K E R A L A M O N I T O R . C O M May 2006 Veteran airline official bids farewell to Oman, Air-India-- Kerala, Pondicherry usher in new govts - Qatar to introduce smart-card IDs -UK education fair inaugurated in Qatar -Kuwait Airways to go public - VS ministry takes over in Kerala -The Red Flag, From Berlin to West Bengal - Newsmaker: V S Achuthananthan Teenagers trained to help halt spread of HIV/AIDS Students learned skills to enable them to raise awareness on preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS among young people at a workshop that concluded on Sunday.A total of 34 students were selected from five neighbourhoods in the Al-Sheikh Othman and Dar Sa'd districts of Aden to participate in the workshop and become pioneers in HIV/AIDS prevention. Participants - 17 young men and 17 young women - are expected to act as "peer educators" for the next five years, acting to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS prevention and to impart life skills to children not attending school. Eight local experts participated in training the students on different aspects of the virus. "This is part of an initiative promoting lifesaving learning skills," said Naseem Ur-Rehman, head of information and communication for the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Yemen. "HIV/AIDS is a sensitive topic in countries such as Yemen, and our assessments show that these issues are better discussed within the same age groups, where participants can talk in an uninhibited manner."According to Ur-Rehman, the programme was first launched in Aden because school authorities in the urban governorate were more receptive to the idea. In the initiative's first phase in April, some 720 children in the governorate participated. Ur-Rehman pointed out that HIV/AIDS continues to represent a serious threat to the wellbeing of the country's young people. "At this age, youth are curious and active," he said. "It's a good time to make them aware of the dangers."The next phase of the programme - which was organised by the Social Affairs Office of Aden with support from UNICEF - is planned for next week, when 2,800 youths in the same governorate will undergo training.According to the latest health ministry figures, 1,821 people were infected with HIV/AIDS in Yemen between 1987 and 2000, some 60 percent of whom were men. Labour Strike : 86 Workers Deported from UAE The United Arab Emirates’ labour troubles took a decisive turn last week when authorities deported 86 construction workers accused of organizing a nationwide strike of around 8000 people working for Belgian firm Besix Construction, one of the joint venture partners building the Burj Dubai. According to Gulf News, the protest began on May 16, when 8,000 Besix labourers stopped work across the UAE, demanding a US$1.4 daily pay increase, a bigger food allowance, and several other demands.Four days later, violence erupted when 50 workers tried to go back to work, breaking the strike.The protest halted work on about 17 projects, including on Burj Dubai, causing a direct loss of US$1.4 million, Gulf News reports.Most of the construction workers in the UAE are foreign, drawn largely from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. In a country where public protests are forbidden, relations have been smooth until recent months when workers have begun protesting against poor pay and conditions.There have been reports of unscrupulous labour agencies who recruit workers but trick them out of money.In March 2500 workers employed by Al Naboodah Laing O’Rourke rioted over pay and conditions, causing US$1 million in damage to property.While taking a hard line, the government appears to responding, no doubt aware how important cheap foreign labour is to the country’s sustained construction boom. According to UAE news site 7Days.ae, the Ministry of Labour has asked for an extra US$32 million to clamp down on companies that mistreat workers. Last July the Ministry admitted it had just 25 inspectors to enforce labour laws in Dubai and the Northern Emirates.7Days also reports that the Ministry of Labour plans to chase corrupt recruitment agencies out of the country by setting up a single, state-run agency. Pain of Bleeding Utreuses and Chopped Penis Crime 1- Look at two crimes related to prostitution and sex trafficking – A young Tamil lady was repatriated to India for emergency surgery of her uterus after she was porously bleeding for two weeks in the Indian missions custody. The Tamil lady who was recruited by the Indian, read Malayali agents, ran away from an illegal detention in Sharjah and sought asylum in the Indian mission. She was in a miserable condition with serious injuries on her private parts and the uterus, which is definitely due to rampant abuse by her captors. At least three Indian women have reportedly went through the same horror saga. With VS Achuthananthan occupying the hot seat of Chief Ministership vowing to fight sex rackets rampant in the state, the flesh traders of Kerala have moved to Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh to smuggle out the new recruiters. The Tamil lady, a mother and wife, was recruited as a baby sitter. She was desperate to return and keep her family in tact without informing her husband about the tragedy. Despite the political changes in Kerala, the sex and prostitution rackets continues to thrive! These women who resented