www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BUSINESS | 17 SPORT | 24 Umm Al Houl Smiles and ‘selfies’ Phase-1 production as Aspire Academy in April welcomes Barshim TUESDAY 27 SEPTEMBER 2016 • 25 DHUL HIJJA 1437 • Volume 21 • Number 6932 2 Riyals thepeninsulaqatar @peninsulaqatar @peninsula_qatar Deputy Emir meets outgoing Indian envoy Ooredoo says New transit visa rules disappointed by regulator’s make entry easier decision The Peninsula to passengers of all nationalities, upon con- firmation of onward journey and completion Transit passengers can now of passport control procedures. All visas are DOHA: Ooredoo has strongly dis- stay up to 96 hours in Qatar approved and issued at the sole discretion of agreed with the Communications the Ministry of Interior (MoI). Regulatory Authority’s (CRA) deci- without the need to apply in The new scheme announced yesterday by Qatar sion related to access to its duct advance for an entry visa. Airways, Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) and the MoI infrastructure. is seen as a shot in the arm for the country’s tour- In an official statement issued ism sector and another significant stride to promote here yesterday, Ooredoo expressed Qatar as a world-class stopover destination. disappointment with the regulator’s The amendments on visa rules, announced decision and order issued on Sep- By Raynald C Rivera on the eve of World Tourism Day, is the third in tember 8 this year, saying that it The Peninsula a series of steps Qatar has taken to facilitate vis- contained grave errors. itor entry into the country. Last week, officials According to Ooredoo, the announced new procedures to accelerate the regulator has not given sufficient entry of tourists arriving on board cruise ships, consideration to input or evidence DOHA: In yet another move to attract more and earlier, an agreement was signed with VFS it presented to the CRA. Ooredoo visitors, Qatar has relaxed its transit visa rules Global, which will pave the way for an online has been fully cooperating with allowing transit passengers at Hamad Interna- tourist visa processing system. the CRA and has been sharing its tional Airport (HIA) to stay a maximum of 96 “We congratulate Qatar for announcing, very mobile sites with Vodafone Qatar hours in the country, without the need to apply auspiciously on the occasion of the World Tour- since 2009. It opened its ducts in advance for an entry visa. ism Day, a new milestone change in the country’s network to QNBN in 2012 and Previously, transit passengers with a mini- transit visa scheme. This is the third significant today the majority of the QNBN Deputy Emir H H Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani with Ambassador of India mum layover of eight hours were allowed to spend travel facilitation announcement from Qatar in network in Qatar passes through a maximum of 48 hours in Qatar. Under the revised the space of just one month. We are very pleased Sanjiv Arora on the occasion of the latter ending his tenure in the country, at the Ooredoo network. scheme, passengers with a minimum transit time to see that the work conducted by UNWTO with Emiri Diwan, yesterday. The Deputy Emir presented the outgoing envoy with “Ooredoo has not refused of five hours at HIA can stay in Qatar for up to 96 Qatar on visa facilitation is yielding results and the Sash of Merit in recognition of his role in enhancing bilateral relations and access to its network infrastruc- hours, without the requirement to apply for an entry trust that these will certainly result in an increase wished him success in his future assignments. The Ambassador expressed his ture and in its opinion, the CRA visa in advance. of visitors to Qatar,” said UNWTO Secretary-Gen- thanks and appreciation to the Deputy Emir and officials for the cooperation Decision and Order includes grave The transit visa is free of charge and avail- eral Taleb Rifai. he received during his tenure. errors,” said Ooredoo. able on arrival at Hamad International Airport → Continued on page 2 The CRA inserted modifications in the final Reference Infrastruc- ture Access Offer (RIAO) without consulting Ooredoo. Such modifi- cations may expose our network to mismanagement and would nega- Qatar spends QR1.8bn a year for diabetes treatment tively impact the quality of services that we offer to our customers, in particular government and public- By Fazeena Saleem H E Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari unfortunately, Qatar has not been expenditure for treatment will reach even more children, families and com- critical services. The Peninsula said yesterday. spared from this trend. Advances in QR8.4bn. munities than it does today. With that, “We have a duty to protect our She was addressing the opening medical technology and the delivery Also an estimated 50% of all dialy- the potential cost of treatment and customers and ensure service