Times of Oman - November 17, 2016

THURSDAY November 17, 2016 17 Safar 1438 AH

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FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN

On the occasion of the 20th National Day, 1990

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’

20 PAGES SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT ON 46TH OMAN NATIONAL DAY WITH THIS EDITION

Full support must be given to young people who are committed to the principle of self-employment, and also to those who provide jobs for Omanis. The government must assist young people by providing feasibility studies for small enterprises.

Founded 1975 . Volume 41 No. 223 | 64 Pages . Baisas 200 . Subscription OMR63 | ISO 9001:2008 Certified Company | Chairman/Editor-in-Chief: Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali | Printed & Published by Muscat Media Group

TANFEEDH SET TO ANNOUNCE 120 PROPOSALS

WA R M W I S H E S

HM receives greetings for National Day MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has received a cable of greetings from State Council Chairman Dr. Yahya bin Mahfoudh Al Mantheri, Majlis Al Shura Chairman Khalid bin Hilal bin Nasser Al Ma’awali, Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs Sayyid Badr bin Saud bin Harib Al Busaidi and Inspector General of Police and Customs Lt-Gen Hassan bin Mohsen Al Shraiqi for the 46th Glorious National Day. In his cable, Dr. Mantheri said: “On the occasion of the 46th National Day, on my behalf and on behalf of honourable members of the State Council and its employees, it gives me a great honour to extend sincere congratulations to Your Majesty coupled with our heartfelt prayers for the return of this and similar happy occasions on your Majesty while Your Majesty enjoying good health, happiness and a long life and to grant the Omani people under Your Majesty’s prosperous reign continuous progress and welfare.”>A10

Due to the National Day holidays, the 3-day exhibition will now begin on November 28

HASAN SHABAN AL LAWATI

hassan@timesofoman.com

National Day Greetings The Board of Directors, management and the staff of Muscat Media Group and Times of Oman extend their heartiest greetings to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said on the occasion of the 46th National Day. MORNING MINUTE

MUSCAT: Omanis and expatriates are invited to participate in a national survey when Tanfeedh, the National Programme for Enhancing Economic Diversification, will unveil more than 120 projects and initiatives in five sectors.

People can participate in the survey at an exhibition , which will kick off on November 28 at Oman International Exhibition Centre from 9am to 9pm. They will also be able to take part in the survey online. Both Omanis and non-Omanis can participate in the survey, which will contribute to shaping the economic

future of Oman, according to Talal Sulaiman Al Rahbi, deputy secretary-general of the Supreme Council for Planning.

Tanfeedh has invited the nation to view the outcome of six weeks of meetings and workshops that welcomed around 78 chief executive officers and representatives from the private sector.

After taking the views of the public through the survey, Tanfeedh will announce its final report early next year. “It is an important day for all of us. We will focus on the results, projects, and initiatives,” Al Rahbi stated, adding that the three-day exhibition will be a good platform to get a feedback from the community. “Everybody who is living in Oman is welcome,” he said.

According to Al Rahbi, the report, which will be released in 2017, is not just a product of the government.

“It is the collective product of the government, the private sector, academics and civil society. It is a national product,” he explained.

Tanfeedh started its second stage, the ‘labs phase’, in midSeptember at the Institute of Public Administration in Al Khuwair. >A11

Celebrate together

Staff Reporter MUSCAT: Watch the UK’s Royal Air Force Red Arrows paint the sky over Muscat, or watch artists paint the faces of your children in the malls. Grab a mocktail, rock–climb or watch a laser show - our handy guide to National Day weekend has something for everyone.

together for a holiday weekend in praise of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said on National Day and to celebrate his birthday.

Split over four days of fun, Thursday through Sunday, our list includes special offers from some of Oman’s best known companies like Omantel, Oman Air and Ooredoo.

With Oman’s National Day less than 24 hours away, your Times of Oman has compiled an indispensable guide to the events and attractions coming up this weekend, starting from tonight.

Jam-packed with offers, deals and activities for everyone, there has never been a better time for the people of the Sultanate to come

TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

4 6 T H N AT I O N A L D AY

OMAN

Holidays expected to boost business

City Walk, mall and hotel project for Seeb

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Plans for a City Walk complex including a luxury 5-star hotel and shopping mall in Seeb, Muscat, are moving forward, according to a tweet by Oman Tourism. >A8

Staff Reporters

REGION

MARKET

Houthis to stop fighting

New CMA regulations

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Yemen’s Houthi group said it was ready to stop fighting. >A13

Economy class tickets boosted to business class and deals on phone data mean you can wish everyone a happy National Day or even pay them a visit.

Hotels, restaurants, resorts and the Royal Airforce are all competing for your company this weekend, as well as cake. Lots and lots of national day cake. See also >A6

CMA is planning a separate set of regulation for listing REITs. >B1

Mina Al Sultan Qaboos Waterfront Project officially launched

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MUSCAT: Businessmen see a boom in activity and revenue in the coming week after the government announced on Wednesday that November 23 and 24 would be holidays for the 46th National Day celebrations.

The government’s decision was announced in a communique issued yesterday by Sayyid Khalid bin Hilal bin Saud Al Busaidi, Minister of the Diwan of Royal Court, Chairman of the Civil Service Council and Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al Bakri, Minister of Manpower. >A11

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

OMAN YEMEN TRUCE

Kerry thanks His Majesty Times News Service MUSCAT: US Secretary of State John Kerry has praised His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said for his role in addressing the region’s most challenging issues. “His Majesty Sultan Qaboos of Oman has been a great leader, partner on issues including security and countering violent extremism.

Pleased to meet with him,” Kerry tweeted. “Oman is a strong and valued partner. Together we’re working to address some of the region’s most challenging issues,” he added in another tweet. Quoting an official source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the ONA reported that in the context of the visit of John Kerry to Oman and the audience he had with His Maj-

esty on November 14, 2016, and the efforts exerted by the Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah during his meeting with the Sana’a delegation agreed to abide by the terms of April 10, 2016 cessation of hostilities beginning on November 17, 2016 provided the other parties implement the same commitments.

Boost to tourism as waterfront project launched Mina Al Sultan Qaboos Waterfront will include business and residential zones, a mall, six hotels, recreation amenities, tourist attractions, and docking facilities for cruise liners and yachts

Staff Reporter MUSCAT: The Mina Al Sultan Qaboos Waterfront Project was officially launched yesterday with a ceremony on the waterfront.

The $390 million integrated mixed-use waterfront project is expected to be completed by 2020 and will transform the current Port Sultan Qaboos area into a major tourism-based development spanning 64 hectares.

The Mina Al Sultan Qaboos Waterfront will include business and residential zones, a mall, six hotels, recreation amenities, tourist attractions, and docking facilities for cruise liners and yachts.

It will also include a direct ferry link to Iran from the Muttrah Corniche via a multipurposebuilt harbour that will be home to

the country’s coastguard services and the Royal Oman Police.

The development will take place in four separate phases.

Dr. Ali bin Masoud Al Sunaidy, minister of commerce and industry and chairman of Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran), said, “Our vision for the Mina Al Sultan Qaboos Waterfront is to create a world-class waterfront development of outstanding beauty and interest that celebrates the maritime history of Muscat and showcases the very best of Omani culture, heritage and innovation to a global audience. Upon completion, it will provide an extraordinary yearround tourism hub that is rich in activity, entertainment and experience, and is accessible to all.

“It will also provide a pedestrian-friendly lifestyle community that provides the people of Muscat with a true ‘downtown hub’ that serves as a catalyst for the broader regeneration of Muttrah and as an important platform for successful business enterprise and a stimulus for significant job creation.”

Ahmed bin Nasser Al Mahrizi, minister of tourism and a board member of Omran, stated, “The

Mina Al Sultan Qaboos Waterfront represents arguably the most exciting and high potential real estate project currently underway in the Sultanate of Oman.

In this spectacular and historic setting, we are confident that it will soon establish itself as a premier destination in Oman, and one of the most high profile and celebrated tourism infrastructure projects across the GCC. “Not only will it enrich the lives of the local community, it will also play a pivotal role in the growth of the national tourism industry over the next 20 years and beyond.”

“This is a very exciting day for Muscat and for the expansion of Oman’s tourism infrastructure as an integral part of Oman Vision 2020. Today’s launch is all about explaining how phase one will set in place the regeneration of the historic former port area of this great city into a true tourism gateway for the country, providing sustainable economic development and job opportunities for many generations to come,” said Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Futaisi, minister of transport and communications and a board member of Omran.

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

OMAN FESTIVITIES

Your programme guide to the 46th National Day celebrations and competitions involving 400,000 LEGO bricks, as well as 1,500 Omani Flags made from LEGO bricks to be given away.

November 17 | Thursday

Entertain the children

Ooredoo

Offers

Venue: Al Masa Mall Time: 6pm Kids entertainment, gift vouchers, fun and games November 19 | Saturday

Traditional bands, skating displays and handicrafts exhibition Venue: Tilal Al QurumComplex Time: 3.30pm Celebrate the National Day with Alargan Towell Investment Company at their building opposite Qurum Park with activities like dog shows, skating displays, traditional bands and handicrafts exhibition and children’s activities including henna, stalls and gifts.

National Day march-past

by Omani band and high tea, mocktails Venue: Al Bustan Time: All day National Day march-past featuring Omani band, Omani high tea from 2-5 pm with special mocktails (OMR 15 for High Tea), Omani special buffet from 7pm to 11pm for OMR 26.

November 18 | Friday

Bikers in Qurum

Augmented Reality Venue: Muscat City Centre Time: 10am until 9pm

Kidszone face painting, kite making, cookies and games Venue: Markaz Al Bahja Time: 6pm A treat for all the family but especially for the children.

Henna, face painting, kite making, cookies decorating with National Day icing, conducting games and much more...

Fireworks

National Day evening of celebration Venue: Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa Time: 5pm onwards Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa will host the celebration, where in-house guests, families and children will be welcomed to celebrate National Day with an evening of activities and performances at the resort’s Al Midan Amphitheatre. Also during this celebration, the talented chefs at the resort will be unveiling their 46th National Day cake to mark the occasion.

Venues: Al Amerat, Al Seeb, Salalah Time: 8pm The fireworks in Al Amerat will be organised at the Al Amerat Heights, in Al Seeb at Wadi Al Khoudh and at the Municipal Entertainment Centre in Salalah.

Trekking at Ra's Al Khayran Venue: Ra's Al Khayran Time: 6am For early risers who fancy a National Day challenge. Special rates for the holiday.

November 20 | Sunday

'Oman in LEGO Bricks'

Venue: Markaz Al Bahja Time: 10.30am In the presence of the guest of honour, His Highness Syed Doctor Adham Bin Turki Al Said, the event will include a local school performance and poetry recitation, plus performances by an Omani Folk Dance Band. The event will showcase the 46th National Day cake cutting ceremony.

Venue: Avenues Mall Time: 5pm Families can build a giant map of Oman made entirely of more than 200,000 LEGO bricks from 5pm – 10pm on Friday. Two certified LEGO master builders have been flown in from the United Kingdom to oversee and facilitate the construction of the Oman LEGO Map. Additionally, there will be kids’ workshops

Oman Air is celebrating the country’s 46th National Day with the launch of a Facebook competition for three lucky winners to receive return flight tickets from Muscat to Europe, India or the GCC. Oman Air is welcoming photo submissions via its Facebook page that demonstrate the ‘My Oman National Day’ theme of celebrations, decorations, costumes, the Omani national flag, community gatherings and special events. The contest is open till November 30 and winners will be announced on or around December 4. There are no age restrictions for participating in this exciting contest, so take your camera and start capturing the joyous moments of the 46th National Day.

Other celebrations

Indian schools Indian Schools will also be celebrating their National Day of the Oman. “Each school plans their own celebrations,” said Wilson V. George, Chairman, Board of Directors, Indian Schools in Oman.

Upgradation

Bangladesh Social Club

Time: from 12:30 Venue: Millennium Resort Mussannah Special National Day Brunch (OMR 18) from 12:30 to 3:30pm, with soft drinks and pool access.

To celebrate Oman’s 46th National Day, Oman Air, the national carrier of Oman, is offering 46 passengers free upgrades from Economy Class to Business Class, as well as access to the Business Class lounge at Muscat Airport. The promotion will run between the November 17 and 20.

Bangladesh Social Club will celebrate National Day in style at Al Falaj Hotel on December 1, 2016. “There will be cultural event where various artists will perform from 8.30 pm onwards,” President of the Bangladesh Social Club Muscat, Mohammed Shafiqul Islam Bhuiyan, said.

RAF Red Arrows Venue: Over the Intercontinental Hotel Time: 2pm onwards The RAF Red Arrows show will be one of the highlights of the weekend. The InterContinental Muscat will be at the centre of the show and gearing up with food, fun and great views.

Pakistan Embassy Weeklong celebration of H.M. Sultan Qaboos birth day and 46th National Day, with events organized in the 7 cities of Oman from 18-25 November.

National Day buffet Venue: Intercontinental Hotel Time: 7pm onwards Special Oman National Day Buffet, OMR 19 excluding tax

Omani folk dancing, poetry,school performances

Oman Air Facebook Campaign

National Day brunch

Laser Show Venue: Royal opera House Muscat Time: Evening Enjoy the laser ballet at the Royal Opera House and prepare to get there early to avoid the jams

Venue: SABCO Centre Time: 2pm 200 Bikers from all over Oman will gather in front of SABCO Centre - Qurm.

There will be a DJ music and refreshments.

In celebration of Oman’s 46th National Day, Ooredoo has announced a fantastic celebratory offer for all its mobile customers on Shahry, Mousbak and Shababiah. For 3 days, on 17, 18 and 19 November, Mousbak and Shababiah customers will benefit from double credit when they recharge by RO 5 and RO 10.

Shahry customers, regardless of which plan they are on, will receive an amazing 4.6GB of data for free, to use between these dates.

Omantel

Schoolchildren’s performance

Musical Show Venue: Wadi Kabir Crystal Suites Hotel Time: 7pm Melodious and romantic songs of Indian films since 1949 by Indian singer Shital Kumar Sawant.

Venue: Anantara Jebel Akdhar Time: 10am Children from a local school in Jabal Akhdar will celebrate the occasion with a local performance along with Omani staff. Additionally there will be a Geocaching activity organised for children from the school as well as our guests by our recreation team.

On the occasion of celebrating Oman’s National Day whilst also commemorating 46th year of His Majesty’s accession, Omantel is offering a National Day promotion which will be valid for ONE day, allowing all our prepaid / postpaid customers to opt-in to get free nation-wide calling minutes, free mobile data and complimentary Makasib points.

Offer - Validity Data (MB) 1970 - 1 Day (18/11/2016) National Calls (Minutes) 18 - 1 Day

Makasib Points

(18/11/2016) 46

Students to celebrate at Penn. State University The Omani Students club at Penn. State University in Pennsylvania is also celebrating this weekend. At 12:30pm on Saturday, Omani students will host their event to mark Oman’s 46th National Day in the Alumni Hall. The Omani Students club has stressed that all are welcome to the celebration. They invite anyone interested to, “Make sure to let your friends know about it and join us for a taste of Oman’s culture and food”.

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

OMAN Initial pact on City Walk in Seeb to be signed on Sunday According to Orascom Development, the complex will include mall and a five star hotel

Staff Reporter

INVESTMENT: Ahmed bin Nasser Al Mahrzi, Minister of Tourism.

Oman’s tourism authority has said that the initial agreement for the City Walk Complex in Seeb will be signed on November 20.

THE AFRICAN ACTION SUMMIT

HASAN SHABAN AL LAWATI

hassan@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: In the spirit of the National Day celebrations, a 14-yearold Indian boy has developed a computer game to mark the special occasion.

On his basic HP laptop, Sarthak Bawal designed a game where a player needs to simply fly a plane using the arrow keys and collect three out of 12 coins that are located over Oman’s mountains.

Global Game Jam The Indian School Wadi Kabir student had participated earlier this year in the world’s largest game jam event “Global Game Jam” held in Abu Dhabi.

His father said that he had competed with adults and bagged the second place in the audience vote.

“When I grow up I would love to be a software engineer,” Sarthak said, adding that he is not a gamer but a web, game and computer programme developer. This is his

third game after his award-winning ‘Rituals for Enlightenment,’ which involves controlling the path a monk takes to heaven to attain enlightenment.

OPPORTUNITY

Mantheri attends Africa meet MARRAKESH: Assigned by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, Dr. Yahya bin Mahfoudh Al Mantheri, Chairman of the State Council presided over the Sultanate’s delegation at the summit of the heads of African states and governments on sustainable development in Africa.

Indian boy develops computer game to mark National Day

Omani figures The plane is painted in the three colours of the Sultanate’s flag and the coins are images of symbolic Omani figures.

Some of the coins feature the Times of Oman’s ‘I love the Sultan’ logo as Sarthak and his family are fans of the newspaper’s massive National Day celebrations campaign.

At the end of the game, which can be won in about five minutes, a greeting to His Majesty the Sultan pops up on the winner’s screen.

a luxury shopping

MUSCAT: Plans for a City Walk complex including a luxury 5-star hotel and shopping mall in Seeb, Muscat, are moving forward, according to a tweet by Oman Tourism, the official account of the Ministry of Tourism for the Sultanate According to Orascom Development, the master plan encompasses a modern administrative tower and a luxury shopping mall in addition to a five star hotel with a capacity of 270 guestrooms.

TRIBUTE

‘The African Action Summit’, which was held in the Conference Palace in Marrakesh under the patronage of King Mohammed VI of the sisterly kingdom of Morocco.

A number of African leaders and president, delegations of the GCC states and representatives of the UN, EU, African Union, World

Bank and African Bank for Development took part in the Summit.

Mantheri is accompanied by an official delegation comprising Mohammed bin Salim Al Toobi, Minister of Environment and Climate Affairs, and Abdullah bin Obaid Al Hinaei, Sultanate’s Ambassador to the Moroccan Kingdom. — ONA

ROHM welcomes extras for ‘Celebrating Oman’ show DEEBA HASAN

deeba@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: If you are looking to shoot to stardom, and have the right talent, make sure you don’t miss this rare opportunity.

The Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM) is on the lookout for 20 male extras for its first major inhouse opera dedicated to Oman’s renaissance.

Due to be performed on January 5,6, and 7 at the ‘Al Maidan’ area of the ROHM, the 90-minute show, titled ‘Celebrating Oman’, will take audiences on a wonderful expedition with unforgettable storytelling by artists and performers from Oman and around the world.

The show has been developed in collaboration with the ‘Namaste Group’ and features an original libretto by talented Omani writer Saleh Al Fahdi. To celebrate

Oman in style, the impressive dramaturgy has been produced by the renowned Italian creator of exciting events, Paolo Dalla Sega.

With some fabulous choreography, this ground-breaking production brims with extraordinary music and poetry, stunning acrobatics, original dance moves, and amazing visual effects.

Extras will need to help move scenic elements around the performance area and take part in still ‘tableaux’ scenes. Applicants should be aged between 20 and 40, about 5’5’’ – 6’in height, wear shoe sizes between 38 and 46, and

their basic body size should be large or extra-large.

Applicants should agree to be available for all scheduled costume fittings, rehearsals and performances, otherwise they will not be able to take part.

Those who want to apply for this production must send ROHM one full length photograph, one headshot photograph plus a short cell-phone video to introduce themselves to extras@ rohmuscat.org.om, along with a covering e-mail giving details such as name, age, height, clothing size, shoe size and contact telephone number, previous acting experience, and why they would like to be involved.

Successful applicants will be informed by e-mail if they have been selected and/or if an audition will be required. For a full list of requirements and schedules, visit rohmuscat.org.om.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016 SCAN THIS TO INSTANTLY LAUNCH FACEBOOK PAGE

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Food security steps discussed Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries apprised Shura members about the measures taken to stabilise food prices in Oman

MUSCAT: Efforts made by the Sultanate to enhance food security, namely taking precautionary measures to guarantee the stability of food prices, establishing government investment companies specialising in food industry and providing food under the extraordinary circumstances was explained by Dr. Fu’ad bin Ja’afar Al Sajwani, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries to the Majlis Al Shura.

This came during a visual presentation on the fisheries and agriculture production system, as

well as the food security in the Sultanate at the Majlis Al Shura yesterday.

The meeting was attended by Khalid bin Hilal Al Ma’awali, Chairman of the Majlis Al Shura, members of the Majlis, Dr. Hamad bin Said Al Oufi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries for Fisheries, Dr. Ahmed bin Nassir Al Bakri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries for Agriculture and Sheikh Ali bin Nassir Al Mahrouqi, Secretary General of the Majlis Al Shura. -ONA

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OMAN BAHRAIN KING MEETS SAYYID AL BUSAIDI His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain received, yesterday, Sayyid Hamoud bin Faisal Al Busaidi, Minister of Interior, when King Khalifa received GCC Ministers of Interior at the final training of the security forces. Earlier Sayyid Al Busaidi left yesterday for Bahrain to attend activities of the final training of the GCC security forces.

Sayyid Al Busaidi is accompanied during the visit by Maj.Gen Hamad bin Suleiman Al Hatmi, Assistant Inspector General of Police and Customs for Operations and a number of officials in the Ministry of Interior and the Royal Oman Police (ROP). He and his accompanying delegation were seen off by Sheikh Said bin Mohammed Al Buraiki, Adviser in the Ministry of Interior, Khalid bin Ahmed Al Mansour, Charge D’Affaires of the Bahraini Embassy in the Sultanate and a number of officials in the Ministry of Interior and ROP. -ONA

E C O N O M I C D I V E R S I F I C AT I O N

Sunaidy seeks suggestion on innovation from CEOs MUSCAT: Dr. Ali bin Masoud Al Sunaidy, Minister of Commerce and Industry discussed innovation with CEOs of Omani factories in the Sultanate at City Seasons Hotel in Al Khuwair.

Eng. Nahla bint Abdulwahab Al Hamdeyah Director General of the Directorate General of Industry at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, gave a speech in which she said that the ministry is working with the government and private sectors for the development of innovation strategy to promote economic diversification outputs (Tanfeedh), and one of the important factors in the industrial sector growth, add-

ing that the Sultanate ranked 73 of the 128 countries worldwide in the global innovation 2016 index.

John Bryce, an innovation strategist presented a working paper on industrial innovation and encouragement to increase non-oil exports, and display the experiences of a number of developed countries in this field.

The meeting concluded with an open dialogue between the Minister of Commerce and Industry and representatives of the public and private sectors to discuss the promotion of industrial innovation mechanisms, and to identify the Omani factories experiences

in the field of innovation, as well as support for innovation and innovators in the Sultanate and the role of public and private sector to contribute in this sector.

The ideas and suggestions of the meeting will be put forward in the innovation forum, which will be held in the coming period.

Mohsen bin Khamis Al Balushi, Adviser to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Hilal bin Ali Al Hinai, Secretary General of the Research Council, representatives of a number of competent government agencies in the field of innovation, and a number of CEOs of Omani factories attended the meeting. -ONA

F O R O M A N I S O N LY

Winners announced for Sultan Qaboos award for Culture, Arts MUSCAT: Sultan Qaboos Higher Centre for Culture and Science (SQHCCS) announced yesterday the winners of the Sultan Qaboos Award for Culture, Arts and Literature in its fifth session for the current year 2016.

Habib bin Mohammed Al Riyami, Secretary-General of SQH-

CCS said at a press conference that this year award included three areas for Omanis, namely translation, Omani folk arts and the novel.

He pointed out that Hamad bin Sinan Al Ghaithi won the award in the field of translation/culture branch for his work entitled

‘Endless Forms most Beautiful, Bashair Al Khair Folk Arts Group won the award in the field of Omani Folk Arts /the Arts branch for the work entitled “Al Razha and Al A’zi”, and Dr. Jokha bint Mohammed Al Harthyah won the award in the field of novel/literature branch, for her novel “Narenja.”

GLOBAL TERRORISM INDEX

Sultanate first on Arab level for being least exposed to terrorism SYDNEY: As per the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2016 published by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), based in Sydney Australia, on its website, the Sultanate came first on the Arab level as the least country exposed to terrorism.

The Sultanate came 130th (repeated) on the world level with 0 points in the terrorism risk- 0 is the highest security level against terrorism threats.

Iraq topped the 5th version of the index and came as the most country exposed to terrorism fol-

lowed by Afghanistan, Nigeria, Pakistan and Syria.

The index is based on data from the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) which is collected and collated by the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) at the University of Maryland in US. The report found that 29,376 people died from terrorism from 2010 to 2015. The report added that 2015 has been the second bloodiest year although it registered a decline by 10 per cent in the

number of terrorist attacks compared to 2014. The report found that the average death in terrorist attacks in the world is 1.8 per attack and that there have been terrorist attacks by 103 terrorist groups around the world that did not result in any deaths in 2016.

The report affirmed that 55 countries around the world witnessed a decline in the number of terrorist attacks in 2015. 71 countries did not witness any terrorist attacks in 2015 compared to 70 countries in 2014. -ONA

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

OMAN G R AT E F U L T O H M

WISHES

National Day reminds us of 46 years of hard work: Dr. Rawyah MUSCAT: Oman’s National Day comes “to renew thankfulness and praise to Almighty Allah for the achievements accomplished on this land, and pray to Almighty Allah to protect the builder of Oman, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said and bestow on him good health and a long life,”said Dr. Rawyah bint Saud Al Busaidiyah, Minister of Higher Education.

She said that on this occasion we remember 46 years of hard work that have resulted in many achievements in various sectors of life which reinforces in us the pride and joy until Oman becomes a global model that is appreciated

and respected by the whole world and an example both regionally and globally for the safety, security and world peace.

The Minister of Higher Education showed that “higher education received the big portion of this

attention and care, the number of higher education institutions in the Sultanate doubled for the academic year 2015/2016, adding that we have 63 institutions, 35 of them government and 28 private, they offer 734 programmes to meet the human needs of the various sectors of Oman.”

