Globalisation is a Key Regional Challenge, say Regional Heads

ABDULLA AL ZAMIL - LEADERS IN DUBAI

Leadership debate identifies necessary qualities and burning issues for business and political success

DUBAI - 12th May 2004 Arabia's integration into the global economy and the management of its human capital are two key challenges facing both corporate and government leaders, according to regional business heads. In the build-up to the Leaders in Dubai conference, to be staged at the Dubai International Convention Centre (DICC) on November 29-30 2004, a panel of experts debated issues of leadership, alongside the conference's project director Sheena Dunne. Addressing the leadership debate, Saudi industrialist, Abdulla Al Zamil, chief operating officer of Saudi Arabia's Zamil Industrial Investment Company, claimed flexibility is critical to leadership, whether in government or business. He said: "Leaders need to keep pace with the changing world. "We are in an era of alliances. As in politics, there are no permanent rivals in the business world, and we will continue to see the world's leading players enter into strategic alliances with each other.

" According to Mark A Morgan, managing director and head of Gulf onshore, Citigroup Private Bank, the lowering of global boundaries is an issue facing many leaders today. He said: "Leadership is about being adaptable to change and uncertainty. Being robust enough to withstand change or to adapt to change is a competitive advantage that corporations should focus on. We live in a world that is more susceptible to change and uncertainty than ever before, due to the forces of globalisation and technology." Bharat Jashanmal, managing director of one of the region's leading retail groups, Jashanmal Group, claims that leadership styles in Arabia are no longer subject to differentiation in style from the rest of the world. "Corporate Arabia's leadership model should not be different from that of the international arena, other than to take regional cultural issues into account.

"Nor should the leadership model vary from government to business: a corporation is responsible to its owners, while a government - irrespective of how it is formed - must be responsible to its citizens." According to project director Dunne, good leaders evolve how they operate according to their audience. "Whether you are in the game of politics or business, a leader must be a player, coach, cheerleader and referee - able to motivate a team, develop a game plan, run all the plays and enforce the rules. "Playing all these complex roles takes rare gifts. The main difference being that these talents in most countries are more richly rewarded in the private sector than in the public. "Capable political leadership is critical to solving the many problems facing the world, and capable corporate leadership is critical to business success. Leadership values According to Jashanmal, just one word defines good leadership - vision.

Dunne agrees, saying: "Leadership is about developing a vision, sharing the goals, gaining support and delivering success." This theme was continued by Al Zamil. "A good leader is, first and foremost, a visionary, who dares to dream. He is a true workaholic: he not only dreams but also works to achieve results. He leads by example. "He has a clear set of values and does not compromise on them, even if at times he is at a loss. He respects people." Human capital All the speakers agreed that the management of human capital was critical. Morgan said: "Perhaps the most important leadership issue is to find, motivate and retain talent. In a globalised economy, talent moves in the direction of the best opportunity, wherever it may be in the USA, Europe, Asia or the Middle East. Business leaders will be spending more time focusing on this in the future."

According to Al Zamil, many corporations are guilty of an all-consuming quest to increase the bottom-line profits. He said: "We are all so overwhelmed in our pursuit of maximising the shareholder value, before achieving the customer satisfaction and delight. "It should be other way round. Employees are the most important asset a company can have. If we keep them happy, they will work with motivation and that will make customers happy. Satisfied customers result in better financials for the firm and thus making the shareholders happy too." Dunne argued that it is the role of a good leader to understand the potential of managing human capital more holistically. "Leaders should create the human capital linkages to the organisation's mission and strategy. After building a human capital plan consistent with those linkages, leaders need to rally support for the plan," she said. Seven global leaders In November, Dubai will host seven of the world's most influential leaders, including Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York, and Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric. As well as Giuliani, the global leaders on stage include: Harvard Business School Professor Michael Porter, Tom Peters, the management guru; best-selling author Frank Maguire; MIT's Professor of Management and Economics, Lester Thurow; and the influential futurist Alvin Toffler.

