ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Wednesday 2 January 2013 20 Safar 1434 - Volume 17 Number 5567 Price: QR2 Law to David Ferrer regulate PPP rallies past soon: Minister Brown Business | 17 Sport | 28 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Real estate Saudi Air Force graduation bounces back after long lull Experts expect rise in rents DOHA: The real estate sec- Market analysts expect the tor is witnessing a boom after a real estate sector to grow more prolonged lull, with transactions aggressively in 2013 with a likely almost doubling in 2012, and the influx of an additional over prices of land near existing and 600,000 foreign workers to engage planned development projects in the booming building activity in across the country galloping to the country. incredible highs. “Land prices already have The value of real estate deals increased by 50 percent in 2012, struck last year totalled a stag- and with a slew of development gering QR42bn ($11.5bn), up 59.1 projects lined up for launch this percent over 2011. The transac- year, more and more foreign tions averaged a record QR3.5bn companies are likely to enter a month or, QR175m a day. the Qatari market,” an analyst The onset of the boom bodes who didn’t want his name in well for the country which is host- print said. ing the coveted 2022 FIFA World With nearly 600,000 more Cup, but experts warn it could workers expected to arrive this lead to an escalation in house year, the demand for housing is rents that already are showing likely to go up considerably as signs of an upswing. the population would explode way The national office for sta- beyond two million. tistics, Qatar Statistics Office Currently, housing supplies (QSA), has though, recently said exceed demand but the situation Royal Saudi Air Force jets fly in formation during a graduation ceremony for Air Force officers at King Faisal Air Academy in Riyadh yesterday. while releasing consumer price might reverse by the year-end, See also page 7 indices the chances of a repeat of said the analyst. This means that the peaks home rentals witnessed house rents would begin spiral- during 2006-08 are remote. ing again. According to real estate reg- Market reports suggest there istration data provided by the has been a steady increase in Sponsorship review possible, says report Ministry of Justice, the first the prices of land, particu- quarter of 2012 saw transactions larly in Doha and its sprawling worth QR13.3bn, compared to suburbs. DOHA: A review of the spon- from the issue of labour condi- it to benefit the region,” Thawadi is attempting to address this per- QR5.3bn during the correspond- For instance, in Al Thumama, sorship system is possible as tions. In January last year, the said. Qatar already has reasonably ception and improve the condition ing period of 2011. which is close to the Doha the award of the 2022 FIFA secretary-general of the Qatar stringent regulations for labour, of workers, but contractors are The total value of the deals International Airport, the first World Cup has put Qatar in the 2022 Supreme Committee, Hassan but implementation and monitor- divided over the impact the 2022 during the next quarter of signs of infrastructure develop- international spotlight, says the Al Thawadi, said at a news con- ing has often been a problem, says event and the state’s commitment 2012 was QR10.2bn as against ment led to a 72.2 percent jump in Oxford Business Group in its ference here that major sporting The Report. According to a May to labour rights will have on the QR8.38bn during the same period land prices to QR310 per square latest report on Qatar. events shed a spotlight on condi- 2011 report by the International ground. The Report quotes a key of 2011. foot. Greater international exposure tions in the host countries. Trade Union Confederation official from Aljaber & Partners, The total in the third quar- It is likely that the announce- has created pressure (on Qatar) “There are labour issues here, (ITUC) on labour conditions in Ammar Ammar, as saying that ter stood at QR7.79bn compared ment of rail and metro station to abide by international norms but Qatar is committed to reform. Qatar and the UAE, “Even when he didn’t see labour or sponsor- to QR5.07bn in Q3 of 2011. The locations, as well as other govern- and practices. Nowhere is this We will require contractors to laws are changed to benefit the ship reform happening until 2018, fourth and the last quarter of ment projects, will have an even more evident than in the field impose a clause to ensure inter- workers, there are often short- and by then the bulk of the work 2012 saw transactions worth greater impact on land prices, of labour regulations, says ‘The national labour standards are met. falls in their implementation, and for the 