She said the number of students in higher education institutions for this year amounted to 25,469 students representing (76.3%) of the total number of applicants to the admission centre and 73% of them study in the engineering, business disciplines and information technology. -ONA

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of Omanis into reality’

Your Majesty the Sultan,”Day after day, Oman is gaining more glory and growth while its people maintain their natural brotherhood and love for everyone. It is natural thus that they managed to turn their aspirations into reality under Your Majesty’s blessed era.”

Your Majesty the Sultan, “Under Your Majesty’s prosperous reign Oman has revived its glorious past. Omanis thus have the right to feel proud of their country and Sultan. The Renaissance that started in the 70s of the last century restored glory of this country by adopting a domestic policy that is based on belief in Allah and focusing on the Omani man, as well as a foreign policy that is based on love, respect and promotion of welfare, love and peace in the world.”

Your Majesty the Sultan,”While Oman celebrates this dear occasion, we remember with pride and esteem that great achievements in the various parts of the Sultanate. It is also a time to feel proud of the blessed steps accomplished by the Sultanate in terms of investing in the infrastructure to diversify sources of national economy. On top of such investments comes the investments made to rehabilitate human resources and qualify them to lead the growth and sustainable development in our dear country. We pray to Allah the All Mighty to support Your Majesty in the endeavours made to do good for Oman , its loyal people and the Arab and Islamic Ummah as well.”

Congratulations Chairman of Majlis Al Shura said in his cable, “On the occasion of the 46th glorious National Day, we pray to Allah the Almighty to protect you and grant you good health, wellness and a long life.

It gives me a great honour, to extend on behalf of Majlis Al Shura, chairman, members and secretariat general to Your Majesty the warmest congratulations and blessings accompanied by the noble feelings expressing appreciation, gratitude and loyalty to your wise leadership, which has sent the light and the brightness of a young, and civilised Renaissance throughout the homeland, full of giving, love for the nation and faithfulness.”

He added that the Shura march that you laid its first foundations, is progressing as Your Majesty wished, with advanced and confident steps towards further sincere involvement with the wise government, coupled with togetherness and continuous cooperation at all levels, for the progress, strength and stability of this dear country, and its distinguished

citizens.” He said in his cable, “Your Majesty have furnished constant fundamentals in the field of foreign policy, followed clear approach in the political vision of Oman, today the Sultanate is enjoying what the eyes of Your Majesty stayed watchful for, till Oman has become an example in the fair and balanced policy, and respect for freedom of expression among the friendly nations and people.”

He concluded his cable by saying, “As we witness the glories of the Omani Renaissance and its achievements in various sectors, we pledge Your Majesty to work hard and loyal, doing our best to achieve your endeavour, to be loyal to Your Majesty, praying to Allah the Almighty to grant you success and may Allah lead your steps on the straight path, and bestow upon you grace, blessings, good health , happiness and a long life and make all the days of the Sultanate full of joys and happiness under your wise leadership for this generous country and for the return of this and similar occasions on Your Majesty for many years to come.”

In his cable, the Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs said: “Your Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, the 18th of movement is a national occasion that makes us remember with pride the achievements made so far and look forward to more brighter and prosperous future.

On the occasion of the 46th glorious National Day, I am honoured to extend my greetings and those of the brave armed forces and all employees of the Ministry of Defence to Your Majesty, praying to Allah the Almighty to bestow on Your Majesty and dear Oman this happy occasion while Your Majesty enjoying good health and welfare and this country in continuous progress and prosperity.

“Your Majesty the Sultan, Oman and its loyal people celebrate the 46th glorious National Day at a time Oman, thanks to Your Majesty’s wise leadership, has become the state of law and institutions where justice and order prevail. Oman is moving forward with balance towards achieving its comprehensive development. The solid foundations Your Majesty has laid over the past 46 years have started fruition as the comprehensive renaissance has reached Omanis wherever they are on this giving land.

“Your Majesty the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, While Your Majesty’s armed forces celebrate the 46th glorious National Day, they are confident of their capabilities and potentials as they have managed, over

the past years, to achieve impressive leap thanks to the good armament program, the high quality training provided to the national cadres and enhancing the values of sacrifice to defend the sacred sites of our dear homeland and their contribution to achieving the security and stability, affirming their readiness to carry out the duties assigned to them.

“Your Majesty the Sultan, the valiant Armed Forces of Your Majesty and personnel of the Ministry of Defence while celebrating this national occasion renew their loyalty, allegiance and obedience to Your Majesty, praying to Allah the Almighty to grant Your Majesty good health, happiness and a long life”.

The Inspector General of Police and Customs said in his cable, “Your Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the Supreme Commander, it gives me and that of the personnel of the Royal Oman Police (ROP) the honour to extend sincere congratulations on the occasion of the 46th glorious National Day, praying to Allah the Almighty for the return of this and similar happy occasions on your Majesty with good health and happiness, Oman and its people with continuous progress and prosperity.

He added, “Your Majesty the Sultan, the will of Allah the Almighty wished that goodness is achieved for his worshippers in this dear country “Oman” at the hands of Your Majesty, so you initiated, with high mettle and with your usual insight , the national action from the first day of the blessed Renaissance, thus achievements continued, and the construction gets larger and bigger on stable and strong foundations that are built by your great wisdom and strong will, assured -thanks be to Allah- the soundness of approach, clarity of the path and the sustainability of the greater goodness that you wish for this homeland, your people and all humanity.

“The ROP at various ranks and levels, as they enjoy, along with all Omanis and those who live on the soil of this dear country, the shades of your auspicious era, they appreciate and thank the graces of Allah the Almighty, they are keen to protect those graces by protecting the security of their homeland, and its distinguished people.”

Lt-Gen Hassan bin Mohsen Al Shraiqi, Inspector General of Police and Customs concluded his cable, by saying, “Your Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said May Allah support you and lead your steps on the straight path, bestow on you happiness and prosperity, wishing everybody a welfare. -ONA

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

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Tanfeedh exhibition deferred to November 28

It is a part of the 9th Five-Year Development Plan (2016-2020) and has been launched in collaboration with the Malaysian government’s Performance Management and Delivery Unit (PEMANDU) to build upon the achievements of the previous plans, with a focus on targeted sectors.

The promising sectors are

manufacturing, tourism, transport and logistics, mining, and fisheries.

Tanfeedh has announced postponement of the community participation phase, which was scheduled for November 20 at Oman International Convention and Exhibition Centre to November 28. The programme was postponed as it coincided with

the 46th National Day holidays.

The aim of the open days is to obtain the public opinion, feedback, and insights on the outcome of the labs. It also thanked everyone who supported them.

“Your collaboration has been a testimony of your effort to join and contribute to the national drive towards a diversified economy,” it said.

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Four-day long holidays

The decision said, “As per the Royal Orders of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said and on the occasion of the 46th Glorious National Day, it was decided that Wednesday and Thursday, November 23 and 24, 2016, will be official holidays for the employees of the ministries, public authorities, and other departments of the state administrative apparatus.

Work will be resumed on Sunday, November 27, 2016.”

In a statement, Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al Bakri, minister of manpower, said private sector companies and establishments would also observe the two-day as holidays.

The decision allows employers and employees to agree on work arrangements if the necessity arises. As the two-day holiday coincides with the weekend, people can enjoy a four-day-long holiday.

Welcoming the holidays, Ahmed Al Hooti, a member of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said it was good that the

holiday announcement had been made one week in advance as it would help the people to plan their holidays.

“This will also give a boost to Oman tourism as the residents and citizens would like to explore Oman,” he said.

Mall officials said that purchasing power of the people goes up whenever there are continuous holidays.

Footfalls “We are expecting footfalls to rise by 80 per cent during the national day holidays,” said Aruna Tavarkhed, deputy mall manager, Panorama Mall. Food and beverages, and apparel sections would see a boost in footfalls, she added.

“At Panorama Mall, in collaboration with Muscat Bikes & Oman Riders, we have planned the National Day celebration with a display of the best motorcycles in Muscat. The public can rate the 12 customised motorcycles displayed on the lower ground floor,

and prizes will be given. Along with this, a blood donation camp and traditional dances are also being organised,” she said.

A senior official of Masirah Island Resort and the Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve said that enquiries had started pouring in following the holiday announcement.

“I am fully confident that both of our hotels will be completely sold out during the holidays,” he said. A travel agent in Muscat said that they were also getting enquiries soon after the announcement.

“We have got enquires to Southeast Asia destinations,” Santhosh Kanakandath, managing director at Assaraya Travel and Tourism, said. However, he said that they were struggling to arrange bookings for customers looking for destinations in Oman.

“As it is the tourism season, all the hotels are full with inbound tourists. It is quite hard to meet the demand of last minute enquires that came in today,” he added.

Don’t litter a beautiful country like OMAN. Ensure proper disposal of garbage.

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

REGION Houthis ‘ready’ to form unity government US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday that officials from the Houthi group and the Saudi-led coalition meeting had agreed to a ceasefire starting on Thursday

HODEIDAH (YEMEN): Yemen’s Houthi group said on Wednesday it was ready to stop fighting and join a national unity government, raising hopes of a resolution to a conflict that has killed more than 10,000 people.

The announcement appeared to confirm the details of a deal set out by US Secretary of State John Kerry a day earlier that he said included plans for a ceasefire starting on Thursday.

Mohammed Al Bukhaiti, a member of the political council of the Houthi’s Ansarullah group, said Saudi Arabia had also agreed to end its involvement in the war - though there was no official confirmation from Riyadh.

An Arab alliance led by Saudi Arabia intervened in the Yemen conflict in March last year in support of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after Houthis advanced on his interim capital in Aden and forced him into exile.

“Ansarullah’s position has

STRICT VIGIL: A Yemeni tribesman stands on the back of a pickup truck in Taez during clashes with Houthi rebels. – AFP

been and still is with stopping the war and the establishment of a national unity government that incorporates all political components,” Bukhaiti told Reuters, responding to a question on Kerry’s announcement.

“The new thing is in the position of Saudi (Arabia), which has agreed in principle to stop the war as one of the parties to the conflict,” Bukhaiti added.

After months of bombings and other attacks, no side has emerged as the dominant force in a war that has displaced more than three million people, left parts of the population on the edge of starvation and given room for a powerful branch of Al Qaeda to expand its operations.

Kerry, in what could be his last trip to the Gulf before President Barack Obama’s term ends in January, said on Tuesday that officials from the Houthi group and the Saudi-led coalition meeting had agreed to a ceasefire starting on Thursday.

Underlining the complexity of the situation, Hadi’s government quickly rejected the move, complaining that it had been bypassed Copies of a UN peace plan seen

by Reuters in October suggested he would be sidelined in any future government.

Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdel-Malek Al Mekhlafi said Kerry’s announcement had not been coordinated with the government which, he said, was not interested in the plan.

“I believe the current US administration is incapable of providing any guarantees to any party and what Kerry has said is no more than a media bubble at our people’s expense,” Mekhlafi told Qatar-based Al Jazeera television.

The frontline has changed little over the past few months despite repeated offensives by Hadi’s supporters who operate under air cover from the Saudi-led alliance.

Hadi’s government says the Houthis have illegally seized power in a coup, and demands that they quit the cities they have seized and hand over heavy weapons before any political settlement starts.

The Houthis say they seized power to end corruption and to get rid of militants they say had expanded their influence during Hadi’s presidency. — Reuters

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

INDIA

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Opposition alleges ‘leak’, wants probe on demonetisation issue Cash crunch to continue for one more week: Intelligence report

The government rejected as baseless the opposition charge that there was ‘leakage’ of the November 8 decision and said everyone was taken by surprise which is why there are ‘initial’ problems

MAKING A POINT: CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury speaks in the Rajya Sabha on the opening of the winter session of Parliament in New Delhi on Wednesday. - PTI TV Grab

NEW DELHI: The winter session of Rajya Sabha opened on Wednesday with a united opposition mounting an assault on the government over demonetisation, saying it had led to “economic anarchy” in the country and alleged selective leak of the information before the announcement which should be probed by a Joint Parliamentary Committee.

The government rejected as baseless the opposition charge that there was “leakage” of the November 8 decision and said everyone was taken by surprise which is why there are “initial” problems.

Joining ranks over the raging issue, parties like Congress, Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Trinamool Congress, Left and All India Anna Dravida

Munnetra Kazhagam slammed the government, particularly targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for making Rs500 and Rs1,000 denomination notes invalid and said the “ill-timed” and “ill-conceived” step had severely hit the common people, the farmers and the poor.

During a discussion on demonetisation, which was taken up after suspension of all business in response to notices given by a host

NEW DELHI: The cash crunch in banks and ATMs is expected to continue for at least one more week, according to an intelligence report which attributed the unprecedented situation to a huge gap in demand and supply of currency notes.

Based on a report prepared by the intelligence agencies, Home Ministry officials said there has not been enough

of opposition members, a scathing attack was made on the government which strongly defended the step as one taken in national interest and to end corruption and black money, which it linked to terror activities in the country.

Alleging that the information had been leaked to BJP units and ‘friends of BJP’, a number of opposition parties demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe

money in circulation. People are hoarding smaller denomination and not spending Rs 100 notes which they are getting either after exchanging the defunct Rs500 or Rs1,000 currency notes or from the ATMs, they said.

Due to huge gap in demand and supply of currency, the cash shortage will continue for at least one more week, officials said. - PTI

into it. During the course of 7-hour debate which remained inconclusive, there were repeated demands by the opposition members that the Prime Minister should be present in the House to listen to the members. Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said Modi, who did not come to the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, should at least be present on Thursday and possibly intervene. Initiating the debate, Con-

gress leader Anand Sharma used wit and humour to attack Modi, saying he was “insensitive” to problems caused to the common man.

The “ill-timed” and “ill-conceived” move has unleashed “economic anarchy” in the country and benefited a few, he said.

“Your government is insensitive,” he said, adding Modi was riding a bullet train in Japan when old, women and common man were queueing up at banks at 3am to get currency to buy their daily needs.

Questioning the government’s contention that the step was taken to end the menace of black money, the former union minister said a bigger Rs2,000 note has been brought which is similar to the paper on which ‘churan’ is sold and “sheds colour”.

Sharma alleged that the information on demonetisation was selectively leaked. “Your BJP units have deposited crores of rupees (just before the November 8 decision),” he said.

He quoted some media reports to support his allegation, saying State Bank of India — the country’s largest lender — knew of the decision way back in March and a Gujarati newspaper had in April published a report of move to withdraw 500 and 1,000 rupee notes. - PTI

CONTROVERSY

SBI Rs70b loan ‘write off’ not a loan waiver, says Jaitley NEW DELHI: As a controversy arose over State Bank of India (SBI )reportedly writing off loans worth Rs70 billion including that of Vijaya Mallya promoted Kingfisher Airlines, government and the bank on Wednesday maintained that there was no loan waiver and the liability on the borrowers still remains.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley asked opposition members in the Rajya Sabha not to go by the literal meaning of write-off.

“So there is a little bit of malapropism involved in this. Don’t go by literal meaning write-off.

Write-off does not mean loan waiver. Loan still remains. You still continue to pursue,” he said.

He was intervening during a debate in the house on the government’s demonetisation action. Jaitley was replying to CPM leader Sitaram Yechury who referred to a newspaper report which said SBI wrote off loans of wilful defaulters including Rs12 billion of Kingfisher Airlines.

However, the member did not take any names. Congress leader Anand Sharma had also raised the issue in his speech. The minister said: “It (write-off ) does not mean that the loan ceases to be a loan. We will still chase the loan.

The entry in the book changes that is from being performing assets, it become a non-performing (asset).” Without specifically referring to the Kingfisher case, the finance minister said, this loan was restructured when another government was in power.

“This is the only loan for which second restructure was wanted by that government. So, we inherited a terrible legacy. But only in the accounting book, the

performing assets becomes nonperforming that’s all. Otherwise the liability to pay and right to recover still remains,” he said.

SBI Chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya also sought to downplay reports of loan write-off of 63 wilful defaulters saying that they have been clubbed under a different head and efforts are on to recover loans from such defaulters.

SBI, the leader of the consortium of 17 banks, has taken physical possession of many properties including Goa’s plush Kingfisher Villa. The auction by the bank failed to attract any bidder.

“These are not write offs. They are old entries done over time.

We have fully provided for these loans so they are put into an account called Accounts Under Collection. There is a very robust process for following up all these loans for recovery including monthly review by management and quarterly review by board.

“No let off of borrowers happened and all processes are focused for full recovery. The words “write off ” are technical terms and used in the layman’s way of understanding these words is completely misleading,” she said.

In July, SBI had expressed inability to divulge details of loans given to Mallya and his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines in response to an RTI query, holding that the matter is sub-judice and being looked into by investigating agencies. As per the latest published quarterly numbers, SBI had written off loans worth Rs60.6 billion at the end of September while it was Rs 46.13 billion at the end of the first quarter of the current financial year. - PTI

S OV E R E I G N R AT I N G AT ‘ B A A 3 ’

Moody’s affirms India’s rating with positive outlook NEW DELHI: Moody’s Investors Service on Wednesday affirmed India’s sovereign rating at ‘Baa3’ with a positive outlook, saying it expects policymakers to continue reforms to achieve balanced growth and reduce the government’s debt load.

India had pitched hard with Moody’s for a rating upgrade, but the US-based agency has maintained that it would wait for “tangible” benefits of reform initiatives before upgrading its sovereign rating. “The policy effort has not delivered a sufficiently clear prospect of the reform dividends — sustained, high growth and the promise of a reduction

in the country’s debt burden — to support an upgrade,” Moody’s said as it affirmed India’s ‘Baa3’ ratings while maintaining a ‘positive’ outlook. The positive outlook denotes Moody’s expectation that, over time, India’s credit metrics will likely shift to levels consistent with a ‘Baa2’ rating.

Baa3 rating implies lowest investment grade — just a notch above ‘junk’ status. A broad range of policies have been implemented that are conducive to moderating inflation and limited current account deficits. A number of policy reforms, if effective, would lead to higher investment and more efficient savings, Moody’s said. - PTI

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

PAKISTAN

Turkey has applied pressure to other countries that are home to institutions backed by Fethullah Gulen, whose “Hizmet” movement runs about 2,000 educational establishments in about 160 countries.

ALL 39 CASES

ORDEAL ENDS: Waseem Akhtar, mayor of Karachi and member of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) political party is greeted by supporters after his release from the Central Prison in Karachi, on Wednesday. - Reuters

Karachi mayor walks out of jail after bail granted KARACHI: Karachi mayor Waseem Akhtar finally walked out of the city’s central jail on Wednesday after he successfully secured bail in all 39 cases registered against him.

Akhtar’s release came after he was granted bail by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in the last of 39 cases against a surety of Rs0.5 million. Last week, Akhtar was granted bail in the 38th case registered against him. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader who was elected as Karachi’s 28th mayor by contesting the polls from jail for the first time in August, faced 39 cases. Of these, he had obtained bail in 38 cases and only one was left.

The mayor had been alleged of involvement in the treatment of terrorists at the former petroleum minister Dr Asim Hussain’s Ziauddin Hospital. Dr Asim, MQM lawmaker Rauf Siddiqui, Waseem Akhtar, Qadir Patel, Pak Sarzameen Party president Anis Kaimkhani and Usman Moazzam of Pasban-e-Pakistan were indicted in a terror facilitation case, following which the judge summoned witnesses to appear in court against the suspects. The imprisoned mayor took oath earlier this year despite staunch opposition from rival parties. -Express Tribune

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Turkish staff expelled from schools linked with Gulen PakTurk educates

Turkish President Erdogan arrives in Islamabad on two-day visit

more than 10,000 students in Pakistan and denies any affiliation with the cleric Fethullah Gulen, or his ‘Hizmet’ movement

KARACHI: Pakistan has ordered Turkish teachers at schools with alleged links to a Turkish cleric opposed to President Tayyip Erdogan to leave the country, as it was preparing to host the Turkish leader on Wednesday.

The teachers and their families, totalling about 450 people, were given three days notice to leave, PakTurk International Schools and Colleges said in a statement late on Tuesday.

PakTurk educates more than 10,000 students in Pakistan and denies any affiliation with the cleric Fethullah Gulen, or his “Hizmet” movement.

Erdogan has accused Gulen, a former political ally, of being behind a coup attempt in July, and Turkey has previously asked Pakistan to shut down any groups in the country with links to the cleric. “PakTurk International Schools and Colleges are deeply concerned over the abrupt decision of the government requiring the Turkish teachers, management and their family members... to leave the country within three days,” the school said. It added that staff were asked to leave because of “non-approval of their requests for extension of visa”.

ISLAMABAD: Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has arrived in Pakistan on a two-day visit, his first since an attempted military coup failed to oust him from power earlier this year.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif welcomed the Turkish head of state at Islamabad’s Nur Khan Air Base.

Erdogan was accompanied by a high-level entourage – including Turkish ministers and senior officials, as well as a large business delegation – and will hold meetings with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President Mamnoon Hussain on a host of bilateral, regional and international issues, a handout issued by Pakistan’s foreign ministry said.

The Turkish president is also scheduled to address a joint session of parliament – which the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has announced it won’t attend.

President Mamnoon will also hold a banquet in honour of President Erdogan and his entourage. The Turkish leader will travel to Lahore as

The Islamabad High Court has set a hearing for Thursday on a petition by the school management challenging the decision, Dawn newspaper reported.

The Interior Ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

Before his departure from Ankara, Erdogan praised Pakistan’s actions against what his government calls the Gulenist Terror Organisation (FETO).

PARLEYS: In this handout photograph released by the Pakistani Press Information Department (PID) on Wednesday, Pakistan’s President Mamnoon Hussain, right, meets with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, left at a meeting at the President House in Islamabad.- AFP / PID

well, where Nawaz will host a banquet in his honour at the Shahi Fort. The foreign ministry handout said Pakistan and Turkey are bound by “an exemplary relationship characterised by warmth, cordiality and mutual trust”. “There

“Pakistan’s decision to have people linked to FETO leave the country by November 20 is very pleasing,” Erdogan said. “Just like Turkey, Pakistan is carrying out a relentless fight against terror.

Turkey supports Pakistan’s battle until the end.”

Turkey and Pakistan have traditionally had close ties, which have warmed further under the leadership of Erdogan and Pakistani

are embedded deep in history, common faith, cultural and linguistic affinities and a sense of common destiny. Frequent exchanges at the leadership and ministerial levels and growing cooperation in diverse fields are the hallmarks of the unique

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Gulen lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania. He denies any involvement in the failed coup in which more than 230 people were killed. Turkey has applied pressure to other countries that are home to institutions backed

by Gulen, whose “Hizmet” movement runs about 2,000 educational establishments in about 160 countries.

bonds between Pakistan and Turkey,” it said. “Both sides are working to give powerful thrust to bilateral trade, investment and commercial cooperation as part of the efforts to build a robust economic partnership.”

- Express Tribune

PakTurk said the schools would continue operating and told students and their family members it was opposed to “ingress of some other organization into the teachers and staff of the schools”.

Dawn, citing sources, said Turkey’s government had suggested that management of the schools be transferred to an international nongovernment body with links to Erdogan’s administration. -Reuters

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

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WORLD

Macron launches bid for French presidential poll The former investment banker will stand as an independent in next year’s presidential election

PAIRS: Emmanuel Macron launched his bid for the French presidency on Wednesday, a move likely to take votes from mainstream candidates in a tight race that promises a strong turnout for far-right leader Marine Le Pen and humiliation for the left.

The former investment banker, who until August was Socialist President Francois Hollande’s economy minister, will stand as an independent in next year’s presidential election.

Although among France’s most popular politicians, the 38-yearold does not hold elected office and has no party apparatus behind him, so his campaign may struggle. He also has yet to set out his policies in any detail.

However, he is widely seen as likely to take votes from conservative Alain Juppe, the current favourite to win the presidency, and who is fighting a tightening race for the centre-right nomination in a presidential primary election starting on Sunday.

Clan-based politics At his launch in an apprenticeship centre northeast of Paris, Macron said he wanted to move France away from “clan-based politics”, adding: “I’ve witnessed the shallowness of our political system from the inside.”

He said the best way for France

TIGHTENING RACE: Emmanuel Macron, former French economy minister and head of the political movement “En Marche” or “Forward”, delivers a speech to announce his candidacy for the 2017 French presidential election as part of a visit at the Campus des Metiers et de l’Entreprise in Bobigny, near Paris, France, on Wednesday. – Reuters

to deal with globalisation was closer ties with the rest of Europe, in contrast to the inward-looking policies of some other contenders.

Juppe has fought his campaign so far on a similarly pro-European and centrist platform, positioning himself to the left of his main rival, Nicolas Sarkozy.

Ex-president Sarkozy in turn has sought to appeal to populist voters with sharp criticism of European Union policy and of Hollande’s track record on security and immigration that resonate in France after a series of militant attacks in France and with Europe in the grip of an immigration crisis.

Polls until this week showed 71-year-old former prime minister Juppe winning the primaries of the Les Republicains party and its centre-right allies, beating off Sarkozy’s challenge.

Juppe was then expected to be propelled in the election itself by voters of the mainstream right, centre and left, all determined to keep the popular anti-EU, antiimmigration National Front leader Le Pen from power. They still mostly show that scenario, but on top of the Macron move, fresh poll readings in recent days ahead of a last television debate on Thursday point to a “third man”, Francois Fillon, potentially spoiling the Sarkozy-Juppe scenario.

In the background too is a feeling that more surprises might be on their way.

Donald Trump’s unexpected victory over Hillary Clinton for the US presidency raised the prospect that surveys might still be failing to capture the full scale of the populist vote being courted

by Sarkozy and Le Pen, despite assurances from French poll-

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sters that they take full account of the potential for “hidden” farright votes.

Le Pen was in a confident mood on Wednesday.

“Macron is the banks’ candidate,” she said at the launch of her campaign headquarters. “What is for sure is that he will not be stealing any of our voters. This is a candidate that smells of mothballs.”

