June 22, 2004 D U B A I M O N I T O R
LNG PLANT TO BE SET UP IN KOCHI
The Union Power Minister Shri P.M. Sayeed has promised to expedite the setting up of a LNG Plant in Kochi, Kerala. The plant will provide enough gas to generate 2300 MW of power. It may be recalled that Kayamkulam is a combined cycle power project of NTPC and will stand to benefit from the LNG Plant. The Power Minister promised the visiting Kerala Chief Minister Shri A.K.Antony that the foundation stone for the new plant will be laid in September and the plant will be a Onam gift for the State. The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has floated an international tender for the LNG Plant and the tender is to be finalised soon. During the discussions, the Power Minister stated that his aim was to make Kerala free of energy shortages. He informed the Chief Minister that Rs.350 crore has been released under APDRP to the State. The Chief Minister expressed happiness over the announcement made by the Power Ministry and said he was satisfied with his visit to Delhi.Mazyood Giga International FZE to build Goldcrest Views at Jumeirah Lake Towers
The new tower to offer spaciously designed living spaces, plush amenities and stunning views from every apartment
DUBAI June 21, 2004 Goldcrest Views, an iconic 40-storey residential tower, is set to be a leading addition to Nakheel's Jumeirah Lake Towers, offering ultra-modern and spacious apartments each with a breath-taking view across lakes, Emirates Golf Course or Emirates Hills.
Announcing the groundbreaking project at a press conference in Dubai 21/6/2004, Haji Muhammad Rafiq, Chairman of the Mazyood Giga International said, "Mazyood Giga International have commissioned world renowned names to bring this project to life," Nakheel LLC are the overall property developers while our group has appointed the respected WS Atkins as architects and Al Habtoor Engineering Enterprises and Murray & Roberts as engineers on the project."
"Goldcrest Views offers apartments on a freehold basis to residents, non-residents and corporations, without any income or property related taxes." added Haji Rafiq. "Buyers will be assisted in obtaining mortgage finance from lenders in the Emirates at competitive terms and conditions. Up to 70% financing is available from financial institutions and registered owners will be entitled to residence visas," said Haji Rafiq.
Located between Interchange No. 5 and 6 on Sheikh Zayed Road, Goldcrest Views is being developed by Mazyood Group International as a significant element of its business strategy. Having established an internationally successful business in textiles and bullion, as well as a recently opened gold refinery at the Dubai Metals and Commodities Centre, the move represents Mazyood Giga International's first foray into the real estate sector, and its commitment to bringing its 'Seal of Quality' to the property business.
Goldcrest Views will offer apartments that are carefully designed to be ultra spacious, elegant yet functional, with high quality finishes, the finest fittings and 'Smart Home' technology. "Dubai has become the region's premier business and tourism hub, and the demand for the highest quality of residences that offer added-value keeps growing. Goldcrest Views has been created to meet the needs of the discerning professionals that the region attracts."
"Goldcrest Views is the perfect address for people who do not wish to compromise on luxury," said Haji Rafiq. "Each apartment is designed to provide 'Lakeside Luxury', with maximum space and dramatic views of the surrounding lakeside and its resort lifestyle."The rooftop features a wide choice of leisure facilities around a pool deck that includes the main pool with Jacuzzi, a children's pool, a juice bar, barbeque areas, sun decks and lounging areas, all with dramatic views of the lakeside. Also overlooking the lake below the deck is the health club that has a large fitness centre.
Tanmia signs MoU with Citigroup to train and provide employment opportunities to 70 UAE National jobseekers
DUBAI - June 21, 2004 The National Human Resources Development and Employment Authority (Tanmia) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Citigroup to train 70 UAE Nationals in banking and finance and provide them with employment opportunities at the bank. The MoU was signed today (June 21, 2004), by Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Awar, Director General, Tanmia and Rajeev Kakar, Regional Head for Citibank's Consumer Bank in Turkey, Middle East & Africa, who is based in the UAE
Citibank will deliver intensive three-month training, using the expertise of in-house trainers and banking professionals. The participants will be required to undergo an examination at the end of the course. Citibank will give priority to the successful candidates while filling up vacancies within the bank. "We attach great value to this partnership because it provides a strategic platform for delivering focused training to UAE Nationals, backed by the expertise and global training standards of Citigroup," said Dr. Al-Awar. "This alliance with a reputed international banking group will provide UAE Nationals the highest level of training, opening new vistas of opportunities in the banking sector and giving a further boost to the Emiratisation drive in the UAE."
"We believe training holds the key to inducting Nationals into the workforce and therefore appreciate the commitment displayed by Citibank in creating this unique training opportunity for Nationals," added Dr. Al-Awar. "At Citibank we manifest our commitment to the UAE market and to attracting and developing UAE National talent," said Kakar. "It is the culmination of our efforts to provide the best training programs, and to disseminate financial literacy to the UAE community at large. By partnering with Tanmia and other active local partners, we will see to it that trainees undergo the best-in-class training, using Citigroup's experience, to create a world-class training program for the development of UAE Nationals. Moreover, the bank will offer exciting job opportunities to all trainees who successfully pass the program."
The training at Citibank reflects Citigroup's involvement in several key initiatives focused on delivering high-quality training to banking professionals. Citibank collaborates with other training institutes to offer a Diploma Course in Islamic Finance conducted by Emirates Institute for Banking and Financial Studies, Sharjah. It is also participating in another advanced Diploma programme conducted in association with Higher Colleges of Technology, Sharjah.
Al Naboodah Engineering Services awarded infrastructure contract for Nakheel's prestigious Gardens of Discovery
Al Naboodah to also undertake landscaping of the 234 acre project
DUBAI - June 21, 2004 Al Naboodah Engineering Services has been awarded the infrastructure execution contract for Nakheel's new Gardens of Discovery project, which consists of hundreds of buildings on Sheikh Zayed Road. Under the terms of the contract, signed on June 1, 2004, Al Naboodah will design and execute the infrastructure network of the Gardens of Discovery, as well as undertake extensive landscaping of the 234-acre project. The project will be executed in 882 days, and is scheduled for completion on October 30, 2006.