Welch will address the audience via a live satellite link. The twin-city event has been billed as a first and is expected to attract up to 1,500 business leaders to Dubai. Dunne, the event's project director, stressed that Leaders in Dubai is a ground-breaking event, offering a first-class opportunity to discuss significant issues with seven of the world's business leaders. She said: "Each of the speakers will deliver a discussion on a particular aspect of leadership to the audience who will have the chance to debate these points." Corporate ambassadors Leaders from the business and semi-government sectors have confirmed their support as corporate ambassadors for the event, as a direct response to a request from the conference speakers. The seven global leaders wanted a group of the most recognised and contemporary business leaders in the Middle East to be present at the event to debate ideas for future leadership development in the region Among those lending their support to the event is Fadi Ghandour, founding president and CEO of Jordan-based courier & logistics group, Aramex International. According to Ghandour, leadership styles should be the same across government and corporations. "Only the service type and products are different, but management in government has to be as good - of not better - than the private sector.

"Governments fail in management skills today because they do not have the same sense of responsibility and accountability as the private sector." According to Ghandour, leading from the front line is key. "Leadership is about having a vision, creating a culture of trust, and building a great team. Then, it is about communicating with your people and being totally transparent: leadership is always about being in the front line and setting the example that others follow." Mubarak Al Muhairi, director general, Al Ain Economic Development and Tourism Promotion Authority, said that no one quality can be isolated in a great leader, but a combination of several. He said: "Communication skills, total market awareness and 'savvy' and a visionary outlook are all key. None of these individual characteristics can stand alone."

According to Khamis Al Muqla, chairman and managing director of Gulf Saatchi & Saatchi and founder of Gulf Hill & Knowlton, self-awareness is a useful personal quality in a leader. Outstanding leaders maintain a positive 'can do' sense of confidence which enables them to be shapers rather than followers, even in the face of opposition. This prime personal quality is built upon success and learning in a broad range of varied situations over time. His Excellency Sheikh Faisal bin Khalid Al Qassemi, chairman of the Sharjah-based Al Qasimi Group of companies, said that a constant quest for success is vital. "Outstanding leaders are motivated by wanting to make a real difference to people's lives by delivering a high quality service or product and by constantly developing improvements to service. The primary focus should be the achievement of goals for the greater good of others, and not the leader's own reputation. " Leading Minds specialises in presenting the latest thoughts and groundbreaking ideas from pre-eminent international business authorities. Leaders in Dubai is set to become an annual event. It has attracted the attention of established brands as key sponsors, including Citigroup, Ferrometal and SABIC. Al Hayat, Ameinfo.com, CNN and Gulf Business are on board as key media partners. (KM Bureau Dubai)

DUBAI FESTIVAL CITY STRENGTHENS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

DUBAI - 15th May 2004 Dubai Festival City, the waterfront 'city-within-a-city' under development on the banks of Dubai Creek, has appointed five new directors as the centreplace destination gains momentum in its first construction phase. "These five will oversee and guide a number of areas of the development," said Mr Omar Al Futtaim, CEO of the Al-Futtaim Group, developers of the Dubai Festival City Development. "As momentum builds, there are significant factors that will need to be addressed at a board level and the appointment of these highly experienced and professional directors will ensure we are prepared for the elevation of activities in a number of arenas.

" David Glanville-Williams B.Sc. is the newly appointed Managing Director of Dubai Festival City LLC. Mr. Glanville-Williams will lead a team of highly qualified directors in the fields of Development, Finance, Leasing and Marketing, Human Resources and Construction Management. "With 40 years experience in the project management, construction and development management of a range of major commercial, industrial and civil construction projects, David is driving the first phase of Dubai Festival City which includes the development of the Al Badia Golf Resort and our jewel-in-the-crown destination - the Waterfront Centre," said Mr. Al-Futtaim. Foundation work has already begun on the Waterfront Centre, Dubai Festival City's 2.5 million square feet of retail, hospitality and entertainment offerings. The Al Badia Golf Resort is close to welcoming the first golfers onto its 18-hole championship Robert Trent Jones II designed course; its residential show-homes opened at the beginning of April and its first residents are set to move in during August this year.

