What role the former ITDC head play
in arranging the Kovalam Hotel Deal for a song!!
KM understands that several senior
bureacrats including Amithabh Kanth played crucial role in privatising
the Kovalam Hotel which is shrouded in controversy now. At a time
when many eyebrows are raised about the dubious manner in which
a public property (the Ashoka Hotel in Kovalam) was handed over
to the private groupf from Muscat at a throw away price, some of
the senior bureacrat's names keep cropping up in corruptiion cases.
Recently the police stumbled upon two corruption cases while investigating
into the infamous ice cream parlour sex racket case. P P Abdul Rahiman,
an NRI is the first accused and Ex-Kozhikode mayor O Rajagopal of
CPI is the second. Former corporation secretary T K Raveendran,
former district collector Amitabh Kanth and P K Kunhalikutty are
the third, fourth and the fifth accused respectively.According to
the report submitted by the investigating officer, it was found
that Abdul Rahiman and Rajagopal conspired together to secure for
Abdul Rahiman the 52 cents of land proposed to be acquired for Palayam
Bus Stand. Amitabh Kanth, then in-charge of the city mayor, exempted
the land from acquisition with the help of the then corporation
secretary T.K. Raveendran, which enabled Abdul Rahiman to gain an
undue advantage of Rs 2 crore, and thereby causing a loss of Rs
49,25,000 to the corporation.Based on the evidence from the statements
of the witnesses, it was found that Kunhalikutty granted exemption
of building rules to the owners of a multi-storeyed building at
Mavoor Road. Based on this, Kunhalikutty was made the fifth accused..
It may be noted that the Indian Tourism Development Corporation
(ITDC) which owned the Kovalam Ashoka Hotel gave it on a platter
to Galfar Mohammed Ali for a price of Rs.43 crores compared to the
actual market value, which is estimated to exceed Rs.400 crores.
Is it not rationale to investigate the role of Amithabh Kanth in
the Kovalam Hotel Deal as well? The man is accused of causing a
great loss to the state chequer and making allegedly dubious deal
to help an NRI bsuinessmen to the tune of Rs.2 crores. This alleged
Rs.2 crore fraud happened when was just a Mayor of Calicut. When
he assumed a senior position in ITDC, a similar deal has happened
with another NRI businessman..Is there is any reason not to suspect
something fishy.....Full Report
Kovalam: Private Group Continues
Illegal Construction Activity..
With scant regard for the prevailing
Kerala High Court order to maintain status quo in the Kovalam Palace
issue, the private NRK group is secretly going ahead with cabling
and related work in the site. According to reports this is in violation
of the court ruling and it appears that the hotel owner is confident
to geting control of the palace. With latest revelations about the
League leaders trying to influence the judiciary also, there is
reason to be optimistic..
World Toilets Day: Dubai's Construction
Workers Want Clean Toilets
DUBAI For the last one month, septic
tanks have been overflowing as the tanker company, which was contracted
to remove dirty water, has stopped service due to non-payment of
money. There are 25 toilets and bathroom for 500 workers. Each room
has eight to nine residents. All of them have to use these toilets
simultaneously as their work timing is same. They have to work in
the company's construction sites in Jebel Ali, and other distant
locations. by
V.M.Sathish, Khaleej Times.