"Nakheel has been reshaping Dubai's skyline with its unique projects. Developments such as the Palms, the World, Jumeirah Islands and International City have been hailed not just for translating a vision into reality, but also for the excellence of execution matching global standards," asserted Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chairman of Nakheel. "Nakheel's Gardens of Discovery has been designed as a project with a unique look and style. In keeping with a firm commitment to ensuring highest construction standards, the infrastructure and landscaping at the Gardens of Discovery must contribute to creating a new architectural landmark for Dubai."
As part of the infrastructural development at the Gardens of Discovery, Al Naboodah Engineering Services will implement electricity and telecommunications installations, as well as develop an extensive water supply and irrigation network. The company will also install a sewage network capable of accommodating effluent increase with the passage of time. Also on the cards are a sophisticated road network and pedestrian walkways.
Keeping in mind the leisure related needs of the residents, Al Naboodah Engineering has also been asked to design and implement a well-equipped children's playground, a basketball court and a series of pools. In terms of landscaping, the company will design and develop both the hard and soft features of the Gardens of Discovery. While the hard landscape features will include architectural and sculptural developments such as fountains, the soft features will include extensive green areas, flowering annuals, perennials and trees.
"Nakheel has worked with Al Naboodah Engineering Services on the Palm project. The quality of work delivered has met Nakheel's expectations. This has been a principal deciding factor in awarding them the Gardens of Discovery project," added Bin Sulayem.
"Al Naboodah Engineering Services has built a reputation for uncompromising quality," said Manab Kumar, General Manager, Al Naboodah Engineering Services. "The company has been associated with the implementation of the some of the biggest landmark project across the UAE. We are proud to have been a part of the prestigious Palms project and are confident that we will bring to the Gardens of Discovery the highest standards of engineering design and execution we are known for."
DUBAI FESTIVAL CITY TO DEVELOP TWO INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS TO OPEN IN 2005
ENROLMENTS ACCEPTED FROM SEPTEMBER 2004
Omar Al-Futtaim, Chief Executive of the Al-Futtaim Group with Walid Abu Chakra, Chairman, ESOL.
DUBAI - 20th June 2004 Dubai Festival City, the 'city-within-a-city' being built on the banks of the Creek, is to develop two international standard schools that will service Dubai's educational needs and the destination's growing residential community. The two schools, of which one will follow the American educational system and the second the British educational system, will be operated by Educational Services Overseas Ltd. (ESOL), which currently operates institutions in Abu Dhabi, Cyprus, Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Gaza. The Dubai Festival City deal marks the entry of ESOL, a company specialising in the establishment and management of international schools, into Dubai.
"This is yet another major step in the development of the Dubai Festival City community," said Omar Al-Futtaim, Chief Executive of the Al-Futtaim Group; one of the United Arab Emirates' leading trading companies and the developer of Dubai Festival City.
"With Dubai's rapid development and expanding population, the Al-Futtaim Group recognises the importance of providing top class community services, including high-standards of schooling, to Dubai Festival City residents." The two institutions will each accommodate 2,500 students from kindergarten to 12th grade and will accept enrolments from September 2004 for the academic year 2005-2006.
Aside from offering high educational standards, with a curriculum focusing equally on practical and theoretical subjects, summer work-experience courses will also be offered to the highest achievers, with students travelling abroad to work with some of the European and Japanese organisations that fall under the Al-Futtaim Group umbrella in the UAE.
"The school curriculum, training courses and the chance of scholarships for individuals to continue their studies at university will enhance the knowledge and practical experience of students in order to produce well-rounded graduates," explained Al-Futtaim. "Our objective will be to help raise the already high standard of education in Dubai and ensure that graduates are well prepared for the workplace."
All areas within the schools, which are being designed by Jeff Benett - an experienced school campus designer with THA, an acclaimed US architecture firm - will also be ready to receive pupils with physical disabilities. Facilities will include a media centre, science and computer labs, studios, music halls, playgrounds, swimming pools, lecture halls and prayer rooms. Each school will also have extensive playgrounds and a running track."The ESOL schools at Dubai Festival City will offer students the very best facilities, curriculum and faculty available," said Walid Abu Chakra, Chairman, ESOL. "The presence of experienced teachers and administrators will reassure parents that their children's educational future is in safe hands."
The two new schools will be the first educational establishments at Dubai Festival City. Discussions are already underway for the development of a nursery school to service the needs of the local community."Dubai Festival City is creating an environment for people to live, work, rest and play, all in one central location," said Al-Futtaim. "This means important community facilities, like schools and nurseries, cannot be overlooked."The standard of education offered at Dubai Festival City will enhance the community and help make it one of the most desirable neighbourhoods in Dubai."
The Chief Minister of Kerala Shri A.K Antony calls on the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on June 19, 2004 (Saturday). scroll down.
KM E X C L U S I V E - June 18 2004.
Imprisoned, Deported Keralite Workers blame prominent NRK for their problems.
KM Reporters
BOMBAY-DUBAI - Four Malayali workers of Euro Emirates, a leading labour supply company in the UAE, have complained that the company authorities including a prominent Malayali businessman who is represented in the board of Cochin International Airport have forcibly obtained their signature on cancellation papers after detaining them in prison for four days without making any formal charges. The signatures were taken after they were threatened with physical assault, workers who were deported by Gulf Air flight (BOMBAY) today said. While the four workers who have valid visa and labour card approached the labour department and the Indian consulate general seeking justice, some labour officials themselves put them behind bars through vastha, workers alleged. Workers were send to Bombay without giving their benefits, they told KM from Bombay.