Juppe, who may have more to worry about, went on the attack, saying Macron had stabbed Hollande in the back by quitting.

Juppe’s other problem is Fillon, who was Sarkozy’s prime minister between 2007 and 2012, and who is gaining ground fast in the Les Republicains contest while Juppe’s support has slipped.

An Opinionway poll out on Tuesday shows Fillon neck-andneck with Sarkozy in second place for the first round of the prima-

ries, and then, should he edge Sarkozy into third place, beating Juppe in the second round to take the nomination.

Fillon has espoused Thatcherite free market policies in determinedly dirigiste France, and wants to cut up to 600,000 public sector jobs - even more than Sarkozy, but is also seen as a “lightweight” version of his former boss on security and immigration.

Other polls in recent days have also shown Fillon gaining votes as Juppe loses them. Much of Juppe’s support is seen as an ephemeral “least-worst” choice, while the abrasive Sarkozy’s backers are more hard-core in his favour.

Macron quit the French government at the end of August to set up his own political movement called “En Marche”, which translates as “Forward” or “Onwards”.

Macron’s campaign organisers said they had amassed 2.7 million euros ($2.89 million) of funding from 6,400 donors to date.

The official spending cap in the 2012 campaign was about 21 million euros.

An October poll by Odoxa made Macron the most popular of potential presidents from the left, with 49 per cent considering him a good head of state.

Prime Minister Manuel Valls came second on 42 per cent. Hollande trailed on 13.

So Macron’s presence in the contest as the only independent - a rare phenomenon in French presidential elections - is also likely to further fragment the divided leftwing vote as speculation grows that Valls will stand instead of the deeply unpopular Hollande against an array of others.

Hollande’s trade minister Matthias Fekl said Macron’s candidacy would “explode the left”.

“This was a time bomb placed at the heart of a political family. The bomb has exploded,” he said on RMC radio. — Reuters

‘HARD TO REACH’

Trump lashes out at media over foreign contacts report WASHINGTON: President-elect Donald Trump listed several countries whose leaders he had spoken with since winning the US presidential election and used his Twitter account to attack a media report that he has been hard to reach.

The Republican real estate magnate, who often used Twitter during his presidential campaign to lash out at critics, pounced on a New York Times report that American allies were “scrambling to figure out how and when to contact Mr Trump.”

“I have recieved and taken calls from many foreign leaders despite what the failing @nytimes said.

Russia, U.K., China, Saudi Arabia, Japan,” Trump wrote in a morning Twitter post.

“Australia, New Zealand, and more. I am always available to them. @nytimes is just upset that they looked like fools in their coverage of me,” Trump continued.

Transition team On Tuesday night, Trump defended his transition team amid reports the team is in disarray, behind schedule and marked by infighting. “Very organized process taking place as I decide on Cabinet and many other positions,” Trump said on Twitter. “I am the only one who knows who the finalists are!”

Entering Trump Tower in New York on Wednesday morning, Trump’s son, Eric Trump, was asked by reporters if any positions would be named on Wednesday.

He responded, “Likely.”

During his campaign, Trump has attacked media reports he found unfavorable to him, often targeting the New York Times as a failed newspaper while regularly granting its reporters interviews.

The Times reported that, while the presidents of Egypt and Israel, got through to Trump quickly, British Prime Minister Theresa May had to wait 24 hours before reaching Trump. — Reuters

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

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TIMESOFOMAN.COM/TIMESTV Some economists believe that Trump might be good for the Gulf.

There are two truths about the Electoral College: It ought to be abolished, and it never will be. Calls for changing the constitutional election system abound now that Hillary Clinton has won the popular vote and lost the electoral vote, as Al Gore did in 2000. But it turns out that the same Constitution that enshrines the Electoral College

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NINA L. KHRUSHCHEVA

INSTAGRAM.COM/TIMESOFOMAN

“What we love will ruin us,” predicted Aldous Huxley in 1932.

In Brave New World, he described a human race that, by 2540, has been destroyed by ignorance, a lust for constant entertainment, the dominance of technology, and an overabundance of material goods.

Trump’s win seems to be fulfilling the prediction 500 years earlier

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READERS’ FORUM Common people worst affected by demonetisation This refers to the online report India rupee ban: No respite for customers in queues at banks and ATMs (November 16). Even though Government of India has its own justifications for the move to scrap the high value notes, common people are the worst affected. This is expected to continue further for few weeks by which time the banks are expected to trade with their customers. At the same time, there seem to be misleading reports on the currency demonetisation process and how it influences people in the rural areas. While, it Scan this QR code is a fact that majority are finding it difficult to to send letters to the get smaller denominations of notes for their Readers’ Forum, daily expenses, unfortunately they become containing not more than 200 words with media headlines. In spite of the hue and cry full name, address of people, ruling party’s political rivals wiand telephone despread campaign against the government number, may be sent decision is disappointing. The interesting by e-mail (akhtar@ timesofoman.com). fact is that despite the ongoing market slowdown, industrialists, business traders and economic experts have praised the government move, as they felt it was warranted in the prevailing economic and security situations in the country. As the government move was intended to curb the black money in the country over the past few decades, it is a matter of concern for people who possess hard cash and avoid taxes. — Ramachandran Nair, Ruwi

NEW INDIA ASSURANCE

“Insure with New India and be secure”

Tel: 24838800 | Fax: 24838899 | Email: niamct@omantel.net.om | Website: www.newindiaoman.com Change your thoughts and you change your world.

NORMAN VINCENT PEALE

HEATHER HURLBURT

Among the clichés that deserve to be thrown out after the recent presidential election in the United States is the idea of a “women’s vote.”It may seem surprising that only 54 per cent of the female electorate voted for Hillary Clinton, the first woman nominated for president by a major party.

Carlos F. Amábile-Cuevas

F

rom the discovery of penicillin in 1928 to the introduction of the last of the main groups of antibiotics in the 1960s, humanity’s capacity to fight pathogenic bacteria has been transformative.

But, over time, the number of antibiotics to which bacteria are susceptible has been dwindling, and some pathogens have become resistant to most or all existing drugs. As a result, oncetreatable infections are becoming deadly again.

Already, antibiotic resistance is leading to an estimated 700,000 deaths per year, with financial costs reaching tens of billions of dollars. As antibiotic resistance continues to undermine our ability to treat cancers, transplant organs, and implant prosthesis, these figures will only rise.

Many factors have contributed to rising antibiotic resistance. Bacteria can reproduce and mutate rapidly, and they can establish something of a “genetic Internet” that enables certain pathogenic bacteria to “download” antibiotic-resistant genes.

Moreover, most antibiotics are natural products of soil bacteria, in which antibiotic resistance can occur naturally. When human-made antibiotics were introduced on a massive scale, the bacteria with resistance became the most prevalent.

Today, humans release about 100,000 tons of antibiotics per year. If those antibiotics were being used properly and saving lives, a reasonable costbenefit analysis might be possible. But about 70 per cent of them are used to make farm animals to grow a bit faster. The other 30 per cent, while used to treat people, are often prescribed incorrectly or needlessly. And, because a substantial share of the used drugs are released into the environment with wastewater and manure, bacterial communities in soils, waters, and wildlife are also exposed.

If this abuse of antibiotics does not end, we will soon find ourselves without drugs to treat bacterial infections effectively.

But while some steps are being taken – a highlevel United Nations meeting last September produced proposals for some international measures – they are far from adequate.

What is really needed is an immediate worldwide ban on the agricultural use of antibiotics.

Moreover, guidelines for the clinical use of antibiotics, which the medical community now follows as closely as those concerning how to pick a necktie, must be reviewed and strongly enforced.

These two measures alone – both of which could be enacted by governmental regulatory agencies – would reduce the use of antibiotics by nearly 80

per cent, slowing the rise of antibiotic resistance substantially. Of course, getting governments to implement such measures will not be easy, because they run counter to powerful economic interests, the most obvious being the pharmaceutical industry, which sells $40 billion worth of antibiotics each year. While Big Pharma has a strong interest in continued antibiotic abuse, it has little interest in developing new antibiotics to tackle drug-resistant bacteria. Drugs for chronic illnesses and cancer are better for their bottom line.

So Big Pharma is seeking “incentives” to pursue research and development of new antibiotics, such as extended patents or tax breaks; the alternative would be to charge astronomical prices for new drugs. But the benefits of such incentives for pharmaceutical companies would far exceed the cost of the actual R&D pursued; they would be instruments to funnel public funds into private hands – the very hands that caused the problem.

Beyond all of these carrots, however, societies should consider using some sticks. I propose an initiative that rates pharmaceutical companies according to their contribution to solving the antibiotic-resistance problem; those that do not contribute should be punished with fewer sales. I call it NANBU (No Antibiotics, No Business).

NANBU would grant points to companies with vigorous research programmes or with new antibiotics in the development pipeline. Companies that do not manufacture or sell antibiotics for agricultural purposes, or that refuse to promote the use of antibiotics for diseases that do not require such drugs, would gain points as well. Those that engaged in the opposite behaviours – selling antibiotics as livestock “growth promoters” or actively encouraging physicians to prescribe the drugs – would lose points.

At first, virtually all drug companies would have negative scores. But, over time, the ratings could be adjusted, always according to scientifically sound advice from an independent group of experts.

The ratings could then be used to guide drugpurchasing decisions.

For many kinds of relevant drugs, there are several options with similar efficacy and safety, produced by different companies. So clinicians could prescribe drugs mostly from highly rated companies, and avoid drugs from companies with low ratings. - Project Syndicate

CLIPPINGS FROM OUR ARCHIVES NOVEMBER 2001

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PICTOGRAPH CRUISE SHIPS VISITORS IN OMAN (BY NATIONALITY) (January 2015 - January 2016)

Qatabi: Shura focus of His Majesty’s attention MUSCAT: Sheikh Abdullah bin Ali Al Qatabi, president of the Majlis Al Shura, said Shura(consultation) has been a focus of attention of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said since he assumed the reins of power in the country. In a statement to Oman News Agency, Qatabi said Shura has occupied a prominent position from the onset of Omani Renaissance in the early 70s, adding that it was a process through which the Omanis were offered the opportunity of participation.

2015

2016 17,822

Europeans 96.6%

Americans -70.8%

Africans -39.5%

35٫043

4,259 1٫242

870 526

TOTAL

TODAY IN HISTORY INVITATION TO WRITERS We invite our readers to write articles on topics related to Oman. The articles should not exceed 800 words.

Send us your article along with your picture to akhtar@timesofoman.com

1918: German troops evacuate Brussels.

1970: The Soviet unmanned Luna 17 touches down on the moon.

1986: Renault President Georges Besse is shot to death by leftists of the Direct Action Group in Paris.

2000: Controversial President of Peru Alberto Fujimori is removed from office.

Asians -63.7%

5,551 2,017 29,082

Oceanians -35.0%

580 377

39,205

Source National Centre for Statistics & Information

A 20

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

LIFESTYLE CULTURE

U N R AV E L L I N G

T H E

M I N D

O F

A

MENTALIST Story Nishad Padiyarath

HE CAN LOOK INTO YOUR EYES for just seconds and reveal the secret number of your ATM card. At first you may think he is a magician, but he’s not. “I am Adarsh Aathi. I am a mentalist,” he introduces himself.

Mentalist Aathi became an overnight sensation, soon after Malayalam blockbuster Pretham was released across India. The character played by the hero Jayasurya in the film was largely inspired by Aathi.

“These days people recognise me easily and they want me to do some or the other trick,” Aathi said with a smile.

He has been globetrotting for the past few years to hone his skills and is now busy helping the police solve crimes, and works as a creative consultant in the movie industry and is busy shuttling between countries doing his shows.

Excerpts from the interview....

Can a psychologist be a good mentalist?

Well, I would say a mentalist can be a good psychologist.

The film ‘Pretham’ has made you the most sought after person in Kerala today and the movie is loosely based on your life too. How was this journey?

It was a long journey. I began to learn about this from a very young age. I was inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes.

Somewhere in my mind, I always wanted to be like him. The spark was from there and I began to look out for books that can help me with this.

It was a self-learning process and I travelled a lot to gain that. It’s heartening to see people are getting inspired by my work and yes after Pretham, my phone has never stopped ringing.

What sets a mentalist apart from a magician?

A magician is about the sleight of hand, and creating visual distractions with tricks and timing. A mentalist on the other hand, creates a ‘psychological illusion.’ Some professions call it mind reading. However, I would like to think this way: Consider a smart guy in the room, who is always planning and running ahead of you, with his psychological trickery.

What exactly is ‘mentalism’ or a ‘mentalist’?

A mentalist is a person, who can psychologically redirect human thoughts and behaviour. And mentalism is a performing art form, in which the artist appears to demonstrate highly developed mental acuity. For me, this performing art is the blend of psychology, suggestion/hypnosis, magic, misdirection, and showmanship.

Your show is very polished and entertaining.

How did you attain this level of professionalism for one so young?

There was this great quote by Leonardo Da Vinci, that I’ve been inspired by: “Details make perfection but perfection has no detail.” I think of it every time I practice. Learning and improving us is a never-ending process. I am still a student of this art.

Like it says in the film ‘Pretham’, for several years you travelled across the globe on luxury cruise liners as an entertainer, before finally returning to India. Why did you go away?

I decided to travel strictly for educational purposes, to learn more, to explore the world. I’ve been doing research in behaviour psychology and non-verbal communication for a long time.

To study the cultural body’s languages, I had to travel to different regions of the world. Travelling and working on cruise liners made things easy for me. Rest is all history.

You are already assisting the police and working with corporate houses, and many more with your skill of deception analysis.

Can you tell us more about this?

The association has been very productive, and I feel privileged to be associated with the department in investigating against ‘Scam and Fraud in Extraordinary Claims.’ I do give lectures at various law and order agencies within and outside the country. It has always been my mission to expose ‘fakes.’

Which is the most difficult trick you have performed till date?

Whenever I design a new effect, this is the thought in mind. Now I love to answer ‘I’m still working on it.’

—nishad@timesofoman.com

Does mind reading involve intuition or the sixth sense?

Did we explore enough of the five we have yet? Human beings have more than 20 senses. I have never heard anywhere people discuss that, though we say there are five primary senses. The key here is to use these five senses together more appropriately to create an illusion of the sixth.

Photography Supplied

A 22

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

LIFESTYLE B O L LY B U Z Z

Took me long to believe I’m beautiful: Kajol KAJOL, who believes in a regular skin care regime, says it took some time for her to believe that she is beautiful. “I believe it is wise to take up a regular skin care regimen in your twenties, so as to maintain youthful skin in your thirties,” Kajol said at the launch of a new Olay Total Effects lightweight moisturiser in India.

Talking about her long-standing association with the brand, she

said: “My trust in Olay remains unchanged through the years just like my skin despite the many changes in my life.”

“A lot of things have changed over the years, but now I believe that I am beautiful. It took me a long time to believe that. So my beliefs about myself have changed, and I think I am a better person today. I have grown, hopefully,” she added.

Kajol said she drinks a lot of water to keep her skin hydrated.

“There aren’t any beauty secrets when family is concerned.

We are just genetically beautiful.

One thing I tell this to everyone is be absolutely clean and neat, drink lots of water and wash your face three times a day,” said the mother of two, who wants to be a mirror image of her mother Tanuja when she is her age. -IANS

BOOK REVIEW

It Ends With Us

by Colleen Hoover

Reviewed by Zahra Bait Ishaq

C

olleen Hoover does it again, she writes another masterpiece, but a different kind. It Ends With Us is a book that will be in your memory for the longest time and you will think about it long after reading it.

The book follows a woman named Lily who grew up in an abusive house, her father mistreated her mother and Lily didn’t understand why her mother didn’t leave. Lily meets a neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid.

Ryle is everything Lily wanted in a man, he is handsome, smart and kind, and almost too perfect.

If I can describe this book in one word, it would be powerful. It is one of those books that shows you and makes you feel and experience things by using words and nowadays it’s so rare to find a book that makes you understand that. I loved everything about this book and I can’t seem to find something I didn’t like; it is everything a book should be.

One of the things I absolutely loved was the roller-coaster of emotions it made me go through, I can’t remember feeling so emotional reading a book. I’m pretty sure this will be one of my favourite books of all times and I’m so glad I read it. I highly recommended everyone to read this book, but don’t forget to bring tissues because I am sure that it will make you cry.

—lifestyle@timesofoman.com

Book: It Ends With Us Author: Colleen Hoover Genre: Contemporary Fiction Pages: 367 Book type: Stand alone Published: August 2nd 2016 by Atria Books A reason to pick it up: It is the most beautifully written book that will make you reconsider everything you know Where you can find the book: Online A quote from the book: “Just because someone hurts you doesn’t mean you can simply stop loving them. It’s not a person’s actions that hurt the most. It’s the love. If there was no love attached to the action, the pain would be a little easier to bear.”

— Colleen Hoover, It Ends with Us

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

WEATHER

TEMPERATURE

HUMIDITY

31 - 16 77-29% 0

0

PRAYER TIMINGS

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

OMANI STYLE

Jacket with an Arab Identity

PHOTO SALIM AL AFIFI

T

he turbans that are worn by men in the Gulf region has now been converted into a light, long-sleeved, casual unbuttoned jacket, made of stitched cotton, with soft cotton stretch cuffs.

These airy and soft jackets are comfortable and available in black with white and red with white.

Men can pair the jacket with slim fitted pair of jeans and a plain tee, or even on with an Omani dishdasha. Women too can wear these with jeans, or a skirt.

Appreciated by fashionistas for their culturally-infused designs, these garments are available at the Esque by Ale boutique in Oman Avenues Mall.

— lifestyle@timesofoman.com

11.57pm 3.04pm 5.26pm 6.39pm 5.04am

LIFESTYLE

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WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM THU RS DAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

OMAN CRUDE OIL RISES Oman Crude (January delivery) rose $1.28 per barrel to $44.07 a barrel on Wednesday, according to Dubai Mercantile Exchange (DME). The average price of Oman Crude (November delivery) was $43.92 per barrel - 10 cents lower than October delivery. – ONA Muscat 5,493.82 + 11.85 + 0.22%

MARKE

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Dubai 3,262.82 + 66.20 + 2.07%

Abu Dhabi 4,290.44 + 109.61 + 2.62%

Kuwait 5,495.63 + 4.33 + 0.08%

Saudi Arabia

6,591.67 + 98.81 + 1.52%

Bahrain 1,161.24 + 0.03 + 0.00%

Qatar 9,743.86 + 63.94 + 0.66%

CRUDE OIL PRICE

CURRENCY RATES*

DRAFT RATES (OMR1)*

GOLD PRICES*

Type ............................Delivery...........Price

Forex rates vs OMR1* US Dollar ................................. 2.58 Euro ............................................ 2.38 Pound ..........................................2.06 Indian Rs ............................. 175.59 Pakistan Rs ........................267.59 Bangla Taka......................202.02

Indian Rs ...................................176.40 Pakistan Rs ............................. 271.80 Sri Lanka Rs .................................. N/A Bangla Taka........................... 203.80 Phil Peso ....................................127.40

Muscat 24ct per gm (OMR) ....... 15.75

Oman Crude............. (Spot) ........$43.48 Dubai Crude ............. (Spot) ........$43.05 Murban Crude ........ (Spot) ........ $45.37 Arabian Light ......... (Spot) ........$42.82 N.Sea Brent............... (Spot) ........ $46.37 West Texas Int ....... (Spot) .........$45.14

* Rates as of November 16 Source: Oman UAE Exchange

* Rates are as of November 16 Source: Bank Muscat

CMA nod for real estate investment trusts soon The regulator, which is planning to announce a separate set of regulation for listing REITs, is willing to allow such investment trusts, even before announcing the legislation

A. E. JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Oman’s market watchdog Capital Market Authority (CMA), which is planning to announce a separate set of regulation for listing Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), said that it is willing to allow such investment trusts, even before announcing the legislation.

The Real Estate Investment Trusts are securities that sell like a stock on the bourse and invest in real estate directly, either through properties or mortgages. It provides investors an opportunity to participate in real estate projects even with a small fund size and offers regular income and capital appreciation.

Several investors have approached the Capital Market Authority for launching REITs in Oman. “We are willing to look at their application even before announcing the regulation. The draft regulation is already there.

We have the legal framework structure (for allowing REITs) and we need to have bylaws. It has to go through a process (before announcing the same),” Abdullah bin Salim al Salmi, executive president of the Capital Market Authority, told the Times of Oman.

Al Salmi said that it would take some time to finalise the regulation required for REITs. Elaborating on the advantages of REITs, the CMA chief noted that it would help the investing public to participate in real estate

It is something that is liked by the general public in Oman. There is a big potential for growth of this fund. It is also a good way to finance real estate projects Abdullah bin Salim Al Salmi Executive president, Capital Market Authority

sector (despite relatively lower funds) and get a regular return. “It is something that is liked by the general public in Oman. There is a big potential for growth of this fund. It is also a good way to finance real estate projects.”

In fact, several countries in the Gulf region are introducing the

fund in view of demand from real estate developers and investors.

“Oman is trying to catch on this concept. The UAE has introduced REITs sometime back and Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have recently introduced it,” said a senior market analyst, who does not want to be named.

Muscat 22ct per gm (OMR) ........15.15 Dubai 24ct per gm (Dh) ........... 149.00 Dubai 22ct per gm (Dh) ............ 140.00 * Rates as of November 16 Source: Malabar Gold & Diamonds

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

Dollar steadies close to eleven-month high LONDON: United States dollar steadied just off an 11-month high against a basket of currencies on Wednesday, with major banks sounding slightly more divided on its immediate prospects after a week-long rally driven by the postelection surge in US bond yields.

The Dollar index slipped just 0.1 per cent to 99.989, easing from Tuesday’s high of 100.26 but still almost 5 per cent higher than a trough hit before Donald Trump won the race for the White House a week ago.

Fuelled by expectations of an inflationary push from the new administration that would prompt more rises in Federal Reserve interest rates it was back on the rise against the euro in early trade in London. A move above 100.51 would take the index to its highest since April 2003.

“Broad gains are clearly meeting more resistance, as a December Federal Reserve hike is now 95 per cent discounted and much uncertainty still surrounds the broader direction of US economic policy under President-elect Trump,” said Adam Cole, head of G10 FX strategy with RBC in London.

“Widespread reports that infighting among the transition team is hampering the formation of the government are probably not helping.”

The US result has raised worries of another round of potentially destabilising victories for populists in elections across Europe in the coming year, and some banks and traders believe the euro will head back towards lows around 1.05 at which the last dollar rally stalled last year.

Euro falls The single currency hit $1.0700, its lowest since the start of December last year, as trade got going in London. “A bit of a euro short-covering rally overnight changes nothing,” said Societe Generale strategist Kit Juckes.

“The $1.0580 area where the last two euro falls have found resistance is the next key support.

There’s a huge dose of political concern to keep the pressure on the euro ahead of the Italian referendum on December 4 and perhaps ahead of French elections next year too.”

Against the yen, the dollar gained 0.2 per cent to 109.46 yen, after setting a five-month peak of 109.34 on Tuesday. It was marginally weaker against sterling and the Canadian dollar.

“Buy dollars is still probably the main trade,” said a senior trader with another international bank in London. - Reuters

B2

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

MARKET MSM index ends higher

OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ........................................5,495.39 .............. 5,486.32 ................... 5,493.82 ................... 5,481.97.................. 11.85 ...................0.22 Financial Index ..................................... 7,193.72 ............... 7,168.79 ....................7,186.92 ....................7,153.26..................33.66 ................... 0.47 Industrial Index .....................................7,178.81 ............... 7,168.14 ....................7,174.27 ................... 7,166.22....................8.05 ................... 0.11 Services Index .......................................3,010.28 ...............3,007.46 ...................3,008.56 ................... 3,007.53.................... 1.03 ...................0.03 MSM SHARIAH INDEX.......................847.49 ..................845.90 ...................... 846.30 ......................845.90....................0.40 ................... 0.05 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 10,307,194 ..................2,030,049 .....................590 ................ 17,236,158,173 ................20 ........................7 .................... 19 .........................46

Al Hassan Engineering, up by 7.55 per cent, was the top gainer while Al Jazeera Services

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16

was the top loser, with a loss of 2.04 per cent ISIN ......................................SECURITY NAME ..................................................................VOLUME..... TURNOVER............TRADES ......OPEN PRICE......HIGH ............. LOW ........ CLOSE PR. ...PREV. CLOSE...DIFF (RO).........DIFF % .............LAST PR.....LAST BID .............LAST OFFER ........MARKET CAP.PAR VALUE

MUSCAT: Shares on the Muscat bourse recovered on the second consecutive day. The MSM30 Index ended the session with gains of 0.22 per cent to finish at 5,493.82 points. The MSM Sharia Index closed at 846.30 points, up by 0.05 per cent.

Bank Nizwa was the most active in terms of volume while Bank Muscat led in terms of turnover. Al Hassan Engineering, up by 7.55 per cent, was the top gainer while Al Jazeera Services was the top loser, with a loss of 2.04 per cent.

As many as 590 trades were executed on Wednesday, generating turnover of OMR2.03 million with 10.3 million shares changing hands. Out of 46 traded securities, 20 advanced, seven declined and 19 remained unchanged. Arab and GCC investors stayed net buyers to the tune of OMR119,000 worth of shares while Omani investors were net sellers at OMR82,000 followed by foreign investors at OMR37,000.

Financial Index continued its recovery to end at 7,186.92 points, up by 0.47 per cent. Gulf Investment Services, Al Sharqia Investments, Al Anwar Holding, Takaful Oman and Al Madina Investments increased by 2.78 per cent, 2.44 per cent, 2.42 per cent, 2.22 per cent and 1.85 per cent, respectively. Al Madina Takaful and Oman & Emirates Holding declinedby 1.35 per cent and 0.81 per cent, respectively.

