ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER 20 July 2013 11 Ramadan 1434 - Volume 18 Number 5766 Price: QR2 ON SATURDAY Mideast peace talks to resume: Kerry AMMAN: Israel and the Palestinians have laid the groundwork for resuming peace talks after an almost three-year stalemate, US Secretary of State John Kerry said yesterday, though he cau- tioned the deal was not final and required more diplomacy. Kerry, winding up his sixth Middle East brokering mission this year, anticipated Israeli and Palestinian envoys would come to Washington soon for what a US offi- cial said would mark the launch of direct negotiations. “I am pleased to announce that we have reached an agreement that establishes a basis for resuming direct final-status nego- tiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis,” Kerry told reporters in Amman. See also page 9 Trayvon Martin could have been me: Obama WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama yesterday jumped into the debate over the acquittal of a man who killed black Florida teenager Trayvon Martin, HOUSING declaring that Martin “could have been me, 35 years ago” and urging Americans to understand the pain blacks felt over the case. Obama appeared in the White House press briefing room to offer his thoughts on the trial of George Zimmerman, the Sanford, Florida, neighbourhood watch volunteer who was found not guilty of murder for shooting Martin, 17, in a struggle in 2012. Without saying so specifically, Obama sided with those who say the shooting need not have happened, expressing sympathy to the Martin family and praising them for the “incredible grace and dignity with which TROUBLE they’ve dealt with the entire situation.” Bin Laden son-in-law THE ISSUE accuses US of torture NEW YORK CITY: Osama bin Laden’s son-in-law yesterday asked a New York sprawling Greater Doha for less than QR5,000. some equally greedy property owners. court to throw out terrorism charges In Qatar, more than 80 percent That makes up 55 percent or more than Such dormitory-style pigeonhole homes against him, partly on the grounds he had of the population (that is the half of the average monthly salary (based on carved out in flagrant violation of safety rules been tortured on the flight that brought percentage of expatriates) lives the first quarter (Q1) 2012 data) in a country and without the necessary official approvals him to the United States. that needs to woo expatriates in large num- pose a big risk to the safety of the men, women In a motion seeking the dismissal of the in rented accommodation. And bers to work on its infrastructure development and children who huddled in them. case, lawyers for former Al Qaeda spokes- house rents, according to global projects. Current housing development schemes seem man Sulaiman Abu Ghaith also claimed A severe dearth of affordable housing, with to be entirely ignoring affordable housing US officials had colluded with Iran over benchmarks, should normally take rents of up to QR3,500 ($961), has left peo- stocks, giving rise to talk in some expatriate his detention there for more than a decade up no more than 40 percent of a ple in lower-middle income groups struggling circles that with the arrival of sudden wealth, after the 9/11 attacks. household’s monthly income. looking for modest accommodation. Qatar doesn’t need foreigners in lower-middle The move marks the first salvo of a land- Developers have focused entirely on building income jobs. mark legal battle in which Abu Ghaith’s housing stocks within the city limits of Doha Reliable sources say that while the above lawyers will seek to challenge the US gov- he average monthly salary in the coun- and in its far-flung suburbs to cater to people argument is far-fetched, the fact remains that ernment’s conduct in the “war on terror.” try in 2011, the latest year for which in upper-middle and high income brackets. not many foreigners are willing to come here AGENCIES official statistics are available, was The situation, particularly since the severe for technical jobs at the middle-income level, TQR7,401 ($2,033). This figure rose to housing shortages caused by large-scale dem- discouraged by spiralling house rents. QR9,177 ($2,521) in the first quarter (January olitions for beautification and development Given Doha’s fast-changing skyline, the day to March) of 2012. projects during 2004-08, has led to the emer- is not far, argue sceptics, when only two cat- RAMADAN TIMING The averages are based on data from Qatar gence of a greedy class of middlemen. egories of people would be left in the country: Statistics Authority, which is now merged into This exploitative genre of go-betweens has those living in upper-middle and high-end the newly-created Ministry of Development been taking villas on rent and partitioning homes, and those at the other end of the social Today’s Iftar Planning and Statistics. them to carve out makeshift housing units to spectrum living in labour camps. Official figures for average house rents accommodate an increasing number of fami- Lower- and middle-income expatriate fami- 06:27pm are not available, but operators in Qatar’s lies desperate for a rented dwelling costing lies may gradually be pushed out by soaring thriving rental market say it is impossi- QR3,000 to QR3,500. rents and inflationary pressures, leaving a ble to get even a small independent hous- Sources swear the outlawed activ- vacuum in the local job market. Tomorrow’s Imsak ing unit on rent within the limits of the ity is thriving with the blessings of THE PENINSULA 03:19am www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 JULY 20, 2013 ON SATURDAY 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Home A shortage of affordable homes Continuing influx of foreign workers puts pressure on housing sector in Qatar DOHA: An Asian expatriate in owner of the building had suddenly had reached 1.96 million, and is a middle-income job that pays increased. expected to cross the two million- him close to QR10,000 ($2,746) These are not scattered cases of mark by year-end. a month, tired of looking for an middle-income families suffering, As more and more foreign work- independent housing unit he as the shortage of affordable hous- ers arrive in the country to engage could afford, had to eventually ing in the country worsens amidst in development projects being move into what was a make-shift an influx of foreign workers that is launched in preparation for the living space in a partitioned villa becoming heavier by the day. 2022 FIFA World Cup, the pres- compound in a working class Data released earlier by the sure on housing, as also on other locality of Doha. Qatar Statistics Authority, the resources, mounts. Living in a claustrophobic enclo- national statistics agency that is “Naturally, housing will be the sure, in his own words, with little now merged into the newly-set-up worst affected as the demand space for free movement for him, Ministry of Development Planning grows and shortages take place, his wife and a child is less of a chal- and Statistics, reflect that in the sending the rents spiralling,” says lenge than the fact that almost five months between January a real estate sector operator. every month there is a fight with and May of this year alone some Since many development neighbours over splitting water and 130,000 new recruits arrived in the projects are likely to be announced electricity bills. country, taking the population to after the summer break, real estate “This apart, the place is noisy 1.96 million, from 1.83 million by sources expect a sudden influx all the time, but we can’t move 2012-end. of foreign workers in just a few into an independent apartment In 2012 itself, the population months. as that is far beyond our means,” grew 7.5 percent, or more than And although a vast major- says the expatriate with a sense of a 100,000, topping the annual ity of them will be unskilled and helplessness. targets set within the National semi-skilled workers who would be An Arab family living for years Development Strategy (NDS) housed in labour camps, that are in an old apartment in the Old 2011-16. also in short supply and expensive, Airport area of the city had to An idea of unplanned popula- a small proportion would consist compromise its privacy and rent tion growth can be had from the of skilled workers and profession- out a room to a working woman to fact that while the target for 2013 als who would bring their families be able to afford the rent the new was 1.78 million, by May itself, it along and need housing. The situation is, thus, likely to turn worse especially as only 10,000 new housing units are expected Commercial retail space outlook to come on the market this year, again not in the affordable catego- groups. Ezdan and Barwa have A severely lack of affordable DOHA: The outlook for commercial retail space is no different ries, as against an estimated 18,000 built mass housing stocks for the housing has led to a mushrooming from residential units. Demand outstrips supply due to expo- that were added last year. Developers have above categories of expatriate fami- of villa compounds all over, mostly nentially growing population. The gross leasable area (GLA) per Some believe the growing pop- lies but the stocks are just not suf- in and around Doha that cater to capita of organized retail space (shopping malls) is much lower ulation could turn the situation largely focused on ficient to meet demand.