However, a senior Euro Emirates official has refuted the charges and said the workers were deported because they were not willing to work. "If they can't work for the company, who will do the work and finish our projects," he asked. One more worker from Tamil Nadu Bhagyanath who complained about poor working conditions is reportedly missing. The company owned among others by E.M.Babu, Board member of Kochi International Airport, has been facing bad press for delaying workers salary. Three hundred workers of the company were agitated for non payment of salary but that problem is settled now. Now payment is regular but a section of workers are agitated about what they said is a biased payment structure.
Chandran Attingal, Arjun Viji, Thobias and Yesudas, four Keralites from Thiruvananthapuram who have worked as fitters for eight years said they were send to work at a remote location in Abu Dhabi where the labour camp was very unhygienic and not suitable for an average worker to live. "The bathroom was literally stinking and we were told to use open space to attend call of nature. We refused to work and live in such inhuman conditions and returned to the company office in Dubai. When we reached the office, the human resources department head and the PRO (Arab national) took back our labour card and visa," said one of the workers. They said when workers approached the labour ministry for help the four were trapped by the company with the help of a labour official.
"We approached the Indian Consulate General Mr.Venugopal and the Labour Department seeking justice. But the labour official put us behind bars without any charges and deported us without paying our pending benefits including some balance payment," said one of them. Thomas, a company spokesman refuted the allegations and said it is not easy to influence labour officials in the UAE. He blamed what he termed "Yellow Newspapers from the region" as responsible for spreading negative news about the company. Euro Emirates and its groups companies like Abba International and Euronest and are supplying labour to prominent clients like Transgulf, Dafoos, Bin Ladin and many other prominent customers in the UAE. "There are 900 workers working for the company and it is not true that our camps have unhygienic bathrooms," Thomas said.
Mr.Babu is a prominent NRI who shares the prestigious membership on the board of Nedumbassery International Airport with other towering personalities like the state chief minister A.K.Antony, K Shankara Narayanan, State Minister of Finance, K.V.Thomas, Minister of Tourism, Kunjalikkutty Industry Minister, other senior government officials including the Chief Secretary and eminent business people like Yousuf Ali of EMKE group and Dr.P Mohammed Ali of Galfar group. Workers alleged that the company owner was acting in an arrogant manner to show that those who complain about serious labour problems will be physically abused, imprisoned and deported. One of the imprisoned workers has just returned from leave after his marriage. "They were threatened to be put in prison for at least ten days," said one of the workers quoting official sources. However, workers alleged that even if they were in prison for four days, their presence in the jail was not recorded in official documents. KM could not verify the authenticity of these claims. The company official said anyone can check up with the consulate general about the matter and they have nothing to hide.
In fact the workers themselves have to pay for labour card and visa as the company does not pay for it as required by the labour law. "Even though we wanted to make a complaint to the labour department, the official was not accepting our case. Finally the consulate general had to intervene to submit our case. Even though we were put behind bars for four days, it was not shown in the labour ministry records," alleged one of the workers. The consulate general of India Mr.Venugopal HAD called the company owner E.M.Babu a prominent Non Resident Indian and member of the Cochin International Airport. The workers gave detailed report to the consulate general about the poor working conditions. "Under the directive of the consul general we were told to go to counter number four of the labour department, where we were taken into custody," they said. Workers alleged that one of the company directors is a senior labour official and using that influence company workers who raise complaints are harassed and deported without any valid reasons. Workers said many incidents of physical abuse by the company officials took place. In one case, the worker was unconscious after prolonged physical abuse. He was taken to another labour camp and deported promptly without paying the pending benefits. Workers alleged that the company officials told them that if they are given better faciities or salary, all other 1200 employees will have to be compensated. Instead of taking a costly affair, it is easy to bribe a few officials and deport the trouble makers, the company officials reportedly told them.The company workers said about 400 of them are cuddled together in one villa at Jumeirah and the exhaust ventilation of the bathroom is open to a room occupied by 40 workers. This room is made by converting the balcony into a room with plywood wall. There are nearly 1200 workers in Euro Emirates, which has got four other group companies dealing with the same type of business. While the company charges Dhs. 12 to Dhs.18 per hour from companies supplying labour, workers get only Dhs.6 per hour. Labourers who have worked with the company for several years complained that the new recruits are paid minimum Dhs.700 more than the experienced hands. Even now new recruits are coming after paying huge amount (between Rs.9000 to Rs.1.25 lakhs as visa price). "The old employees are not given safety shoes, uniform or tools. There is no ticket to go home and if workers overstay after leave, there is a fine of Dhs.1800 shown in company accounts as advanced salary payment. (Watch this space)
(KM Bureau)
Gulf War Hysteria sends Shock Waves among Marine Workers in the Gulf More
Worker Dies in Deep sleep as Company Owners delay and deny Salary for Months
MUSCAT - Fifty years old Rajendran Pillai (from Kottiyam in Kollam Kerala) had a tragic end while sleeping in a make to shift labour camp of Bogest Company in the Ghala Industrial area, Oman. The worker died after serving a company as a mason for nine long years. The deceased father of three girls, two married, died of unknown reasons, probably a heart attack, while he was in deep sleep with three other workers in a small room. "Rajendran died sometimes in the night after he went to sleep with mental depression. Full Report
Striking Salalah Workers Forcibly Removed from Indian Embassy Premises
MUSCAT - Similarly fifty years old Gopala Pillai, another worker of United Contracting Company, Salalah died of cancer in Kerala ten days after he was send home for further treatment. The Sultan Qaboos Hospital diagnosed his disease and recommended further treatment in Kerala. However, the United Contractors was reluctant to send him for treatment as the Indian "manager" and Omani owner considered the diseases theory as "yet another pretext to go home"! Well the Indian worker died ten days after reaching Kerala and his salary is still pending with United Contracting company owned by a big Omani businessman. His hospital bill was paid from his pending salary! Venu Attingal from Trivandrum, like his colleagues, has worked fifteen years had his last vacation four years back. --
