Job Discussion Forums

[wilberforce]

Net fraudsters target car buyers
By Sarmad Qazi

Visitors to the qatarliving.com website have pointed to some of the cars-for-sale ads as a possible scam where the items are listed at very low prices.
The vehicles, in most cases, are quoted at prices like QR20,000 and are described as �scarcely used� with mileage ranging from 20,000km-30,000km. Pictures of vehicles posted by the fraudsters bear no local number plates as opposed to other listings.
Interested parties who contact the listed addresses, usually e-mail ids ([email protected], [email protected]), are told the same story over and over again.
�The car is in excellent condition, no damage, never involved in any accidents, no scratches, garage kept. It is working properly. I am the first owner of the car. I am from London. I have a company here in UK and I�ve businesses in Qatar and this car was used only for driving in Qatar where I�ve had some stores. Here in London I have a car with the steering weel (wheel) on the right side so I do not use the car here. The car is registered in Qatar, I didn�t register in UK and all the papers are ok. Now I have closed the stores in Qatar and I do not need anymore the car so for the sale it goes. The car will be shipped by a company from UK to your country. I will pay for shipping and insurance so you don�t have to worry for more expenses.
The car will arrive to you in about two-three days and you will have three days to inspect it before taking a decision to buy it or not,� the fraudster, using the name �John Michael� writes, in a generic response to all queries.
On further interest, Michael generally responds that he is busy but has found a company that will help him ship the car �easily� and will handle shipping, payment and other charges. The potential customer, however, would have to transfer 40% of the car�s listed value to the shipping company who will notify the buyer �on how to make the payment.�
A spokesman for Qatarliving.com yesterday told Gulf Times that so far �no one has contacted us saying that they have been duped by these scamsters and actually lost money.�
The website, which is also a popular classified platform for a variety of small and large items, has a permanent warning for all prospective buyers: �Deal locally with people you can meet in person � follow this one simple rule and you will avoid 99% of the scam attempts.�
It also has a separate advisory in a section entitled �avoiding scams and fraud� for the not-so-discerning visitors.
But those with a keen eye insist that for any online transaction one must always be vigilant and choose wisely.

Online purchasers urged to be vigilant.


The Supreme Council of Information & Communication Technology�s (ictQatar) executive director William Fagan said any one transacting online should know the source (seller). �Buying anything online, especially something as big as a car should not be done without actually looking at it,� Fagan, a former head of consumer protection in Ireland, said. Although not under the ambit of ictQatar, Fagan suggested in case of grievance, a customer can go to the consumer protection department at the Ministry of Business & Trade, or register a police case. �A police case can be pursued since there are some provisions in the local laws that can be implied in online fraud,� ictQatar legal & regulatory manager Meegan Webb noted. �They (consumers) need to be informed, choose wisely and exercise their rights,� Webb said. �Just because a fraudulent ad was placed on a local website does not make the website a culprit. It�s similar to some housing agents putting misleading ads in local newspapers,� Fagan added.

[wilberforce]

Music cassettes destroyed at expo


Music cassette tapes were destroyed in a three-day exhibition organised by the youth wing of �Eid Charity� under the banner �My Life Without Music.�
A report in Arrayah newspaper stated that the exhibition was launched by Mohamed Hassan al-Muhanadi, Mosque Director in the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs.

The report added that the purpose of the exhibition was to replace music with �more useful� cassettes such as those with verses of the Holy Qur�an.
According to the report, 500 music cassettes including 50 belonging to one student were destroyed at the exhibition.
The campaign used Bluetooth to spread the message: �We should prefer the sound of paradise�s birds than that of fire.�
Awards were also distributed to those who destroyed the most number of cassettes.

[karachi]

The Klu Klux clan burned Beatles records in '65 and the Nazis used to burn books.

[wilberforce]

I know - but there are very few people in Qatar who think this way. Still people need to be aware of the conservative element here and behave accordingly. We are guests here, after all.

