ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER 29 December 2012 16 Safar 1434 - Volume 17 Number 5563 Price: QR2 ON SATURDAY Qaradawi makes fervent plea for unity in Egypt DOHA: Prominent Islamic cleric Dr Yousuf Al Qaradawi has urged Egyptian Christians to remain united and help build a new Egypt. Delivering the Friday sermon at Al Azhar University Mosque in Cairo yesterday, he called on all Egyptians, Muslims and non- Muslims, rival political factions, the ruling elite as well as the opposition, to unite in the interest of their nation and to realise the goals of the January 25 revolution. Al Qaradawi, who heads the International Islamic Scholars’ Association, said: “Our religion orders us to remain united and discourage disunity.” His call for unity comes in the wake of President Mohammed Mursi facing chal- lenges over the constitutional referendum. The cleric said opinions can differ and this would enrich the nation, but to break national unity was not acceptable. “The January 25 revolution has taught us to sacrifice for each other and we are all Egyptian and we are not angels.” “All of us, including the government and Muslim Brotherhood and the opposition, can commit mistakes, but we should not continue making mistakes,” said the cleric. “I have met many liberals and secularists and they are not infidels. They all believe in God. We need to cooperate with them,” STRANGLEHOLD said Qaradawi. Qatar Airways awarded Saudi aviation licence RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) has awarded carrier licences to Qatar Airways and Gulf Air, the Saudi state news agency (SPA) reported yesterday, the first foreign airlines to win such a OF MONOPOLY licence in the kingdom. The licence, which 14 companies had applied for, is to operate both local and THE ISSUE international flights. Until now only the national carrier Saudi Airlines and budget airline National Air Services have serviced a domestic market Mohammed Sahir of around 27 million people. atar enforced a law in 2006 to curb The law has several articles that specify individuals and corporate entities against With Saudi Arabia’s price cap on domes- monopolistic business practices and that businesses must be run in a way that monopolistic trade practices and prevention Design: tic flights, private airlines have struggled encourage fair competition in line encourages competition, and prevent com- of fair competition. with their profit margins. Qwith its goal of becoming a free mercial deals that can pose hurdles to intro- The panel said it had received at least 10 market where the flow of goods and services duction of competition. complaints till then, but didn’t elaborate on that are either locally produced or imported It makes hoarding and manipulation that the nature of the complaints. The law author- 1991 Gulf War hero Norman is unrestricted, and monopolies do not exist. could lead to price fluctuations illegal, and izes it to conduct checks when tipped about But monopolistic practices still exist and also paves the way for setting up of a com- any violation or suspicions, but no one knows Schwarzkopf dies one example is the car dealerships which have mittee that would act as a watchdog against what action it has taken on the complaints. WASHINGTON: Norman Schwarzkopf, refused to fall in line and reduce their rates monopolistic trade practices. One of the main tasks of the committee the US general who drove Saddam despite repeated warnings by the state to The law specifies deterrent penalties for is to issue guidelines and to make the pub- Hussein’s forces from Kuwait in 1991 as mend their ways. violating its provisions, and the fines range lic aware of its role, rights and duties, and commander of the lightning campaign Lawyers say the content of the law from QR100,000 to a huge QR5m, depending explain to people and businesses how they known as Operation Desert Storm, has (Number 19 of 2006) is general, hinting at on the nature of the violation. can lodge complaints. died at the age of 78. the need to amend the legislation and make In 2008, an apex committee was set up with The panel is legally bound to submit annual Schwarzkopf died on Thursday in Tampa, it more specific by including provisions that members from various ministries, and it was reports to the Ministry of Business and Florida, where he retired after his last post- define monopolistic businesses of all types, headed by the chairman of Qatar Chamber, Trade, but it is not known if this committee ing as head of US Central Command, which small and big. “The provisions of this law the representative body of the private sector, has ever submitted a report and if it has, their controls operations in the Middle East and (No 19 of 2006) are general,” said