Starting from the head of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) to Oman's former minister of Information hail from this great family. "for the last ten months there is no salary. There is no electricity or water in the workers camp. We are living with candles for the last two years. Apparently the company has enough projects and one Indian manager - Ansari Yadav - is mainly instrumental in harassing innocent workers, they alleged. Any fax or communication from the Indian Embassy Muscat, 1000 kms away from Salalah, is not respected. Even though many workers got favourable verdict from the labour court the Omani owner is not keen to obey it. In order to circumvent the court verdicts, the company has changed its name from United contracting to Autorepairing. While the company owner is living in a posh villa in the VIP area of Salalah, where most of the elite families reside, workers are living in front of the Indian Embassy, spreading their torn clothes and packets in front of the Indian Embassy. More
http://www.keralamonitor.com/feb282004work.htm
June 19, 2004
Raising India's Work Force to International levels
Population, food security, education and remunerative employment opportunities are closely interconnected. Rising levels of education and living standards are powerful levers for reducing birth and mortality rates. Over the next two decades India’s greatest challenge will be to expand the opportunities for the growing labour force, to enrich their knowledge and skills through education, raise their living standards through gainful employment and make provisions for ensuring a good life for the aged. India has met the challenge of producing sufficient food to feed everyone. But it has yet to meet the challenge of generating sufficient employment opportunities to ensure that all its people have the purchasing power to obtain the food they require. Gainful employment is one of the most essential conditions for food and economic security. Conversely, food security is an essential requirement for raising the productivity of India’s workforce to international levels .
India’s labour force reached approximately 375 million in 2002, and it will continue to expand over the next two decades. The actual rate of that expansion will depend on several factors including population growth, growth of the working age population, labour force participation rates, educational enrolment at higher levels and school drop-out rates. Projections based on these parameters indicate that India’s labour force will expand by 7 to 8.5 million per year in the next six years and will increase by a total of about 160-170 million by 2020, i.e., 2.0 per cent per annum.
The total number of unemployed persons in India has been estimated to be about 35 million in 2002. This figure takes into account the significant level of underemployment and seasonal variations in the availability of work. It also reflects wide variations in the rate of unemployment among different age groups and regions of the country. Approximately three-fourth of the unemployed are in rural areas and three-fifth among them are educated. The recent trends towards shedding excess labour to improve competitiveness and increasing capital intensity have further aggravated the situation. A clear consensus is now emerging that major changes in economic policy and strategy will be needed to meet the country’s employment needs.
Future rates of unemployment will depend on a range of factors, including the growth rate of the labour force and changes in the structure of employment between different sectors, as well as the growth rate of the economy. Adopting the higher number takes us closer to understanding the full magnitude of the challenge the country faces for providing employment opportunities for all its people. India needs to generate on the order of 200 million additional employment opportunities over the next 20 years.
The first question that inevitably arises is whether generating nine or ten million jobs a year is feasible. This naturally raises the question as to what rates of economic growth would be required for achieving this. However logical and inevitable it may sound, this is the wrong way to approach the problem. The right question to ask is: How important is it to us as a nation to create employment opportunities for all? The answer here is simple. It is as important to create job opportunities for all citizens in a market economy as it is to provide universal suffrage to all adults in a democracy. Access to employment is an essential component of freedom of economic choice. The absence of such an opportunity means depriving our young not only of economic freedom but of hope as well. India’s vision for 2020 must be founded on the premise of gainful jobs for all. Access to employment should not only be a top priority of the government but a constitutionally guaranteed fundamental human right.
But can we possibly achieve such an ambitious goal and that too within the framework of a non-subsidised market economy? In order to answer this question, first of all we need to recognise that the economy we build over the next two decades and the jobs we create will be products of the decisions we make, not some irreversible logic of economic science. It is we, the nation, that have to decide what we want to accomplish and how serious we are about doing it, how willing we are to change our attitudes and to alter our policies to achieve this desirable goal. We conclude that if the will and determination are present, the goal is achievable.
Achieving full employment will require a reorientation of national priorities, technology policy and government action. Until now, planning to achieve national goals has been largely done on a sector-wise basis by respective ministries assigned with the responsibility. These parallel lines of planning need to be integrated around a central vision and set of goals, of which full employment must be one. As we have incorporated an environmental analysis into all our planning, every plan initiative needs also to be re-evaluated to consider its impact on employment.
Antony's Delhi Yathra -- The Chief Minister of Kerala Shri A.K Antony calls on the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on June 19, 2004 (Saturday).
INDIA IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES
D. K. Bharadwaj*
Conceived by Baron Pierre de Coubertin and supported by some like – minded idealists to promote peace, goodwill and friendship in the strife-torn world by channelising the boundless energy of the youth through a clean sporting competition, the modern Olympic Games began in 1896. Over the years however, its cherished values were somewhat blurred and got deviated from the original concept due to the all-pervading influence of the electronic media and rank commercialism. Yet the Games continued to grow in stature and eminence with ever-increasing participation. Undoubtedly, the highest honour for an athlete or a sportsperson is to secure a podium finish in the Olympic Games. Likewise, all nations, big or small, do take immense pride in the achievements of their sportspersons in the Olympics. India too has been striving hard to win laurels in the Olympic Games, rated as the biggest sporting show on earth. But apart from hockey its efforts have met only with a token success.Beginnings
Officially India first took part in the Antwerp Olympics in Belgium in 1920, the Games which also witnessed the emergence of Paavo Nurmi, the legendary “Flying Finn” on the world stage. Since then India has been taking part in the greatest quadrennial sporting extravaganza regularly. However, it had figured in the roll of Olympic medal winners much earlier than that. The credit for it goes to Norman G. Pritchard, an Anglo – Indian from Kolkata, who, while taking part in the Paris Olympics of 1900 won two silver medals for India. Pritchard took part in four events – 100 metres and 200 metres sprints, 10 metres hurdles and, now defunct, the 200 metres hurdles, which shows how much versatile he was. A trail – blazer for India, Pritchard won silver medals in 200 metres sprint and 200 metres hurdles and was placed fifth in the 10 metres hurdles. Thus he became not only the first Indian but also the first Asian to win laurels in the Olympics. Unfortunately, very little authentic information is available about this pioneering Olympian of India.