Although I am about to leave for good, I have had more good times than bad in Qatar and I really like the Qatari people. They are good-natured and and tolerant for the most part.

[wilberforce]

The end of the true heart of Doha and the beginning of the artificial heart. I hope it succeeds. The true heart had some fascinating places to poke around in, old palaces, crazy old buildings and lots of interesting characters living and working there. I don't want to see it all go but it has to. The wreckers are already there and one end of Karaba Street is a pile of rubble. I want to keep my memories of the old heart of Doha.


http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=304765&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16

Home is where Heart of Doha is

A computer-generated master plan of the Heart of Doha project
Dohaland has embarked on a series of activities, not only focusing on development, but also aiming at reinforcing its position as a sustainable and responsible company in Qatar, a spokesperson said.
The first of these activities, sponsored by Dohaland, was a seminar looking at the future of architecture in Qatar.
The seminar was attended by delegations of scholars and academics from world renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Also, a workshop jointly organised by Dohaland and the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture titled �Complementary not Contrary: From the Local to the Global in Architecture�, was held recently
The workshop was part of a knowledge-sharing exercise extended to support educational institutions, encouraging an exchange and sharing programme.
Coinciding with the official launch of the Heart of Doha Project, Dohaland organised a symposium at Q-REX 2009, which was attended by a diverse cross section of society on �Architecture and Urbanism: Rooting Contemporary Development in Local Heritage�.
Dohaland seeks to assert itself as a responsible developer considering the needs of the community by reversing the pattern of development and growth of Doha which in recent decades has tended towards isolated land uses with urban sprawl and heavy reliance on car transport.
The Heart of Doha will build an environment that supports and encourages sustainable, innovative communities, enriches individual lives, promotes environmentally-friendly living, and rediscovers the heritage and culture that makes a place unique.
Dohaland aims to regenerate a 35-hectare site in the Mohamed bin Jassim district, located in inner Doha, close to the historic origins of Qatar�s capital city, over five phases ending 2016.
The project draws inspirations from the vision of Qatar�s leaders and strives to create �an environment of freedom, creativity, innovation, communication, meeting and interacting�.
The Heart of Doha is Dohaland�s signature project that was created to regenerate the historically important centre of Doha, revive the Qatari architectural language of the past, and use its best qualities, combined with today�s technologies, in their modern context.
Seven principles will lead to the formation of Qatar�s new architectural language: timelessness; balance between diversity and unity; relationship between space and form; aspects of the home; aspects of the streets; designing for climate; and elements of architecture.
�The responsible approach to green building involves listening and responding to your environment and respecting it. The starting point for our research was the vision of HH Sheikha Mozah Nasser al-Misnad to look at the gap in Qatar�s architectural history and fill this gap with sustainable development comprised of the best techniques from our ancestors, in their modern context,� Dohaland chief executive officer Engineer Issa M al-Mohannadi said.
He added that Dohaland had spent more than three years collaborating and researching with world-class institutions such as MIT and Harvard, in order to develop the best model.
Al-Mohannadi stressed that, as the blueprint for the future, the Heart of Doha master plan was a culmination of understanding the history, climate and distinctiveness of Doha and the Qatari people.
He said that a number of peer-review forums were set up at regular intervals during which the latest design development was presented, thus forming the basis of detailed discussions and debates between the client, the design team and the peer review panel.
The master plan was debated and challenged by a peer panel of eminent professors with expertise in urban planning and knowledge of the history of the Gulf region.
The panel comprised professors from Princeton University, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Yale University, representatives of Aga Khan Professoriate of Islamic Architecture, and MIT.
In addition, four firms of distinguished architects were invited to test the conceptual master plan: Allies and Morrison, Porphyrios Associates, Mario Cucinella Architects, and Taller de Ideas.
�During this process, we have learnt a great deal about architecture and urban planning in the region, and how it can be different, more sustainable and more suited to its environment, especially in light of how our ancestors built old Doha with sustainability in mind. This is what forms the basis of the new architectural language for Qatar, as will be evidenced in Dohaland�s first project,� Engr al-Mohannadi added.
The Heart of Doha master plan was developed over a three-year period by internationally recognised consultants including ARUP / EDAW and Allies and Morrison.
The project�s development has now extended beyond master planning and into realisation, which will be delivered in five phases by a core team of industry experts; Turner in Joint Venture with Dohaland providing Project and Construction Management services, DTZ (Financial Feasibility), Rider Levett Bucknall (Cost Consultancy), ARUP / EDAW / Allies and Morrison (Design Regulation and Site Planning Approval), ARUP (Infrastructure), and Urbis (Retail).
Phase 1A, a cluster of three civic buildings continues to be designed by Allies and Morrison (Design Architect), Burns McDonnell (Executive Architect) and Gillespies (Landscape Architect).


