ASPGulf Signs Partnership with Webmasters- -Abducted nurses released after two and half months.-Etisalat Approves U.S. Robotics New 'Easy to Install' High speed Faxmodem-Investments of non-resident Malayalees t o be channelized for de velopment Participation of non-resident Malayalees vital for village development
Arab Youth Gang take Expatriates for a ride by Offering to sell blue Films.
Beware of fake CID official who will try to extract money after "arresting" you for possessing the same blue films sold by the gang.
MUSCAT -- Many expatriates have been taken for a ride by a new gang of Arab youths who wander around in the busy streets of Muscat, pretending to sell blue films on Compact Discs and Video Cassettes. The gang of four to five youths, three-four young boys of 15 to 18 year old will approach the passers by and ask them quietly whether they are interested in buying very good blue film CDs. If the victim shows some interest, then the boys will encircle him and explain the quality of the blue films and that all varieties ranging from Malayalam, Philippine, Pakistani, Arab and other nationalities are available just for a price equivalent to Rs. 128. (One Rial). Once you decide to buy one or more CDs or video tapes just out of curiosity the gang will give you the required CD. The CDs are kept hidden within the tea shirt or in the pocket.
The next stage of the drama is quite interesting. The boys will ask you to check the quality of the blue film CDs in their computer/TV kept in an adjacent flat. You will be more curious to follow them and once you enter the house, another Arab will appear from the blue and start questioning the two boys who have sold the CD. Naturally expatriate customers will be scared to see a CID officer questioning Arab youths, pretend to beat them and snatch away the plastic package containing CDs and video cassettes. The boys will run away and the bewildered expatriate will be questioned, asked to produce the labour card. He will behave as if a criminal case is going to be filed and that there is every chance that you may end up in prison. He will take your labour card and escort you downstairs to the police station.
The CID in the traditional Arab dress will make busy phone calls to the "special squad" and pretend as if it is the end of life for the expatriate caught red handed with the blue film CD. It may be noted that crime related to drugs and blue film is considered very serious in the conservative Arab countries. Once you are scared, he will snatch away your belongings and settle the matter in return for whatever money is available with you. When two of KM representatives who followed the gang and the CID officer asked him to produce his identity card, he became restless and started making phone calls to someone. At last he said, he would note down the building number and flat number to register the case and vanished in thin air.
When we came back to the same spot where the boys initially offered to sell blue films, they were in action again trying to lure more customers to buy their CDs. It is learned that everyday a number of expatriates who visit the market in the busy hours are duped in this manner and their money and resources robbed by the gang.
Since it involve blue film CDs, the victims go silently without bothering to make a complaint to the local police. However, a number of expatriates in the area said the gang has been duping a number of people in this manner. So next time when you are visiting the busy Ruwi High Street market in Muscat or any other busy market place, look out for thin tall fair boys who will be trying to lure you away into a new world of blue films!
It is also learned that the CDs that they are trying to sell are blank CDs which cost only Rs. 10 or Rs. 15 per copy. In addition to paying ten times the price of a blank CD, you will end up as a fool and lose your money and labour card. So be careful
Earlier KM had reported about fake labour officers, who visit supermarkets and shops to dupe expatriates who are working with visa or labour card or other companies. Fake labour officers used to frequent shops, get hold of people who are working with different sponsors and demanding money.….Watch this space for related pictures. (keralamonitor.com).
Abducted nurses released after two and half months.
ABIDJAN, 3 September (IRIN) - The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers has welcomed the release on Monday of five nurses who had been held captive by Liberian rebels for two and a half months.Rebels of the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) group abducted the nurses, who work for the local non-governmental organisation, Medical Emergency Relief Cooperative International (Merci), on 20 June.
The rebels had attacked Sinje camp, 80 km northwest of the Liberian capital, Monrovia. At least 24,000 Sierra Leonean refugees and displaced Liberians lived at the camp. The abductees worked in a health center in the camp from which the rebels also took an ambulance.Two LURD representatives, UNHCR said, handed over the nurses late on Monday at Badiaro in southern Guinea near the border town of Macenta, following negotiations.
The nurses "were visibly traumatized by their 10-week ordeal and three were suffering from malaria," UNHCR said. They were taken to Macenta for a police check and then to Nzerekore to receive medical care before being taken to the Guinean capital, Conakry.
The executive director of Merci, Tete Korboi Brooks, told IRIN on Tuesday from Monrovia that the nurses - all Liberians - had reportedly been kept well. The nurses released were: Maria Okwoumu, Lydia Weah, Annie Wallace, Victoria Johnson and Cecilia Beyan.At least 30 other staff of the health centre in Sinje fled the LURD attack, mainly to Sierra Leone. They returned later to Liberia.
The health center, which catered for between 125 and 150 internally displaced people, refugees and local people daily, has remained closed since the attack, Brooks said."The centre was the only remaining provider of family health care in the Sinje area of Grand Cape Mount County after the main hospital and other health centres had been forced to close," she told IRIN. "The flow of patients had increased following intensifying fighting in the area."Last week, the Liberian army in Monrovia released another Merci employee, Nyerku Na. He had been arrested after his return from Sierra Leone, where he fled following the 20 June attack on Sinje.Merci, which started activities in Liberia in 1990, also provides family health care services in Montseraddo and Maryland Counties. It's activities are supported by UNHCR.
ASPGulf Signs Partnership with WebmastersHOSTED ERP SOLUTIONS FOR SMALL BUSINESS
Dubai- September 3, 2002
by Manju Menon, KM Correspondent.