Hockey
The reintroduction of the hockey event in the Olympics at Amsterdam in 1928 saw the emergence of an invincible force in the form of Indian hockey, which not only mesmerized its western opponents by its amazing skill and natural talent, but also started a new era of total Indian dominance which lasted nearly three decades. During this period, the Indians made hockey a sublime art, dribbling a magic and their short, fluid passes a treat to watch. They dazzled the entire hockey world with their superb artistry and pleasing display. India had become synonymous with hockey. No country had ever ruled an Olympic event with such absolute dominance as India had done in hockey.
India’s dominance over hockey in the Olympics was finally ended by none else than Pakistan, its sub-continental neighbour which was a part of India till 1947. India lost its hockey crown for the first time at the Rome Olympics in 1960, but regained it four years later at Tokyo. The two neighbours naturally played the same brand of hockey and showed the same skill and mastery. They kept the Asian superiority in hockey intact but only for about a decade. Meanwhile, the envious western countries were anxious to end the Indian dominance in the game. First they subtly started making frequent changes in the rules, which suited their style of robust physical play and then, finally, their master stroke was introduction of the synthetic turf as the playing surface in place of natural grass. This tilted the game entirely in favour of the western teams who relied more on physical strength than on finesse. Thus started the decline of Indian hockey and ascendance of the western teams. Though India won the Olympic hockey title in 1980 in a weakened field, the changed scenario was there for all to see. Australia, currently a force in hockey at the international level, too benefited from the Indian munificence as a number of Anglo-Indian players migrated and enriched hockey there. India is now very keen to regain the glory of the bygone era.
In all, hockey gave India 8 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze medals. Jaipal singh (Amsterdam, 1928), Lal Shah Bokhari (Los Angeles, 1932), Dhyan Chand (Berlin, 1936), Kishan Lal (London, 1948), K.D. Singh “Babu” (Helsinki, 1952), Balbir Singh (Melbourne, 1956), Charanjit Singh (Tokyo, 1964) and Vasudevan Bhaskaran (Moscow, 1980) were India’s gold winning hockey captains. From incomparable “Wizard” Dhyan Chand to Dhanraj Pillai India has produced a galaxy of stars, who thrilled the fans of different generations all over the world with their amazing skill, graceful style and aesthetic sense.
Other Achievers
Apart from the hockey teams, there were only three achievers from three different disciplines who won bronze medals for the country. For its first non-hockey medal India had to wait till the Helsinki Olympics in 1952 when bantamweight Khashaba Jadhav won a bronze in freestyle wrestling. Incidentally, it was in Helsinki where Indian women made their Olympic debut. For its second individual bronze, India faced another long wait of over four decades, when the gutsy tennis ace Leander Paes, son of the former hockey Olympian, Dr. Vece Paes, sprang a pleasant surprise by reaching the semifinals in the men’s tennis competition at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 and securing the third place by defeating Fernando Meligeni of Brazil. Leander had beaten four good players before losing to the eventual gold medallist Andre Agassi, a leading light of the world tennis, in the semifinals in a tough contest. Four years later at Sydney, the iron-lady Karnam Malleswari became the first Indian woman to win an individual medal in the Olympics when she lifted a combined weight of 240 kg in the 69 kg weight category. Like Leander Paes’, Karnam Malleswari’s was a truly stupendous achievement which brought tremendous joy and glory to the nation.
Valiant Triers
Some Indian athletes and a few wrestlers were distinctly unlucky to narrowly miss a medal despite their gutsy show. However, even in failure they made a name for themselves in the annals of Indian sports for their valiant efforts.
In the London Olympics of 1948, the young triple jumper Henry Rebello was a favourite to clinch the gold as he had shown great form and ability in the events before the Olympics. Rated very high by the experts, the young Indian easily qualified for the finals. But as ill luck would have it, he pulled a muscle moments before he made his first jump in the final. Thus, young Rebello’s golden dream ended in tragedy and he missed making history for the Indian athletics.
India’s legendary “Flying Sikh”, who had made a great name for himself in the Asian and Commonwealth Games, was widely tipped to win a medal in the 400 metres race at the Rome Olympics in 1960. On historic September 6 that year, then 25 year old Milkha Singh, who had become the first ever Indian athlete to qualify for the final of the Olympic 400 metres race was himself confident to bag a medal. But fate willed otherwise and he finished only fourth. The great Indian runner missed the bronze by a whisker, which went to South Africa’s Malcolm Spence, whom he had beaten in the 440 yards final in the Cardiff Commonwealth Games. It is interesting to note that in the historic Rome race, the first two finishers, Otis Davis of the US and Carl Kaufman of Germany, broke the then world record, while Spence and Milkha Singh broke the Olympic record. Milkha Singh’s timing of 45.6 seconds in Rome remained an Indian record for nearly 38 years.
Four years later another hugely talented turbaned warrior, Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, created waves in the Tokyo Olympics when he reached the final of the 110 metres hurdles, where he finally finished a highly creditable fifth with a timing of 14.0 seconds. His Tokyo timing remained an Indian record for almost four decades. A highly versatile athlete, Gurbachan Singh had won the decathlon gold in the Jakarta Asiad in 1962.