A further major step to realisation of the regeneration of the Heart of Doha was the award, in mid-2009 to Bauer International Qatar LLC, of the first construction contract, the enabling works.
The Heart of Doha project team launched an international competition in early 2008 to select the best architects to design distinguished, world-class buildings for the project�s second phase, Phase 1B.
Dohaland has selected five major international design architectural firms; Allies and Morrison Architects, Mossesian and Partners, Dar Al Omran, Adjaye Associates and John McAslam and Partners.
The recent appointment of Aedas as Phase 1B�s executive architect reinforces Dohaland�s commitment to delivering the highest standard of built form.

[wilberforce]

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=292900&version=1&template_id=46&parent_id=26

[wilberforce]

I hope so but a lot of people feel that the new heartland will just be another amusement park. Well let's hope it all works out. Anyway, the new generation probably isn't interested in their past or perfer the sanitized versions they are constructing.

Goodbye and goodnight.

[wilberforce]

Call for designating areas for singles
Web posted at: 8/3/2009 2:58:52
Source ::: The Peninsula

DOHA: Single workers living side by side with families in residential localities cannot be moved out for security or social reasons unless there is a law empowering the authorities concerned to act against them, says a member of the Central Municipal Council (CMC).

�There is so far no such law,� laments Mohamed Al Azba (pictured) who represents South Maizer, a sprawling suburb of Doha, in the 29-member CMC. He says single workers living in his area and intermingling with families have posed problems for long. The problem has, though, eased a bit since most of the single workers were heavy vehicle drivers who were parking their vehicles in front of the houses they lived in, creating chaos in the locality. They have now been driven away.

�I contacted the Ministry of Interior and the traffic authorities and was successful in driving these elements away from the area,� Al Azba said.

According to him, one of his achievements has been that he has worked actively to get fellow citizens employment with the various ministries and government agencies and the beneficiaries include men as well as women.

As for public projects, the CMC member who was elected to the Council for the first time in 2007 (during the last CMC poll), said he has completed a number of important road and sewage projects in the ward.

The road linking South Maizer to Mesaimeer near Abu Hamour is complete. �The project was initiated and launched by me.�

While main roads in the constituency are in perfect condition, the state of internal streets is miserable. A Chinese company was actually awarded contract worth a staggering QR360m to upgrade the internal roads.

But the firm, which was awarded the work some two years ago, has not completed the project. �This raises the issue of why local companies are not awarded such key contracts,� said the CMC member.

Another major problem in his ward is low voltage which causes continual power supply disruptions. �I have been raising the issue with the authorities concerned and hope that something concrete would be done sooner rather than later to benefit residents. This is a serious problem.�

Al Azba said he is presently in talks with some local banks to open branches in his constituency since there are no bank branches in the area at all. According to him, he has also been successful in getting five schools for the area, two of which are to be opened this year.


http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=local_news&month=august2009&file=local_news2009080325852.xml

[wilberforce]