Sex Scandal Investigation Subotage:
Gulf Business Man offered to help Nayanar's Son to Set Up Business
in Abu Dhabi
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Kunjalikutty,
the controversial minister who is deeply involved in the Kozhikkodu
Ice Cream Sex Scandal has approached Sharadah Teacher, wife of former
state chief minister Late E.K. Nayanar and offered to help his son
to start a business in Abu Dhabi. He has reported offered to help
junior Nayanar set up a business in Abu Dhabi with the help of famous
NRI businessman with the second name Ali. This was disclosed by
the V S Achuthananthan faction of the CPIM during the State Secretariat
Meeting of the CPIM. It is alleged that the former LDF government
helped Kunjalikutty to sabotage investigation into the sex scandal
which was the tip of iceberg. Many prominent NRKs, politicians and
agents were involved in the sex racket which lured young girls to
ice cream parlours and beauty parlours. By giving drugs and other
intoxicants mixed with ice creams many girls were lured to the sex
racket and they were supplied to politicians. The latest allegation
by Rejina, one of the victims, is that Kunjalikutty, the Muslim
League Minister and State Industry Minister sexually abused her
three times. Many eyebrows were raised when it was revealed by Meenashi
Thampan, one of the CPI leaders who was involved in the investigation
panel, that a leading figure from the Nayanar's office was instrumental
in sabotaging the sex scandal investigation. It was also alleged
that a close relative of Nayanar was involved in the Vithura sex
scandal and there was trade off between a part of the CPIM leadership
and the League. The accusing fingers are pointing towards P.Shashi,
the press Secretary of Nayanar. It is reported that Sharada teacher
had complained that even though Nayanar was the state chief minister
for two terms, he did not do anything for the family. That weakness
was exploited by Kunjalikutty who promised to help Krishnakumar
set up a business in Abu Dhabi with the help of Ali, a known League
supporter and prominent NRK.- Watch this space.
The
United Arab Emirates President, His Highness Shiekh Zayed bin Sultan
al-Nahayan has died, state television reported.. "The royal
court announces to Arab and Islamic countries and the rest of the
world the death of the leader of the nation Sheikh Zayed ... on
Tuesday evening," said an announcement read out on Abu Dhabi
television. Under the UAE constitution, Vice-President and Prime
Minister Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al-Maktoum, ruler of Dubai, will
act as president until the federal council which groups rulers of
the seven emirates meets within 30 days to elect a new president.
More
KM Special: After the
infamous Ice Parlour Case which revealed the growing prostitution
racket involving sex workers, politicians and customs, airport officials,
a new boom is witnessing in the city - massage parlours. There are
a number of new massage parlours that use young poor girls and woman
to do special massages to customers. There are many women working
in these parlours..Watch this space.
KM Exclusive Real
World Face of Faiz: Agent dupes Unemployed Youth from Kerala:
Charges Rs.1.5 lakhs for Visit visas which cost just Rs.5000!
Real World, a company with operations
in Dubai and Bombay (Dongri) is responsible for duping hundreds
of Keralites from different parts of the state. KM investigation
revealed that the main culprit behind these operations remain
anonymous. The man pictured here -one Mr. Faizal from Bombay -
has allegedly duped many Keralites by offering lucrative job in
the Gulf in return for Rs,.1.5 lakh from each candidate. Real
World Importers and Exporters, Real World Manpower Consultants
and other names are used to lure customers through a network of
agents and sub agents. The visa racket members are known in different
names in different places but their original identity is known
to some. It is learned that a leading visa racket member is running
a hotel at Mukkam Kozhikkodu.More
NCP-Congress Wins Maharashtra Electiion -Crushing
Defeat to BJP-Shiv Sena Alliance
BOMBAY - The Congress-NCP combine today stormed
back to power in Maharashtra with 138 seats in the 288-member
assembly, seven short of a majority. NCP intends to head the next
government in Maharashtra with its chief Sharad Pawar asserting
that the principle of largest party getting the top post should
stand as his party emerged the largest party in the Assembly polls.
"The argument given to us by Congress five years back was
that the single largest party should get the Chief Ministership.
The principle was also applied recently in Karnataka" Pawar,
whose party got 71 seats, four more than Congress, announced.
The Congress President, talking separately to reporters earlier,
had remained non-committal on the issue saying that the issue
would be sorted out after discussions. Pawar may not go back to
Maharashtra as Chief Minister. "Once I made a blunder as
it was very difficult to say no to Narasimha Rao. Besides I had
the emotional involvement following the riots (in 1993)",
Pawar said recalling the last time he went to state politics.