Sriram Singh, a disciple of the renowned Indian coach Ilyas Babar, was yet another valiant trier who showed his best in the 800 metres race in the Montreal Olympics in 1976. Performing creditably in the heats with impressive timings, Asia’s best runner in his pet event Sriram reached the final, a feat no other Indian athlete had performed until then. Despite his brave front running initially, he was finally placed only seventh in the final. However, his timing of 1 minute 45.77 seconds was an Asian record for nearly two decades.
Another Miss
After Sriram, it was the “Payyoli Express” P.T. Usha who stole the limelight in the Los Angeles Olympics of 1984. An icon of Indian and Asian athletics, Usha did her best to make up for the mediocre showings of other Indian women athletes until then. A hugely talented sprinter and hurdler, Usha took part in the 400 metres hurdles at Los Angeles and winning the semifinals she reached the final comfortably. Back home, Usha’s fans were anxiously hoping for an Olympic medal from the Indian flying queen. However, just like Milkha Singh in Rome years ago, Usha missed the bronze by one-hundredth part of a second. She was placed fourth with a timing of 55.42 seconds behind Nawal El Moutawakel of Morocco, Judy Brown of the US and Christina Cojocaru of Romania. Once more the Indians fans’ soaring hopes were dashed to the ground. The Los Angeles Games, however proved comparatively better for the Indian women athletes as Shiny Abraham reached the semifinals of the 800 metres, the first Indian woman to do so, and the quartet of P.T. Usha, Shiny Abraham, Vandana Rao and M.D. Valsamma figured in the 4 x 400 metres relay final.
Some Indian wrestlers also raised the hopes for a medal in the Olympics, but none of them could repeat the feat of Khashaba Jadhav. The flyweight Sudesh Kumar and bantamweight Prem Nath, disciples of the renowned wrestling coach, Guru Hanuman, were both placed fourth in the Munich Olympics of 1972. It may be pointed out that among the Indian participants at the Munich Games, their performance was the best after the hockey team, which had bagged a bronze just as in Mexico four years earlier. In the Moscow Olympics, another Delhi lad, lightweight Jagminder Singh, too performed creditably and was placed fourth in his weight category.
In the Moscow Games the Rupa Saini- led Indian women’s hockey team finished fourth behind Zimbabwe, Czechoslovakia and the host USSR. All these valiant triers would have been on the podium, had the Dame Luck favoured them.
*Sports Writer
LOWER-PRICED PROPERTY OFFERS BEST ROI
MiNC director identifies areas for investors to follow in London
(Dubai, June 2004): The growth areas in London property are those pegged at below £250,000 (Dhs 1.6million), according to Haroon Mahmood, director of MiNC Property Enterprises, the Dubai-based London property wealth consultants.Mahmood claims that lower-priced areas represent the best potential return on investment, and stated: "The lower price points on the London markets are the price points to invest in at present.
"High-price areas, such as those where apartments are more than £750,000 and houses are selling for more than £1million, are likely to continue to struggle. I see the market that comes in below the 1 per cent stamp duty levels, so below £250,000, is a thriving sector. "In terms of locations in London, the areas to watch are: North-West London, particularly Hillingdon and Harrow; the East End and "City" areas; and the re-generation areas around South-East London."MiNC, which currently has a £80 million-plus portfolio of property in London, specialises in the buy-to-let sector of the market, and Mahmood urged that potential investors seek professional advice before taking the plunge.
He said: "You may think you know the London landscape but agents have a much better understanding of what the market requires and what kind of properties will produce the best returns. "It's relatively easy to buy a property to let, but in the absence of proper preparation and dependable professional advice it's even easier to buy the wrong one."At the moment you have better buying power and greater choice and, provided you are realistic about what can be achieved, buy-to-let is a very good investment."MiNC has a wide portfolio of London property and the company's services include residential investment, investment portfolio development, independent mortgage/remortgage assistance, lettings and furnishing/interior design.
The taste of the South Pacific comes to Dubai this summer as Malécon's Chef Gustavo launches his new Ceviche menu!
Dubai, UAE: Exotic food lovers are in for a treat as Malécon, Dubai's most popular Cuban restaurant launches a new Ceviche menu prepared by award winning chef, Gustavo Agreda. According to owner of Malécon, Mark Turner, "The basic Ceviche dish consists of seafood marinated in citrus juices and other spices. Although centuries old and generally accepted as having originated in Peru, Ceviche is riding today's wave of interest in Latin cuisine and is a hit with health conscious patrons who want to enjoy a meal without compromising on the taste of good food."
"Classic dishes range from snapper marinated in fresh, sharp, lime and lemon juices, and served with a salad of chopped tomatoes and avocados. However in line with industry trends, Chef Gustavo has taken Ceviche to new heights, with dishes like the "Salmon marinated in a fiery citrus cayenne sauce" or "fresh tuna loin, marinated in coconut milk and a smoked jalapeno chili sauce," adds Mark.
When preparing a Ceviche, there is no cooking involved and the dishes are served chilled which is why the dish is enormously popular in sizzling climates. Variations in the flavour of Ceviche depend on the type of citrus juice or combination of juices and the other ingredients used in the marinade. Taste enhancing ingredients like hot peppers, green peppers, garlic, and onions give Ceviche its pleasing gusto. The best way to enjoy a Ceviche is to have it with a chilled glass of a selected beverage and some good company.
During the month of June and July, food enthusiasts can discover the seafood treasure chest that is 'Ceviche' at Malécon and take advantage of a one-off promotion where a taster Ceviche platter and bottle of a selected beverage for two is offered only for Dhs 150.00 all inclusive.