Industrial Index gained 0.11 per cent to close at 7,174.27 points. Al Hassan Engineering, Construc-

REGULAR MARKET .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ......................... 120,000 ............13,280........................6 ............0.112 ........... 0.112............0.109............0.111..............0.108 ........... 0.003............. 2.778 ................0.109..............0.108...................0.109.................... 6,531,597 ..........0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 548,903 ............92,775..................... 63 ............0.168 ........... 0.170 ...........0.167 ............0.169 ............. 0.165............ 0.004.............2.424 ................0.167 ..............0.166...................0.168................... 29,575,415 .........0.100 OM0000001962............AL MADINA INVESTMENT ................................... 388,500 ............21,325........................7 ............0.055 ........... 0.055 ...........0.054........... 0.055 .............0.054 ............0.001 ............. 1.852 ................0.054..............0.054...................0.055................... 11,393,326 .........0.100 OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE.............. 284,095 ........... 53,022......................13 ............0.189 ........... 0.189 ...........0.185 ............0.187 ............. 0.185............ 0.002............. 1.081.................0.187 .............. 0.187...................0.188...................37,400,000.........0.100 OM0000001087............OMAN UNITED INSURANCE ..................................17,378 ...............5,082........................4 ........... 0.290...........0.296 ...........0.290 .......... 0.292 .............0.290 ........... 0.002............. 0.690 ................0.296..............0.292...................0.296 ..................29,200,000 ........0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 1,386,030 ......576,550..................... 84 ............0.414 ........... 0.418 ...........0.414 ............0.416 ............. 0.414............ 0.002............. 0.483 ................0.418 .............. 0.416...................0.420 ............... 1,038,440,107 ......0.100 OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ...................................61,550 ............ 13,900......................11 ........... 0.226 ...........0.226 ...........0.225........... 0.226 .............0.225 ............0.001 .............0.444 ................0.225..............0.221...................0.225 .................333,300,568 .......0.100 OM0000001145 ............PORT SERVICES CORPORATION .........................28,160 ............... 6,612........................5 ........... 0.234 ........... 0.235 ...........0.232........... 0.235 .............0.234 ............0.001 ............. 0.427 ................0.232..............0.233...................0.235...................22,334,400 ........0.100 OM0000001418 ............RAYSUT CEMENT .......................................................... 2,496 ................3,781........................4 ............1.515 ............1.515............ 1.515 ............1.515 ............. 1.515 ............ 0.000.............0.000 ................ 1.515 ...............1.515...................1.525 ................. 303,000,000 .......0.100

MSM holiday

OM0000001533 ............OMINVEST ............................................................................238 ...................115........................1 ........... 0.484 ...........0.484 ...........0.484........... 0.490 .............0.490 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.484..............0.484...................0.490 ................. 311,537,535 ........0.100 OM0000001749 ............OMAN CEMENT ........................................................... 30,000 .............13,500........................2 ........... 0.450 ...........0.450 ...........0.450........... 0.450 .............0.450 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.450..............0.450...................0.454..................148,892,720........0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ..........................67,903 .............99,810......................15 ............1.470 ........... 1.475............1.465 ............1.470 ............. 1.470............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.465 .............. 1.465...................1.470................1,102,500,000 ......0.100 OM0000003224 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES ..................................... 225,000 ........... 49,570......................17 ........... 0.225 ...........0.225 ...........0.220 .......... 0.220 .............0.220 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.220 ............ 0.220...................0.235................... 65,731,089 .........0.100

MUSCAT: Muscat Securities Market (MSM) will be closed on November 23 and 24 due to National Day holidays. Trading will resume on November 27, after week-end holidays on Friday and Saturday.

– Times News Service

OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 292,607 ............42,451..................... 10 ............0.145 ........... 0.146 ...........0.144............0.145 ............. 0.145............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.144..............0.144...................0.145................. 232,652,404 .......0.100 OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY ...........................................................552 ..................248........................1 ........... 0.450 ...........0.450 ...........0.450........... 0.450 .............0.450 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.450..............0.450...................0.452...................27,225,000.........0.100 OM0000003711 ............SOHAR POWER....................................................................104 .....................27........................1 ........... 0.258 ...........0.258 ...........0.258........... 0.258 .............0.258 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.258..............0.248...................0.258...................57,020,580 .........0.100 OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO....................................................................... 287,875.......... 179,626......................13 ........... 0.624 ...........0.624 ...........0.620........... 0.624 .............0.624 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.620..............0.620...................0.624 .................406,189,200 .......0.100 OM0000005963 ...........PHOENIX POWER ...................................................... 230,697 ........... 32,482........................7 ............0.142 ........... 0.142 ...........0.140............0.141 ............. 0.141............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.141 ..............0.140................... 0.141 ................. 206,226,806 .......0.100 OM0000002168............AL ANWAR CERAMIC TILES ................................ 49,000 ............... 8,031..................... 10 ............0.165 ........... 0.167 ...........0.162 ........... 0.164 ............. 0.165............-0.001 ........... -0.606 ...............0.162 .............. 0.161...................0.164...................48,579,044.........0.100 OM0000002176 ............AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS ..........................49,500 ............. 11,138..................... 10 ........... 0.225 ...........0.225 ...........0.225........... 0.225 .............0.227 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.881................0.225..............0.223...................0.227 ..................28,102,041 .........0.100 OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL............................................. 269,961 ............ 19,727......................21 ........... 0.074 ........... 0.074 ...........0.073........... 0.073 .............0.074 ...........-0.001 ............-1.351 ................0.073..............0.073...................0.074...................12,775,000 .........0.100 OM0000002226 ...........AL JAZEERA SERVICES ............................................73,000 .............14,015........................7 ............0.195 ........... 0.195 ...........0.190........... 0.192 ............. 0.196............-0.004 ........... -2.041 ...............0.190..............0.186...................0.194................... 11,751,220 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 4,413,549 ... 1,257,067................... 312 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......22........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

PARALLEL MARKET .................................................................................................................................................................................

OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING ........... 859,729.......... 108,557..................... 58 ............0.129 ........... 0.130 ...........0.125 ........... 0.126 ............. 0.123............ 0.003............. 2.439 ................0.126 ..............0.126...................0.127...................11,340,000 .........0.100 OM0000004776 ...........TAKAFUL OMAN INSURANCE ...............................13,061 ...............2,398........................3 ............0.185 ........... 0.185 ...........0.182........... 0.184 .............0.180 ........... 0.004.............2.222 ................0.182 ..............0.182...................0.190...................18,400,000.........0.100

tion Materials, Oman Fisheries, National Aluminium and Galfar Engineering gained 7.55 per cent, 3.23 per cent, 1.64 per cent, 1.52 per cent and 1.11 per cent. Al Jazeera Steel and Al Anwar Ceramics lost 0.88 per cent and 0.61 per cent, respectively.

Services Index ended on a flat note at 3,008.56 points, up by 0.03 per cent. OIFC, Sembcorp Salalah and Port Services increased by 1.08 per cent, 0.43 per cent and 0.43 per cent, respectively. Al Jazeera Services, Oman National Engineering and Al Maha Petroleum declined by 2.04 per cent, 0.63 per cent and 0.35 per cent, respectively. – United Securities

OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES ..................................................... 115,100 ............... 7,109..................... 10 ........... 0.062 ...........0.062 ...........0.061 ........... 0.062 ............. 0.061.............0.001 ............. 1.639 ................0.061 ..............0.060...................0.061.................... 7,750,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001319 ............NATIONAL ALUMINIUM PRODUCTS ...............23,677 ...............4,735........................3 ........... 0.200...........0.200 ...........0.200 .......... 0.200 ............. 0.197............ 0.003............. 1.523 ................0.200 ............. 0.195...................0.200 ................... 6,714,290 ..........0.100 OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................ 1,930,629 .......153,793..................... 52 ........... 0.080 ........... 0.081 ...........0.079........... 0.080 .............0.079 ............0.001 ............. 1.266 ................0.079..............0.079...................0.080 ................ 120,000,000 .......0.100 OM0000002366 ...........AL BATINAH DEV. INV. HOLDING ...................... 123,308 ............10,913......................11 ........... 0.088 ...........0.090 ...........0.087........... 0.089 .............0.088 ............0.001 ..............1.136.................0.087..............0.087...................0.089....................2,670,000 ..........0.100 OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 264,751............24,082......................19 ............0.091 ........... 0.091 ...........0.090............0.091 .............0.090 ............0.001 ..............1.111 .................0.091 ..............0.090...................0.091...................26,388,238.........0.100 OM0000002549 ...........BANK DHOFAR ............................................................ 615,254 ......... 133,345..................... 29 ............0.218 ........... 0.218 ...........0.216 ............0.217 ............. 0.215............ 0.002.............0.930 ................0.216 ..............0.216...................0.217..................412,126,704 ........0.100 OM0000001400 ...........OMAN FLOUR MILLS ................................................. 35,001 .............23,661........................1 ............0.676 ........... 0.676 ...........0.676........... 0.676 .............0.672 ........... 0.004............. 0.595 ................0.676..............0.672...................0.700..................106,470,000........0.100 OM0000004735 ...........SEMBCORP SALALAH................................................95,000 ............ 22,325........................7 ........... 0.235 ........... 0.235 ...........0.235........... 0.235 .............0.234 ............0.001 ............. 0.427 ................0.235..............0.235...................0.240 ................ 224,324,408 .......0.100 OM0000001517 ............HSBC BANK OMAN .................................................... 675,950 ............76,793.....................44 ............0.114 ........... 0.114............0.113 ............0.114 ............. 0.114............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.113 .............. 0.112................... 0.114 ..................228,035,658........0.100 OM0000001590............MUSCAT FINANCE.........................................................1,478 ...................185........................1 ............0.125 ........... 0.125 ...........0.125 ........... 0.120 .............0.120 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.125 ...............0.117...................0.125...................32,005,869.........0.100 OM0000001897 ............MAJAN COLLEGE .......................................................... 1,000 ..................520........................1 ........... 0.520 ...........0.520 ...........0.520........... 0.520 .............0.520 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.520............. 0.000...................0.520 ..................15,600,000 .........0.100 OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK ........................................................................ 2,523 ..................454........................1 ............0.180 ........... 0.180 ...........0.180........... 0.189 ............. 0.189............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.180..............0.180...................0.187..................269,331,831 ........0.100 OM0000002275 ...........SHELL OMAN MARKETING ...................................20,856 ............ 40,878........................5 ............1.960 ........... 1.960 ...........1.960........... 1.960 .............1.960 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................1.960............. 0.000...................1.960................. 186,200,000 .......0.100 OM0000003125 ............GLOBAL FINANCIAL INVESTMENT ................ 530,000 ........... 92,750........................2 ............0.175 ........... 0.175............0.175 ............0.175 ............. 0.175............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.175 ............. 0.000...................0.175 ...................35,000,000.........0.100 OM0000004511 ............ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK.............................................. 107,000 ...............7,169........................3 ........... 0.067 ...........0.067 ...........0.067........... 0.067 .............0.067 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.067..............0.067...................0.068...................67,000,000.........0.100 OM0000003000 ...........ALMAHA PETROLEUM PRODUCTS MAR. ......... 6,700 ...............9,648........................3 ............1.440 ........... 1.440 ...........1.440........... 1.440 ............. 1.445............-0.005 ........... -0.346 ...............1.440.............. 1.435...................1.440...................99,360,000.........0.100 OM0000001152 ............OMAN NATIONAL ENGINE. INVT. ......................74,100 ............. 11,706........................4 ............0.154 ........... 0.160 ...........0.154 ............0.158 ............. 0.159............-0.001 ........... -0.629 ...............0.160.............. 0.155...................0.165...................15,800,000.........0.100 OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING........... 297,200 ............36,671......................11 ............0.124 ........... 0.124 ...........0.122............0.123 .............0.124 ...........-0.001 ........... -0.806 ...............0.122..............0.122...................0.124...................14,990,625 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 5,792,317 .......767,691...................268 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ..... 20........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

C O M M E N TA RY

REIT regulations in Oman – are we ready from a tax perspective?

NISHANT PAIS*

O

man government has acknowledged the real estate sector as one of the 12 sectors that it intends focusing on in the coming years.

With a view to furthering this aim, the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) has recently indicated that it will be introducing Real Estate Investment Trusts (REIT) in Oman, the regulations for which are likely to be issued for public opinion by end of 2016.

REITs, as an investment vehicle, are well understood in the western world as well as within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) with countries like the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia having REIT regulations in one form or the other. Through REITs, developers can raise funds to finance projects, while giving an opportunity to the common man to participate in this sector without having to bear the entire exposure of illiquid assets like real estate. It works similar to mutual funds where individuals and institutions pool in money to invest in leased office or retail assets.

The units in REITs are often traded on stock exchanges.

While the regulatory framework for REITs in Oman is taking shape, the tax laws may also need to be amended to make REITs successful. The

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), as an investment vehicle, are well understood in the western world as well as within the GCC states with countries like the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia having REIT regulations in one form or the other

cornerstone of a successful REIT regime is a robust tax framework that taxes real cash income and not just notional gains. The current tax framework in Oman, though simple, is not particularly conducive for REITs through their entire life cycle.

Value added tax One of the key areas of concern that could emerge from the prevalent tax framework and proposed value added tax (VAT) is developers being subjected to income tax (currently 12 per cent, which is proposed to be increased to 15 per cent), transfer tax (levied by the Ministry of Housing at the rate of 5 per cent) and VAT (proposed to be levied at 5 per cent) at the time of setting-up the REIT. This issue becomes critical if developers only receive units

in the REIT instead of cash, resulting in developers having to dip into their own funds to pay the taxes.

While it may be possible to mitigate the exposure in respect of some these taxes through appropriate structures, we will need to wait for the fine print of the REIT regulations to see the permissibility of such structures.

Another key issue that could emerge is the taxability of the rental income received on an ongoing basis and capital gains earned on exit from the investments. While the Oman tax law exempts ‘investment funds’ (which could, arguably be extended to cover REITs) from tax on all income, there is no such corresponding relief for asset-owning companies that are held by such investment funds. This will create a disparity between the returns paid out to the ultimate investors through structures where the asset is directly held by the REIT vis-à-vis structures where the REIT holds shares in the asset-owning company.

Also, a direct sale of the asset could potentially be subject to levy of transfer tax and proposed VAT. Good alternative While REITs are usually indifferent to the equity market due to the nature of their underlying assets, developers will need to tread with caution while considering REITs. For investors who are averse to investing in physical purchase of property due to the risks involved, REITs are a good alternative. Investors can trade in units of REIT on the stock exchange as and when required, making such investments easier to liquidate compared to physical property transactions. *The writer, who is well versed with REIT related matters, is tax manager at KPMG Oman

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

B3

MARKET Ban on high value currency backfires India’s sudden declaration that 500and 1,000-rupee notes were no longer legal tender, which initially seemed to be a masterstroke, now looks like a grave miscalculation

NEW DELHI: One week after India’s sudden declaration that 500- and 1,000-rupee notes were no longer legal tender, the economy is in chaos. And that’s perhaps because the policy was designed as much to shock and awe observers with the government’s command of the Indian economy as to control India’s ‘black money’ problem. What seemed at first to be a masterstroke by Prime Minister Narendra Modi now looks

like a grave miscalculation.

Modi is beginning to sound like he may agree. His recent speeches on the subject have been frankly bizarre. In one, he seemed to laugh at those inconvenienced by the ban; in another, he broke down while speaking of the ‘sacrifices’ he’d made for India, and warned that he might be assassinated by ‘forces’ desperate to protect their ‘loot’.

What’s changed in a week?

Well, for one, it’s become clear that the government was simply too cavalier in its planning. Now that 86 per cent of India’s currency is no longer valid, the central bank has struggled to print replacement denominations — and the new notes are the wrong size for existing ATMs. Modi’s asked people to be patient for 50 days, but the process could take as long as four months.

You have to wonder if Modi truly sought expert advice, or relied once again on a small and trusted set of politicians to determine policy. India’s simply too big and complex for shock and awe.

Large parts of the rural economy use cash for 80 percent of transactions and have been hard-hit.

In seafood-mad West Bengal, for example, the fishing industry is in a state of near-collapse;

BANKING

Abu Dhabi plans more bank mergers DUBAI: Abu Dhabi is considering more mergers to boost its financial services industry after combining National Bank of Abu Dhabi and First Gulf Bank, according to four people with knowledge of the matter. Bank stocks surged.

The UAE emirate is weighing a plan to merge Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and Union National Bank and also combine Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank with Al Hilal Bank, the people said, asking not to be identified as the plans are private.

Abu Dhabi is considering further deals only after the NBADFGB merger is completed by March 2017, the people said. No final decision has been taken and the emirate may not pursue the mergers, they said.

Abu Dhabi decided to combine its two largest banks in July to create a regional powerhouse with $175 billion of assets. The merger was seen as a precursor to more deals in the United Arab Emirates’ financial services industry, where about 50 lenders compete in a market of about 9 million people.

The emirate has also announced plans to combine two of its largest sovereign investment funds International Petroleum Investment and Mubadala Development, as well as mergers in industries from oil to education.

Union National Bank shares surged 15 per cent in Abu Dhabi, heading for the biggest jump since November 2015, while ADCB gained 5.3 per cent. ADIB shares rose 3.2 per cent.

Shareholders Abu Dhabi Investment Council, a sovereign wealth fund in the emirate, owns a 58 per cent stake in ADCB and 50 per cent of UNB, according to data. The fund also holds a 7.6 per cent stake in Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank and a holding in Al-Hilal.

UNB, ADCB and ADIB declined to comment, while no one was immediately available to comment Al Hilal and ADIC. An official at Abu Dhabi’s executive affairs authority didn’t immediately return a call seeking comment.

The Abu Dhabi Securities Market Banks Index, comprised of 14 banking and financial services companies on the Abu Dhabi exchange, gained 2.6 per cent on Wednesday, up the most since July 3. It has fallen about 6.7 per cent this year.

Banks, like other industries in the region, are under pressure as the drop in oil prices has stifled Middle Eastern economies. ADCB’s third-quarter profit fell 17 per cent from a year earlier as its impairment allowances jumped, the company said. - Bloomberg News

in the wheat-growing states of the northwest, farmers halfway through the sowing season have run out of cash to buy seeds.

Few villagers have access to an ATM. Most have to trek to a bank branch to change their cash, which means losing out on crucial days of labor. Many Indians, particularly women, still don’t have an active bank account.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley wondered aloud how many poor people would even have 1,000-rupee notes — probably a rhetorical question, but surely it shouldn’t have been. Someone should’ve sought the answer before shutting down India’s financial system.

Among India’s middle class, Modi’s “surgical strike on black money” still appears to be popular. It’s the old “vegan fallacy” — if something tastes terrible, it must be good for you. Enough Indians are suffering that they believe it must be in a greater cause. It’s a moral project, not an economic one. Stand in line, we’re told, and you honour our brave soldiers at the border. But will that support last? The government’s plan is likely to be ineffective in the long term. Economists agree it will have no effect on the generation of black money. - Bloomberg News

O I L E X P L O R AT I O N

PDO awards supply chain inspection contract to Intertek Times News Service MUSCAT: Intertek, a leading total quality assurance provider to industries worldwide, has won a third party inspection (TPI), quality assurance and quality control contract from Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), the foremost exploration and production company in the Sultanate, to provide global and local quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) across the supply chain of all its north region projects.

The seven-year agreement sees Intertek deliver independent inspection services globally to sup-

port all of PDO’s north region oil and gas projects. Intertek will also deliver quality assurance and control services, documentation review and auditing services on current and future projects.

Intertek’s global network of industry-recognised technical expertise will be utilised to safeguard the quality of materials, ensure on-time delivery of equipment and vendor compliance as well as confirm that all of PDO’s north region projects conform to the company’s engineering, construction and operating standards.

PDO operates in a concession area of about 100,000 square kilo-

metres, consisting of one third of the Sultanate’s geographical area.

It has around 130 producing fields, close to 6,000 producing wells, and more than 45,000 contractors in Oman and around the world.

“We are excited about the opportunity to provide PDO with third party inspections, quality assurance and quality control services.

This multi-faceted agreement will see Intertek ensuring proper quality and control across PDO’s value chain,” said Catalin Tomescu, Intertek director of Operations Asset Integrity Management and NonDestructive Testing for Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan.

B4

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

FEATURE

I

t was difficult for observers to argue at the start of the month, with his term as Indian prime minister approaching the half-way mark, that Narendra Modi had exceeded expectations with policy reforms.

Then he took his biggest step yet. With a sudden move against tax evasion and graft, he invalidated more than three-quarters of the value of banknotes in circulation. That’s helped to — once again — resuscitate a reform narrative that’s periodically faded as Modi retreated from initial plans. At the mid-term point this week, it all leaves a record perceived very much as mixed.

Voters in 2014 handed Modi the biggest electoral mandate in 30 years, fed up with corruption scandals and soaring inflation. Investors were heartened by his track record in slashing red tape as chief of one of India’s fastest-growing states and Modi’s stirring speeches saw him feted like a rock star at home and abroad.

While Modi remains India’s most favoured leader, a survey in September showed that public anxiety is rising to levels seen before he took office. A failure to rein in rising concern on jobs and corruption risks imperiling prospects at key state elections next year and a national contest in 2019.

“Modi’s lofty election rhetoric in 2014 set expectations unrealistically high among both foreign investors and many voters,” said Sasha Riser-Kositsky, an analyst at Eurasia Group. “Relative to those inflated expectations the government has fallen short.”

Here’s an assessment of progress in five key areas of Modi’s pledges: Economic indicators Modi swept to power pledging development and dignity for each of India’s 1.3 billion citizens. He has achieved some of that, reversing a growth slowdown that saw his predecessor voted out. India is now the fastest-growing major economy, clocking a pace in excess of 7 per cent, though the numbers may be flattered by a new method of calculating gross domestic product. Global funds boosted holdings of the nation’s stocks and bonds and inward foreign direct investment surged.

The signs are mixed. Factory output, measured monthly, has averaged year-on-year gains of just 2 per cent since Modi took office. Exports have fallen a total 7.2 per cent. Perhaps most worryingly, India isn’t creating enough jobs for the 1 million people who enter the workforce each month.

Ease of doing business One reason for the jobless growth is that Modi has been unable to win support from lawmakers and unions to ease some of the world’s most rigid land and labor laws. While India under Modi has risen to 130 in the World Bank’s Doing Business ranking from 142, part of the progress again comes from a methodology change. Modi’s target to break into the top 50 by 2018 remains distant.

Modi has completed just seven of 30 big reforms pending on the day he took office, according to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. A bankruptcy law cleared by parliament in May will take years before being fully implemented, while economists say a landmark national sales tax is “far from perfect.”

The new levy is “nonetheless likely to prove more efficient and encourage more compliance than the convoluted system currently in place,” said Shilan Shah, India economist at Capital Economics Ltd. Jagdish ThakWith a sudden move against tax evasion and graft, kar, a spokesman Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi invalidated at the prime minismore than three-quarters of the value of banknotes in ter’s office, did not circulation. This has helped to — once again — revive reply to an e-mail a reform narrative that is periodically faded as Modi and calls to his ofretreated from initial plans. fice requesting comment on the Modi administration’s reform record.

INDIAN PREMIER’S ANTI-GRAFT MEASURES

Black money India’s convoluted tax and regulatory system created a massive parallel economy, which Modi had vowed to break. The start here was slow: amnesty programmes for illicit cash stashed overseas recovered just Rs20 for each of India’s 1.3 billion citizens, far short of the 2 million Modi had said was possible. An offer to domestic hoarders did better, garnering declarations of more than Rs600 billion.

Modi’s biggest move came just days ago, however, when he surprised Indians by banning overnight the use of Rs500 and Rs1,000 notes, rendering 86 percent of currency in circulation worthless. The step can uncover as much as Rs4.6 trillion of unaccounted money, according to economists, though opinions are mixed on whether this would curb future tax evasion.

In the first four days of demonetisation, about a fifth of the total value of high denomination notes has been deposited in banks.

Social progress While Modi has made progress on his goal to open bank accounts for the poor and improving financial security in a nation where millions live on less than $2 a day, his term has been marked by allegations of rising social strife.

His nationalist party has been accused of ignoring the needs and rights of so-called lower social classes and religious minorities. Modi has been criticised for failing to quell speeches by his party’s lawmakers that inflame religious tensions in the constitutionally secular nation.

“From an economic point of view we are moving in the right direction. The argument could be on the speed, but not on direction,” said Nilesh Shah, managing director at Mumbai-based Kotak Mahindra Asset Management, which manages $9.5 billion in assets. “There will always be events — political, social or geopolitical in nature — which might change investors’ views.”

Foreign policy For the initial year of his term, foreign policy was seen as the unqualified success of Modi’s administration.

Virtually overnight Modi went from being an international pariah to the object of affection for global leaders.

Allowing more foreign investment in sectors including defense and railways made India one of the most open economies in the world, yet global companies such as Skoda Auto want greater access if they’re to meet Modi’s conditions of technology transfers. India’s relationship with the tech industry has become increasingly fraught.

After years of policy deadlock under less stable governments, Modi has turned to “low hanging fruit,” said Arjen van Dijkhuizen, senior economist at ABN AMRO Bank N.V. “To remain an investor darling, Modi should keep the reform momentum alive.” - Bloomberg News

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OMAN IN LEGO BRICKS

ROUND-UP

Lincoln Navigator now comes with cash gift offer By moulding an array of stylish comforts with under-thehood performance,

National Day activities at Oman Avenues Mall MUSCAT: Oman Avenues Mall is holding an exciting event entitled 'Oman in LEGO Bricks' to celebrate the 46th National Day of Oman.

Untill November 28, customers with their families are invited to help build a giant map of Oman made entirely of more than 200,000 LEGO bricks from 5pm – 10pm, says a press release.