Pawar had earlier maintained that he would give the Chief Ministership
to Congress "even if they get one seat more than us".
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reacted to the election win by congratulating
the people of Maharashtra who have given a "crushing defeat"
to communal forces and a "decisive victory" to Congress
and its allies. "The people of Maharashtra have given a crushing
defeat to communal forces, to forces which wanted to divide our
country on the basis of religion and caste," he told reporters
after the Assembly election results were out in Maharashtra. "It
is a very happy day for Congress and its allies," Singh said.
Admitting that the results of Maharashtra assembly polls were
not up to their expectations, BJP and Shiv Sena today said they
accepted people's verdict and would play the role of an aggressive
and constructive opposition. "The results are not (not) to
our hopes and aspirations but people are god and we accept their
verdict," BJP General Secretary Pramod Mahajan and Shiv Sena
leader Narayan Rane told a joint press conference here. "BJP
and Shiv Sena served the people with total sincerity and dedication
but may be there were few lapses on our part because of which
we could not (not) capture enough seats to rule the state",
Mahajan said.
Intense Fight between President and Auditor of
Abu Dhabi Malayala SamajamAbu Dhabi Malayali
Club: A serious power struggle has erupted between the present
of the Abudhabi Malayalam Samajam and its internal Auditor. Recently
the President has fired a fiery letter against the internal auditor
and displayed it on the Samajam noticeboard. The association which
is facing another crisis due to the eviction notice given by the
landlord has given the members another head ache...Right
- Birthday Greetings to Merlin Bombay)
UK: Government Must Ensure Protection for Women
and Girls Trafficked into Sex Trade
As a controversial new drama about human trafficking
is broadcast ('Sex Traffic', 14 & 21 Oct, Channel 4, 9pm)
a coalition of NGOs - UNICEF UK, Amnesty International and Anti-Slavery
International - are today calling on the UK government to provide
adequate protection and assistance for the victims of this vicious
international trade, and to lobby to ensure that the new European
Convention on Trafficking guarantees adequate protection to women
and girls across Europe.
conference lays strong emphasis on detection of
travellers without proper documents
DUBAI -"Security has become a key issue of
concern in recent years. This major conference paved way for in-depth
analysis of national and international security issues, laying
strong emphasis on detecting travelers without proper documents
and on raising customer service standards. The meeting was touched
upon all major issues of concern to the airline industry. There
were calls for better co-operation between the airline industry
and the government authorities to identify ways of tightening
border control and regulatory laws," said Brigadier bin Belailah.More
News ( - Left KM in the news)
Fifty Dubai Malayalis who have lost everything
in a fire that devastated their Rented Houses Neif Road Dubai
(click image above)
One more Bush Special Envoy in Iraq Embroiled
in Debt Controversy
American President Bush's special envoy, James
Baker, who has been trying to persuade the world to forgive Iraq's
crushing debts, is simultaneously working for a commercial concern
that is trying to recover money from Iraq, according to confidential
documents. A special report by the Guardian revealed that Mr Baker's
Carlyle Group is in a consortium secretly proposing to try to
collect $27bn (£15bn) on behalf of Kuwait, one of Iraq's
biggest creditors, by using high-level political influence. It
claims Mr Baker will not benefit personally, but the consortium
could make millions in fees, retainers and commission as a result.
Read
the full report
Rrecruitment for Railway Project in Dubai: Company
charges Rs.1 lakh from workers!!!
Recruitment Racket : Leading UAE Company sets
up Thiruvananthapuram Office to recruit 300 workers. Monthly salary
Dhs.400 in various instalments; Recruitment charge Indian Rs.1
lakh or above. It will take two years to earn the money paid as
recruitment charge to a company headed by one of the directors
of a leading airport in Kochi. The Thiruvananthapuram recruitment
office is started in view of the huge demand for labour to meet
the requirements of a forthcoming railway project in the UAE.
The company is closely associated with the Euro Emirates group
of Dubai, which supplies labour to many leading companies in Dubai.
