Friday 6 June 2014 8 Sha’baan 1435 Volume 19 Number 6088 Price: QR2 GM fires 15 over ignition scandal Business | 14 10 46 DAYS TO GO www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Sheikha Al Mayassa attends heritage forum Unified tourist New building visa for GCC states likely site rules DOHA: A committee set up to assess the feasibility of a unified tourist visa for the GCC coun- tries has said the proposal is excellent and would immensely boost tourism in the region. on the anvil Recommendations of the experts’ committee will be tabled 10,500 raids on firms in Q1: Official at the next GCC leaders’ summit in Doha, for review and ratifica- DOHA: The Ministry of Labour upgrading its rules and systems tion, Saudi Arabia-based news and Social Affairs has punished to conduct checks on construc- website ‘alyaum’ (‘Today’ in more than 200 companies in the tion sites to ensure that workers’ Arabic) reported yesterday. first quarter (January-March) rights are protected. The Higher Consultative of this year for violating key Construction sites will soon be Authority of the GCC Secretariat- provisions of the labour law. connected to Ground Positioning General was tasked by the lead- More than 1,000 firms were Systems and labour inspectors ers at their last summit in Kuwait issued warnings by the ministry would be able to locate them with H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson, Qatar Museums, along with officials to conduct a technical study to as they were not fully complying ease with the help of electronic and guests attending the opening of the annual World Heritage Youth Forum 2014 in Sharq Village and Spa see if the proposal to have a uni- with the provisions that aim at devices. In 2011, the Cabinet had set yesterday. Report on page 3 fied tourist visa for the GCC was protecting workers’ rights. up a national occupational safety feasible. A total of 10,500 raids on some committee as part of the ministry The authority appointed a com- 7,443 firms were conducted by to find out the reasons why workers mittee of experts from the region inspectors in the first quarter. suffer injuries in work place and to and asked them to conduct the Of these, routine inspections take remedial measures. study. The head of the authority, were conducted on 6,523 compa- Many hospitals exclusively Dust winds to continue today Najeeb Al Shams, said the panel nies to check their compliance meant for workers are being built had completed the study. with the labour law. And 3,485 in the country, said Al Hanzab. DOHA: The strong dust winds Meanwhile, the dust storm at the hospital. Asthma patients “The committee has found raids were conducted on work A wage protection system is lashing the country over the caused a sudden increase in the would take more time to return that the proposal is excellent and sites of 920 companies to check being launched whereby workers past two days are expected to number of people, especially chil- to normalcy. would considerably boost tourism their compliance, specifically with will be paid their wages by their continue until this afternoon, dren, seeking treatment for res- The Paediatric Emergency in the region,” the website said. occupational safety rules. employers through banks and according to the Meteorology piratory illnesses over the past in Al Sadd, however, has not A unified tourist visa for the Temporary bans were imposed exchange houses. Department. two days. reported any noticeable increase region would come in handy on some three percent of the Labour inspectors will check As the winds subside, tem- The Paediatric Emergency at in the cases following the dust as people entering one mem- firms as punishment for violat- online which companies haven’t perature would start rising Wakra Hospital received about winds, according to the daily. ber-country wouldn’t need to ing the law, while 15.9 percent of paid wages to their workers in again, reaching a maximum of 40 380 cases on the two days, nearly The emergency receives an approach the embassy or con- them were issued warnings. These time and action will be taken degrees Celsius during peak hours 100 more compared to other days. average 1,000 cases daily and sulate of another member-state companies have been asked to against them, said the diplomat. of the day, about three degrees Normally, the section receives there was no significant change to acquire entry visa for that correct their situation. There are 198 inspectors with higher compared to yesterday. 250 to 300 children on average in the number over the past two country. About 80 percent of firms were the ministry and only 16 of them The maximum temperature every day, a local Arabic daily days. “You could enter one GCC found to be complying with the are women, Al Hanzab said. He recorded in Doha yesterday was reported yesterday. Experts have warned against country on a unified visa and visit law. This was disclosed by Qatar’s said there is no discrimination 37 degrees C, according to the The cases almost doubled at the exposing children and asthma all member-states,” the website Permanent Representative at the against women in the selection department. general emergency of the hospi- patients to the bad weather. quoted Al Shams as saying. UN Office in Geneva, Faisal bin of inspectors. They are treated Northwesterly winds would tal, reaching 75 against the daily People have been advised to Not only regional airlines but Abdullah Al Hanzab, yesterday at as equals with men. Their sala- change direction to northeast- average of 30 to 35. wash their face, eyes and nostrils sea and land transport would also a meeting on the sidelines of the ries and perks are the same. They erly by this afternoon, blowing at Majority of the patients were frequently as a precaution against get a boost due to a unified tour- International Labour Conference are given the same incentives, he speeds ranging from five to 15-20 discharged after giving first aid, tiny dust particles entering the ist visa, according to the website. which ends on June 12. Qatar is added. THE PENINSULA knots. said the daily, quoting a source body. THE PENINSULA THE PENINSULA Brazil floatballs Current budget 3 illegally partitioned year could be extended to villas vacated in Doha DOHA: Action against illegally The focus is also on singling December 2015 partitioned villas in the city has out breach of rules in buildings begun, with inspectors from relating to hygiene and commer- DOHA: Qatar might extend the Doha Municipality cracking cial outlets. current budget year (April 1, down on three and evicting the Some 15 cases of violations 2014 to March 31, 2015) by nine occupants. have been referred to police while months so it ends on December The villas were violating Law warnings have been issued in 19. 31, 2015 — after which a new No. 4 of 1985 that regulates build- At least seven buildings have financial year (January to ings and prohibits any kind of been vacated as they were hous- December) can be adopted. expansion or partitioning without ing illegal labour camps. Some 13 There is a possibility the permission from the municipality cases have been detected where present budget year could be of the area. corrective steps have not been extended until 2015-end, Al The villas were singled out by taken despite warnings. Sharq reported yesterday, quot- inspectors during a crackdown. Teams have discovered that ing sources. The ongoing campaign aims at many expats were running busi- The new fiscal year could then not only catching illegally parti- nesses from buildings without begin for the state from January tioned villas in the city but also permission. Officials from the 1, 2016, ending on December 31, labour camps existing in residen- Inspection Department and other and this pattern could follow after tial areas in violation of another civic units are taking part in the Two ‘floatballs’, football-shaped electric boats, are ready to receive tourists during the FIFA World Cup 2014, that. law. crackdown. THE PENINSULA at Complex Lagoon in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, yesterday. The boats were imported from South Africa and the To recall, the Cabinet, at its weekly meeting last Wednesday, number will increase to 10. approved a draft law that, among others, seeks to change the finan- cial year from April-March to January-December. The aim is to ensure com- Expat sentenced to life for killing friend in cold blood patibility with local and foreign businesses, especially global finan- DOHA: A criminal court has flat on the night of the incident. This perhaps enraged the The victim slumped but that placed scrap newspapers over it cial entities like International sentenced an Asian expat to life The victim was alone and busy in convict and a heated exchange didn’t stop the attacker. He went and set it ablaze. Monetary Fund and credit after he was found guilty of kill- the kitchen, cooking. The convict ensued, local Arabic daily Al into the kitchen, grabbed a knife The convict left but while he agencies. ing a fellow Asian and friend in entered the kitchen and the duo Watan reported yesterday. and began stabbing him in the was on his way out, a neighbour The draft law that is to be cold blood. began talking. Then, suddenly the convict saw chest. of the victim who knew him saw referred to the Advisory Council The victim lost his life because The visitor asked for a loan and a small iron rod nearby, picked it In a state of utter shock, the him.