working in the industry have managed to escape and go back. They will repair their private organs and uterus, but what cannot be repaired is the damage to Indian womanhood. Bharath Matha Kee Jai. Crime 2 - The deadbody of a young African customer was retrieved from a brothel in Diera and according to sources, the man was murdered in a strange manner. While the full details of the murder still remain mysterious, the rumour mill has it that the man's cock was chopped off!!! It may be an exaggeration but the story doing the rounds among people is that the man was killed in an illegal brothel, where he went in as a customer!! It is said that the man was killed by a group of Russian/African women or their male partners? Whatever is the truth, the victim is said to be a Nigerian businessman who came with pocket full of dollars. While some say he died of a heart attack, while having sex, others say he was killed in a quarrel following some dispute!!! Whatever is the truth, the story reminds of the potential danger in the prostitution dens frequented by single men!!! Local cops involved in Kashmir sex scandal: CBI - Indians beware of Phishing ID parade in Kashmir sex ring row - Emir of Qatar donates $1 million to library foundation - Kashmir sex scandal in Srinagar makes people angry - why are security forces quiet about the kingpin? - Qatar unattractive to Vietnamese workers Government to launch awareness campaign on child labour AMMAN, 29 May (IRIN) - Officials at the labour ministry on Monday announced plans to launch an "aggressive media campaign" next month to sensitise citizens to child labour issues in order to discourage the employment of minors. "Officials from various government bodies and other organisations must roll up their sleeves and begin to coordinate amongst themselves to reduce the rate of child labour," said Asil Medanat, head of the ministry's Child Labour Department (CLD). Medanat went on to warn against a rise in levels of child labour in the near future unless "serious measures" were taken. According to experts, the employment of minors in Jordan has grown steadily in recent years as a result of deteriorating economic conditions, with needy families often pushing their children to help generate much needed income. Medanat explained that, in a country suffering from an almost 15 percent poverty rate, the total elimination of child labour would be almost impossible. "We can never eradicate child labour if we don't provide needy families with a financial alternative," she said. Under Jordanian law, a child may not work more than six hours a day - between 6:00am and 8:00pm - and is required to take a one-hour break every four hours. Employers caught in violation of these restrictions are legally subject to fines ranging from US $140 to US $700. However, many officials say these laws are seldom enforced. What's more, according to Medanat, children are often subject to harsh working conditions, employed in workplaces falling well short of the minimum safety standards set by the ministry. "Most working children are involved in the auto-repair industry, where they risk inhaling toxic material and having serious injuries," she said. Ministry officials say that obtaining accurate figures for child labour has proven difficult. "When working children spot an inspector, they inform the others, who immediately flee the scene," said one inspector who insisted on anonymity. The last official study, conducted in 2002 by the CLD, revealed that some 32,000 children were working countrywide, particularly in urban areas such as Amman, Zarqa and Irbid. Medanat, however, believes that figures and statistics are not the most important factor in the fight against child labour. "Now we must focus on creating a long-term strategy to minimise the problem," she said.In an effort to alert the public to the hazards of child labour, the planned campaign will include text messages to mobile-phones throughout the kingdom, seminars, conferences and paid advertisements in local media. H.H. Sheikh Mohammed sanctions The Floating Bridge project on Dubai Creek Six-lane bridge will hold over 6000 vehicles during peak hours May 29, 2006 H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai has sanctioned The Floating Bridge project on Dubai Creek, half-a-kilometer to the south of Al Maktoum Bridge. The bridge will stretch across the surface intersection near Deira City Centre and Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club, and will end at the intersection to be built on Riyadh Street between Dubai Courts and Creek Park.H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director, RTA made the announcement at a press conference held today (Monday, May 29, 2006), at the Authority’s offices in Al Rashidiya, in attendance of Eng. Maitha Bin Adi, CEO of Dubai Traffic and Roads Corporation at RTA, Eng. Bader Al Siri, Acting Traffic Director and Head of Traffic Engineering, Eng. Nabiel Mohammad Saleh, Head of Roads Department and Dr. Aysha Al Busmait, Head of Marketing and Corporate Communication at RTA. Speaking at the conference, H.E. Mattar Al Tayer said, “The Floating Bridge project is in line with the directives of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and complements the Authority’s efforts aimed at easing the traffic congestion in Dubai. We are constantly conducting studies on possible ways to modernise the transport