AGMC and Abu Dhabi Motors launch the new BMW 1
Series in the UAE
DUBAI
13th October, 2004 BMW Group Middle East together
with AGMC and Abu Dhabi Motors, the exclusive BMW Group importers
for the UAE, today announced the arrival of the all new BMW 1
Series, which redefines the compact class by combining the functionality
of a compact five-door hatchback with the driving pleasure associated
with a BMW.The much-anticipated BMW 1 series is a five-door sports
hatch, 4.23 metres in length, making this new model series precisely
24 centimetres shorter than a 3 Series saloon. The typical BMW
drive concept, powerful engines, high-grade equipment and the
experience of sheer driving fun offer a new and unique alternative
in this particular market segment.More
News
NRI Tycoon Yousuf Ali forms Global Kerala Foundation
to help HIV Infected Children
Yousuf Ali aspires to become a
People's Representative?
Abu
Dhabi - M.A.Yousuf Ali, the popular NRI businessman has taken
up a major humanitarian issue that haunted the HIV infected children
of Kerala. As the chairman of Global Kerala Foundation, a charitable
organisation formed in March 2004 as an umbrella organisation
of the global Malayali community, the NRI Tycoon who heads the
Emke group of UAE, has shown keen interest to start Mothers Care,
a social charity project for providing financial assistance for
educational and related expenses of HIV infected school children
of India. The fate of two school students of Kerala who were denied
school admission had received much media attention. There are
nearly 100 HIV/AIDS infected school children in Kerala. KGF has
already found out sponsors for 25 HIV positive students and efforts
are on to locate more philanthropic NRIs to sponsor such poor
students. The foundation under the global patronage of Shri Padmanabha
Dasa Uthradam Thirunal Marthanda Varma (the Maharaja of Travancore)
will also implement Better School: Better Citizens, an infrastructure
development project in 100 government schools of Kerala with the
coordination of Higher Education Department of the Government
of Kerala. Initially three schools in Nattika, one each in Kozhikkodu
and Trivandrum districts are to be benefited in the academic year
2004-2005. The organisation is in the process of identifying other
needy schools across the state. Even though GKF appears to be
an elite organisation with limited membership through high membership
fee of Rs.1 lakh donation, it seems to be interested in undertaking
some serious issues plaguing the most literate state in India.
While there is no shortage of associations and trusts which mushroomed
in Kerala and the Gulf region, most of them thrive on the donations
and contributions made from NRKs. However, this elite club seems
to have some serious intentions and the first global meet is scheduled
to be held in Doha, Qatar. The group also intends to form country
chapters in many countries with considerable Indian presence.
"The organization has already started development work for
a government school in the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram in
association with roots. After Abdul Wahab became a Member of Parliament,
can we expect one more NRI tycoon as a people's representative?
It is a well known secret that many NRI Tycoons nurture political
aspirations and Yousuf Ali is not an exception. --Watch this space.
EPPCO/ENOC Network to stop selling patrol due
to mounting loss.
UAE Petrol retailers lose millions at the Pump
Daily Service Stations Might Run Dry
DUBAI -It may seem inconceivable but motorists
in the UAE may soon find themselves lining up to buy petrol. Purchasing
refined petrol at AED 6.75 per gallon but allowed by the authorities
to sell at only AED 4.75 per gallon, the country’s gasoline
retailers incur a substantial loss estimated at about AED 4.1
million daily, especially now that world crude prices have reached
more than US$ 50 per barrel. EPCCO/ENOC, with more than 160 service
stations in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, loses upwards of
AED 1.4 million a day. “Over the last 5 years, EPPCO lost
a total of about AED 450 million because of the high product acquisition
cost,” said an EPPCO source. Unlike other GCC and Asian countries,
the UAE Government does not subsidise the retail marketing companies
to sell petrol at the regulated prices. In effect, the distribution
companies themselves subsidise UAE motorists, who enjoy some of
the lowest petrol prices in the world. ENOC admitted that by the
end of this month – because of factors beyond its control
– its entire EPPCO/ENOC network will most probably stop selling
petrol. “Some of our bigger service stations might run dry
before that,” it added. More
Indian Multinationals Flourish as more FDI is
welcomed
Indian Investment in UK Celebrated
The age of the Indian MNC has now dawned, with
the Indian industry realising that world-wide, businesses can
thrive today only by crossing new frontiers, creating new markets
and building new partnerships, Shri Kamal Nath, Union Minister
of Commerce & Industry, said in his address today at a luncheon
meeting "Celebrating Indian Investment in the UK" in
London. The very theme of the gathering symbolised the transformation
of the UK-India commercial links over the years and the new economic
paradigm of two-way investments, which was emerging, he said.