Joining Dubai Festival City as Director of Design and Construction, Robert David brings a wealth of project management experience to the project having been involved in developments as diverse as Kuala Lumpur's new Central Railway Station and Sydney's Olympic Park Gold Precinct and Darling Harbour Precinct. Robert has over 30 years experience and will bring that knowledge to bear on a number of aspects involving the design and construction elements of the project. Brett Schafer has joined Dubai Festival City as Development Director. Prior to joining the team, Brett was Chief Executive Officer of Thomas Consultants Inc., a retail and mixed use property development consulting firm specialising in the determination of optimum development strategy for retail property projects and zones around the world. Mr. Shafer's role will incorporate market analysis, project positioning, merchandise strategy, tenant mix planning and general development strategy.

His commercial property career spans 24 years, the majority focused in various roles in the retail and mixed-use property sector. Joining as Director of Finance is Marwan Shehadeh. Previously Chief Financial Officer of Kingdom Hotel Investment Group - the entity under which HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdelaziz Al Saud implements his investment strategy in the Middle East hotel sector - Mr. Shehadeh is responsible for negotiations related to the numerous hotel and hospitality elements of the development, including the recently announced InterContinental Dubai Festival City. As, Mr. Shehadeh is also in charge of the financial management of Dubai Festival City.

With visible development work underway on a number of facets of Dubai Festival City, attention turns to the massive requirements for manpower during development phases and on into operational existence. Dubai Festival City's new Director of Human Resources, Hamish Johnstone, worked for two years as Group Human Resources Manager for the Al-Turki Group in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia. His experience in human resources and especially strategic HR and organisational development, will form the bedrock on which the organisation builds the personnel team to bring Dubai Festival City to life. These five appointments signal a new level of activity at Dubai Festival City and will help the project realise its full potential as a centreplace destination.

GCC Delivers Strong Growth for Philips Consumer Electronics in First Quarter of 2004

Dubai, UAE, May 12, 2004 - Shoppers in GCC countries snapped up Philips consumer electronics products - from Flat and Slim TVs to DVD players/recorders - during the first quarter of 2004, contributing to continued double and triple digit growth. These increases over the same period in 2003 also were driven by strong institutional sales, which included the installation of 400 TVs at Bahrain's International Circuit, home of the Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix.

The breakdown by country included a whopping 200% growth in Bahrain, 122% growth in Qatar, a similar 120% jump in Oman, 40% growth in Kuwait and a 20% increase in the United Arab Emirates. "Consumers continue to choose Philips' innovative and stylish products because they enhance the viewing and listening experience, whether at home or on the go. With thanks to our customers and to the partnerships of trust with our distributors, we at Philips celebrate another set of truly impressive sales figures," said Khalid Tuer, Regional General Manager, Philips Consumer Electronics MEA.

"We are committed to continuing this impressive level of growth into the future through enjoyable shopping experiences at our distributors' showrooms and with products designed and developed to give viewers and listeners the most rewarding experiences," Tuer added. Television sets helped drive these dramatic year-on-year results, as product-line figures for the UAE show. The 25/29-inch TV sets jumped an enormous 129%, while Flat and Slim TVs grew by nearly the same amount, at 122%. DVD players/recorders continued to sell strongly, with sales up 66%, while home-theatre-in-a-box systems climbed 54%. The strong start to the year continues the double- and triple-digit sales growth across the consumer electronics product lines recorded during 2003.

Nehru Dynasty Back in Power ..Kerala Rejects Karunakaran's Dynastic Dreams

LDF sweeps Kerala Election with 18 Seats; Congress Eats Dust

By R S Priya KM correspondent

Thiruvananthapuram May 13: In the Lok Sabha elections, Marxist-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) has bagged an unprecedented 18 seats out of the total 20 seats in Kerala. The United Democratic Front (UDF) led by Congress received major jolt with single seat, that also due from to its alliance with the Muslim League in Ponnani. For the first time the electoral history of Kerala, Congress could not get even a single seat in Kerala due to serious infighting and nepotism. It is for the first time in the history of Kerala politics that Congress has faced such a total rejection by the educated and politically conscious electorate.