Two certified LEGO master builders have been flown in from the United Kingdom to oversee and facilitate the construction of the Oman LEGO Map. Additionally, there will be kids’

workshops and competitions involving 400,000 LEGO bricks, as well as 1,500 Omani flags made from LEGO bricks to be given away. Entry to the LEGO building zone is completely free, and members of the Oman Avenues Mall 'Marvellous Moms' programme will gain fast track entrance.

Commenting on the forthcoming events, Mysa Al Hinai, head of Corporate Communications said, “We’re excited to bring this amazing activation to the mall, and to show our appreciation to this beautiful country by building the giant map.”

Lincoln Navigator set the standard for the luxury SUV market

MUSCAT: Lincoln Navigator has long been one of the most preferred large luxury SUVs in the market.

Lincoln Navigator is one of the most spacious and luxurious vehicles on the road today. By moulding an array of stylish comforts with under-the-hood performance, Lincoln Navigator set the standard for the luxury SUV market.

The large and luxurious Navigator is now available with impressive cash gift of OMR4,500 and 0% interest on EMI (Conditions apply.

Visit showroom for details), says a press release.

WAT E R T E C H N O L O G Y P R O V I D E R

costs can drop by up to 50% and the process is less energy consuming than existing technologies.

Given the regional market size and increasing demand for clean, drinkable water the positive impact can be tremendous.

Stefan Flinspach said, "We are keen to join hands with RAY International Group, its extensive industrial and environmental experience will assure our cooperation will be a great success for the Sultanate of Oman and the region.

We very much look forward to our cooperation with RAY." RAY International is a dynamic and aspiring business corporation with interests in innovations and technologies, environmental, engineering and training services.

Established in 2005, today it is one of the largest and most respected business houses in the Sultanate of Oman. The drive of the group’s business growth is the technology absorption of outstanding products with superb quality.

Yusef Ahmed, managing director of FIC Frankfurt International Consulting and Board Member at the GHORFA Arab-German Chamber said, "As an expert bridging Germany and the Arab World we are very proud today as our hard work of the previous months shows first results. QWAIR’s technology has potential to help tackle water scarcity in the region.

"This is one of the best examples of locally applied technologies ‘Made in Germany’."

and reduces power to minimise skidding and fishtailing when the vehicle corners sharply or swerves.

Side-impact airbags, standard equipment on Navigator, include side-curtain airbags that deploy from the headliner or from both sides of the vehicle as part of the Safety Canopy System. SOS PostCrash Alert System triggers the horn and emergency flashers when the front airbags are deployed or the safety belt pretensioners are activated, which aids first responders trying to locate the vehicle.

Navigator also features a suite of driver-assist technologies including: Blind Spot Information System uses radar located in the

Oman LNG celebrates National Day inaugurating 3 projects in Musandam MUSCAT: To mark the 46th National Day celebrations, Oman LNG commissioned three projects in Musandam whereby the first project encourages the community’s healthy style by establishing a new walkway, the second project enhances the technical studies through the acquisition of a state-of-the-art robot lab, and the third project eases transportation challenges of the Oman Women’s Association.

The inauguration took place under the patronage of Sayyid Khalifa bin Al Murdas Al Busaidi, governor of Musandam.

The first support has established a new walkway in the Wilayat of Khasab. The 451 longwalkway, constructed along the Khasab coastline, serve as a safer route in the wilayat for pedestrians. Additionally,the walkway offers a good opportunity for people to preform several sport activities such walking, and ultimately encouraging work-life balance and healthy lifestyles.

The robot lab, which is the fifth lab being established by Oman LNG’s support throughout the Sultanate, has announced a new

learning experience and will deliver immeasurable value to the region’s development as it expedited the nation’s education system in the field of technology. The novel robot lab will not only benefit the northern region of Oman, but will help advance Oman’s expertise in the field of technology and set itself apart from other nations in the region.

The acquisition of a 15-seater bus will help to facilitate transportation challenges for the Oman Women’s Association (OWA) in Bukha and will be deployed to ferry children for educational activities at the association as well as assist

women in organising social activities undertaken by OWA as a way of preserving tradition and cultural norms. The OWA in Bukha plays an important role in building a cohesive society by assisting women to achieve their potential through offering vocational training in handicraft and tailoring for instance, and in more specialised fields of information technology.

“Through these initiatives we hope to provide support where the community feels it is most needed,” said Khalid Al Massan.

“Our aim is to serve the community and contribute to all segments of society where we can.”

AT H L E T I C M E E T

ISG CBSE i display spectacular sports carnival

31ST OUTLET

KFC opens outlet in Muttrah MUSCAT: KFC recently opened its 31st outlet in Muttrah Corniche under the auspices of Dr Ibrahim Al Rahbi, director-general of Muttrah Municipality.

KFC Oman with International Tourism Restaurants Co. (Americana) is also celebrating its 30 years of operation in Oman.

The first KFC outlet was opened in Qurum in 1986. From the beginning of KFC Oman’s journey, the brand has been continuously making its efforts to provide the best quality food and services to its

The Lincoln Navigator features a new exterior design for a more refined appearance and a fresh, luxuriously appointed interior.

Powering the new Navigator is the 3.5-litre EcoBoost engine, which delivers an excellent combination of power and fuel economy.

It produces 390 PS, making this the most powerful Navigator ever, with best-in-class fuel economy.

The Lincoln Navigator features advanced technologies aimed at providing safety for occupants.

They include AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control that uses gyroscopic sensors to measure the vehicle’s roll and turning rates to help provide stability in sharp turns.

The system applies brake pressure

rear quarter panels to help detect a vehicle in a blind spot. If a vehicle is detected, BLIS alerts the driver with a warning light in the appropriate side view mirror.

Cross-traffic alert uses radar to detect vehicles approaching from the side when a motorist is slowly backing out of a parking spot or driveway. An approaching vehicle can be detected from up to 45 feet away. Forward and reverse sensing systems provide audible alerts designed to help drivers avoid obstacles when parking.

The Navigator's cabin has many high-end materials and is well built. The first and second-row seats offer plenty of room and comfort, and the third row is spacious enough for adults, which is rare for the class. The upgraded infotainment system is easier to use.

The Navigator has one of the largest cargo areas in the class.

The Navigator comes standard with a THX surround-sound audio system, navigation, two USB ports, HD Radio, bluetooth, Remote start, dual-zone automatic climate control, and the SYNC 2 infotainment system with an 8-inch touch screen.

In Oman, Lincoln vehicles are brought to you by Arabian Car Marketing Co.

SERVING COMMUNITY

RAY International partners with German QWAIR Group MUSCAT: QWAIR Group, the German water technology provider, is further internationalising its business and initiates a cooperation with RAY International Group in Oman.

In the presence of Dr Peter Ramsauer, former minister of Transportation of the Federal Republic of Germany and president of the GHORFA Arab-German Chamber, Hans Christian von Reibnitz, German ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman, Saeed Al Kiyumi, president of OCCI, Dr Tahir Al Kindi, RAY’s chairman and Stefan Flinspach, QWAIR’s CEO signed an MOU recently initiating their cooperation, says a press release.

Al Kindi said, "We believe this is an excellent opportunity for incountry-value and for our group to further diversify our services portfolio in the Sultanate of Oman and the region. Our cooperation with QWAIR will allow us to introduce a leading edge technology into the increasingly important water market."

QWAIR’s R&D team has developed a unique technology to extract clean drinking water in a single step from multiple water sources such as sea water, waste water, brackish water as well as industrial water. Due to its patented process, the running production

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customers, says a press release.

It has the best value for money offers like Golden Mondays and Kafi Wafi meals and many other

menu varieties to give the local diners a range of items to choose from.

To keep the customers satisfied is the most important to the brand.

MUSCAT: The 6th Sports Carnival of Indian School Al Ghubra CBSE International was held recently on the school grounds.

Ahmed Rayees, president School Management Committee, was the chief guest on the occasion and Sunil K. A., convener, School Management Committee was the guest of honour. The event was also attended by various members of the school management committee, well-wishers and parents, says a press release.

The event began with the March Past led by Nafiza Zuhra, sports and games captain, ISG CBSEi, was indeed impressive.

Saturn House, marched in first

with their house captain Sneha K. C. and Sreeniketh Sajeevan, placard holder leading them. Neptune House marched with Wijdaan Masud and Tanvi Sanker leading them followed by Uranus House was led by their captain Mahash-

weta Sarkar and Taher Chudawala, the placard holder. Adveteeya Ganti and Adithyavardhan Vats led the Jupiter House.

The chief guest gave away the trophies. The championship trophy was awarded to Uranus House.

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

ROUND-UP SUPPORT FOR OMANI SMES

INMA extends two new contracts to Zubair SEC members MUSCAT: In line with its strategy to support the growth of Omani SMEs, INMA has recently signed new business contracts for two members of Zubair Small Enterprises Centre (Zubair SEC).

INMA, one of The Zubair Group companies, is a leading real estate development, investment and asset management company. The company had earlier this year signed contracts with other Zubair SEC members as part of its culture and policy to promote business development with SMEs. Facilitated by Zubair SEC, those contracts come as part of its on-going effort to facilitate business opportunities for its members and build business synergies between large companies and

small enterprises in the Sultanate, says a press release.

INMA signed a contract with Shumookh Engineering Consultancy (founded by Zubair SEC member Jokha Al Hussaini) for engineering consultancy services to one of INMA’s major projects.

INMA also signed an agreement with Areej Al Hemli company (founded by Zubair SEC member

Odai Khamis Al Dhahmani) for interior decoration services.

Elie Badaoui, head of Design for INMA said, “Despite being young SME owners, Shumookh Engineering Consultancy, and Areej Al Hemli teams showed a lot of enthusiasm and dedication to the projects assigned to them. We at INMA are very happy to have them on board.” Commenting about the

contract, Adel Hubaishi, senior adviser at Zubair SEC said, “Business development for our members has become a key endeavour not just for Zubair SEC team but also throughout the Zubair Group companies, all sharing a strong conviction of the importance of extending support to small enterprises in the Sultanate. INMA has been one of the most engaged and

Dhofar Auto opens new showroom in Nizwa Dhofar Automotive also launched the all-new 2017 Dodge Neon

MUSCAT: Under the presence of Dr Khalifa Hamid Al Saadi, the governor of Dakhiliya, Dhofar Automotive the exclusive distributors of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in Oman inaugurated its new showroom in Nizwa.

The showroom features the latest models from Chrysler, Ram, Jeep and Dodge. In addition, the new after-sales centre is now open as well. The after-sales section has a dedicated team for meet-andgreet service, special bay for express lane service, display area for spare parts and accessories and a team for quick-service diagnostics, says a press release.

Speaking about the launch Chris Edwards, general manager of Dhofar Automotive said, “Our new showroom in Nizwa meets the Fiat Chrysler Group’s International standards and is committed to de-

livering world-class service. Everything here is designed keeping the customer in mind and we are confident our highly trained customer care and support division will do their best to delight our customers. What’s more, we have already been hearing great feedback from the visitors and we look forward to

their continued support.”

Dhofar Auto also launched the all-new 2017 Dodge Neon. The new Dodge Neon is the perfect example of just how exciting a car can be.

This vehicle is quite literally a revolution of standards – in every sense of the word, offering performance and specifications that overshadow

anything else currently available in the segment in the market.

The Neon’s 1.6 litre 4 cylinder engine is superb in terms of both acceleration and fuel efficiency.

And thus offers best-in-class performance and driving experience.

In addition, Neon also offers bestin-class cargo space with 520 L of storage space.

The standard features are spacious seating for five with 6 standard driver and passenger airbags and directional fog lamps. The other features include selectable steering option - “City” mode, cruise control, audio and EVIC functions, 15-inch wheels with tire pressure monitoring system, AM/FM/ AUX/USB LCD radio, Bluetooth, 6 speakers with 220-watt Amp, 4 channel ABS electronic break distribution, electronic break assist, electronic stability control and electronic roll mitigation.

The interior sets new standards with the use of high quality softfeel materials with chrome highlights, and customers can choose from a wide range of premium fabric options and LED interior lighting. The Neon combines high levels of comfort, exceptional roominess and a comprehensive range of standard features and safety equipment, delivering exceptional value for money.

active companies in this regard, and have so far extended several work assignments and contracts to our members.” He added, “Our role as advisers at Zubair SEC is to nominate and commend the members we believe would deliver the right quality of work; as such, INMA has developed a practice of consulting with us for endorsed members to fulfil certain tasks and

projects they have in their value chain.” Both Zubair SEC members Jokha Al Hussaini and Odai Al Dhahmani expressed their gratitude to the centre and INMA. Al Hussaini said, “Zubair SEC has been playing a key role in supporting growth and boosting capability of SMEs in Oman. We are also appreciative to INMA for their show of confidence and trust in our work.” Al Dhahmani said, “We pledged our best services to INMA. I want to emphasise that it is a great opportunity for us to work with a large real estate company such as INMA. All this has been possible with the support of Zubair SEC, and because of the embedded culture at INMA to support and enable the SME sector.”

LUCKY WINNERS

Winners of Infiniti Oman’s Instagram contest announced MUSCAT: Infiniti Oman, the luxury automotive brand from the house of Suhail Bahwan Automobiles, announced the winners of the recently held Instagram contest.

Zahra Bait Ishaq (@zeeee_g), Meghna Anup Gosher (@maggiemex), Maher Al Haji (@maher_alhaji) and Aiman Al Salmi (@aimo0on) are the four lucky winners who received high-value gifts, says a press release.

The new Infiniti Q30 was put out for public display for a month at Muscat City Centre.

To take part in the contest, Instagram users had to click a photo with the car and share it on Instagram with the hashtags #BornToChallenge and #OmanInfinitiChallenge.

A spokesperson from Infiniti Oman said, “We congratulate the winners and must state that we are extremely delighted with the response of people who accepted our challenge to post photos and win gifts. It was a great way to connect with car enthusiasts and Infiniti Q30 owners. Instagram is a great fun and engaging tool to visually connect with our customers. Going forward we will introduce more such contests to engage our customers and re-

ward them for their loyalty.”

The contest received 100 entries from car enthusiasts, reached 34,214 users and resulted in 17,742 likes. It also achieved 68,484 impressions with an engagement of 17,742. The contest resulted in 430 clicks while adding 136 new followers to the Infiniti Oman Instagram profile.

CONFERENCE

OCFM 2016 focuses on protecting health, facility and environment MUSCAT: The first edition of the Oman Cleaning and Facilities Management (OCFM) conference was inaugurated by Eng. Mohsin bin Mohammed bin Ali Al Sheikh, chairman of Muscat Municipality.

Organised by OITE Trade Fairs and held under the patronage of the Ministry of Manpower andMuscat Municipality, the two-day conference themed ‘Together towards protecting Health, Facility and Environment’ also included a business matchmaking area which served as a hub for further discussions, says a press release.

Economists believe the Oman economy is showing signs of improvement in terms of a growth outlook. Looking at the local market within Oman, although lower than previously predicted (preoil price drop), there will still be significant opportunities for FM (Facility Management) to grow in Oman in the near future, given the paradigm shift from the Oil and Gas sector to diverse sectors like

travel and tourism as outlined

by Karl Dixon, GM – Interserve Oman. Technology has been identified as a key driver impacting the growth outlook for the FM market, in terms of customer base, value proposition, and service needs with workplace technology poised to increase both individual and organisation productivity in the workplace and shape facilities efficiency, which was discussed by Adrian Jarvis, GM, FSI FM Solutions Middle East FZ. “The OCFM conference received an overwhelming response

from the industry, as reflected by the attendance of more than 350 delegates who were registered for the two-day conference. The second day of the conference highlighted the challenges of pest control in Oman and the GCC region and aimed to assess the best solutions for improving the standards of pest control across the Sultanate by emphasising and evaluating the latest trends, updates in household sector, agricultural sector, pest residues in food and role of public in promoting standards of hygiene,” said Zaheer Ahmed, Exhibition director - OITE.

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ROUND-UP

al Mazyona National Day draw today at MGM The highlight of the celebrations will be special al Mazyona National Day draw today, offering a total prize money of OMR100,000 to be shared by 10 winners across Oman

MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate, in step with its ‘Let’s Do More’ vision and commitment to partnership in promoting a sustainable savings habit, has organised al Mazyona open day celebrations on the occasion of 46th National Day.

Sayyid Salim bin Musallam Al Busaidi, undersecretary at the Ministry of Civil Service for Administrative Development Affairs, will be the guest of honour at the 2-day family event being held today at Muscat Grand Mall from 5pm to 9pm, says a press release.

The highlight of the celebra-

tions will be special al Mazyona National Day draw today, offering a total prize money of OMR100,000 to be shared by 10 winners across Oman. The celebrations include family entertainment and exciting competitions offering valuable prizes. The event concludes tomorrow.

Savings scheme The 2016 al Mazyona savings scheme offering a total prize money of OMR10 million has been rewarding and fulfilling the dreams of customers with high value prizes throughout the year, ranging from OMR1,000 a week to OMR10,000 a month and OMR100,000 every quarter besides special draws coinciding with festivals and national celebrations.

Springing the biggest surprise, the focus of al Mazyona now shifts to the grand year-end prize of OMR1 million to be shared by two customers, including one asalah Priority Banking customer, who will receive OMR500,000 each. Aimed at further strengthening the savings culture in Oman, momentum has started building up for the grand al Mazyona year-end bonanza.

By maintaining a minimum balance of OMR1,000, customers are eligible to win the OMR1 million grand prizes to be shared by two customers at the end of the year. For every OMR100 balance, customers get 1 chance to win – so with OMR1000, they get 10 chances to win. The more the saving, the better the chances to win.

DOUBLE CREDIT

Ooredoo announces National Day offer MUSCAT: In celebration of Oman’s 46th National Day, Ooredoo has announced a fantastic celebratory offer for all its mobile customers on Shahry, Mousbak and Shababiah.

Today, tomorrow and the day after Mousbak and Shababiah customers will benefit from double credit when they recharge by OMR5 and OMR10. Shahry customers, regardless of which plan they are on, will receive an amazing 4.6GB of data for free, to use between these dates.

“We are really excited about

marking this very special occasion with an inspiring offer. An expression of our appreciation to our customers these offers will allow them to stay in contact with the people that matter most, send their celebratory greetings, and share the festivities as we come together as a nation to honour His Majesty Sultan Qaboos,” remarked Raed Dawood, director of Government Relations and Corporate Affairs at Ooredoo.

Dawood went on to explain that the Mousbak and Shababiah bonus credit is available for seven

‘ E I D U L WAT N I ’ O F F E R

days when activated during the promotional period by dialling *141*888#. The standard balance of the credit will be valid, as normal, for 180 days. For Shahry customers, there is no opt in required and the free data will be given automatically.

For prepaid customers to benefit from the offer all that is required is a recharge of their credit using electronic recharge or scratch cards, available from Ooredoo stores and authorised dealers, during the three-day promotional period.

D R I L L D I S P L AY

Indian School Mabelah holds annual sports day

Holiday Hotels & Resorts promises host of benefits to customers till Dec. 3 MUSCAT: Holiday Hotels & Resorts is celebrating the 46th National Day with room packages that promise travellers special treats and the brand’s renowned hospitality.

The ‘Eid Ul Watni’ offer has rates starting from OMR35 Nett, quoted per room per night in Standard room, applicable for Oman and GCC nationals and residents, not valid in conjunction with other offers or promotions and is subject to availability at time of reservation.

Participating hotels and resorts are Hotel Muscat Holiday, Hotel Al Madinah Holiday, Resort Sur Beach Holiday, and Resort Ras Al Had Holiday, says a press release.

Guests booking for stays from November 18 till December 3 will enjoy a host of benefits in all outlets of Holiday Hotels & Re-

sorts, including complimentary breakfast, lunch or dinner for two persons, 46% flat discount on extra meals and cakes, complimentary access to swimming pool and gym, special arrangement on Muscat City tour and water activities in Ras Al Hadd such as boat trip, diving, fishing, fly board, jet ski and snorkelling.

In conjunction with the offer, guests can enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi and up to two children under the age of six can enjoy complimentary meals. Children between ages six and 12 will receive a 50% discount on meal price.

“Our offers are specially designed to cater to those vacationing during National Day. Guests can enjoy an attractive offer to celebrate the National Day along with Holiday Hotels & Resorts’ signature services,” said Tarek Lotayef, Chief Operating Officer.

MUSCAT: Realising the importance of games, Indian School Al Mabelah held its 6th Annual Athletic Meet and Drill Display of primary section recently at the school ground. It showcased the budding talents and sportsmanship of the institution.

S. A. S. Naqvi, sports consultant, International Coordinator OHA, Future Management and Economic Consultancy, was the chief guest, who attended the occasion. The guest of honour for the occasion was Mohammed Shambeh Al Raisi, chairman Oman Veteran Hockey Association. Other distinguished guests included, Kurien E Chandratil SMC president, Chitra Pothiraj, treasurer, and Nirmala Shetty, Academic chairperson.

The marking of the sports day was with the March Past of the

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parade contingents of Class IV by flaunting flags in the colours of the rainbow. The March Past exhibited discipline and hardcore practice of the students. The chief guest of the day officially declared the sports meet open by releasing tricolour balloons.

In his address the chief guest highlighted the importance of games and sports in students’ life. He was impressed and over whelmed with the team work and spirit of the children.

ISC HIMACHAL WING CELEBRATES DIWALI The newly formed Himachal Wing under the aegis of the Indian Social Club Muscat held its Diwali celebrations recently. The new committee was also introduced to the members present. The function ended on a note of bonhomie followed by dinner. — Supplied picture

A D VA N C E H E A LT H C A R E S O L U T I O N

Meeting on antimicrobial resistance held in Muscat MUSCAT: A group of noted microbiology and infection control specialists from across GCC and other Middle Eastern countries gathered in Muscat recently for a day of scientific presentations and discussions with their Omani colleagues.

The meeting titled ‘1st Middle East Xpert Club’ was organised by Cepheid and Advance Healthcare Solution, and aimed at bringing specialists together for sharing experience and achievements in management of Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI) and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in MRSA, CRE and MTB. Participants included 41 specialists from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, Pakistan and 21 from Oman, says a press release.

“This meeting is an initiative in line with UN General Assembly resolution from September 21, 2016 to combat AMR,” noted Dr Ahmed Ramzy, Marketing Manager for Middle East, Turkey and Central Asia, Cepheid.

One of the lectures titled ‘Are we ready for a world without antibiotics?’ by Professor Thierry Naas, head of teaching at University of Paris Sud, faculty of Medicine, and director of French national reference centre for CRE, said antimicrobial resistance in common organisms is spreading worldwide.

“If we allow resistance to grow, in a few decades we may start dying from common colds and ailments that can be easily treated today; surgeries that are commonplace today may be considered too dangerous to even attempt for the risk

of catching an untreatable infection. Oman and GCC are no exceptions, and each country develops their own strategies to curb the spread of these infections. It is of paramount importance that Middle Eastern countries unite in this fight against HAI and AMR.” “I am glad that I attended the event that was informative. Knowing and learning from others experience will enhance my knowledge and understanding of what is happening in another part of the world especially when it comes to statistics. Interventions done before and after the resistant organisms affect the hosts, as well as the cost analysis,” said Salha Jaffer, DGPHE, Ministry of Health, Oman.

“It was a great opportunity to see advancement in molecular diagnosis and management of multidrug resistant organisms. The meeting also provided an excellent forum for us to meet our colleges from the different countries and sharing experiences in this area,” said Dr Amal Al Maani, director of Central Department of Infection Prevention and Control, Ministry of Health.

The meeting was attended by representatives of Oman healthcare sector from Ministry of Health- Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Department of National TB, HIV and Leprosy program, Directorate General of Private Health Establishments; from Royal Hospital, Khoula hospital and Central Public Health Laboratory; from Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Ministry of Defence - Armed Forces Hospital, and Diwan Medical Services.

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FATMA WINS IN SINGLES, DOUBLES AT RABAT TOURNEY >C3

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RENAISSANCE SECOND IN DUBAI TO MUSCAT RACE Fahad Al Hasni’s all Omani crew on Team Renaissance showed their preparations for the 2017 EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour (SATT) were well on track when they came 2nd overall in the 2016 Dubai to Muscat Race. >C4

Focus on spin trio as India eye better show The pitch at the ACA-VDCA ground is expected to be a rank turner that will test the visiting side’s batting unit big time after skipper Virat Kohli expressed his displeasure about the Rajkot strip

VISAKHAPATNAM: Under fire after a below-par show on a good batting strip, the Indian spinners will aim for an improved show on a comparatively more helpful track as they take on a gritty England in the second cricket Test, starting here on Thursday.

The pitch at the ACA-VDCA ground is expected to be a rank turner that will test the visiting side’s batting unit big time after skipper Virat Kohli expressed his displeasure about the Rajkot strip where Indian spinners got a total nine wickets with four English batsmen scoring hundreds.

Questions are being raised about Ravichandran Ashwin’s ability to get wickets on a good track after finishing with underwhelming match figures of 3/230.

Veteran opener Gautam Gamb-

SPIN TRIO: India’s Ravichandran Ashwin, right, Ravindra Jadeja, centre, and Amit Mishra wait to bowl in the nets during a training session on the eve of the second Test. – AFP

hir’s place in the side is also under scanner after his poor show in the first Test and now that young KL Rahul has been fast-tracked into side in the wake of his good show on his Ranji comeback, the Delhi southpaw will certainly be on tenterhooks. As the battle is expected to boil down to the spinners, it will be interesting whether Virat Kohli wants an extra batsman or an allrounder in the playing XI. Fielding is another area where the Indians would like to improve after their dropped catches.

Spin has been the way forward for India but the mantra did not exactly work out for MS Dhoni and Co more than four years ago when England snatched a 2-1 series win after losing the first Test in Ahmedabad. It was widely attributed that India will come out all guns blazing against the embattled England especially after their

embarrassing first-ever defeat in Bangladesh about two weeks ago.