More News
Power of Yoga and meditation
In the famous "Time" magazine the importance
meditation and yoga, an ancient Indian system, is high-lighted
that the ancient mind- and spirit-enhancing art is becoming increasingly
popular and gaining medical legitimacy. It is a multi billion
dollar business in US. In many Universities it is accepted as
subject and included in the Syllabus. In the latest famous book
"Inspire! What Great Leaders Do" written by Mr.Lance
Secretan recently published by John Wiley and sons, the benefit
of meditation is elaborately described for good corporate governance.
By practising transcendental meditation, or TM, many people have
got relief from back pain, neck pain, depression. The mind calms
and quiets, . What thoughts you have during meditation become
clearer, more focused. Anger, anxiety and worries give way to
a peace. More
Indian Embassy Official Blatantly Refuses to look
into Parents Problems
MUSCAT - Senior Indian embassy senior official
in charge of Indian Schools has refused to meet representatives
of 400 parents of Indian School Moladha, the Parents Welfare Association
Committee alleged. In a statement they said that a complaint filed
by more than 300 parents of Indian School Moladha remains unattended.
Following the submissiions made during the open house (17th September
2004), two representatives were called for meeting but later he
insisted on meeting only one representative. They urged that stern
action should be taken against the bureaucrat who refused to look
into serious problems of 450 Indians living in Oman...Take whatever
action you can... the private school lobby has its way now...Watch
this space.
Indian School Molada Parents allege Harassment
by Talmiz Ahmed
MUSCAT - Parents of Indian Schools in Oman are
up in arms against the outgoing Indian Ambassador Talmiz Ahmed
and the school management committee under his patronage for harassing
parents who have protested against a fees hike plan by trapping
them in police cases A number of parents who spoke to KM said
the school management committee and the ambassador in his capacity
as the patron are not even listening to their grievances and follow
dictatorial methods to silence poor parents who cannot afford
to pay excess fee. More
Young Girl escapes from Sex Racket, Sought Asylum
in Club but Gang drags her back in the presence of media and public
Gang members drag her into white gar as media
personalities remain mute spectators...
MUCAT - An young Keralite girl from Muscat could
have a narrow escape from the sex mafia if the Indian Embassy
or the media personalities in the city were a bit more vigilant.
An 18 years old Malayali girl who was trapped in the sex racket
tried to run away from her captors and sought asylum in a major
club in Muscat. It is learned that an SOS was sent to various
parties including the representative of a leading Malayalam channel
but some of them have allegedly informed the racketeers about
the girls presence in the club premises. Instead of saving the
girl who was trapped into sex racket, they remained mute spectators
when a gange came in a white car and forcefully dragged the girl
into the vehicle. It is suspected that some of the people whom
she approached for help only informed the sex racketeers about
her whereabouts .It looks strange that the channel representative
who was present when the girl was dragged back to the racket forgot
to write down the car number or to do anything to prevent them.
It is said that some embassy officials are hand in glove with
the sex mafia and whenever some girls successfully escape from
the mafia grip, the concerned embassy officials inform them about
her whereabouts...... Watch this space.