BJP led NDA (National Democratic Alliance) received a single seat, due to its alliance with an opportunist Kerala Congress leader P C Thomas, son of late P T Chacko, who helped the NDA open its first seat in Kerala. However, the victory of PC Thomas has nothing to do with the BJP ideology or electoral promises as the party was voted out of power from the center and its own minister O Rajapgopal could not win the election. In Thiruvananthapuram, it has been a tremendous victory for LDF candidate P.K.Vasudevan Nair - former state chief minister -who has won with a thumping majority defeating the UDF opponent V.S.Shivakumar. The BJP candidate Rajagopal MP, a minister in the BJP Government, was pushed to the third position. What is astonishing is the fact that Rajagopal gained 1 lakh votes more than the BJP account in the previous elections. He bagged 286057 votes. In Kollam, P.Rajendran of LDF who bagged a total of 355279 votes defeated S.Rajashekharan of UDF with 244208 votes.

In Chirayinkizh, V Radhakrishnan of LDF defeated M.I.Shanavas of UDF. In Kasargod, P Karunakaran of LDF bagged the seat with 435195 defeating N A Mohammed of UDF who got 328126 votes. AP Abdullakutty of LDF defeated Mullappally R of UDF and in Vadakara, P.Sathidevi of LDF with 429294 votes defeated M T Padma of UDF. In Kozhikode, Virendra Kumar MP of LDF who bagged 340111 votes defeated V Balaram of UDF. It is for the first time in the history of Manjeri - a Muslim majority constituency -that a Muslim League candidate had to face defeat. There too LDF bagged the seat. With 429703 T K Hamsa defeated K P A Majeed of Muslim League who got 381525 votes. In Ponnani E Ahmed, Member of parliament of Muslim League gained for UDF the single vote that it obtained. He bagged 354048 votes and defeated LDF candidate P P Suneer with 251289 votes. It was reported that there was hectic campaign for Muslim League candidates, with the money donated by the Gulf based NRI business tycoons. A report in Deshabhimani said huge quantity of gold was smuggled out from Dubai to fund election campaign for the UDF/Muslim League candidates.

Despite this hectic campaign the Muslim minority voters rejected Muslim League enmasse due to some ugly remarks by the state chief minister A K Antony and the partisan stand in the Maradu communal riots. In Palakkad N.N.Krishnadas of LDF (375144 votes) defeated Vijaya Raghavan of UDF ( 276986 votes). In Ottapalam S.Ajayakumar of LDF defeated K.A.Thulasi of UDF. C.K.Chandrappan of LDF defeated A.C.Jose of UDF in Thrissur. In Ernakulam, Sebastian Paul of LDF defeated Edward Edezhath of UDF and in Muvattupuzha, P.C. Thomas of NDA bagged the single seat for NDA by defeating P.M. Ismail of LDF. P.C.Thomas obtained 256411 votes and P.M.Ismail got 255882 votes. P C Thomas became the first Christian minister in the Hindu dominated BJP government, which was notorious for killing minorities in different parts of the country, especially Gujarath. In Kottayam, a Christian dominated constituency, Suresh Kurup of LDF defeated Anto Anthony of UDF In Idukki Francis George of LDF defeated Benni Behanan of UDF.

V.M.Sudeeran of UDF, a popular Congress leader, had to face defeat from his LDF opponent K.S.Manoj in Alappuzha In Mavelikkara C.S.Sujatha of LDF defeated Ramesh Chennithala of UDF, a prominent Congress figure who came up through student and youth congress. In Adoor Kodikunnil Suresh of UDF was defeated by Chengara S of LDF. The successors of Congress veteran K.Karunakaran, his son K. Muraleedharan and Padmaja had to face defeat in the elections, clearly showing the electorate's total disapproval for "makkal rashtreeyam" in Kerala. An arrogant Padmaja Venugopal of UDF who competed from Mukundapuram constituency could get only 258078 votes. She was defeated by L.Nambadan of LDF who scored 375175 votes. In the Vadakkanjeri Legislative constituency, Muraleedharan of UDF, who was sworn in as the state power minister recently, was defeated by A.C.Moideen of LDF. Muraleedharan got 53016 votes which was around 3000 votes less than 56731 votes of A.C.Moideen.