system in and around Dubai, in addition to keeping abreast of international best practices.” “The Floating Bridge project is part of an integrated system we are implementing that will reduce the traffic congestion by 37 per cent on Al Maktoum Bridge, on which more than 150,000 vehicles pass each day. The number of lanes that cross Dubai Creek will increase from 19 to 38 lanes by 2007 and to 45 lanes by 2008. The Authority has completed a study conducted on 10 highly congested areas and will work on measures to ease the congestion in these areas. The project reflects the strategic plan adopted by the Authority to modernise the transport system and thus allowing us to keep pace with the rapid developments in the emirate and meet the present and future infrastructural needs of the emirate’s transport system. In October 2006, we will launch ‘Dalili’, a service that will give drivers real time road and traffic information that will help them plan their travel route,” added Al tayer. Eng. Maitha Bin Adi, CEO of Dubai Traffic and Roads Corporation at RTA said: “The Floating Bridge will provide an additional link between Khalid Bin Al Waleed Road and Oud Metha Road from one side and Al Ittihad Road and Deira from the other. The holding capacity of the bridge is 3000 vehicles in each direction during morning and evening peak hours.”“The Floating Bridge, a first-of-its-kind project in the United Arab Emirates, will be built out of 20 metre wide hollow concrete blocks that will float on water. These kinds of bridges are widely used by the military as they can be built quickly. The Floating Bridge is a temporary solution until the Authority successfully completes the design and construction of a permanent bridge at the same place,” added Bin Adi. “The Authority places great importance on the adoption of the highest standards of quality in the implementation of all projects from start to finish, and on completing these as per schedule. The project will be tendered in July this year, construction work will begin in September and the project will be completed by March 2007,” she added. The rolling segment of the bridge allows the bridge to open and close at intervals of 20 minutes. These opening and closing times will be set in coordination with the authorities regulating the movement of ships and ferries crossing Dubai Creek. Ferries will have a side-way passage that will not require the opening and closing of the bridge. The Authority is currently adopting measures to improve traffic conditions at intersections near Riyadh Street. These measures include diverting traffic along the roundabouts in the direction of Creek Park to intersections with traffic lights. The Authority is also studying the possibility of diverting the traffic coming from Khalid Bin Al Waleed Road to The Floating Bridge when Al Maktoum Bridge is congested. Eng. Bader Al Siri revealed the results of the first round of studies conducted by the Authority on the 10 highly congested areas, which includes studying entries and exits, improving existing entries, modifying the internal road network and changing them from single to double lane roads, especially in the Karama area. “The Authority will construct a roundabout that will link Al Khawaneej and Al Mizhir areas with University City Street and build a bridge linking Ras Al Khor Road with Nad Al Hamar Road to reduce traffic congestion around “Whimpy” intersection. We will also add an additional lane on the road linking Emirates Road and Al Aweer at the New Fruit and Vegetable Market intersection. We will also add a lane at the roundabout linking Emirates Road and Al Khail Street and another at The Gardens roundabout linking Emirates Road with Sheikh Zayed Road. We will also add an additional route with two lanes for vehicles coming from Sheikh Zayed Road in the direction of Abu Dhabi at Intersection 77E in addition to another lane to be added on the exit to the Mall of the Emirates leading to Umm Suqeim Road. Finally, we are also adding two lanes linking Emirates Road with Sheikh Zayed road on Intersection 9,” said Eng. Bader Al Siri. RTA conducts study on facilities available for cyclists in Dubai May 28, 2006 The Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) of Dubai has conducted a study on the facilities available for cyclists in Dubai, in a move aimed at encouraging the use of cycles for short distance travel, and to contribute towards an integrated transportation system in the emirate. This study covered the provision of parking spaces for bicycles, ensuring the highest standards of safety for cyclists and regulating the use of bicycles.A central business area in Deira was chosen for conducting the study as it represents a busy area with a significant number of cyclists. A team from RTA periodically visited the area at different times during the day to assess the problem. “The study revealed several crucial aspects pertaining to cyclists, such as the crammed parking of bicycles adjacent to sign boards, lamp posts and trees, causing damage to the posts and also obstructing the view for other road users,” said Salem Al Shafei, Director of Strategic Planning for Transport. “The haphazard parking of bicycles leads to narrowing down and sometimes complete blockage of sidewalks and pavements which hampers pedestrian movement, putting them at a greater risk of accidents and injuries. Moreover, the disorganised parking