Qatars First Free Hold Properties now Released
October 9, 2004 The first freehold properties
ever to be offered for sale in the Arabian Gulf state of Qatar
went on the market today. This follows a test-marketing period
which saw great interest from potential investors from within
the Gulf Co-operation Council states and beyond, all looking to
get in on the ground floor of the latest Middle East real estate
market to open up.The 1,012 fashionable
apartments, 28 luxury penthouses and 140 stylish town homes in
seven, 20-storey towers are due to be completed in the final quarter
of 2006/first quarter 2007 and will line Porto Arabia – the
main harbour of the rediscovered island, The Pearl-Qatar, being
reclaimed offshore the Qatari capital of Doha.more
DM receives Tejari E-government
award for third time
DUBAI - Director General of Dubai Municipality,
Qassim Sultan, said that the civic body is keen to continue its
efforts towards electronic trade in order to accomplish different
commercial transactions. He said this step will coincide with
the constant developments witnessed by the city of Dubai and will
be supporting the government’s plan for the e-government.
Sultan also praised the big role played
by Tejari.com in setting up a support base for e-market for exchanging
online trade between commercial establishments, companies and
organizations. He said that it has become
easy for interaction and conversation for conducting deals and
accomplishing business and save a lot on expenditure and thereby
get more profits. “We now get more opportunities for accessing
new markets, all this with full control over provision and supply.
Dubai Municipality support Tejari.com according to its keenness
for developing its online commercial transactions,” Sultan
said.More
West Asia is an integral part of India's Extended
Neighbourhood : Natwarsingh
Indian foreign minister says peace required for
3.5 million overseas Indians
NEW DELHI - West Asia constitutes an integral
part of India’s extended neighbourhood. Organic links between
the two regions can be traced back to antiquity, just as developments
in West Asia today have a direct impact on the economy and society
of India. The fundamentals of India’s contacts with west
Asia are both civilizational as well as of significant contemporary
relevance. Given our long-standing political,
cultural and economic ties, India is vitally interested in peace
and prosperity in West Asia. There are over 3.5 million Indians
working in the Gulf. They are doing good work. Their remittances
are estimated to be $ 6 billion annually and are an important
source of foreign exchange. Over 60% of India’s crude oil
imports are sourced from the region. West Asia is now the third
largest destination for Indian goods, behind the EU and North
America. Exports to the region account for nearly 16% of our global
exports. The collective framework of the Arab Gulf countries in
the form of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has immense strategic
significance for India since it constitutes the "immediate"
neighbourhood of India, separated from us only by the Arabian
Sea.Any major upheaval in the region, such as the Iraqi attack
on Kuwait in 1990, or the war in Iraq during 2003, can adversely
affect India’s interests. The GCC offers tremendous potential
for cooperation in trade, investment, energy, manpower etc. Information
Technology exports to GCC stand at US $ 170 million and are poised
for a significant upward growth. From the strategic point of view,
India and the GCC share a need for continued political stability
and security in the region, and this could involve joint efforts
to meet emerging domestic and regional challenges, foremost of
which is the common threat of terrorism. More
News
Indian School Dibba parents who protested against
fees hike end up in police station
Five parents of Indian School Dibba have been
called to the Dibba Police Station on the basis of a complaint
by the School authorities. KM learns that the parents have been
unhappy about the unilateral manner in which the school was enhancing
the financial burden on parents and the management was worried
about losing many students toanother school. Watch this space.
The Jordanian-born al-Zarqawi, 37, has used the
media effectively to inflate his role in the Iraqi insurgency.