The election result is a clear rejection of the unpopular economic policies followed by the state government, especially its total surrender to the IMF-World Bank -ADB advised austerity measures and dismantling of a welfare state created over a long period of time. Severe drought in different parts of the state and increasing number of farmer bankruptcies suicide cases reflected the negative fall out of declining prices for farm products like rubber, coconut and spices - the backbone of the state economy. Even though Congress won the election in different states due to an anti establishment sentiment, the party's rejection in Kerala indicates that any party following anti people policies will be rejected sooner or later. The fate of high tech chief minister of Andhra Chandrababu Naidu is a case in point. While there was lot of hype about the cyber era and computer revolution, many poor farmers were facing graveeconomic scenario due to deteriorating economic conditions. People vote through their stomach and not through their computer CPU.

However, a major reason for the pathetic defeat of Congress is the intense infighting between the two arch rival groups - Antony Versus Karunakaran. While Karunakaran, a former chief minister and senior most Congress leader from the state tried to establish a dynastic rule in the state by making his son, P Muraleedharan, the state chief Minister. What irritated the politically conscious electorate of the bipolarized electorate was the shameless manner in which the Leader was exerting pressure on the state congress leadership to accept both his offsprings as ministers in the Antony Government. Somehow he managed to induct P Muraleedharan as the state electricity minister, but people rejected this third rate politics. keralamonitor.com

The result a shock treatment said Kerala CM; Resentment against government shown in the people's verdict said K.Karunakaran

Thiruvananthapuram May 13: Soon after the election results came out, Kerala Chief Minister A.K.Anthony called a press conference in which he said the election result is a shock treatment (to Karunakaran group?).

Anthony who was in a stressful mood did not answer most of the questions raised by reporters. He said that he willingly accepted people's verdict. Veteran Congress leader K Karunakaran reacted by saying that the election results showed people's resentment against the congress-led UDF government in Kerala and also said that all this resulted because there was no change in Congress leadership. K.Karunkaran's son and daughter K.Muraleedharan and Padmaja Venugopal also had to face defeat in the elections. It seems the Leader is still optimistic about establishing a dynastic rule in Congress and the state? -Keralamonitor.com

Nehru Dynasty Back in Power ..Kerala Rejects Karunakaran's Dynastic Dreams

In an unexpected electoral verdict, the BJP-led NDA was today voted out of power to pave the way for the return of the Congress Party at the helm of the national affairs after eight years in wilderness. The Congress and its allies such as DMK, MDMK, PMK, TRS and RJD appeared set to capture approximately 225 seats which could mean that the alliance led by it could reach the magic majority of 270 with the help of the left parties who have done extremely well and may get up to 50 seats.

Shortly after the trends reflected NDA rout, Prime Minsiter Atal Bihari Vajpayee met his top party leaders and coalition convenor George Fernandes and decided to resign. Vajpayee has convened a meeting of his Cabinet at 5.30 PM after which he went to Rashtrapati Bhavanand handover his resignation to President APJ Abdul Kalam. Later he made a broadcast to the nation. A jubilant Congress said it would stake claim to form the government with individual leaders already pitching for Sonia Gandhi as Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee tonight resigned after the NDA's defeat in Lok Sabha elections. Vajpayee drove to Rashtrapati Bhavan after a Cabinet meeting and handed over his papers to President A P J Abdul Kalam. The Congress would stake its claim today to form the next government led by it at the Centre. "Of course, we are going to stake our claim today to form the next government. It will be a Congress-led government," senior party leader and political secretary to Congress President, Ahmed Patel, told reporters here. Asked if Sonia Gandhi would be the leader of the Congress-led secular front, Patel said she would be meeting with party allies to discuss the matter.