2022 event will have been QR10bn as compared to QR7.6bn said the analyst. Report — Qatar 2012’. Sport, particularly football, is a migrants are frequently unaware completed. THE PENINSULA in Q4 of 2011. THE PENINSULA The organisers have not shied very powerful force. We can use of their rights”. The government Continued on page 4 Falconry festival Qatar’s population UAE won’t imprison expats rises by 7.5pc to over bounced cheques 1.83m in 2012 DUBAI: The United Arab Ministry of Presidential Affairs was DOHA: Qatar’s population has Emirates (UAE) will stop impris- quoted as saying. surged 7.5 percent in a year oning expatriates for writing In July, a British businessman and was more than 1.83 million cheques that bounce, Abu Dhabi who had been jailed for nearly as on December 31, 2012, the daily The National reported yes- three years in Dubai for writing bad National Office for Statistics terday, citing a senior official. cheques was released when his con- said yesterday. The UAE’s tough penalties for viction was overturned following a The data represent the number defaulting on loans, which is a seven-week hunger strike. The UAE of persons of all ages, both nation- criminal offence in the Gulf Arab has no bankruptcy laws to protect als and non-nationals, within the monarchy, were relaxed for Emirati debtors and many have called for boundaries of the country, Qatar citizens in October after a royal the decriminalisation of bounced News Agency (QNA) reported, decree. cheques. “Federal public prosecu- citing figures released by the “In line with the directives of tions in the country have, indeed, Qatar Statistics Authority (QSA). Sheikh Khalifa... and in the spirit released expatriate detainees as The figure does not include of fairness and equality, the courts has been the case of their Emirati citizens and expatriates who have stopped as of last month counterparts who were freed last were out of the country as on accepting collateral cheques pre- October,” The National quoted judge December 31, 2012. A disturbing sented as a criminal tool against Jassem Saif Buossaiba, head of the trend, though, is that the gap in Falconry enthusiasts registering names for the fourth International Falconry and Hunting Festival at expatriate debt defaulters,” Ali Judicial Inspection Department at male-female population has been Katara yesterday. Six cars and QR1m in prizes will be given away to winners of contests. Khalfan Al Dhaheri, head of the the Justice Ministry, as saying. yawning. Some 74 percent of the Legal Affairs Department at the REUTERS See also page 4 population was male and only 26 percent female. Meanwhile, a real estate expert and developer, Khalifa Al Rush for gun permits in Delhi Iran warns off spy planes Fatah celebrations in Gaza 60 killed in I Coast stampede Muslemani, believes an additional 600,000 foreign workers might NEW DELHI: Hundreds of women in DUBAI: Iran has warned off foreign GAZA CITY: The Gaza branch of ABIDJAN: At least 60 people died and arrive this year to work on new Delhi have applied for gun licences fol- surveillance planes that have tried to Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas’ dozens more were injured in Abidjan as projects that are being launched. lowing the gang rape and murder of a approach its forces during naval drills Fatah party has started celebrations of crowds that had gathered for celebratory He told Al Sharq he expected 23-year-old woman by six men in a bus in in the Strait of Hormuz, an Iranian its 48th anniversary in the Hamas-ruled New Year’s fireworks stampeded over- a slew of development projects to the city last month. The news underlines military spokesman said yesterday. The territory, a local leader said yesterday. night, Ivory Coast rescue workers said be launched this year which may the widespread sense of insecurity in the drills, which began on Friday, are aimed “Yesterday we lit the light starting the yesterday. Images broadcast by RTI tel- add some 600,000 new recruits to city, deep before the incident and deeper at showcasing Iran’s military capability anniversary of the revolution,” Atef Abu evision showed bodies stretched life- the workforce. now, and the lack of faith in law enforce- in the key shipping route. Seif said. less on the ground outside the city’s THE PENINSULA ment agencies. See also page 14 See also page 6 See also page 7 main stadium. See also page 10 WEDNESDAY 2 JANUARY 2013 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME Qatar Airways New Year’s Eve hits out at Lindner claims LDI ‘badly defaulted’ on contract DOHA: Qatar that LDI was adding Airways yester- insult to injury by day hit back at denying that its delay statements by caused huge damages German Emirati and that LDI should joint venture com- pay compensation for pany Lindner such damages.