Bylaw issued to regulate Qatar telecoms sector
By Sarmad Qazi
The Supreme Council of Information and Communications Technology (ictQATAR) has issued the Telecommunications Executive By-Law No (1) of 2009, which will regulate the operations of telecoms service providers in the country such as Qtel and Vodafone.
Dr Hessa al-Jaber, ictQATAR secretary general said the issuing of the law was an important step in the �development and consolidation of the legal foundation for liberalisation of the telecoms sector in Qatar.� The law, published in the official gazette, came into effect on July 26.
The law, which has 132 articles, covers key areas including interconnection and access, tariff and pricing regulation, numbers and numbering, competition policy, consumer protection and fair trading and the resolution of complaints disputes.
For interconnection and access between service providers, the terms and conditions governing the exercise urge the parties to enter negotiations �into good faith� to reach agreement on connecting and keeping the telecom networks of both providers.
The law caps the number of days to 60 within which providers must reach an agreement from the date of receipt of the request for interconnection, failing which one or both parties may resort to ictQATAR for resolution.
Because the aim is to liberalise the market, more articles of the bylaw apply to a �Dominant Service Providers� as designated by ictQATAR, than a new entrant.
For tariff regulation, the ictQATAR will have the authority to review all service provider tariffs, including wholesale and retail tariffs, publication of which are also subject to prior approval.
The regulations make it mandatory for service providers in Qatar to publish an electronic copy of approved tariffs on their website, and maintain a paper copy for public at their main business centres.
Also, within 10 days from the day on which the tariff or a tariff revision was filed, providers are to place a notice of the tariff filing summary, including its commercial impact on customers in two local newspapers, Arabic and English each.
Cost studies will also have to be submitted to ictQATAR by providers which may propose price control methods.
Chapter focusing on numbers and numbering of the bylaw emphasises that both service providers and customers understand they have no property rights over numbers.
Numbers, for customers, can only be changed by service provider based on a request; a change in location (for fixed lines), a modification to the National Numbering Plan, or in case of �other reasonable� grounds by the provider.
The law did not detail the number portability plan, a vital concern to consumers in Qatar wanting to switch service providers, but added that following the �development (of the plan) � ictQATAR may issue other regulations.�
For the competition policy, ictQATAR shall issue a notice that establishes the standards determining whether Significant Market Power exists in particular relevant market. The Dominant Service Providers, subject to periodic designation review by ictQATAR, are prohibited from undertaking any activities or actions that abuse their dominant position, as per the bylaw.
For consumer protection and fair trading, the law calls on the service providers to provide customers with invoices at least once every three months; for free, in paper or electronic form, in a plain and simple format, and with accurate information on the services provided and the amounts due for each service, along with the method of calculation.
Service providers are also sanctioned to put current terms and conditions of service, tariffs, and rates on a user-friendly website where information pertaining to consumers� rights is easily navigated.
Further the service providers are not allowed to intercept, monitor or alter the content of a customer communication, except with the customer�s explicit consent or as expressly permitted or required by applicable laws of the State.
On dispute resolution between a customer and a service provider, the bylaw states that either party may resort to ictQATAR who will assign officials to attempt to resolve the dispute, issue a decision, or direct the parties to the competent court.

[wilberforce]

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=301197&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16

[lollaerd]

Qatar is Arab culture capital


By Ourouba Hussein/Staff Reporter






Al-Kuwari, al-Issawi and Ghannam cutting a celebration cake

Al-Quds Capital of Arab Culture 2009 programme concluded yesterday in a grand celebration, where the title was handed over to Qatar, which will initiate its own celebrations in 2010.

The celebration, held under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage, featured a mix of Palestinian and Qatari cultural dances and poetry recitals, performed by the students of the Palestinian School in Doha.

The event also included a photo exhibition, inaugurated by Qatar�s Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage HE Hamad Abdulaziz al-Kuwari, Palestinian Minister of Culture Ussama al-Issawi and the Palestinian Ambassador to Qatar, Mounir Ghannam. The exhibition featured Palestinian villages and cities, as well as destruction caused by the Israeli attacks.