Qatar Central Bank implements National Payment Gateway using 'PayONE' secure e-payment solution from STS-

BusinessONE PayONE will enable Qatari citizens to make secure online payments for e-commerce and e-Government transactions in real-time

DUBAI -May 13, 2004 As the government of Qatar moves towards offering e-services in every sphere of life, Qatar Central Bank (QCB) has announced that it will implement a National Payment Gateway using the revolutionary 'PayONE' secure online payment solution. The solution, provided by BusinessONE, a division of the STS Group, is based on an electronic wallet system that will enable debit and credit card holders, as well as bank-account owners, to make online payments for e-Commerce and e-Government transactions, safely and in real-time. STS-BusinessONE is a leading regional provider of end-to-end electronic payment and transaction technology solutions to banks and financial institutions. This was announced at a press conference held last evening, (Wednesday, May 12, 2004) at the Fairmont Hotel, Dubai. The conference was addressed by Hashim Al-Sada, Director, System Development and Planning Department, Qatar Central Bank and Amjad Rahhal, Chief Operations Officer, STS-BusinessONE.

The implementation of the PayONE solution will enable Qatar Central Bank to sustain its leadership position as the leading payment facilitator in Qatar. Based on IBM's Websphere Products, PayONE is one of the few e-payment solutions to offer customers the benefit of making both card-based as well as direct account-to-account electronic fund transfer. Thus, for the first time in Qatar, even non-card holders can avail of a secure, quick payment channel for all their online transactions, effectively extending Qatar's e-governance net to a wider base of end-users. Commenting on the implementation of PayOne and the National Payment Gateway, Hashim Al-Sada, Director, System Development and Planning Department, Qatar Central Bank stated, "Qatar boasts one of the strongest economies in the Middle East region, with per capita income figures of nearly US$ 29,948 in 2002; one of the highest in the world. With increased IT penetration, the number of e-Government and e-Commerce transactions conducted in Qatar has risen. By implementing a National Payment Gateway in Qatar, we are effectively offering citizens increased options to pay for their online purchases and e-government transactions using many different payment methods available in their secured e-Wallet. We are confident that this will have a multiplier effect on Qatar's e-business economy as well as boost the popularity of the government's e-services among citizens."

"We selected BusinessONE's PayONE e-payment solution as it offers us the flexibility and scalability to significantly manage electronic payment processing in Qatar. PayONE also offers increased security; it is one of the few e-payment solutions to enable debit card processing. Lastly, the solution conducts transaction in real-time, thus decreasing process time," he stated. "In our position as the central payment facilitator for all business transactions, between Qatari merchants, banks and end-users, we can now offer our customers safer, quicker options to conduct transactions over the Internet. We have already implemented e-STP (straight through processing) over the RTGS (real time gross settlement) system for all Qatari banks. With the implementation of PayONE in the National Payment Gateway, we are now equipped to widen this service to Qatari citizens and merchants as well," continued Al-Sada.

"This is a valuable national opportunity for us to leverage our leadership position in the world of payment clearance and settlement, account-to-account electronic fund transfer and the debit card market. In the near future, Doha Stock Market (DSM) traders will also be able to purchase and sell stocks online in real-time when DSM connects to the RTGS," he concluded. Amjad Rahhal, Chief Operations Officer, BusinessONE stated, "We are delighted that the PayONE solution has been selected by Qatar Central Bank for implementing a National Payment Gateway. As the e-arm of the STS Group, we at BusinessONE, specialize in offering software solutions for the e-Business industry. PayONE is a unique secure e-payment solution that offers minimal liability on the payment gateway, thanks to its protected PIN Entry Mechanism and enrollment process. It can be easily integrated with any merchant's legacy system thus offering lower operating costs." The solution was implemented by STS-BusinessONE through their partner in Qatar, Ideal Solutions. (KM Bureau Dubai)

SEATRADE WEIGHS ANCHOR IN DUBAI LEADING SHIPPING INDUSTRY CONVENTION ORGANISERS AND PUBLISHERS OPENS OFFICE IN AL JADAF

DUBAI 13th May 2004 Seatrade, the world's leading shipping convention organisers and publishers, has opened an office in Al Jadaf, Dubai to further its Middle East ambitions. "The move is a display of confidence in Dubai and a demonstration of our commitment to build the annual Seatrade Middle East Maritime convention, which is now the region's premier event for the shipping industry, into a leading global forum," said Chris Hayman, Managing Director, Seatrade. The company says the Al Jadaf office is simply a precursor to a later move into the planned Dubai Maritime City.