Despite the drawn result, four of England’s batsmen got centuries and spinners had a larger share of 13 wickets, Alastair Cook and Co. Have shown that they they will not be pushovers unlike New Zealand, who were whitewashed 3-0 in the last series. It’s clear from the visitors’ improved show that a tricky road lies ahead for India.

The famed Indian spinners did not dominate in Rajkot where the battle was won by the England troika of Moeen Ali, Zafar Ansari and leg-spinner Adil Rashid who returned with a match-haul of seven wickets. Head coach Anil Kumble, however, defended their spinners who did not get much turn in Rajkot to return with nine wickets.

“Just because they got more wickets than our spinners doesn’t mean we will be at a loss but that’s

2016-20 TERM

OTA boards elections today MUSCAT: The Oman Tennis Association (OTA) will hold the General Assembly and the board elections for the 2016-20 term at the City Seasons Hotel from 10.00 a.m. on Thursday.

Representatives of 25 affiliated clubs will will election the new board members, including the chairman, vice-chairman, general secretary and the treasurer.

For the chairmanship, there will be a three-way contest between Quriyat Club’s Khalid Al Aadi, Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Yahmadi of Oman Club and Adel Said Al Za’arei of Masirah Club.

Four candidates have entered fray for the post of vice-chairmanship and they are Abdullah bin Ali Mubarak of Dhofar Club, Salim Ahmed Abu Baker of Al Nasr Club, Khalid Al Nabhani of Nizwa Club and Rashid Al Hashmi of Al Bashair Club.

Mundhir Al Barwani of Muscat Club and Siddique Al Hashmi are the unanimous choices for the posts of the general secretary and treasurer respectively.

There are also ten candidates for the five ordinary members positions and they are Saud Al

Balushi (Al Musanna Club), Khalid Said Al Busafi (Quriyat Club), Moosa Ali Al Hinai (Bahla Club), Ahmed Faraj Al Yafiei (Salalah Club), Dr. Ahmed Abdullah Hassan (Oman Club), Said Ali Al Barmani (Majis Club), Mohammed Salim Al Ameri (Mirbat Club), Mohammed Khalifa Al Hatemi (Ibri Club), Ahmed Al Hajri (Bidiya Club) and Nasser Saleh Al Balushi (Al Suwaiq Club).

Medallists feted Meanwhile, the outgoing chairman Mutassim Al Zadjali felicitated the under-16 national team players who had recently returned home with silver medals from the GCC Junior Tennis Championships organised in Qatari capital city of Doha.

Abdullah Al Barwani who won the best player award during the championship was also feted during the ceremony.

FOOTBALL

OFA bids adieu to Sultan Al Zadjali MUSCAT: Oman Football Association (OFA) on Wednesday bid farewell to the outgoing general secretary and CEO Sultan bin Amin Al Zadjali.

OFA officials lauded his service to Oman football and also hailed his immense contributions in the development of the game.

“Sultan Al Zadjali has been a hardworking person and had a good relationship with all the staff at the OFA,” said Isa Al Mashari.

The outgoing general secretary thanked all at OFA for making his job easy.

“I am honoured to have serve OFA. Together, we have overcome difficulties and have always worked as a team which I believe was the reason for our success,” said Sultan Al Zadjali.

Sultan Al Zadjali, left, being presented with a memento.

Al Farsi named successor Meanwhile, OFA board member Ahmed bin Haboush Al Farsi was on Wednesday named as the successor to Sultan Al Zadjali.

The OFA board members took the decision after a meeting on Wednesday. Al Farsi will take over as OFA’s CEO and General Secretary on a temporary basis.

what I am saying that we batted 160 overs. We will make our strategy based on the pitch we get, we will select the team accordingly.

We play to take 20 wickets and win matches. Whatever wicket we get, we will play on that,” Kumble said.

Action shifting to Visakhapatnam, Ravichandran Ashwin will be in focus. Ravindra Jadeja and Amit Mishra will also like to up the ante. The leg-spinner Mishra in particular will be looking forward to return to the venue where he had shot New Zealand out for 79 in 23.1 overs with his devastating 5 for 18 in an ODI two weeks back.

About the spin battle, England cannot be underestimated and they have made their intention clear by extending the contract of Pakistani great Saqlain Mushtaq who’s travelling as the spin bowling consultant.

He has made his presence felt in Rajkot with Rashid attributing the fact that the former Pakistani offspinner had made to bowl at natural pace rather than being quick in the air to get more turn.

Past series have proven that India tour have produced two of the best batsmen they have produced recently — in Cook and Joe Root both of whom made impressive debuts in Nagpur in 2006 and 2012.

Much similar to what happened in the past, the present series has seen the emergence of Haseeb Hameed who showed the perfect temperament needed in a Test format.

He also had a combative approach to spin and was not afraid of running down the pitch besides being a handy fielder at short leg as Hameed’s impressive debut has been the biggest positive in the drawn affair. — PTI

TRI SERIES

HAPPY BUNCH: West Indies captain Jason Holder gives his players a thumb up after defeating Sri Lanka during the Tri-Series match against Sri Lanka at Harare Sports Club. – AFP

Carter and Powell spur Windies past Sri Lanka HARARE: Limited overs specialist Jonathan Carter and debutant Rovman Powell both hit lusty knocks to carry West Indies to a 62-run run victory over Sri Lanka in their triangular series match on Wednesday.

With West Indies all out for 227 after losing their last five wickets for 18 runs, Sri Lanka struggled to chase down the target and were bowled out for 165 off 43.1 overs. Sri

Lanka had beaten hosts Zimbabwe in the opening match of the series earlier in the week. Carter came to the crease with West Indies on 76-3 and belted two fours and two sixes to score 54 runs, while Powell hit three leg side sixes in his knock of 44 runs off 29 balls.

The rest of the series now decamps to Bulawayo, where Zimbabwe play the West Indies at Queens Sports Club on Saturday. - Reuters

SCOREBOARD

WEST INDIES J. Charles c K. Perera b Lakmal 2 K. Brathwaite run out (N. Kulasekara) 14 E. Lewis c Dickwella b Pathirana 27 S. Hope b Gunaratne 47 J. Carter c D. de Silva b N. Kulasekara 54 R. Powell c Dickwella b Pradeep 44 C. Brathwaite c Lakmal b Pradeep 14 J. Holder run out (N. Kulasekara) 2 A. Nurse not out 5 S. Benn lbw b N. Kulasekara 7 S. Gabriel lbw b Lakmal 0 Extras (lb-6, w-5) 11 Total (all out, 49.2 overs) 227 Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-27, 3-76, 4-129, 5-172, 6-209, 7-214, 8-215, 9-226, 10-227 Bowling: N. Kulasekara 10-1-37-2 (w-3), S. Lakmal 9.2-1-45-2, N. Pradeep 10-1-55-2 (w-2), S. Jayasuriya 4-0-19-0, S. Pathirana 6-0-25-1, A. Gunaratne 10-1-40-1

SRI LANKA D. de Silva c Hope b Holder 3 K. Perera run out (Charles) 4 N. Dickwella c Benn b Gabriel 28 K. Mendis c Nurse b Holder 4 U. Tharanga c & b Nurse 12 A. Gunaratne lbw b Nurse 18 S. Jayasuriya c R. Powell b C. Brathwaite31 S. Pathirana c Lewis b Nurse 45 N. Kulasekara c Lewis b Gabriel 16 S. Lakmal b Gabriel 0 N. Pradeep not out 0 Extras (w-4) 4 Total (all out, 43.1 overs) 165 Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-8, 3-16, 4-51, 5-64, 6-79, 7-139, 8-151, 9-160, 10-165 Bowling: S. Gabriel 8.1-0-31-3 (w-2), J. Holder 8-0-16-2 (w-1), C. Brathwaite 9-0-34-1 (w-1), J. Carter 1-0-4-0, A. Nurse 10-1-46-3, S. Benn 7-1-34-0

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

SPORTS

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OC all set to host first tournament in Salalah The Oman Cricket Club Salalah is all set to organise the first ever official cricket tournament, which will be like a precursor for the cricket league planned for the future

MUSCAT: The Oman Cricket Club Salalah, which was formed under the expansion plan of Oman Cricket, is all set to organise the first official cricket tournament under the governing body in Salalah.

After the teams registration process, which started in September and concluded on October 31, a total of 24 teams have registered with Oman Cricket Club Salalah.

According to S. Anil Kumar, General Secretary of Oman Cricket Club Salalah, tournament is

scheduled to start on November 25. Tournament will be held in league format with teams equally divided into six groups.

The matches will be played over 49 weeks, he informed.

New league in future The regional cricket body is also planning to launch a league with different divisions in future.

There is also a plan to introduce schools league in the near future.

This year the matches will be

played on astro turf pitch at two grounds at Al Saada Sports Complex and there will be four matches every Friday.

OCC Salalah officials are already on the lookout for a permanent ground in the Dhofar Municipality area to develop the facilities for future matches and practices for players in Salalah.

OCC Salalah nine-member committee comprises Neelesh K Derani (Chairman), Axay Mehta (vice-chairman), Anil Kumar (General Secretary), Mayur Toprani (treasurer), John Rajamoney, Dr. Lalit Mohan, Narendernath

Mudaliar, Sudheer Nair and Zaki Al Bader (all members).

Teams registered with OCC Salalah: Group A: First Technology, Creative Engineering, Lantux, Khimji Ramdas. Group B: NDTC, Al Twarja Trading, Gulf Foundation, Divin Trading. Group C: Ahbar Trading, Al Ardaf Trading, Samra United, Musct Pharmacy. Group D: Raysut Oasis, Al Ameen Ayurvedic, Al Dhaman Trading, Diamong City.

Group E: Gharbia Enterprises, Abu Faris Travels, United Professionals, Ghazal Al Kadara. Group F: Al Mamoorah Land, Al Taba Trading, Al Aetmad Trading, Al Zaahir Medical.

CRICKET

FRIENDI MOBILE WINTER CUP DRAW HELD The draw for the 20th FRiENDi Mobile Winter Cup cricket tournament, organised by Jazz Boys Cricket Club, was held at Palm Restaurant on Al Khuwair on Tuesday in the presence of Joseph Rajan, Brand Manager of FRiENDi Mobile, Shanavaz Ahmed, Executive Director of AFMNC, and Vaishali Jesrani, coordinator of women’s cricket at Oman Cricket. The tournament is mainly sponsored by FRiENDi Mobile, Danube, National Metal Cans, Abdul Fatah Mohammed Noor Co., and co-sponsored by Al Hajiry Group, Oman Mechanical Services Co, Cluttons and The Body Shop. The men’s first and second round fixtures schedule for Saturday are: Klair XI vs Asfandyar XI, Yash Bisya Lions vs Attic Outdoors, National Gas vs Srilankan Warriors, Winner of Bisya/Attic vs Klair/Asfandyar, Coastal Cricketers vs SS Friends, Royal Challengers vs Spark XI, AKCT Muscat vs Sri Lankan Lions, Winner of RC/Spark vs Muscat Steel. Women’s matches will be played on November 26. — Supplied photo

Kiwis need to deliver in first Test CHRISTCHURCH: A massive earthquake that jolted central New Zealand on Monday has taken some of the focus off the beginning of the host country’s Test season, the first at home since the retirement of former captain Brendon McCullum earlier this year.

Kane Williamson will lead New Zealand against Pakistan in his first Test in charge at home on Thursday at 1030 (2130 GMT) at Hagley Oval.

“Coming off the back of losses is never nice,” Williamson told reporters on Wednesday. “It can be in the back of the mind a little bit and the challenge is getting back on track with what you want to achieve.”

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq, meanwhile, said: “It’s new conditions and that’s the biggest challenge for us.”

“The conditions are different from what we are used to, so we need to make sure we bat with discipline.” - Reuters

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

SPORTS ISC TENNIS

Yash, Ayaan, Sanskar enter U-16 semifinals MUSCAT: Yash Tanna, Ayaan Malhotra and Sanskar Dubey entered the semifinals of the boys under-16 singles event at the Falcon Insurance Companysponsored Annual Tennis Tournament organised by the Indian Social Club (ISC) Muscat.

In the quarterfinals, No. 2 seed Yash Tanna banged in his ground strokes and showed no mercy on the way to an emphatic 8-0 victory over the hapless Varun Deepak. Yash handled Varun’s strong serves with ease and made short work of his opponent who was expected to put up some fight.

Third seed Ayaan Malhotra survived a scare and rallied from 0-3 down to overcome Prithvi Raj 8-5 for a place in the last four.

Prithvi did his basics right and broke Ayaan Malhotra twice for a 3-0 lead before Ayaan got on the score card and held to level the score.

Prithvi broke again only to be broken back. Ayaan opened up and won the next three games.

Prithvi held his next service game but Ayaan was more determined and put the issue beyond Prithvi’s reach.

Fourth seed Sanskar Dubey put in an improved performance and consistent ground strokes and earned his place in the semifinal after posting an impressive 8-0 victory over Jainum Kothary.

Jainum Kothary was however on the winning side when he notched up a convincing 8-3 victory over Siddhant Upadhye in the first round of the boys under-14 singles.

Others winning the first round of the same event are J. Siddhaant who defeated Joshua Joseph 8-1, Shlok Ail proved too strong for Shreytak Acharya in a 8-0 drubbing and Varun Deepak survived stomach cramps towards the end of the game and the determination of Achyut Kapil before prevailing with a 8-5 margin.

Achyut fought bravely and rallied from 1-4 down and broke Varun twice for five-all. Luck deserted Achyut as Varun held his game together to reel of the next three games.

Fatma marches ahead in Rabat The Omani star reached the singles quarterfinals and also advanced to the doubles semifinals in the company of Olga Parres Azcoitia

MUSCAT: Fatma Al Nabhani stormed into the quarterfinals of the singles competition after an easy victory over Austrian Kerstin Peckl in the $10,000 Rabat ITF Pro Circuit tournament in Morocco on Wednesday.

The Omani girl also made it to

the semifinals of the doubles competition in the company of Spanish lass Olga Parres Azcoitia.

In a second round match of the singles, the second-seeded Omani girl defeated Kerstin Peckl in straight sets 6-4, 6-3. In the last eight stage, Fatma will square off against Spain’s Arabela FernandezRabener. Arabela booked her berth in the quarterfinals after defeating Sara Lanca of Portugal 6-4, 6-3.

Later in the evening, Fatma and Olga lived up to their top billing

given by the organisers by booking their place in the semifinals. In a quarterfinal match, the top seeds recorded a straight sets 6-1, 6-2 victory over Arabela and her Russian partner Ksenia Kuznetsova.

Fatma and Olga will now take on Croatia’s Mariana Drazic and Russia’s Natalia Orlova for a place in the final. Mariana and Natalia moved into the semifinals after a 6-1, 6-2 win over Abla El Kadri of Morocco and Anne Sophie Forget of France.

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

SPORTS Team Renaissance finish second Team Renaissance’s all Omani crew skippered by Fahad Al Hasni took the second spot in the Dubai-Muscat race

MUSCAT: Fahad Al Hasni’s all Omani crew on Team Renaissance showed their preparations for the 2017 EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour (SATT) were well on track when they came 2nd overall against strong international and regional competition in the 2016 Dubai to Muscat Race.

With two months to go before the 2017 SATT kicks off from Muscat, the seven-strong crew had their navigation skills tested to the full as the 350-mile classic

ALL SMILES: All Omani crew of Team Renaissance after finishing second in the Dubai-Muscat race. – Supplied photo

around the Musandam Peninsula was plagued by light winds from the outset forcing a review of strategy and some additional patience.

“Normally this race takes less than 3 days but the light breeze slowed us all up so we used the opportunity to work on our watch handovers and helming,” said skipper Al Hasni who will be competing in SATT on the same Farr 30

with this same crew. “It was the first time we had spent time together as a crew and to have four nights offshore was useful — it was a real test of our patience and stamina so we are happy with our performance and the current 2nd place.”

“We knew the area pretty well so there was no issue with our routing but deciding whether to stay

inshore or go in search of more wind further out became our focus. We decided on a strategy and stayed with it, which paid off.”

“We have only a few litres of water and little food left, so our calculations were pretty accurate for this race and that shows that our preparation was correct. We are really happy with this result.”

Al Hasni was joined by some fa-

miliar faces as crewmembers from his previous SATT and Musandam Oman Sail MOD70 campaigns Ali Al Balushi, Yasir Al Rahbi, Raad Al Hadi and Sami Al Shukaili combined to hatch the best plan for the conditions.

Their energy was boosted by Abdulrahman Al Mashari, a regular offshore sailor and Akram Al Wahaibi and Haitham Al Wahaibi, two instructors from Oman Sail’s

School at Marina Bandar Al Rowdha, who brought their helming skills to the fore on their long, slow and challenging passage.

“The Dubai Muscat Race is one of the major offshore races in the region along with EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour. The route of this race was very challenging with a combination of rough seas, strong currents and light winds.

When you are at sea sailing with no boats around, a team is very likely to have up and down moments, but the high spirit and good calls on strategy were key to the achievement of renaissance. Congratulations to the team on this achievement.” Said Gilles Chiori, race director of Dubai Muscat Race.

The Dubai to Muscat Offshore Race, celebrating its 25th Anniversary, started on Thursday November 10 from the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club (DOSC) with a field of 21 boats contesting IRC and cruising classes.

First to cross the finish line at Almouj in Muscat, Oman was Atari7 who claimed line honours for the second consecutive year having spent around 70 hours at sea.

CRICKET

EY clinch Auditors Cup

CHAMPIONS: Jubilant Ernst & Young Team with chief guest and other dignitaries. – Supplied photos

MUSCAT: Ernst & Young (EY) defeated PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to emerge the champions at the Al Yam Enterprises Auditors Cup Cricket tournament.

In an exciting final, EY defeated PwC by 10 runs to take the top honours. Batting first, EY put up 129 for no loss in eight overs with Saud scoring 33 runs and Omar making an unbeaten 36.

In reply, PwC fell short of the victory margin despite good knocks from Mallik (32 not out), Wajeesh (27) and Asad (27 not out). EY’s Saud took one wicket and was declared the man of the final. Earlier in the semifinals, PwC defeated Deloitte by seven wickets while EY recorded a 54-run win over HC Shah. In the EY-HC Shah match, EY’s Arun was declared the man of the match for claiming six wickets in two overs, including the first hat-trick of the tournament.

For the second runner-up place a super over game was played between Deloitte and HC Shah, which was won by HC Shah.

Indian Ambassador Indramani

RUNNER-UP: PwC captain receives the runners-up trophy.

Pandey presided over the final match and handed over the prizes during an impressive ceremony.

The other dignitaries who attended the final day’s proceedings were Arun Kumar Pandey, MD of Al Yam Enterprises LLC, Sanjay Kawatra, Audit Partner of EY, Sanjay Tiwary, GM of National Stone LLC, MK Iqbal, Director of AVM Cricket Academy, Idrish Solanki, MD of Amal Al Ghad, Pradeep Tripathi, MD of Mobicell Phone, Harsendu Shah, Partner of HC Shah Auditors, S.K Sharma, Director & Partner of Delight

Jewellery Manufacturer, and Pankaj Rajpoot, Marketing Executive of Malabar Gold and Diamonds.

The tournament was sponsored by Al Yam Enterprises LLC, Sun Shine LLC, Malabar Gold and Diamonds Jewellery LLC, National Stone LLC, Mobicell Phone, Pocari Sweat, Oman Oasis water company and United Tribune Imports.Individual prizes: Best batsman: Faraz of PwC, Best bowler: Arun of EY, Best allrounder: Faizel of HC Shah, Best fielder: Akhil of HC Shah, Player of the tournament: Saud of EY.

TENNIS

ISC invitational seniors tennis tournament from today MUSCAT: A number of ambassadors, high-ranking officials, businessmen and other personalities have confirmed their participation in the inaugural Invitational Seniors Tennis Tournament to be organised by the

Indian Social Club (ISC). The matches in the three-day tournament for seniors, to be held from Thursday to Saturday, will be played at the club’s tennis court in Darsait.

Both players of the winning

team shall be awarded points which they will carry into the next round until the end of the doubles tournament.

The cumulative points earned by the players shall determine the winner and the runner-up.

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M T H U R S DAY, N O V E M B E R 1 7, 2 0 1 6

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DAILY GUIDE FOR RENT

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Villa for rent in South Mabellah, 3 bedrooms, sitting room, family Lounge, kitchen, three Toilets Contact 92212212 between 10 AM to 5 PM 1&2 BHK Ruwi CBD. Contact: 99024730

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T H U R S DAY, N OV E M B E R 1 7, 2 0 1 6

D3

DAILY GUIDE

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Sharing accommodation available with W/E at Al Khuwair 33. For a small family or non-cooking bachelors. Contact - 92834145

AVAILABLE

till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

We Sunil Kumar Arora (Name of father as per the passport, holder of Indian passport no. G8996883 and Tarika (Name of mother as per the passport holder of Indian passport no. G1534552 having permanent address in 3370 Mohindra Park Rani Bagh Delhi, 110034 and presently residing at the following address in SOHAR P.B.No 1038 P.C.No 121 Sultanate of Oman, hereby solemnly affirm and declare to change the name of our child Master HARSHUL (Name as per passport) holder of Indian passport no. P0044261 date of issue 20.06.2016 issued at Muscat. The name of our child will be henceforth known as HARSHUL ARORA (New name) for all purpose. Any objection towards change of name of our minor child may please be communicated to Embassy of India, Diplomatic Quarters, Al Khuwair, P.Box No. 1727, Postal Code 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman.

D4

T H U R S D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 7, 2 0 1 6 Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT

IMMEDIATE VACANCIES for a well reputed Company in Muscat Sr Name of Post

Minimum Qualification

1 Amusement Park supervisor

Bachelor Degree With Minimum Of 10 Years Experience in same field

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED

1No. IT and networking Technician With 5 years experience, good practical knowledge in networking, database management and good understanding of ERP/SAP software for a reputed construction company.

mnjobs2015@gmail.com

Reputed mineral water company required the following HEAVY/LIGHT DUTY DRIVERS VAN SALESMAN

Experience : 4-5 Years Oman Experience with Driving License.

Field / Skill : Fabrication, Structural, Pipe Line, Tank Send your CV’s to

hr@oasisgrace.com

Excellent Grade Construction Company Requires the following:Site Engineers (Civil), Senior MEP Engineer, MEP Engineers, QA/QC Civil, HSE Supervisor, Foreman (Civil), Foremen Electrical, Foremen Plumbing.

Draft Man - Civil, Draft Man - Mechanical, Draft Man - Electrical, QS - Civil, QS - MEP, Experienced Purchaser, Store Keepers, Experienced person in Water Proofing Combo System.

Contact :

Interested Candidates to send CV to below email.

+968-99881459

Email: info@durat.om

ACCOUNTS

MEDICAL

Accountant 2-3 years experience.

Candidate should be Indian, English speakers. NOC is a must.

Email: mohammad.jwabreh@ bearingcitysc.com. Fax: 24509312

ADVOCATE Indian / South African lawyer needed - required 5 years experience Omani license required male / female. Contact: 99378253

ADMIN Urgently required HR Manager (Omani National): Minimum 2 years experience good command over English & Arabic.

Should be capable of handling Administration, all type of correspondence & routine office works independently, and good skill in MS-Office is must. Interested candidates may send in their CVs to Fax # 24600217 or email on: starmail@omantel.net.om

CATERING Urgently required a Cook for an Omani Family in Muscat. Experience in Arabic / Chinese / Indian is a must. Contact on 96445912 for more information.

Required Waiters, pantry chef, South Indian Cook and kitchen stewards for an outlet in mall.

Attractive salary and accommodation. Contact 99859150

Fusion Medicare Polyclinic, Muscat wants GP, staff Nurse holding MOH license & Receptionist (Omani) Contact 97698004 email: medicare@fusionlogicoman.com Wanted Orthodontist, Pedodontist and oral surgeon, implantologist for a specialty dental clinic. Email - medident5000@gmail.com Wanted female & Male Nurse with or without license (good salary, food & accommodation with other benefits. Contact 92989109, Email: medicoport@gmail.com GP, Pediatrician, Gynecologist, General Surgeon, Orthopedician, Dentist, Pharmacist urgently required to work in a Polyclinic in Sur. Candidates with MOH license preferred. Contact 00968 24446454, 00968 91164581, 98280628, Sunday to Thursday : 8.30 AM to 9 PM. Wanted GP, Dentist & Nurse with or without MOH. Contact : 95042101 or send CV to Email : azad.a.asif@gmail.com Required Optometrist for a leading Optical group in Oman.

Email : albasilopticals@gmail.com contact 93822557

MANAGER Construction Project Manger with 10 years Oman experience in big projects (preferred with PMP) Contact: 99441122

DRIVER SKILLED LABOUR Wanted Driver for heavy (sewage vehicle) and light vehicle with valid Oman driving license.

Contact: 97991654 / 97991652 Kindly send CV at Email: construction@remasalseeb.com / remaschandran2020@gmail.com

DOMESTIC HELPER Wanted part time housemaid to clean two flats once a week.

Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 or 97509955

MISCELLANEOUS

Urgently wanted experienced Senior boat man.

Contact: 99466062 Required “Supervisor Civil construction” site accommodation provided send CV: arabianhomellc@gmail.com Tel : 95371525 Required Experienced Auto Electrician and Automobile Mechanic for a reputed service station.

Contact : 91232638 hashim@ramainvestment.com

SALES / MARKETING

Urgently required handsome Sales & Marketing person for computer shop at Ruwi (IT knowledge) Oman driving license will be an advantage (preference for Keralite). Contact: 98048903 Email: info@smartpointcomputer. com

Required sales and marketing executive for a 4-star hotel in muscat. candidate with excellent communication skills and having 3+ years experience need apply. driving license will be an advantage. email: hoteljobsmuscat@gmail.com

Urgent required : Store labors.

Candidate should be Indian, English speakers. NOC is a must.