In recent months, he and his supporters have claimed responsibility
for scores of suicide bombings, attacks on U.S. and Iraqi forces,
kidnappings and beheadings of foreigners, and coordinated uprisings
in several Iraqi cities More
India and Germany sign MOU for more Fellowships
to Indian Science Students More
Dubai eGovernment launches 'pull' SMS service
on '4488' to allow mobile
users to seek information from departments
Dubai eGovernment has launched a new 'pull' SMS
service that allows mobile phone users to seek specific information
from government departments by sending an SMS to one number, 4488,
and receive a response to their inquiry on the mobile in real
time. This innovative offering is part of Dubai eGovernment's
mDubai service that aims to deliver messages via mobile phones,
PDAs or the Internet. Dubai Civil Aviation,
Dubai Police, Dubai Municipality and Dubai Development Board have
already joined the service to offer flight information, flight
information tracking, traffic fines update, projects inquiry and
transaction reference inquiry respectively..More
News
MENA Regional Office in Dubai Dubai Municipality
delegation attends UITP Moscow meeting
Based on the directives of Mr. Qassim Sultan,
Director General of Dubai Municipality, the Municipality participated
in the Administrative Council meeting of the International Union
of Public Transport (UITP), which was held in Moscow from 29 September
to 1 October. The Dubai Municipality delegation led by Mr. Obeid
Salem Al Shamsi, Assistant Director General for Administrative
and General Services Affairs also included Mr. Abdul Aziz Malik,
Director, Public Transport Department and Ahmed Mohammed Al Hammadi,
Head of Abra Services Unit. More
Street vendors, beggars, Illegal
Car Washers nabbed
Dubai Municipality inspectors, in cooperation
with Dubai Police and the Dubai Naturalization and Residency Department,
nabbed last month 551 persons including street vendors, beggars
and illegal car washers. This was announced by Obeid Salem Al
Shamsi, Assistant Director General of Dubai Municipality for Administrative
Affairs and General Services, who noted that the sweep against
the law-breakers had also resulted in the seizure of several low-quality
goods, pirated CDs and pornographic films.More
News
New Malayali Hitman Targets Dubai
Keralites
DUBAI - There is
a new hit wave in Dubai - the sweet and tintillating music from
Hit -96.7 FM radio. Heralding a new trend in Malayalam radio broadcasting
from the hub of Middle East media, Arabian Radio Network has roped
in a team of young radiostars from Kerala to lure the upper middle
class music loving Keralite community in Dubai to a frequency
which was earlier used as an English radio station. Many Dubai
Malayalis are now tuning to Hit 96.7, the latest Malayalam FM
channel that entertains the overseas Keralites here with a mix
of music and film based programmes sandwiched with periodic news
bulletins and sports news. Coming from the Arabian Radio Network
that owns Dubai TV and other high profile radio stations in the
UAE, Hit 96.7 is headed by Ajith Menon, a radio personnel who
started his interest in radio waves almost three decades ago.
Full Interview with KM
Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh
trying hard to market IT Capabilities to the Arab World.
DUBAI - A good number of Politicians
and IAS officials from various Indian states are seen roaming
around the Gitex halls to sell their respective states' IT infrastructure
and cheap manpower source. While the new Congress government from
Andhra Pradesh is proud to inherit the lap top culture started
with much hype by the high tech chief minister and king maker
Chandra Babu Naidu, the Tamil Nadu Minister of Law and Informatiion
is in Dubai with three senior IAS officials seeking investors
to the huge investment and Research and Development parks planned
in the water scarce Chennai. The Kerala IT mission is also trying
to promote the new IT infor park in Kochi and the KINFRA Film
and Video Park, Thiruvananthapuram. While there is nothing much
to feel proud about the Indian pavallion in the GITEX hall, it
is a matter of prestige to see that in majority of the stalls
there is at least one Indian IT professional. Even though Chandrababu
Naidu's high tech approach failed to help the average man on the
street, the IT industry is all set to change the peoples life
in these states. Even if there is no proper drinking water in
Chennai, especially during the summer season, the Tamil Nadu government
has ambitious plans to generate employment and export from a proposed
Knowledge Industry Township coming up in a 2000 acres land. The
average man's IT illiteracy was visible when the Tamil Nadu Minister
of Information was found confused to use a latest model camera
mobile phone. About 40,000 engineers are produced every year by
250 odd engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu."We can now talk
to a villager in Tamil Nadu through the Internet connection that
reaches every nook and corner of Tamil Nadu.," claimed the
bureaucrats. Good, but how do they communicate? ..Watch this space
for a detailed report.
