatar The committee can take sup- bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani, Radio, after it a received a volley port from technicians, engineers COP18/CMP8 President H E of complaints from citizens and and specialists and if the issue Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah, residents over the past few days is related to medicines it would UN Secretary-General Ban related to medical mistakes at seek support from pharmacy Ki-moon, UNFCCC Executive the HMC hospitals. specialists. Secretary Christiana Figueres, “The committee you have is not “Investigation results are and Kuwait Emir H H Sheikh The Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser with UN Secretary-General neutral and all its members are always transferred to the Medical Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Ban Ki-moon at the COP18 Gala Dinner held at the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha yesterday. MAHER ATTAR from the same hospital. So you Complication Committee which Sabah, and Vuk Jeremic, President don’t come out with the right I am heading and this commit- of the UN General Assembly. planet earth. The responsibility developing countries. He also acceptable to decide solutions for results. That is why I propose tee will decide whether the issue Addressing the session that for reaching a practical and effec- called for finding a solution that it at the expense of development… to set up a neutral committee in question is a medical mistake, saw leaders highlighting the tive agreement is a collective obli- balances between the energy therefore no country would be headed by foreigners and expert medical complication or a normal risk from climate change in a sin- gation that falls on the shoulders needs of countries, and the neces- able to find a haven in the past professors. Those who make mis- error,” said Al Maslamani. gle voice, the Emir underscored of all of us, he said. sity of reducing global warming. theories of ‘isolationism’ because takes should be punished. It is “We have found that 90 percent the need for reaching the right The Emir encouraged the “The negative effects of climate the causes of environmental dam- not enough to issue a warning to of the cases are medical complica- equilibrium between the develop- developed countries to honour change are extremely grave on the age have no borders,” he said. someone who has caused a death,” tions. The medical errors are only ment goals of the countries and their commitments, in terms tracks of sustainable development Continued on page 9 said a caller, who introduced him- 10 percent,” he added. their commitment to protect the of providing support to the aspired by all, and it would not be See also pages 8 & 9 self as Abu Mohammed. Continued on page 4 Egypt president Expats remit QR47.5bn in 2011 leaves palace BY MOBIN PANDIT This is, arguably, the first time the banking as protests rage regulator has released remittance figures in some DOHA: Remittances routed by foreign work- detail — in its 35th Annual Report made public ers overseas stood at an incredible QR47.5bn last week. As expected, the main destination of CAIRO: Egyptian police battled ($13bn) in 2011, with India topping the list of remittance outflows was the Asian region account- thousands of protesters outside 10 largest recipient countries, official figures ing for more than half (53.7 percent) of the total. President Mohammed Mursi’s suggest. The Arab world had a share of barely 28.3 percent palace here yesterday, prompting Remittance volumes grew almost 27 percent in the total. the Islamist leader to leave the last year, from QR37.4bn ($10.24bn) in 2010, The Americas, with a regional share of 7.6 per- building, presidency sources said. Qatar Central Bank (QCB) statistics for 2011 cent in the total money outflows, stood third, Officers fired teargas at up to released recently reflect. The Philippines, with elbowing Europe, for the first time, behind with 10,000 demonstrators angered by a large number of expatriates, trailed India on a 7.4 percent share. India and the Philippines Mursi’s drive to hold a referendum the list as the second largest recipient of money together received more than 72 percent of the on a new constitution on December transfers made from here. total workers’ remittances. 15. Some broke through police lines Interestingly, on the third spot was the US, Citing the national statistics office — Qatar around his palace and protested while Egypt and the neighbouring UAE ranked Statistics Authority (QSA ) — the banking regu- next to the perimeter wall. fourth and fifth, respectively. Nepal, Bangladesh, lator said in its 2011 annual report that foreign The crowds had gathered nearby the UK, Pakistan and Sri Lanka were the other workers’ population reached 1.2 million last year. in what organisers had dubbed “last countries figuring on the list. Continued on page 4 warning” protests against Mursi, who infuriated opponents with a November 22 decree that expanded his powers. “The people want the downfall of the regime,” the dem- onstrators chanted. “The president Justice Ministry launches website left the palace,” a presidential source told Reuters. A security source at the presidency also said DOHA: The Ministry of Justice yesterday access to laws and legal amendments. the president had departed. launched a website in English and Arabic and He said talks are underway between Qatar Riot police at the palace faced posted on it, among other things, all the laws and and the Library of US Congress for the transfer off against activists chant- court verdicts passed in the country since 1961. of Global Legal Information Network (GLIN) ing “leave, leave” and holding Expatriates, especially, would find the website noting that its executive office has found that Egyptian flags with “no to the valuable as all Qatari laws, including the one that Qatar is one of the strongest candidates for the constitution” written on them. regulates rent, are translated into English and link. The US officials are currently here for talks. Protesters later surrounded the posted there. The portal also aims to implement the policy palace. Egypt’s most widely-read H E Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanem, the of open access to the public, increasing gov- independent newspapers did not Minister of Justice, told reporters after formally ernment organs’ transparency, indexing and publish yesterday in protest at launching the website at the ministry premises, publishing of all legal information in the state Mursi’s “dictatorship”. Banks the website is titled ‘Al Mizan’ (Scale). and making them available to a large number of closed early to let staff go home It is a sophisticated website which differs from citizens and residents, government institutions safely in case of trouble. the previous sites as it is user-friendly, particu- and foreign investors. Full story on page 17 larly, for researchers as well as provides easy Continued on page 5 WEDNESDAY 5 DECEMBER 2012 HOME 04 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Emir, Heir Apparent perform Istisqaa Prayer Heir Apparent meets Ethiopian PM DOHA: The Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani joined the faithful worshippers in performing the Istisqaa prayer (rain-seeking prayer) at Al Wajbah prayer ground yes- terday, in line with the Sunnah of the Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him). The Heir Apparent H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the Special Adviser to the Emir, H H Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani also took part in the prayer.