ASPGulf, the region's leading managed services provider, has entered
into a partnership with small-to-medium enterprises (SME) ERP
(enterprise resource planning) specialist Webmasters L.L.C.The arrangement, which sees the local SME market knowledge and software
expertise of Webmasters, a Microsoft certified partner married with the
application services of ASPGulf, will provide comprehensive, cost
effective ERP solutions to the local SME sector."Many SMEs can benefit from tailored ERP packages," said Tony Sparks,
CEO, ASPGulf. "However they have neither the resources nor the in-house
ability to leverage the benefits ERP solutions can deliver."To launch the new service, ASPGulf/Webmasters have brought on board
Chartered Accountancy firm, N.R. Doshi & Co. ASPGulf says for a starting
price of Dhs 5000, SMEs can now implement an ERP solution in as little
as five working days.The package includes, in addition to the Great Plains e-Enterprise
software, MS office professional, Microsoft exchange on demand and web
hosting. However, Sparks says it is the value added services, which
makes the offering extremely attractive to local SMEs."Aside from the IT aspect, this package provides system training for
personnel, product orientation for auditors, a post-implementation
review, free technical/functional support by email/telephone,
ready-to-use spreadsheets and monthly system checks for the first six
months," said Sparks.ASPGulf says outsourcing IT hosting requirements frees businesses from
the chore of maintaining technology, allowing them to concentrate on
their core business."By hosting their ERP solutions with ASPGulf, companies do not need to
worry about the investment and hassle of procuring the right hardware
for the job and maintaining it. In addition expenses are further reduced
by distributing the costs across a number of users," explained Sparks."This, together with Webmasters infinite knowledge of designing and
implementing SME ERP solutions, enables small scale businesses to
exploit the improvements in operational efficiencies ERP solutions can
provide to business without the massive up front capital outlay
traditionally required to implement ERP packages."The ERP package is run on Microsoft's Great Plains e-Enterprise
software. Webmasters will configure the financial suite, and integrate
any industry vertical requirements a client might have, as well as
driving the implementation process."We act very much as a consultant," said Sam Vaddi, Business Development
Manager, Webmasters. "We work with the client to mould the ERP solution
to their business. At the end of the day, the solution must underpin the
accounting/auditing systems of the organisation, as well as assist in
its decision making processes."The basic ASPGulf/Webmaster financial application tools offering
includes foundation modules, general ledgers, account receivables,
account payables, bank reconciliation, multi-currency, invoicing,
customisation site enabler, in addition to specific client requirements
added to the software functionality by Webmasters.ASPGulf, which is part of the Al Bawardi (AE) technology group of
companies, will provide clients with 24-hour infrastructure support,
while any functionality problems will be dealt within working hours,
although there is round-the-clock web support via Microsoft.According to Sparks, the agreement will mean SMEs will be able to take
advantage of market advances previously denied them due to their size
and as such limited resources."This new partnership provides the SME community a practical way to
exploit the technological and methodological advances, which have really
only been available to big business within this region," concluded Sparks.
Etisalat Approves U.S. Robotics New 'Easy to Install' High speed Faxmodem
The approval from Etisalat makes the easy to install, connection free U.S. Robotics 56K analogue modem more readily available to small to medium businesses in the UAE
Dubai, UAE - 3 September 2002
U.S. Robotics today announced that its external 56K faxmodem USB (model 5633) will be available in the market starting October 2002, having received approval from Etisalat, the telecommunications provider for the UAE. The U.S. Robotics external 56K Faxmodem (model 5633) is the fastest 56K Faxmodem with Universal Serial Bus (USB) convenience. The Faxmodem 'defines' convenience when it comes to Internet access, with the USB design allowing users to simply plug and play without the need for an external power supply. U.S. Robotics recognizes that small to medium size businesses need easy, reliable and cost-effective Internet access and the new Faxmodem provides this, together with some advanced features.
"U.S. Robotics main aim has always been and will always be to help people get on the Internet with ease and keep them connected with cutting edge technology," said Yusuf Syed, regional sales manager, Middle East & SAARC Countries. "Our 56K Faxmodem (model 5633) combines U.S. Robotics quality and reliability with USB convenience and enhanced V.92 performance at a price that is within everyone's reach."
As more people reap the rewards of accessing the net in the Middle East, for personal or business use, the demand for efficient, fast and affordable Internet access solutions will continue to experience enormous growth. U.S. Robotics will continue to cater to this growth in demand by bringing new, state-of-the-art Internet access technologies to homes and small-to-medium businesses in the region at affordable prices.
The Universal Serial Bus (USB) design offers simple plug and play installation and setup, with no additional dedicated power source required. This gives the user confidence in having disruption-free and hassle-free Internet access without the need to rely on power connection or power cables. In addition, the U.S. Robotics 56K Faxmodem (model 5633) with V.92 technology offers fast downloads and additional useful features such as unique Internet call notification (ICN) which enables the user to take charge of incoming calls, by monitoring online activity, allowing you to accept or reject incoming calls while online.
56K Faxmodem (model 5633) Features and Benefits -
Unique Fusion of V.92 performance with USB convenienceUSB design:
Simple Plug and Play installation and setup with NO additional dedicated power source required.Fax and Communications software included:
The software provides advanced capabilities and features including delayed and broadcast faxing, customizable interface and caller IDDigital line guard:
This feature provides a pre-warning, advising the user if they are connecting to a digital or a PABX phone line that could damage the user's modemComplies with International standards:
With the 56K faxmodem (model 5633), users can easily connect with other modems, computers and fax machines internationallyUpgradeable software:
Users are able to upgrade online by downloading software so as to ensure that their modem will continue to meet their evolving needs