of bicycles also spoils the beauty of the city, especially when bicycles are parked in places that attract a large number of tourists such as The Gold Souk, Dubai Spice Souk, The Fish Market and the areas adjacent to the historical Al-Ahmadiya School, Dhow Wharfage, Shindagha area, Al Fahidi Fort Museum, Al Bastakia area and others,” added Al Shafei. “The absence of sufficient parking spaces for bicycles results in their abandonment in places that obstruct public utilities and services, as some cyclists secure their bicycles to fire extinguishing water hoses, public benches, sidewalk railings and also locking them in spaces allotted for cars. Some cyclists also choose to park their cycles near dangerous areas such as electricity rooms and on either sides of the roads, endangering their lives and lives of others too,” he added The Roads & Transport Authority is now planning to devise ways to encourage malls, entertainment clubs, schools, colleges, hospitals and other companies in both the public and private sector to provide parking spaces for cyclists according to specified standards. “The Authority will soon provide parking spaces for bicycles in the Souk areas in Deira and Bur Dubai after finalising aspects such as the required number of parking spaces, the appropriate localities for these spaces and suitable specifications. The specialised departments at the Authority will assess the viability of setting bicycle parking spaces near bus stations, metro stations and the existing and upcoming harbours to achieve the highest standard of integration of the transport system in Dubai. We will seek to devise a comprehensive plan for the development of the cycling network that will include laying cycling tracks, providing the requisite facilities and framing guidelines and legislations for the use of bicycles. As a first step, cycling tracks will be set in areas that have relatively greater cyclist population. These facilities and services will be the first of their kind in the GCC region,” said Al Shafei. “The increasing traffic congestion in Dubai is due primarily to the dependency on private transportation, which accounts for 55.7 per cent of total conveyance, whereas public buses, private company buses and water ferries together account for a mere 26.6 per cent. The percentage of cyclists and pedestrians in high-income Asian cities such as Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo is about 28.5, in Western European cities such as London, Paris and Amsterdam it stands at 31.3 per cent, and in low-income Asian and African cities it is estimated at 32.4 per cent and 41.4 per cent respectively,” Al Shafei added. “Preliminary surveys show that most of the nearly 100,000 bicycles are concentrated in the central business areas such as Deira and Bur Dubai as well as in labor camps in Al Qusais, Al Quoz, Ras Al Khor and other parts of the city. Most bicycles are used as a means of transportation while the remainder is used for purposes of exercise and entertainment. However, there are no official statistics that determine the number of bicycles as they are not legally registered like other transportation modes such as cars and motor bikes,” he concluded. The increased use of bicycles can reduce the traffic congestion, especially in highly populated areas and busy commercial areas. It also presents an alternative affordable transportation means for the low income group. There is also a need to develop private facilities for bicycles that include developing cycling tracks, dedicated parking spaces and road signs and indications for cyclists. The Al Mamzar Corniche and Safa Park have facilities for cyclists that are meant for recreational purposes. Gulf Air Cargo Managers and GSAs from the Asia Pacific Region along with Ali Murtada and Des Vertannes.Gulf Air Cargo managers and General Sales Agents (GSAs) from the Asia Pacific region converged in Bahrain recently for a two day meeting to discuss the industry challenges , contribute to new projects and identify business opportunities. "Meetings such as this provide us with an opportunity to assemble our regional cargo team members and GSAs along with our head-quarter team to discuss and understand the cargo business trends in the region and to share their views on the local challenges and opportunities," says Gulf Air Vice President Business Units Ali Murtada. It was an opportunity for many of the managers and GSAs to meet Des Vertannes, who joined the airline recently as Head of Cargo and hear his priorities for progressing GF’s cargo business. Batelco Announces New GPRS Roaming Agreement with Qtel Qatar Batelco has announced a new bi-lateral commercial GPRS roaming service with another major telecoms player, Qtel in Qatar. The new service which went into operation on 14th May, will give Batelco Mobile users better than ever coverage whilst roaming in Qatar. Batelco’s postpaid mobile customers who have GPRS / MMS enabled handsets will be able to exchange MMS and browse the internet directly from their mobiles while travelling in Qatar.“We are aware that our customers are keen travellers and demand quality services no matter where they are,” said Batelco Head of Corporate Affairs Ahmed Al Janahi. “We are therefore delighted to provide them with this addition to our comprehensive roaming service.” Batelco now has Commercial GPRS Roaming Agreements with 17 operators in 16 countries.