Email: mohammad.jwabreh @bearingcitysc.com, Fax: 24509312

A reputed trading firm in Muscat is looking for Sales Manager / Sales Executives, experienced in selling construction equipments & tools. Email: alhajoil@omantel.net. om Fax: 00968 24701683

MEDICAL Urgently required a Pharmacist/Asst Pharmacist with MOH license for 1 month leave vacancy or permanent position.

Contact 99048170, Email : murtafatmct@yahoo.com Lab technician prefer lady with experience in Oman MOH license for a established clinic in Muscat.

Send CV to Email: sultanmedicalcentre@gmail.com

Accountant available with NOC, 7 years experience in Oman.

Ready to join immediately.

Contact 98263394

Contact: 95739143 Email: admin@omanihome.com

(Mechanical)

Male MBA (marketing & Finance) B. Com with SAP ERP & Accounts (SAP Certified), diploma in International Financial Reporting Standards (IAAP-UK), peach tree and experienced seeks placement.

Contact- 92324692

With minimum 3 years experience in building construction. Currently available in Oman with NOC is highly appreciated. &

Those who meet the above and who are self motive can send their CV to

SALES ENGINEER

ACCOUNTS

JOB OPPORTUNITY Wanted 1No. Junior Civil Engineer

Carpentry workshop located at Muscat looking for expert Marketing executive with Oman driving license & NOC. Send C.V to kwk585@gmail.com Required well experienced dynamic candidate in Real Estate Evaluation Field beside Building Management Techniques.

Contact 91246444, Email: rescooman@gmail.com Wanted Sales man for a printing press Whatsapp: 94756618

ADMIN 8 years experience in administration and guest relations department in Oman With valid omani driving licence. Seeking suitable jobs. Ph: 98145825 email: getcb@rediffmail.com

with Omani driving license

SALES SUPERVISOR/SALES CO ORDINATOR with Omani driving license HELPERS Experience 3 to5 years

Contact - 90372638

Omani, male, 26 yrs experience looking for job in reputed Companies as PR, having experience at airport / Emigration, Ministries/ Manpower with Oman D/L. Contact 95445779

SECRETARIAL / OFFICE Wanted Office clerk having two years experience.

Contact: 92891888

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ACCOUNTS

SITUATION WANTED

Accounts part time services available to handle all accounts up to finalization on monthly basis, finalization works. Contact: 96247295

ACCOUNTS

Indian male 24 yrs, B.Com Graduate with 1 year experience in accounts, looking for suitable position. Contact: 91247507 Assistant Accountant looking for job. Contact: 90119212 Indian male 10 yrs experience as accountant (6 yrs Oman exp) on visit visa seeking suitable job.

Contact: 93488505 Email: rahmath.kara@gmail.com, rahmathkara@yahoo.in Syed Tousiff,B.Com,7 years Experience India, Currently in Oman seeking suitable job.

Contact:+968 90846557.

Email :syedtou23@gmail.com Accountant Sri Lankan National Inter CA 3 yrs exp in finance, ready to join immediately.

Contact: 79049355 Email: ahamedfiham777@gmail.com

B.Com Graduate with 10+ years experience in Admin & Purchase, looking for suitable positions.

Contact 97014673 or maheshsoman.pillai@gmail.com Accountant (M. Com) having 7 years of exp with knowledge of Tally & Focus looking for a suitable job with valid D/L - (NOC/Release available). Contact: 93864278 Indian male with NOC , 12 yrs Oman experience in Operations, facility management banking project coordination with Oman D/L looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 98183667 Indian Accountant having 13 years experience in accounts in Oman & 6 years in India, Oman driving license excellent knowledge in Tally & MS Office, Seeking suitable placement Contact: 79039690 Email: thomas.mahesh@gmail.com

Chartered Accountant Finance Manager B.Com, CA, CIA focus, Sap Oracle, MS Office. Contact: 94641805 Sri Lankan Chartered Accountant (female), Graduate in B.Com (SP) having 2 years visa. Working experience in Accounting & banking sectors, looking for a suitable position in Muscat. Contact: 96356974 / 97488363 Email: hansikamail@yahoo.com Indian male, B.Com, MBA in Finance, 4 yrs in Larsen & Tourbo, 26 yrs in Oman, English/ Arabic speaking with driving license. NOC available. Contact 95588565 Indian male 25 yrs, Graduate in commerce, overall 5 yrs exp in accounts/ finance field. On visit visa. Immediately available.

Contact 92836216 / muhammad.tausif623@gmail.com

Indian, Kerala Male B.COM & B.PE, Currently on Visit Visa. Looking for a suitable job in Accounts, Store Keeper, Sales etc.

Ready to join as early as possible.

Contact 96988923 email:- sajith3969@gmail.com

Indian chartered Accountant 17+ years experience in Accounts , Finance and Business management working in reputed group in Muscat looking for suitable change. Oman Driving Licence and NOC available 95562708 pandukp2016@gmail.com

Qualified and experienced MBA post graduate with proven work exposure in Middle East & India, having more than 5.5 years of rich experience in accounts , project coordination and administration in (3.5 years UAE experience) oil and gas projects is currently looking for suitable job. Contact 93953613, Email-allen.mathew83@gmail.com

Indian male age 26 visit visa, B.Sc Mathematics 4 years experience as an Accountant seeks suitable job. Contact: 98615171 / 95374978.

Email: worksite.tinson@gmail.com

Indian male 30 yrs, B.Com 4 years experience in GCC, Sales / Accounts looking for suitable vacancy, currently on visit. Contact: 99727595 Email: samie61@gmail.com

Indian male age 26, Accountant one year experience in accounts looking for suitable job. Contact Email: anishkhan991867@gmail. com Mobile: +968 9565 9415

Accountant 8 Years Experience with D/L and NOC. Contact 97712084

Manager Accounts / finance professional, 15 years Oman experience looking for a opening.

Contact: 92168401

Indian female 28 yrs B.Com 4 yrs experience in MNC’s currently in Muscat seeking suitable placement in Finance / Admin.

Contact :94743790

Indian (m) MBA (F), more than 6 years of experience in accounts, proficiency in various A/C software SAP (F1/CO) seeking for suitable placement. Contact: 95920740 mail: abdulhameed1527@gmail.com Indian female, 26 years,brought up in oman,M.COM(FINANCE) CA Foundation(CPT),CA INTER(DOING) presently on family visa seeking for immediate and suitable placement.

Contact -97174201/99663957 Email-anishasasi@gmail.com ACCA member with 6 yrs of experience in Oman looking for a suitable job in finance. Contact 99284193 Indian female 26 yrs, MBA finance 2 yrs exp with MNC. Email: rilooozmali@gmail.com.

Contact : 90551366.

54 years Indian male having 20 years of experience in Accounts / finance seeking suitable positions.

Contact: +91 9495274949 Email: jayangk@gmail.com Finance Manager, 17 + years Gulf exp. in Accounts, MIS, budgets, strategic planning, cost control, cash flow management, seeks job.

Contact 99489784, E mail :- vijay.564@hotmail.com Accountant & Administrator, 18 years experience (7 yrs in UAE) Accounting software’s knowledge.

Contact: 91729724 Indian male working in Oman for last 8 years as an Accounts Executive having driving license and NOC. Looking for an opportunity.

Contact 95731665.

Accountant B.com Indian male 12 yrs exp seeks suitable job.NOC available . Contact : 91212471 Email: rennyj6@gmail.com Post Graduate M.Com (finance) having 20 years experience in Accounts in seeking suitable placement, NOC available.

Contact: 96275019 Email Id: vjkmr9583@gmail.com Indian Senior Accountant, B com, Having 8yrs Experience in Oman, Up to Finalization, Oman D/L, Release Available, Contact - 93484122 Indian male 34 Yrs, Dual MBA Finance and marketing with IT skills, 7+ yrs of experience, Looking for suitable placement.

Contact 94879615, Emailsajan_chacko1981@yahoo.com 8 yrs exp. in Admin & Accounts (3 yrs in Oman), MBA, exp. in Tally ERP 9, Indian (F) seeks placement.

Contact 97243806 Sudanese Accountant, Alexandria University Graduate bachelor of commerce Diploma of Marketing professional photographer worked in PR and social media for 2 years looking for a job in public relations media, social media or marketing.

Contact: 96976240 Omani female Accountant, 32 years, having 10 years exp in admin/accounts seeks suitable placement. Contact: 93295953 Indian male MBA (fin) 5 years experienced looking job on visit visa. Contact: 97127584

28/male/MBA - finance/B.Com Accountant with 4 years of Dubai/ India experience looking for a suitable placement. Contact : 90187483 shobinkarikkan1987@gmail.com Indian male 34 Yrs, Dual MBA Finance and marketing with IT skills, 7+ yrs of experience, Looking for suitable placement.

Contact 94879615, Emailsajan_chacko1981@yahoo.com Certified Public Accountant (Filipino, Male, 27-yrs-old) with four years experience, seeking suitable placement in accounting/ audit, currently on visit.

Contact; 94959606, email: czesar.42@gmail.com 7 Years experience as Financial Analyst, MBA in finance. Responsibilities- research contributor, financial statement analysis, generating MIS & efficiency report, managing TAT, business & clients.

On visit visa in Muscat.

Contact 90191628 / 96175780 Chief Accountant / Senior Accountant having 16 years experience can handle accounts up to finalization, MIS, C FLOW, Budgeting, ERP, Costing & liasing with auditors, looking for suitable position. NOC available.

Contact: 97205058 / 94885686 Indian (M), 31 yrs, M Com 9 yrs experience in Oman, looking for Manager or Executive position in Fin & Accounts, NOC Available.

Contact 968 96166178/ +919768537435: mohammednajeem@yahoo.com

Young Omani male have experience 12 years as P.R.O, CLERK Helper Supervisor Admin Supervisor, H.R Manager have vocational M.B.A diploma in H.S.E, IT and P.D.O license, looking for H.R position or P.R.O part time or full time.

Contact: 95933288 Indian lady, B.Tech MBA*,around 3 year experience. Looking for HR/ admin post.GSM 91156408 E-maild - ivyasara16@gmail.com Office admin/ Accountant Asst, BBM, Diploma in logistics, NOC available. Contact : 98269281 Indian female, qualified masters degree & having work experience, seek suitable placement.

Contact 99436069, Email: ramanrami@rediffmail.com Egyptian woman resident, considerable experience in the Administration and Secretarial Executive for company.

Contact : 97221126 Indian female MBA-HR having three plus experience in HR, Administration, Customer support, Office coordinator with good computer skills. Now on family visa.

Contact :- 92427359.

Indian Female, MBA-HR having 8+ experience in Administration/HR, Customer Support, Office Coordinator with good Computer skill, Now on Visit Visa, looking for suitable position.Contact 90196235 Filipino HRD especialist / material controller supervisor with 18 yrs experience looking for suitable job in Oman. Contact: (+968) 98037142 / (+968) 92659817

ARCH./ INTERIOR DEC. Architect Engineer seeking for suitable job, 8 years experience.

GSM : 96075000, Email : haytham_201046@yahoo.com

BEAUTICIAN Beautician exp in India (overseas). Contact 95175192.

DESIGNER/ DRAUGHTSMAN Free lance Autocad works experienced (arch, struct, MEP, shop drw) rate a0/a1 sheet ( 10-17 OMR) ph : 97103168 8 years in Oman Architect Drafts man working in Engineering Consultancy Muscat, language known Arabic, English, Hindi & Malayalam GCC driving license.

Contact: 92466495 Indian, female, B. Sc Interior Designer (Scientific College- Muscat) 23, with 1 year experience, on visit visa, seeks suitable opportunity, as family resides in Oman.

Contact: 99334391 Email: k.fazlurahman@gmail.com Freelance / part time 3d design works, interior /exterior.

PH - 97103168 Tunisian girl looking for job in media field, has 8years experience in publishing Contact 97816917 Free lance / part time autocad works / make boq 2d /3d arch , structural, shop drawings interior drawings. Contact 97103168 mkgroupoman@gmail.com Revit, Autocad D/man, expected salary 200 OMR. PH : 92279784

T H U R S DAY, N OV E M B E R 1 7, 2 0 1 6

D5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED Hospitality professional Indian, currently working as General Manager in a leading Hotel in Muscat.

18+ years experience in Middle East & India. With release / NOC, seeking General Manager / Operations Managers jobs in Hospitality sector.

Contact - 968 99589495, Email : mct2016job@gmail.com

Indian male, 33 yrs, M.Com, Having 7 yrs experience in Accounting with knowledge of Tally & focus ability of finalization of account, financial reports looking for a suitable job, with valid D/L, NOC available.

Experienced IT Professional

Contact - 93864278

Contact # 96654216

with over 20 years in Oman.

Can manage ERP systems, Hardware, Network, Wi-Fi and Biometric Devices.

NOC available.

IT

ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

DESIGNER/ DRAUGHTSMAN Autocad d/man / Site Supervisor, experienced knows 2d/3d arch stru, interior civil ITI / Diploma PH : 99506977 Canadian-Graduate interior designer. Proficient in many 3D & 2D design software. Speaks English, Arabic, and conversational French. Mobile: 97945233 Filipino Senior Revit/AutoCAD Draftsman with 20 years professional experience is looking for suitable job in Oman. Please Contact: 96489798, (+974) 66653780.

DOMESTIC HELPER Indian (F), maid for cooking and all types of household work, 7AM to 3 PM, Ruwi areas & capital areas part time. Contact: 92115082 Indian house maid seeking part time job between 12 pm to 4 pm.

Contact: 92072866 South Indian lady looking for housemaid job. Contact: 91487124

DRIVER Driver with license looking for suitable job. Contact : 98340015 Driver with license looking for suitable job. Contact: 97314941 Indian light driver need job.

Contact: 96693613 Light driver looking for job exp.

Oman 13 years. Contact: 93940319 Driver with license available immediately with own car fluent Arabic, English & Hindi.

Contact: 90744740 Heavy & light driver and operator (Omani and GCC valid D/L) (overseas). Contact 95175192.

Light driver 10 yrs. exp in Oman.

Contact: 99465319 Heavy vehicle driver Pakistani looking for job. Contact: 93916645 Driver with car part time 4 year’s experience, looking for job.

Contact: 94390979 Looking for light driver job, 6 years experience in Muscat, knows English / Arabic.

Contact: 92747280 Looking for driving job experience Oman 8 years K.S.A 5 years education H.S.C. Contact: 94297563 Looking for driving job language English, Arabic & Hindi experience in shipping Companies.

Contact: 95283531 Looking for driving job 2 yrs exp.

Contact: 95145988 Looking for driving job Executive education speak good English and Arabic 4 years experience in Oman. Contact: 99474870 Looking for driving job.

Contact: 97418036 Looking job for driving (with car).

Contact: 92005311 Looking for job exp having driving license. Contact: 97363138 Driver looking for job.

Contact 95892363 Bangladeshi, light driver looking for job, 4 yrs exp. Contact: 92681457 Experienced driver available with 4WD willing to work fulltime / part-time, familiar with all tourist destinations in Oman.

Contact: 24814231 / 91941545

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. Indian male, B.E Mechanical with 2 years experience as Maintenance Engineer in Cochin Refinery and 1 year experience in Chevrolet seeking job. Ph number: 97964862, Email:jossyabraham20@gmail.com

Civil Engg: B. Tech 6 yrs exp in Building Construction seek suitable Job.NOC Available. Contact 94682380, mathivananred@ gmail.com Electronics & Telecom Engineer (MSC, B-tech), 7 Years’ experience in Aviation Industry, seeking for suitable placement, on visit visa.

Contact: 96565797, 98372393 Email: inampatriot@yahoo.com Civil Engineer with 8 years experience performs multi- task job to structural work , building construction , infrastructure , planning , site development & architectural finishing works, NOC available valid Oman D/L. Contact:97474593 Email: a.baraka.om@gmail.com Mechatronics Engineer with NEBOSH and three years experience in Oman with license.

Contact: +968-94180383, khalid_khogli@hotmail.com HSE Engineer, NEBOSH IGC and IOSH certified, having 3 years experience looking for a suitable position. NOC available. Please contact +968 91476537.

Electrical Engineer (BSc) 8 Yrs Exp in Telecom Industry looking for Job Cell: 93872547 email: daniyal.badar@gmail.com Young Engineer with 2 years working experience as Business Analyst, Data Analyst and Business Strategist looking for suitable position in the field of Research & Developing Marketing strategist is on a visiting Visa. Contact : 91983892.

Email: utkarshgupta8@hotmail.com

Indian Male 22, BE Civil Engineer with few site and internship experiences looking for a suitable position in your firm. Got knowledge in (Primavera, Autocad, Staad pro).

Currently In visit visa. 98327644 or shakib842@gmail.com Electrical Engineer 2 years exp in construction & distribution seeking job available on visit. Contact: 98361217 / 94110178 Email:shariqsiddiqui09@gmail.com Male, 25 yeas Diploma Instrumentation and Control Instrument Technician, 2 years experience, looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 96946408 Email: anfeeranfu4@gmail.com Indian male 26 years Mechanical Engineer with 2 yrs exp in Oman.

Looking for suitable placement.

Contact - 91328079 Civil Engineer 8 years experience Structural buildings marine. Available NOC release. #92451323.

Email: zubairali134@yahoo.com Indian male Civil Engineer 1.6 yrs exp, having Omani D/L, looking for suitable position. NOC available. Contact – 92157694 / mohammedamair.bin@gmail.com Diploma in Mechanical Engg, 10 years exp in steel fabrication site work with valid Oman driving license. Contact: 94696192 2 yrs well experienced Structural Engineer with good knowledge on ETabs & fast in using AutoCAD looking suitable for suitable placement. Contact: +968 96118135

Electrical & Electronics Engineer 2 years of work experience is looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 96739500

Civil Engineer with B.Tech in Civil Engineer seeking new job opportunities, on employment visa in Sultanate of Oman with no objection certificate for two years, Eby Joe Witalius. Contact: 93671405

Senior Project Engineer with 15 years experience in the field of ELV Engineering (Security Systems, Specialized Airports Systems) with sound knowledge in Project Management, Project Execution/ Procurement. Contact : 98117213

32 years male Indian Civil Engineer, advanced surveying (land surveying) 6 years of experience (Gulf experience) seek immediate employment. Contact: 98443218

ELECTRICAL ENGINEER, B-Tech, Indian Female one year freelance experience in Firefighting Company in Oman worked in technical, Planning and admin works, seeking opportunity.

Contact: 94355787 / 96794339, Email-pdeepthi53@gmail.com Civil Engineer 5 years experience in building construction, having valid Omani D/L and NOC available. Contact: 94452524 , Email:sibin.asiaticn@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer Indian with 2 years experience as Quality Engineer Contact 94538906 Civil Engineer having 7 years experience in Oman with AutoCAD. Contact: 98947460 Aeronautical Engineer Indian male having three years experience technical, Record handling, operations seeking suitable job position in Oman. Currently on visiting visa. Contact: 92779128 Email: tonyaero123@gmail.com Civil Engineer seeks a suitable senior position, 9 years experience in projects management planning, coordination, quantity survey, structural design AutoCAD. (NOC Available). Contact : 79097475 Email: a-shaqfa@hotmail.com Diploma Civil Engineer Indian male, 15 yrs GCC experience, valid Oman D/L, NOC available, seeking suitable placement.

Contact :99794456 Mechanical Engineer 27 yrs Indian male 4 yrs experience (Oman, UAE) ASNT level II, ASMEB 31.3 certified looking for suitable position. Contact: 98843671 Email: ifthikharahmedpo@hotmail.com B.Tech Civil Engineer Indian male with 2 years experience looking for junior position job on visit visa.

Contact: 97206179 Indian male 25 B.Tech Electrical, 3 years experience in industrial automation & supervision.

Contact: 97207570 / 90481773

Surveyor Supervisor Pakistani male 30 diploma in Civil 12+ year’s exp 9 years in KSA looking for suitable job, on visit visa with valid driving license.

Contact: 97255028 Email: leo-khurais@yahoo.com Age 29, UK Computer Engineer Graduate, 5 years experience, 10 years in Oman, NOC & D/L available. Contact: 94423351 Piping Engineer (B.E Mechanical) with 5+ years experience in Gulf and India seeks suitable position.

Contact: 91987143 Pakistani, Land Surveyor, experience 5 years, 3 years in Pakistani & 2 years in Oman Muscat, building and roads and 3 years civil diploma, NOC available.

Contact: 94791214 / 98489700 Engineer buildings diploma 3 years Sudanese National 4 years experience in the construction sites & management.

Contact: 91183608 Civil Engineer, young Indian having almost 2 years experience looking for a challenging position seeks suitable position in Oman/ GCC. Please contact 92718490, Email ID: uvais.pk82@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer, Indian, 5 yrs Experience, Automobile Diploma, HVAC, On Visit Visa, Contact – 93042025 Civil Engineer 5+ years experience in Building construction & Steel structural building with having valid D/L. Contact: 93850440/ shahadat033@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer Sudanese 6 years exp in Gulf HVAC fire protection plumbing with D/L. Contact: 90609377 Electrical Engineer having 16 years experience in switchgear / Transformer / over head lines & trading for Sales / Procurement & Project Execution with valid Omani D/L, also available on contracts basis. Contact: 968 - 95994727 Email: qurm340@gmail.com

Civil Engineer diploma, 4 yrs exp seeks suitable position in a reputed company. NOC available.

Contact 96789711 B.E Mechanical Engineer, age 24 with almost 1 year experience as Production Shift Engineer, has achieved training on HVAC Engineering design and has good hands on software like AutoCAD and HAP.Currently in Oman on a visit visa, looking for a suitable placement.Contact: 95065955 email: mjs.jazeb@gmail.com B. Tech Mechanical HVAC site Engineer 4 years experience, currently on visit. Contact 92837696 / mdabdulather@gmail.com An Iraqi civil with more than 30 years experience in (Iraq and G.C.C) looking for a job, (N.O.C) available. Contact: 96561306 Email: iq.bgd.mnsr@gmail.com Indian male, Mechanical Engineer having 1year experience, on visit visa looking for suitable job.

Contact: 97416564, Email:jovinmathias@gmail.com Civil Engineer 8 years experience in Oman as a project engineer for governmental & private projects.

Contact – 90164912 Construction Machinery repairs Engineer, 5 years, driving license, Contact - 94001961 Piping Engineer with 10 years experience. Contact: +968 96745181 Email: khan121008@gmail.com Indian male 23 yrs, B.Tech Mechanical Engineer 1 year experience in India having piping engineering and quality control certification looking for suitable job, currently on visit visa. Contact: 90957740 Email: nishadphoenix@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer with 4yrs exp in PAEW, Maintenance, Design and having GCC D/License Contact:+968 95712436 & tejab17@gmail.com Civil Engineer (Indian male) 5 years experience in Oman with valid Omani driving license & NOC looking for suitable opportunity.

Contact: 93101283 Mechanical/ Piping Engineer (B.Tech.) on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact 94703350 mail: nadeembcoolboy@gmail.com Indian female B.Tech (CSE), 22 with 4 months experience as System Engineer in leading MNC on visit visa seeks suitable opportunity as family resides in Oman.

Contact: 71198596 Email: divyamarch94@gmail.com Sr. Electrical Engineer with17+ yrs of exceptional exp in spear heading strategic planning and project management initiatives & executing various high rise residential & commercial building as well as roads and highway project with proficiency in installation, seeking a challenging position in a dynamic organization. Contact 96570891 Indian male 24 ,B.E ( E.C.E ) graduate with 3 years of experience in the fields of BMS and Low current systems and has good knowledge about Electronic Security Systems, currently working in Oman, NOC Available. Contact: 94737033/ mohdmuhafez45@gmail.com Electrical Engineer: Indian male 30 years, having 5 years of experience in industrial automation and utility maintenance in India, holding valid Oman D/L. Contact: 92789995 Email: akhilabrahamlktr@gmail.com Electrical & Electronics Engr, knows autocad & revit.

PH: 93837973 Graduate Civil Engineer 20 yrs GCC experience with Omani D/L, seeking job NOC available.

Contact: 98621645 Email: imtiazcv@gmail.com Indian male, B.E Mechanical with 2 years experience as Maintenance Engineer in Cochin Refinery and 1 year experience in Chevrolet seeking job. Contact : 97964862, Email:jossyabraham20@gmail.com

Indian male Electrical Engineer, having 6 years gulf experience in designing, assembling, commissioning execution etc having valid GCC license too looking for a suitable. Contact: 00968-98052942 Email: azamjeelani78@gmail.com Civil Engineer (B.Tech), Indian male 24 years with 1+years Indian experience,(Certified in Staad Pro/ Quantity Survey/ Auto Cad).

Looking for a Suitable position.

Available In Sultanate of Oman (Muscat) on Visit Visa.

Contact: 92157694. E-mail: mohammedamair.bin@gmail.com Pakistani male Diploma Civil Engineer 4yrs exp in Oman bulling & mega projects, valid license Oman. Contact: 98921022 Mechanical Engineer, Indian, Male, 30yrs. Experienced in Steam turbines and Thermal Power house seek employment.

Contact - +91 8130553668 or mohamedshah7@gmail.com Site Supervisor, Diploma in Civil Engg (cert attested) knows autocad revit, salary exp: 250 Ph : 92279784 Electrical Engineer, 24 yrs, Indian Male, Fresher, Training Undertaken in Electrical Draughtsman, Fire Alarm, Fire Fighting and Industrial Automation. Contact: 94989767, Email: Junaiz987@gmail.com Indian male, Structural Engineer looking for job in structural design field. Having 6 years of experience in design field. Residing in Muscat. Contact - 91176187 Email: syam036@gmail.com

EDUCATION/TRAINING Female B. Ed English teacher, 7 yrs exp seeking suitable placement. #99739415 / 92091528 Indian female 24. Masters in Computer science engineering, seeking job in colleges, schools and institutes. Having in good skill in teaching and advanced technologies. Contact : 93356858 Email id : annielino11@gmail.com

IT Support Engineer Indian male 5 years experience seeking suitable jobs in Oman.