In a keynote speech, the Ambassador Ghannam said the celebrations of Al-Quds Capital of Arab Culture 2009 included 600 cultural events, held in Jerusalem and all Palestinian cities as well as all capitals of the Arab world.

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=333694&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16

[lollaerd]

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=331648&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16

[lollaerd]

The parking situation is getting worse. Souk Waqef now charges you to park and it seems like other places are going to do the same!!!

Street battles� for parking




Cars parked outside a newly-constructed building in Doha Jadeed encroach on the road

Lines have been erased and boundaries encroached. The battle for parking a car has spilled out of the buildings on to the streets of Doha.

The battle has been raging for some time now. However, the constant addition of new residential buildings in densely-populated inner Doha has forced new tenants to park their cars on the roads, effectively reducing two-way streets to alleys.

�All these new private buildings are being built and they do not create enough parking facility,� said a long-time resident of Doha Jadeed.

�With the edges of the street usurped by the building during construction and half by their tenants� vehicles, how is any actual traffic supposed to get through,� asked the agitated tenant who claimed to have become tired of honking and yelling just to be able to park his modest hatchback.

While the increased prosperity of the last decade has encouraged the use of �super-sized� cars besides families owning multiple vehicles, the roads in the crowded areas of Bin Mahmoud, Musheireb, Muntazah, Najma, Doha Jadeed, Mughlina and Bin Omran have effectively become narrower.

Above all, a staggering 10,000 new vehicles are hitting Doha�s roads every month.

Meanwhile, popular malls, airport and souqs have already or will start charging for parking in Qatar.

�One would imagine the building permit section looking at the actual location before approving the design of a building. But judging by the haphazard construction taking place all around, it looks otherwise,� said a tenant in Bin Mahmoud.

�Because there was not ample parking provided in the building at the time of construction, cars will obviously be parked outside the buildings,� he said.

Some car owners have started �marking their territory� in what happens to be a public passageway. Building blocks, road-warning cones, empty bottles and anything that will stick to the road are being used.

�Now if you can safely back your car out of your building grazing past an annoying cone, manoeuvring between the garbage bin and road blocks, avoiding dents to your vehicle, congratulations. You have won the battle,� the Doha Jadeed resident said.

�But only for a day.�

[lollaerd]

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=335212&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16

[lollaerd]

More than 60 fake medical certificates seized in Qatar

The bogus documents were discovered during a scrutiny programme launched in April, to assess the authenticity of all medical documents, following a surge of more than 100 per cent in the number of foreigners applying for medical licences to practise in Qatar, officials said.Qatari authorities said that they have found more than 60 fake medical certificates submitted by people working in private clinics.

The bogus documents were discovered during a scrutiny programme launched in April, to assess the authenticity of all medical documents, following a surge of more than 100 per cent in the number of foreigners applying for medical licences to practise in Qatar, officials said.

"Every week we discover two to three fake certificates presented by people engaged in the profession of medicine, nursing or other medical professions and who came from all over the world," Dr Jamal Rashid Khanji, director of the Medical Licenses Department at the Supreme Health Council, was quoted as saying by the Qatari News. The fake official papers ranged from university degrees to experience certificates and certificates of competence and most of them were in nursing, the most widespread specialization in the health sector, he said.

According to Khanji, the Supreme Health last April commissioned DataFlow, an international document verification and screening company, to verify all the documents, certificates and experience summaries submitted by people seeking a medical position in Qatar.

The unprecedented authenticity verification covers the credentials of the medical staff hired before April and those who are currently applying for positions. Only diplomas granted by Qatar-based universities have been exempted from the check. The verification process is being carried out by the US company in compliance with the highest standards and procedures, the health official said.Khinji said that people holding fake certificates would be promptly sacked while serious cases, mostly related to the practice of medicine without a college degree, would be prosecuted.People whose certificates or degrees are proven to be fake will also be included in a blacklist to be circulated in all GCC countries.