con- session of the International Diabe- of care in Qatar means most of those sis provided in Qatar is due to diabetes, its complications is likely to rise to tinuity. Our experience with QNBN tes Leadership Forum, which opened people are able to keep their diabetes half of acute coronary disease is asso- QR4.9bn by 2035,” said Dr Al Kuwari. shows that we need to be very DOHA: An estimated QR1.8bn is spent at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel yesterday, under control and learn to live along- ciated with diabetes and close to 70% However, she emphasised that careful in allowing third parties to annually on treating diabetes and in the presence of the Prime Minis- side it,” said Dr Al Kuwari. of all stroke patients have diabetes or the situation would change if every- utilise our networks,” it said. its complications in Qatar and the ter and Interior Minister H E Sheikh The minister said that one in six pre-diabetes, she added. one take responsibility to combat the The company said, the order potential cost is likely to rise to QR Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al (17%) of the adult population in Qatar “Our projections show us that disease by finding new ways to iden- requiring the adoption of the RIAO 4.9bn by 2035, with an expected Thani and a number of leading inter- suffers from diabetes. The number without any change, the number of tify people at risk, change prevention in its current form is not balanced increase in the number of diabetics national experts. of people with diabetes is predicted people suffering with diabetes is likely methods , and change lifestyle. and favours its competitors. in the country to 299,000 by that “Diabetes is one of the fastest to reach 299,000 in 2035. It would to double in the next 40 years, mean- year, the Minister of Public Health growing diseases in the world, and increase to 368,000 by 2055 and the ing this terrible disease would impact → Continued on page 3 → See also page 19 Doha College apologises for raising Israeli flag ‘I am an olive tree... not an ashtray’ By Irfan Bukhari is illegal at enclosed public places like The Peninsula The Peninsula means of public transport, schools, edu- cational and training centres, universities, hospitals, health centres and other edu- DOHA: The Doha College has apologised for raising the Israeli flag dur- cational and institutions and health ing a celebration in the campus recently to mark the beginning of the new DOHA: “I am not an ashtray,” is the plea of few facilities. Smoking is also prohibited at academic year, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education said yes- olive trees planted outside a shop at the Airport ministries and other government bodies, terday on its Twitter account. The ministry quoted a senior school official road. The beautiful trees are requesting the organisations, public corporations, sports as saying that the Israeli flag was raised mistakenly among other flags of smokers not to throw cigarette butts on their clubs, societies’ centres and public places, the United Nations member states during the ceremony and it was imme- beds. lifts, cinemas and theatres. diately removed. Responding to some tweets criticising the school over the “I am an olive tree. Not an ashtray.” It is No one can smoke at any industrial action, the Ministry said that private schools operate in the country under the story of smoking in outdoor public places establishments, commercial centres, res- the Qatari law and under the supervision of the ministry. In case of any and smokers’ indifferent attitude. This careless taurants and other places which sell food violation of the law, there are punishments specified in the law. behaviour of smokers prompted the shop owner or drinks to the public. The current law Doha College is one of the oldest British curriculum schools in Qatar to install a notice on the plant-beds in front of imposes a fine up to QR500 for smoking with about 1800 students on its rolls. According to the school the students his outlet advising people to avoid mistreating in closed public places, and a new anti- represent over 70 nationalities. beautiful trees. tobacco law is in the making proposing The olive trees themselves are a result of the stricter punishments. shop owner’s love for flora and his dedication As smoking is not allowed in closed Saudi King cuts ministers’ salaries by 20% in cultivating them in this unfriendly climate. public places, smokers without any hes- “The owner of the shop has special affec- itation satisfy their craving for tobacco in RIYADH: The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin tion for these trees. We were compelled to install open spaces including roads, pedestrian Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia yesterday cut cabinet ministers’ sala- these notice-plates on the beds, disappointed pathways, parks, bus waiting stands etc.