Malécon guests also enjoy live music by a resident Cuban band, Pablo Santa Maria and friends and music selections by the popular Latino beats DJ Zetti, as they relax in Malécon's Chill-out zone, better known as the 'Mambo Lounge' sampling hand rolled cigars made in-house every weekend by a Cuban cigar roller.
MINA SEYAHI VOTED ONE OF TOP THREE M.E. RESORTS
Le Meridien's lifestyle resort gets customer seal of approval
(Dubai, May 2004): Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina has been voted one of the leading resorts in the region by readers of Business Traveller Middle East. The property came third in the competitive Best Middle East Resort category, behind only The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain and Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai. The hotel finished top of the upscale Le Meridien group, which is one of the largest hotel management companies in the region.
Michael Scully, general manager at the hip lifestyle resort, said: "Any award that is judged by customer feedback and votes means a huge amount to us, and shows we are delivering on our guest promise. "With 211 rooms, we market ourselves as a unique boutique resort that provides both intimate in-house attention to detail, as well as the opportunity to relax in peace throughout our 1,200 metres of shoreline and marina."
According to Scully, the resort's success is thanks in part to its location on the largest private beach in Dubai, and unified with the world-class Dubai International Marine Club. "While location is key, we believe it is our attention to detail that sets us ahead of the competition," he said. "With our Penguin Club, we have one of the largest children's clubs in the country, so parents can relax while their children enjoy all-day supervised fun and activities. "For the adults, we have a wide programme of leisure activities, from sailing, diving and deep sea fishing, to unwinding at the famous Mina Moon beach parties."What more can we say, other than simply it's the Mina effect!"
The Future of Wireless: Mobile Multimedia
A report by Booz Allen Hamilton recommends a new "integrated services" business model for mobile network operators
Dubai, UAE, May 25, 2004 - Using third-generation (3G) high-speed networks, or even narrower-band networks, portable multifunction phones soon will reach data transmission power similar to that of personal computers. With wireless technology advancing and average consumers becoming more adventurous, mobile telecom carriers and makers of handheld phones are poised to take the great leap beyond the voice market "invented" by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876 and fully develop the market in mobile data communication.
Certainly, all signs indicate that mobile data - the sounds, pictures, video, and text transmitted through wireless networks - constitutes the biggest new business opportunity for the wireless telecom industry since its inception. A burgeoning population of consumers of all ages around the world fancies possessing a single mobile device for communication, organization, and entertainment.
As well, for many wireless telecom operators worldwide, mobile data service isn't just a new market opportunity, it's a survival kit. Operators are in a difficult spot: the network connection they control is rapidly becoming a commodity, as markets are liberalized globally and in the Middle East and revenue growth from traditional voice and text services is slowing. Compound annual growth in spending on voice services from 2002 to 2007 will be just 4 percent. (See Exhibit 1.) Thus, the mobile operators that spent billions of dollars to build 3G networks are under great pressure to introduce multimedia data services to generate revenues fast, so they can pay off and capitalize on their broadband investments.
According to Karim Sabbagh, UAE-based Vice President, Booz Allen Hamilton, "In the Middle East, most investments are still going into 2G and 2.5G infrastructure, with growth still expected in these services. However, the region is in a unique position to start educating mobile phone users about multimedia services using currently deployed infrastructure, prior to investing in future generation networks. The phenomenal success of SMS-based services for TV votes and infotainment downloading is a cost-effective way for operators to educate the masses prior to stepping up to the next wave of applications that require higher capabilities than what exists on networks today."
But for mobile operators looking to make the shift from voice to data services, success will come only by substantially changing their business models.Booz Allen Hamilton believes that a new "integrated services" business model - one that encourages productive partnering and more varied approaches to value creation - is the most promising option for the wireless industry. Operators won't simply provide a connection to the network; rather, they will position themselves to directly influence and profit from every aspect of the wireless experience: reliable connections, clear reception, attractive and easy-to-use phones, useful and fun applications, good customer service, and more.
To do this effectively, mobile operators will need to interact more closely with handset manufacturers, content owners, software vendors, and application developers.
Beyond Connectivity
Although the worldwide growth in the mobile data marketplace has been little short of breathtaking and major European and American mobile telephone operators race to attract new customers with their own multimedia data services, operators continue to apply the same connectivity-only model that the first generation of U.S. and European cable and Internet service providers did in the 1980s and 1990s.In 2002, spending on mobile data services in Europe, the United States, and Asia reached US$32 billion. From 2002 to 2007, mobile data service spending will grow at a compound annual rate of 24 percent, reaching US$92 billion in 2007, according to Booz Allen Hamilton projections.
In the Middle East, mobile data revenues were estimated at US$471 million and are expected to grow as revenues from traditional voice services shrink due to increasing competition and market liberalization.
"Growth will be driven in the Middle East by the increasing deployment of enabling infrastructure. Almost all Gulf and Middle East operators have introduced GPRS and have WAP capabilities. MMS is available in most Gulf countries with a planned introduction in the remaining ones within a couple of years," said Beirut-based Booz Allen Principal Ghassan Hasbani.Even though voice transmission remains by far the largest part of the wireless business, we anticipate that in Europe sending messages, getting news, playing games and lotteries, watching sports, and sharing photos and video clips will be the top revenue growth generators in mobile products and services for the mass market within three years, with the United States following a similar trajectory. This also is the case for the Middle East, judging by the level of interest that is being given to such services and the increasing number of portals emerging in the region.
Mobile operators can continue to capture only the basic value from the network connection as they add multimedia services, but their ability to grow revenues and profits will be highly constrained. The connectivity-only value proposition keeps them embroiled in brutal competition on pricing and network quality. Additionally, with this model, operators will always remain one step removed from the customer experience.