Dr Saud Al Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassem Al Thani. contents have never been made public. South Asia. Azba, a prominent lawyer. The 10-member committee had two Critics say it is not even known if the The New York Times quoted Schwarzkopf’s He said car agencies do exist but they do experts, and a representative each from the committee is still operational or has become sister as saying he died from complications not prevent anyone from importing cars of Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry defunct. “If monopolistic trade practices are related to a recent bout with pneumonia. any brand. The rule applies to all products of Justice, Ministry of Energy and Industry, to stop and fair competition is to be intro- Saddam Hussein’s million-man army and services, said Al Azba. Qatar Central Bank and the customs and duced, the committee must play its role invaded Kuwait in 1990. Then President The role of the Consumer Protection ports authority. The Ministry of Business and effectively. This is the first key step towards George HW Bush assembled a coalition Department (CPD) of the Ministry of Trade had two members on this key panel. implementing the anti-monopolies law of of 32 nations and Schwarzkopf was given PAGEBusiness and Trade,6 according to him, A year later, the committee announced 2006,” a critic said. THE PENINSULA command of 425,000 US and 118,000 allied is restricted to monitoring food prices. that it had begun receiving complaints from See also Page 2 soldiers, a force which decimated Saddam’s military machine and drove it from Kuwait with minimal allied casualties. THE PENINSULA & AGENCIES www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 DECEMBER 29, 2012 ON SATURDAY 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Home Putting people before profits Qatar has enacted Toyota car from Abdullah Abdul Ghani at a price of QR302,000. many laws to After driving about 800 kilome- tres, I discovered that the car promote private had manufacturing defects in its brakes, electric connection businesses and as well as in the body. When I contacted the dealer, I was given diversify its a date to go to Sanaiya to check the car. Then the given date was predominantly extended by a few days. When the company confirmed the defects, I energy-based was told that they were normal defects. Subsequently, instead of economy. But when replacing the car with a new one, I was given two options by the car it comes to curbing dealer: either to get the problems fixed on company expense or re- monopolistic trade estimate the value of the faulty car and sell it back to the dealer. practices, it has miles Obviously, neither of the options suited me as I wanted the faulty to go. To achieve the car replaced or my money back.” Hamid said that despite reg- ambitious goal of istering complaints with the mother company in Japan, and transforming Qatar the Ministry of Business and Trade in Qatar, he did not get into a knowledge- his due. The presenter of the pro- based economy, the gramme, Abeer, said a similar case had been brought to light by country will have to an expatriate sometime ago, and as in Hamid’s case, his problem enact competition was not addressed satisfactorily by the company. laws to ensure She added that this was due to the monopoly enjoyed by the com- equitable business pany, which is the sole supplier of Toyota and Lexus cars in Qatar. opportunities for all. She said since there was no other company selling these brands of BY MOHAMMAD SHOEB cars here, buyers were left with no option but to buy from them. n Qatar there are many The presenter also sug- by monopolists and in duopolies, goods and services that gested that since the Ministry most economies of the world, have a single supplier. of Business and Trade had not Monopolies may including many emerging econo- Either they have no com- responded to Hamid’s complaint, mies, have enacted antitrust or petitors or have weak busi- he and other consumers should be tempted to competition laws and set up insti- Iness rivals with limited market contact the Consumer Protection tutions to protect the interests of share, qualifying them to be called Department (CPD), perhaps una- provide low- consumers as well as producers. monopolies or duopoly businesses. ware that the CPD comes under These antitrust bodies are tasked Car dealerships, telecommunica- the same ministry. quality goods with ensuring healthy competi- tions, public transport and many Abeer’s co-presenter said: tion in markets and protecting Fast-moving Consumer Goods “Monopolies create conditions or sub-standard the interests of consumers as well items fall in this category. for consumer exploitation, and as small and medium businesses.