"We are fully behind this ambitious project and hope to be among the first to establish an office there," said Hayman. The new Dubai Seatrade office will oversee sales and administration for regional clients of Seatrade Middle East Maritime, which this year will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from December 6-8. Office - 2 "We will now be able to supply swifter after-sales service to our regional clients and delegates," explained Hayman. Seatrade Middle East Maritime will feature an industry exhibition and a double-streamed conference focusing on general shipping and the potential of the region's cruise industry. "This year's event will be the biggest yet with the exhibition tripling in size," said Hayman. Hamed Mohammed Bin Lahej, General Manager of Al Jadaf was at the opening of the new Seatrade office in Dubai.

"The arrival of Seatrade in Dubai with a physical presence sends a vote of confidence in the emirate to the international shipping industry," he said. Seatrade Middle East Maritime is being held under the patronage of His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister and with the support of the Dubai Maritime City, Dubai Ports Authority, Department of Tourism and Marketing, Government of Dubai and the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL). Office - 3 The event is also supported by the Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the Dubai Shipping Agents' Association, the UAE's National Association of Freight Logistics, the Indian National Shipowners' Association, the Nautical Institute UAE Branch and the UAE National Ship Suppliers' Association. The event is also sponsored by Aqua Group, British Airways, Clyde & Co., HSBC, Instone International, Lloyd's Register, Maritime London, Net Cruises, Nico International, Scan-Trans Chartering LLC and Sharaf Shipping Agency LLC. Picture caption from left to right: Chris Hayman, Managing Director, Seatrade Hamed Mohammed Bin Lahej, General Manager of Al Jadaf .

Western Media Dont Report What is Actually Happening in Iraq

May 13, 2004 Margaret Trujillo Secretary to Mr. Henke Vice President, Media Trinity Broadcasting Network 2442 Michelle Drive Tustin, CA 92780 (714) 665-2110 Fax (714) 832-0645 The Church Channel TBN Broadcast Affiliates Forwarded by Margaret Trujillo/TBN on 05/13/2004 03:01 PM ----

- I received this message this morning, and I thought you would benefit by what this soldier had to say. This is a letter from Ray Reynolds, a medic in the Iowa Army National Guard, serving in Iraq: As I head off to Baghdad for the final weeks of my stay in Iraq, I wanted to say thanks to all of you who did not believe the media. They have done a very poor job of covering everything that has happened. I am sorry that I have not been able to visit all of you during my two week leave back home. And just so you can rest at night knowing something is happening in Iraq that is noteworthy, I thought I would pass this on to you This is the list of things that has happened in Iraq recently: (Please share it with your friends and compare it to the version that your paper is producing.)

* Over 400,000 kids have up-to-date immunizations. * School attendance is up 80% from levels before the war. * Over 1,500 schools have been renovated and rid of the weapons stored there so education can occur. * The port of Uhm Qasar was renovated so grain can be off-loaded from ships faster. * The country had its first 2 billion barrel export of oil in August. * Over 4.5 million people have clean drinking water for the first time ever in Iraq. * The country now receives 2 times the electrical power it did before the war. * 100% of the hospitals are open and fully staffed, compared to 35% before the war. * Elections are taking place in every major city, and city councils are in place. * Sewer and water lines are installed in every major city. * Over 60,000 police are patrolling the streets. * Over 100,000 Iraqi civil defense police are securing the country. * Over 80,000 Iraqi soldiers are patrolling the streets side by side with US soldiers. * Over 400,000 people have telephones for the first time ever. * Students are taught field sanitation and hand washing techniques to prevent the spread of germs. * An interim constitution has been signed. * Girls are allowed to attend school. * Textbooks that don't mention Saddam are in the schools for the first time in 30 years. Don't believe for one second that these people do not want us there.

I have met many, many people from Iraq that want us there, and in a bad way. They say they will never see the freedoms we talk about but they hope their children will. We are doing a good job in Iraq and I challenge anyone, anywhere to dispute me on these facts. So If you happen to run into John Kerry, be sure to give him my email address and send him to Denison, Iowa. This soldier will set him straight. If you are like me and very disgusted with how this period of rebuilding has been portrayed, email this to a friend and let them know there are good things happening. Ray Reynolds, SFC Iowa Army National Guard 234th Signal Battalion