Following extensive research and discussions with scores of executives at leading companies, Booz Allen Hamilton has identified two primary ways mobile operators can change their business models. The first option is to adopt a low-cost, low-risk, lower-growth connectivity model with the objective of increasing user traffic and the volume of data transmitted over the company's wireless network. The second option is to use the higher-cost, higher-risk, but higher-value-added integrated service model, which aims to capture more value from the different types of content carried over the network.
Refocusing Relationships
The connectivity model may be viable for some small mobile service companies with limited financial resources and high-speed network capacity that can compete on price, rather than on the breadth and quality of their services.But this approach won't work for the major carriers, especially those that have already made significant 3G investments. To earn the required return on their investments in high-speed networks, these operators can't afford to cede to other players any of the potential revenue streams they can earn from content transmitted through their networks. For the majors, the integrated service model makes more sense.
Under it, mobile operators will get involved in - and extract revenue and profit from - all the critical points in the value chain that affect the user experience. Mobile operators may play multiple roles in packaging, promoting, and selling content, subscriptions, and services offered by third-party content companies. These partnerships are crucial to the mobile operator's ability to expand revenue streams, grow market share, and capture more value from the customer relationship. With the growth of mobile data services, the arm's-length relationship between mobile operators and their device suppliers needs to end.
Applying the integrated strategy, carriers will concentrate on enhancing the handset's "service environment" - the device's interface and its underlying software platforms, which are critical to creating devices and applications that are easy to use, reliable, and secure.
From simple co-branding, some mobile carriers have moved into exclusive distribution agreements with manufacturers to sell a specific handset model, with features designed to support the carrier's multimedia service. Such design collaboration and marketing partnerships with mobile operators are especially attractive to device manufacturers because they help the manufacturers sell a larger number of tailored, higher-priced, higher-margin multifunction handsets. Manufacturers could even design entire service environments for specific mobile operators and offer them as preconfigured integrated solutions.
Collaboration with content partners is another critical strategy in the integrated model. Mobile operators can reward content providers through revenue sharing that gives each partner a portion of the price charged for each download of content.
Mobile operators can make themselves more attractive to content partners by embedding digital rights-management systems in their service environments. Booz Allen Hamilton interviews in Europe and the United States show that strong copyright protection is especially appealing to music companies, which are seeking to reduce the erosion of content value by peer-to-peer file-sharing services.
Pricing Model
The integrated services approach changes the pricing model, too. Charging for services on the basis of the volume of data transmitted is a strategy that mobile operators copied from early Internet services companies. But Booz Allen Hamilton research shows there is no correlation between volume usage and a customer's perception of value. When we asked 700 users of consumer mobile telephone services in five major European markets in the fall of 2002 what payment methods would be most acceptable to them, 69 percent said they preferred the value-based pricing model, wherein they pay a price per download of content (1 euro per song, for example). Only 14 percent said they preferred to pay according to the volume (megabytes) of data transmitted. (See Exhibit 2.)Not only is value-based pricing more acceptable to users, it is better for the business. Our analysis shows that volume-based pricing would actually decrease revenue for the popular photo, short-text, and instant message services, and would inhibit usage of music downloads, games, Internet browsing, and video telephony. (See Exhibit 3.)
Furthermore, at the prevailing volume-based rate charged by European mobile operators in February 2003, downloading a one-megabyte music track would have cost 10 euros, but a standard text message would have cost only 0.0001 euro. According to our research, the optimal price would have been closer to 1.0 euro per download for a song and 0.2 euro for a short text message.
In the Middle East and Gulf region, MMS services are priced by transaction with a volume cap to protect network capacity. The price per download varies between US$0.12 and US$0.60 with download limits varying between 30 and 100 Kbytes/s.
"In order to increase the chances for MMS, value-based pricing should be introduced," said Booz Allen's Sabbagh. "This kind of pricing has been observed in some SMS-based services where users are charged differently for different types of downloads. An example of such a pricing scheme is ABWAB, the SMS-based services of Saudi Telecom's Aljawal. This is a menu-based service from which users can download ring tones, business news, prayer times, jokes, quizzes, and other types of content using the SMS infrastructure. MMS will enable the download of larger files with enhanced quality of content, therefore commanding higher prices."
Emerging Lessons
The year 2003 was a watershed for the mobile data market. Consumer demand for and the supply of mobile data products and services increased noticeably, especially in Europe and the United States.
Nevertheless, plain old-fashioned voice service remains the mainstay of the wireless business, and it will continue to be for the next several years. Indeed, in 2003, spending on voice services was $292 billion in Europe, Asia, and the United States - more than seven times as much as the $41 billion spent on mobile data service. By 2007, annual spending on data services in these regions will reach $92 billion, which is still not close to the nearly $339 billion projected to be spent on voice service.The picture is similar in the Middle East and Gulf region. Voice is still the dominant revenue source at 92% of total revenues in 2003, declining to 85% in 2007. The reduction in voice revenues as a percentage of the total is due to price reductions as well as a slight increase in data services revenues. In the Gulf, data service revenues exceeded US$470 million in 2003 out of US$7.8 billion in total mobile services revenues.
In the past, the wireless industry has been hurt because many players were not winners in their relationships with others in the value chain. This is changing as demand for wireless products and services grows and companies discover that collaboration is the best way to accelerate innovation, increase profits for individual companies, and enrich the overall market.
According to Booz Allen's Hasbani, content and application developers, handset manufacturers, and telecom operators are competing to capture the highest value in the mobile multimedia environment. Collaboration will allow them to do so by leveraging their key competencies. In the Middle East, interaction between television and messaging has been successful through recent experiences with reality TV shows. Ring tone downloads are also providing music producers and distributors with a good revenue source. Future Television, LBC, and Rotana have all made use of mobile communications as a feedback channel for their content. In the near future, technology changes will enable better quality interaction and the possible download of short video clips.By collaborating with other players, mobile operators will be better positioned to benefit fully from the future that is coming. That future, for the wireless industry, is multimedia data services.