Double beds in Airlines to allow
mid air Sex?
Virgin Atlantic is making aviation
history by installing double beds on its flights between Britain
and the US. Announicng the move in London on Friday, Sir Richard
Branson, the airline's chairman, said he wanted to bring passengers
"closer together".A Newspaper quoted Virgin spokesman
: "We are not going to dissuade couples from having fun as
long as they don't upset others." The airline has fitted
two of its Boeing 747-400s with four double suites, protected
by low privacy screens.
The
United Arab Emirates President, His Highness Shiekh Zayed bin Sultan
al-Nahayan has died, state television reported.. "The royal
court announces to Arab and Islamic countries and the rest of the
world the death of the leader of the nation Sheikh Zayed ... on
Tuesday evening," said an announcement read out on Abu Dhabi
television. Under the UAE constitution, Vice-President and Prime
Minister Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al-Maktoum, ruler of Dubai, will
act as president until the federal council which groups rulers of
the seven emirates meets within 30 days to elect a new president.
DUBAI
13th October, 2004 BMW Group Middle East together
with AGMC and Abu Dhabi Motors, the exclusive BMW Group importers
for the UAE, today announced the arrival of the all new BMW 1
Series, which redefines the compact class by combining the functionality
of a compact five-door hatchback with the driving pleasure associated
with a BMW.The much-anticipated BMW 1 series is a five-door sports
hatch, 4.23 metres in length, making this new model series precisely
24 centimetres shorter than a 3 Series saloon. The typical BMW
drive concept, powerful engines, high-grade equipment and the
experience of sheer driving fun offer a new and unique alternative
in this particular market segment.
Abu
Dhabi - M.A.Yousuf Ali, the popular NRI businessman has taken
up a major humanitarian issue that haunted the HIV infected children
of Kerala. As the chairman of Global Kerala Foundation, a charitable
organisation formed in March 2004 as an umbrella organisation
of the global Malayali community, the NRI Tycoon who heads the
Emke group of UAE, has shown keen interest to start Mothers Care,
a social charity project for providing financial assistance for
educational and related expenses of HIV infected school children
of India. The fate of two school students of Kerala who were denied
school admission had received much media attention. There are
nearly 100 HIV/AIDS infected school children in Kerala. KGF has
already found out sponsors for 25 HIV positive students and efforts
are on to locate more philanthropic NRIs to sponsor such poor
students. The foundation under the global patronage of Shri Padmanabha
Dasa Uthradam Thirunal Marthanda Varma (the Maharaja of Travancore)
will also implement Better School: Better Citizens, an infrastructure
development project in 100 government schools of Kerala with the
coordination of Higher Education Department of the Government
of Kerala. Initially three schools in Nattika, one each in Kozhikkodu
and Trivandrum districts are to be benefited in the academic year
2004-2005. The organisation is in the process of identifying other
needy schools across the state. Even though GKF appears to be
an elite organisation with limited membership through high membership
fee of Rs.1 lakh donation, it seems to be interested in undertaking
some serious issues plaguing the most literate state in India.
While there is no shortage of associations and trusts which mushroomed
in Kerala and the Gulf region, most of them thrive on the donations
and contributions made from NRKs. However, this elite club seems
to have some serious intentions and the first global meet is scheduled
to be held in Doha, Qatar. The group also intends to form country
chapters in many countries with considerable Indian presence.
"The organization has already started development work for
a government school in the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram in
association with roots. After Abdul Wahab became a Member of Parliament,
can we expect one more NRI tycoon as a people's representative?
It is a well known secret that many NRI Tycoons nurture political
aspirations and Yousuf Ali is not an exception. --Watch this space.