Contact: 90117664 System and Network Administrator 30 yrs male, Indian over exp 5 years of experience in India with MCA Graduation and CCNA certification seeking placement in IT, Now in Muscat on visiting visa.

Contact: 92805363 Email: anoopmprakash@gmail.com B. Tech (IT) Graduate having one year experience in search engine optimization, seeking a job in IT field. Contact: 96336292 Email: nazrinkhan.s@gmail.com IT Systems and Network Administrator with 8 years of experience in Qatar & Bahrain, holding MCITP & CCNA, certified professional with Bahrain D/L currently in Oman on visit visa. Contact: 91765841 8+ years experience as Software and multimedia Developer currently in Microsoft India seeking suitable opening in Oman.

Contact: 93936878 IT Engineer male, 28 yrs, over 7 yrs experience with NOC, D/L available seeking placement in IT / Network / Telecom field.

Contact: 93563297 Email: monuzv24@gmail.com CFA level 1 cleared (pursuing level 2) MBA operations research, female, 5 yrs experience as Analyst, have a valid Oman driving license, looking for related openings.# 95818892 IT Support Engineer, Exp 3 years in Oman 2 years in India.

Contact 94672759 Indian Male, MCA Graduate, 15 yrs exp in ERP, CSM Certified, seeking suitable role.NOC Available.

Contact : GSM : 90189284 Email: meetlibran@gmail.com Indian female M.Sc Computer Science seeking suitable placement in Muscat area. Contact 98660672

LOGISTICS

29 years, Indian, male, 4.5 years experience in structural designing with education qualification M.E (Hon) seeks suitable placement. Contact: 95528918 Email: shyam.s.thampy8@gmail.com

Experienced Indian Male seeking placement in “Stores & Logistics”.

Contact: 91927039

Mathematics Lecturer , Indian Female, M Sc Mathematics from a Prestigious University, B.Ed qualified, distinction holder with 6 yrs teaching experience in colleges.

Contact : 91360147.

Indian male 10 years exp in Gulf country exp in store keeper seeks suitable job salary 175 to 225 Riyal. Contact: 90198237

Maths Teacher 30 years experience IGCSE bilingual I.B, A& AS levels. Contact: 98016336 Indian Female, Phd in Chemistry having 3.5 yrs of Experience in India. Staying here on Family Visa & seeking for a suitable placement.

Contact – 99675828, Email anupam.tiwari67@gmail.com

HOSPITALITY Indian male, 24 yrs , Diploma in Hotel management, 2 years experience front office management in 4 star hotel Dubai, currently on visit visa. Contact: 97937504 mail:febinpalathingal01@gmail.com Indian male 31yrs old with hotel management degree,03 yrs experience in F&B services at 5 star hotel Dubai, 05 yrs in American 06 star cruiseliner has butler. Has Oman driving license. Contact 99859150.

IT Indian male 4 years experience in IT as Programmer / Web Support/ CCNA/ Network on visit visa seeking placement. Contact 93069694 Email: mrabrar14@gmail.com Indian male 4 years experience in IT as Programmer / Web Support/ CCNA/ Network on visit visa seeking placement. Contact 93069694 Email: mrabrar14@gmail.com Female, master in mass communication, B.Ed, experience in media channel and teaching PH : 99362024

MISCELLANEOUS

9 year experienced industrial painter and sand blaster with Oman driving licence. NOC available. Seeks suitable placement.

Contact ZakeerHussain 96681934.

21, Indian female B.com graduate on family visa looking for immediate and suitable placement. Holds valid Omani Driver’s license.

Contact: 97208869 Indian male, 28, post graduate, 6+ yrs exp in Oman in sales (back office) & credit control with valid Oman D/L looking for suitable placements.

NOC available. Contact: 92066 523 BS in Electrical Engineering, Experience: 5 years(Power Plants).

Contact: 92475206 Email: zahaibzafar007@gmail.com Sudanese male bachelor geology and mining with 3 years experience in MUD logging and training in soil investigation. Contact 92956848 B.Com,IICL Certified Container Inspector(No.150850),Visit Visa, Six months experience, need placement. Phone 90880935,99023279, Email solexyesudas@gmail.com.

Indian male, 29 yrs, Diploma in Polymer Technology & Fire Safety,7 yrs of experience in Polymer Production Supervisor (Plastic & Rubber Industry).Seeking suitable placement. Contact : 9818 8418

MANAGER / SUPERVISOR Manager FMCG distribution / Supermarket expert 15 years Oman experience looking for a opening.

Contact: 92787747

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DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

SITUATION WANTED TOURS

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED

MANAGER / SUPERVISOR Experienced Manager, 6 yrs Oman & 10 yrs India, in Procurement, Contracts, Transportation, Administration & Marketing.

NOC available.

Call/Whatsapp: 91030909 Indian, male, 15 Years GCC experienced Finance professional looking for senior position in Finance, immediately. 96779717, Email : finsagu@gmail.com Experienced profit center Manager for Aluminum /glass fabrication & installation industry available as Advisor / consultant, NOC available. Contact: 94951527

We arrange tours & accommodation at all the beautiful places in Oman. Contact 99839898

General Manager Indian National With 20 yr Experience In managing Civil Construction Business Seek Opening in reputed Civil Company. Contact-97464650.

Enjoy Camping in Wahiba desert & all over Oman & tour.

Contact: 92226866

MEDICAL Indian male, Nurse with more 7 years experience MOH license, P.D.O license, dataflow, NOC available looking for job in Oman. Contact: 93604827 Email: subinraj37@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING

Experience Indian male Doctor available for locum.

Contact: 92506636

Indian Sales/Marketing Executive having 5 years experience, looking for suitable job, residing in Muscat.

Contact: 94782695

Looking for job Dentist Indian female with 2 years experience.

Contact: 95894258

Indian Graduate D/L & 7 yrs experience in marketing release available.

Contact: 96628154

An Arabic speaking Assistant Pharmacist with MOH license & over 5 years of extensive experience in public and hospital pharmacies (Mobile: 94109327)

Salesman Merchandiser, on visit visa, have 4 years experience.

Contact: 91211018

Veterinary Doctor: Indian Female looking for a suitable placement.

Contact: 96906534 /99014885, Email: monishmajeed@gmail.com Filipino male Medical / Sales representative with 3 yrs experience is looking for suitable job in Oman. Contact: 92610394 Dr.Ayman Abduljalil Ali, E.N.T Specialist (Otolaryngologist), Yemeni-male, looking for job.

Mobile: 00201096542706, Email: aymanjalilorl@gmail.com

SKILLED LABOUR Mason, Sh/carpenter, steel fitter (overseas) with medical.

Contact 95175192 House boy, Office boy, looking job (overseas). Contact 99531802 Watch repair and service looking for job, 24 yrs experience.

Contact: 99530405

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE India PG diploma in Business Administration, 24 year experiences (22 years in Oman) in diverse field handling office administration independently, Sales and Marketing, highly motivated, hard working skillful and willing to work in hallenging environments seeks suitable placement. Having valid Omani driving license. Contact 99120500

Indian male Graduate, 11 years experience in Oman seeks job in sales / marketing. Contact: 96367331 Engineering Graduate having 5+ years of exp as Marketing coordinator in advertisement company and 6 months as security system service engineer. MobileNo.79059197 Social worker and counselor, M.S.W, M. Phil, 36 yrs, male, 8 years experience including 1 year GCC experience as social worker, counselor and welfare officer, on visit visa, seeking suitable placement. Contact: 93001084 Email: nimson4u@gmail.com NOC available, Indian male, 30 yrs MBA, BE (Electronics & Telecomm) 7 yrs in Oman in sales, marketing & projects seeks suitable placement, valid Oman D/L, Contact: 98518776 Indian female 29 years Post Graduate with computer Knowledge 2 years of Oman experience in coordinator & 5 years of experience in customer service, client relation officer with excellent communication skill seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 95337665 Sales & Marketing professional seeks suitable Senior position with 10 years Gulf based experience in hospitality airlines, NOC available with driving license.

Contact: 95544612 MCA Graduate with 1.6 years experience Indian female looking for any suitable job currently on visit visa. Contact 97993250 / 91447261

Indian female B.Ed & BCA experienced looking for office assistance, date entry or receptionist job.

Contact: 97384206 Email: rani_sweet786@live.com

Indian male 30 yrs, MBA, 5 plus yrs. work experience in sales, services, marketing G.C.C valid driving license in Oman work visa.

Contact: 91739031

Lady Secretary / Sales Co-coordinator 12 years experience in Oman in reputed companies, seek immediate Employment.

Contact: 95244761

BBA Bachelor of business administration exp in custom clearance procedure, also done international logistics management & Nimb National Institute business management (US) certification all documentation work related logistics. contact – 91949050 / akram.chaush001@gmail.com

Secretarial & Office: Indian(F), MBA in Finance, 2 years experience as Associate in Branch Operations (Record Keeping, Desk job)on family visa. Ph: 93186865 ; email: ddthoppil@gmail.com Looking for part time job Secretarial / Data Entry / Documentation available every day after 5:00 pm Friday / Saturday full day area preferred Ruwi/ CBD/ MBD / Al Khuwair. Contact: 90414827

SALES / MARKETING Indian male 37 years MBA graduate in marketing with 9yrs of experience in UAE in field of brand promotions & marketing with UAE D/L on a visit seeking suitable position. Conatct 95792820 Client Relations and Sales Professional with 8 years in the Business Process Outsourcing industry, looking for suitable opportunity in Muscat. Contact +96879050752

SITUATION WANTED COMPUTER/WEB./ EDU./CLASSES

SITUATION WANTED

Resident in Oman 18 years, 10 years experience in setup marketing plans and strategies, sales, import & logistics, procurement, Omani government tenders, organizing projects & events, import fireworks for festivals, NOC available, have car. Contact 94123939.

Email: 002015r@gmail.com

TOURS/TRAVELS Indian male 29 years old on visit looking for a suitable position in air ticketing and tours, overall 10 years of experience, 6 years experience in gulf. On visit, ready to join immediately. Contact – 97189669/ info.awaiz2015@gmail.com

Procurement, Warehouse & Logistics, Pakistani Male, Graduate, Over 10 years experience, Looking for Suitable Placement, Currently on Visit Visa Contact Oman : +968-91257663 E-Mail:waqasmehar1@gmail.com

Accountant Indian, 13 years experience can handle accounts up to finalization, tally, busy accounting, smart accounting, NOC/release available. Contact 96133146.

Email: kkcjob786@gmail.com

MBA (UK), raised in Oman & with 2 yrs work experience holding valid Oman driving license, seeks job in sales / business development. Contact: 99513132

Indian male 23 yrs, Mechanical Engineer looking for job in Mechanical field special interest in HVAC & MEP. Contact : 9586 1251, Email : zufarajaib@yahoo.com

India PG diploma in Business Administration, 24 year experiences (22 years in Oman) in diverse field handling office independently administration, Sales and Marketing, highly motivated, hard working skillful and willing to work in challenging environments seeks suitable placement. Having valid Omani driving license. Contact 99120500

Indian male, 26 years, 3 Years’ experience in Projects of Tanks, Boilers and Steel structures Aware of int. Standards, B tech in Mech engg. Contactrahulkunnath23@gmail.com

Indian male, looking for sales & marketing job, Oman license holder. Contact: 95642740 Email: shaijichakkara@gmail.com Sales professional (Graduate) additional qualification CCNA & MCSE having more 10 years experience in handling IT hardware, Networking & security products (project based) and experience in Education and training Industry in Oman, seeking employment in relevant IT companies. Contact: 99354209, Email: sandy6673@gmail.com Indian male MBA and Diploma in management from Australia. On visit visa, looking for a suitable job in sales & marketing.

Contact – 71189884 Indian male with 6 years experience in sales in oman. NOC available, looking for suitable placement. Contact 95364128 Indian Male, 26 M.Com with 4 yrs of Experience in Accounting & Administration in a Financial Company in India, seeks suitable job, Currently in India. +918907212253 Akhil:-93626288, Email: Sumeshpsmkr1989@gmail.com Oil & gas experienced Indian lady with 6 years in sales & marketing to PDO and having valid Omani driving license. Contact:96143430 / 99875919

in Azaiba and Ruwi

• Learn in two months • Satisfaction guaranteed

Tel: 95244310

Indian Male (25), BSc Electronics, M.B.A seeking suitable openings, Having 3 years’ experience in, sales and Marketing of financial products with Oman Driving License. Contact 94774550 B.A Graduate, 28 yrs, with Good English communication skills, 5.5 years Experience in hospitality and hotel industry is looking for a suitable job in Muscat (on Visiting visa). Contact : 90146616.

Indian male, 24 years, B.Com, MBA(Finance) with overall 3 years experience in accounts/ finance field. On Visit Visa.

Contact:90115058/ safwanmeadows@gmail.com Indian male, Network cabling technician (19 years gulf experience) seeking for suitable placement.

Contact : 0091-8089909265 (India), Email: mohithavp@gmail.com Indian male 23 Mechanical Engineer looking for job in Mechanical field special interest in HVAC & MEP will be happy to hear from you. Contact : 9586 1251, Email : zufarajaib@yahoo.com Indian female, well experienced in secretarial, administration, customer care & supervisory jobs.

5+ years’ experience in Muscat.

Current visa status: Family joining. Contact: 92139298.

Expat with 13 yrs experience in sales and marketing, seeking suitable placement. Contact 92100116

Indian male Graduate with 18 years of Marketing experience presently in Oman on family visit visa, looking for best opportunity.

Contact: 96168687 Email: dhibupaul@gmail.com

Marketing Executive MBA Marketing & HR 32 yrs 6+ years exp with Oman D/L NOC, looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 90258303

Marketing Manager 29 years professional experience in GCC / Oman in marketing in building materials / High tech products.

Contact: 92284066 / 98559317

Indian male 26 years of experience of sales & marketing in surgical and laboratory equipments.

Looking for good replacement.

Contact – 92015894 /95774854

29 years Indian (MBA) having 4 years experience in marketing and 3 years in Supervision seeking suitable positions. NOC available having KSA valid driving license.

Contact: 97904189 Email: anzar.amu@gmail.com

Indian male age 24, B.Com. having 2 year experience and currently in visit visa. Looking for suitable placement in Sales, Marketing & finance. Contact: 90766307 Email: shhaazz.007@gmail.com

Job wanted as admin/clerk/office Bank, and money exchange ,I have 7 years of banking experience in Pakistan and have two years visa with Noc . Nawab khan 9497640

Indian male 1 yr exp in sales automotive (TBL) looking for best opportunity , NOC available.

Contact# 97793879 Email: shyampkn@gmail.com

Indian male B. Com Graduate, 1.5 Year exp. in various office works, Valid Oman driving license Looking for any suitable post.

Contact: 95322175 / 91987965

Indian Male, MBA marketing 5 yrs exp. in sales & 4 yrs in FMCG sector, looking for best opportunity.

NOC available. Conatct 96001877

Spoken Arabic class for Non Arabic Speakers & English class for Malayalam Speakers

MISCELLANEOUS

HSE Engineer, 3+years of experience, bachelor of engineering(EEE), Nebosh, IOSH, DHSE, first aid.

Contact :+97474018995, email: midhunmich@gmail.com, skype: midhunmike Indian male civil Engineer 8 years good working experience searching for suitable job. barathidasancivil@gmail.com, +91- 9176451772, +91-955157008

Karate and self defense classes at Azaiba 18 Nov Street. RO 10 per month twice a week Monday and Tuesday 6. 30 TO 7. 30. PM. Contact: 98294551

SITUATION WANTED Indian male, Engineer, Procurement Officer, Construction. 23 years experience in Automobile Supply Chain, Production Planning, IT - Delivery Management, Business Analysis and Operations set-up. Contact: 90215985.

Indian Male, 26 years, 3 Years’ experience in Projects of Tanks, Boilers and Steel structures, Aware of int. Standards, B tech in Mech engg.

Contact Mob-00917741032368, rahulkunnath23@gmail.com

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DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

RENT A CAR

RENT A CAR

SITUATION WANTED MISCELLANEOUS Pak. (Male), M.B.A (Management) having 2 years experience Admin + Accountant. Good Knowledge of Tally and M.S office in Oman on visit visa looking for job.

Contact 97094221, Email: mubinbrw@gmail.com Indian male, BBA and Diploma in logistics, looking for a suitable position. Contact 92267276 28, male, ACCA finalist, BSc Honours, have 4 years of professional experience in Finance of different industries independently. NOC available, seeking for permanent replacement at a Senior Position.

Contact -97654769,email idabdullah.nooralam@gmail.com IT Systems and network Administrator with 8 years of experience in Qatar & Bahrain , Holding MCITP & CCNA certified professional. With GCC D/L .Currently in Oman in Visit Visa, looking for a suitable placement .Kindly contact 91765841. (NOC NOT REQUIRED) Indian female B.E (I.T) : Good experience in documentation and CRM. Having good communication skills. Seeking for job from reputed organization. Previous experience in Oman and India.

Contact - 97301058, 97136975.

Indian female Nurse with MOH License, looking for suitable placement in Muscat.

Contact: 95537685.

Indian male 24 MBA, having 2 years of experience in accounting and admin field, looking for job.

Contact no- 91626565

Indian male, 27 Yrs Age, MSW (HR) looking for Job any reputed organization. Having more than 1.5 years in India in the area of HR & Admin seeks suitable position.

Contact : 93353912

Indian Male, 27 Yrs Age, MSW (HR) looking for Job any reputed organization. Having more than 1.5 years in India in the area of HR & Admin seeks suitable position.

Contact : 93353912

Indian male, completed BBA and diploma in logistics and transportation, fresher. Visa type: visit visa.

Contact :92267276

B.COM Graduate, Indian-Kerala, 4 Years of experience in Oman with valid Omani driving license.

Looking for a suitable job in Accounts, Sales & Admin. email:jobhuntmuscat@gmail.com .

Civil Engineer (B.Tech), Indian Male, Expert in AutoCad, Revit Arch, Staad, Primavera seeking for a suitable placement.

Contact : 90198202, nanduchandran94@gmail.com Filipino, Female, 37 years old having 9 years’ experience in office administration. Looking for Admin/HR related jobs, on visit visa. Contact 96209384. Email: rechie.labandria@gmail.com Bangladeshi Male, University M. Com, Working as an Administrator cum Accountant in Oman since last year; Tally ERP9, searching better job. Phone:94864966, Email: sunrisetoiqbal@gmail.com

Indian male Sr. Sales / Marketing Executive, with thorough knowledge of Oman market in trading as well as in procurement for about 10 years seek suitable position.

Contact: 99045512 Mechanical/Production Engineer, 3 years’ experience in production industry, B. Tech in Mech Engg, Proficiency in AutoCAD, Primavera certified. Contact arn9895@gmail. com, Mob 00919895233155 Indian Male Wood Designer & Wood works 7 Years good working experience searching for suitable job. +919698637279, GSM 91894487

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

25 - 50 seater bus with PDO & BP specification for monthly rent & small car with driver.

Contact 99839898

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DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

SITUATION WANTED DINING DELIGHTS

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

SITUATION WANTED BUSINESS

MANPOWER

SERVICES

Pest control & Building cleaning all kinds of pest control building. Cleaning tiles / Marble polishing monthly/ Yearly contracts available.

Contact: 98814733 /98814740 Al Husn Cleaning L.L.C

TRANSPORTATION

We Provide Cleaners, Office boys, Cleaning Contracts, General cleaning etc.

Al Mudakhir National Est. LLC Contact : 94277020

Transportation available, pick & drop. Ruwi, Al Khuwair, Azaiba & Al Hail. Contact - 94297820

WE SERVE OMAN

Transportation. Contact:99664703 Transportation. Contact: 94087276 Transportation. Contact 94510847 Pick & drop available 24 Hrs. Contact: 98522914

DRIVING

Transportation. Contact 92015894

SITUATION WANTGOOD NEWS ED Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam). Contact 24475280 / 95371664 / 92504980 www.siddhayur.com Ayurvedic treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis massage, steam bath, obesity, spondylitis, Ideal Care Ayurvedic clinic, 18th November Street Al Ghubra (North).

Contact 99639695 / 97397320

A/C maintenance & Servicing, Fridge / Washing Machine / dish washer repairing, 2) Painting and cleaning service, Electrical & Plumbing. Contact 94147874 / 24504281, Email : globalaccessunited@gmail.com GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998

Specialist for road test drum and slope. Contact 94022250 Muscat Driving School.

Contact 94085688

We undertake new construction & maintenance & gypsum works.

Contact 92711506, ammarayyub@gmail.com Window unit & split unit A.C servicing & repairing Barka, Mabela , Ruwi area. Contact: 99557080

Marble polishing & crystallization, building cleaning floor, floor polishing, carpet, sofa shampooing, pest control, anti termite, shifting maintenance.

Contact: 99504275 Split unit & window unit A.C servicing & maintenance Barka, Mabela, Ruwi area. Contact: 96236476 Water proofing ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722 General cleaning new villas cleaning Barka , Mabela, Hail area.

Contact: 99557080 / 95323517 Painting & plumbing work.

Contact: 95963682

Affordable rates all types of curtain blind. Contact 99539521/ 95615642 Engineer consultants for printing industry we import & export printing equipments we service any type of printing machinery & repair electronic circuit boards. #90191662 House shifting packing.

Contact: 99657644 / 98518013 Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile polishing, pest control & anti-termite treatment, general cleaning painting,Plumbing,Electrical, shifting. Contact Mundhir Al-Rizaiqi trading. L.L.C. Contact: 24810137, 99450130

We undertake building construction and maintenance, we have 40 Indian skilled & labors.

Contact: 91797549 / 99539433

SITUATION WANTFOR LADIES Special packages, Facial, Pedicure, Eyebrow, only 10 RO. Al doom Beauty Parlour Contact- 99619409

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

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W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M | S P E C I A L S U P P L E M E N T

46th OMAN NATIONAL DAY

18TH NOVEMBER REMAINS A GREAT REFERENCE TO AN EVENTFUL JOURNEY

By Shahzad Raza

His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said put his heart and soul into building a strong nation

NATIONAL Day is an important occasion in the Sultanate of Oman as it comes not only to mark a landmark day but to highlight national joy driven by an overwhelming sense of pride and satisfaction. Although the market sentiment is low due to difficult economic situation and drop in oil prices, 18th November remains a wonderful reference to an eventful journey that not only

saw milestones of excellence but continues to inspire hope and resilience in the face adversity.

Forty six years on, Oman remains a shining example of how one man â&#x20AC;&#x201D; His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said â&#x20AC;&#x201D; put his heart and soul into building a strong nation.

In the last 46 years, prudent planning, careful execution and good governance by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said and his government >2

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46th OMAN NATIONAL DAY

has ensured Oman developing into a hub of peace and progress.

Although we are in the midst of an economic crisis that threatens to get deeper, government is doing all it can to keep the boat sailing.

Knowing that economic hardship is not going to last forever, it has adopted a policy of wait and watch instead of pressing the panic button. People of Oman are known to be careful planners. Impetuosity has never been known to be their virtue. I still remember a golden one-liner from an outgoing ambassador who, when asked what he liked most about the people of Oman, commented thus: “Omanis act slowly but wisely”.

The 46th National Day is also an occasion to reflect and rejoice over a dedicated march towards growth and development and peace and prosperity.

All these years, wisdom has come to be associated with the way the country has been run by the government of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. That is precisely why the country has excellent relations with all its neighbours and literally no dispute with any country in the world at present.

That Sultanate of Oman is also

The 46th National Day is also an occasion to reflect and rejoice over a dedicated march towards growth and development and peace and prosperity

a picture of peace, progress and prosperity — the three most coveted Ps in today’s world — is another example of how well the country is being governed by a benevolent leader, widely respected and revered across the length and breadth of Oman.

It is the positive image of Oman being a hub of safety and security, coupled with a beautiful landscape full of natural bounties, that is attracting tourists from far and wide.

The government has invested

heavily to improve the infrastructure all over Oman in order to make the tourists’ stay, a memorable experience for them. No wonder the number of tourists coming to Oman shows a significant surge every year.

One of the most progressive countries in the Middle East, Oman has benefited from concerted efforts by the government to diversify its economy in order to reduce its dependence on oil as the major source of income. The expansion of non-oil sector is expected to make the growth and development process of Oman more sustainable in the long run.

The country is also home to nearly two million expatriates who enjoy an ideal atmosphere to work and grow with time. Life is so smooth over here, and system so good, that people who come to Oman for a few years to make money, choose to stay here forever. It is the beauty of this land that one can see tradition and innovation living like good neighbours everywhere.

Legend has it that Omani charm is both incomparable and irresistible. In my 22 years of stay here I have often found that facts are even better than the fiction.

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M | S P E C I A L S U P P L E M E N T

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W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M | S P E C I A L S U P P L E M E N T

46th OMAN NATIONAL DAY Sultanate’s ninth Five-Year Plan focuses on economic diversification Dr Anchan C. K.

T

he government’s ninth Five-Year Development Plan (2016-2020) is now yielding results. The key goals are to achieve an average annual GDP growth rate of 3%, to reduce the contribution of oil to GDP at current prices from 44% in the eighth Five-Year Plan to 26%, to maintain inflation rate within safe levels at an average of 2.9%, focus on private sector and activate the Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), Create job opportunities and focus on SMEs. The ninth Five-Year Plan (20162020) maintains focus on economic diversification, welfare and social benefits enhancement, and at the same time drive to boost the private sector. Over 500 programmes and policies are to be activated in relation to these sectors.

The reason for choosing these five sectors is mainly because of its untapped potential and country’s determination to transform from an oil producing country to a diversified mix.

To support this view, five prime sectors are targeted namely manufacturing, transportation and logistics, tourism, fisheries, and mining.

Oman is a commodity rich country and further exploration into the mining sector would be of utmost importance in the wake of further subsidy cuts to reduce operational costs. Last but not the least, geographical location of Oman, has placed it as business and logistic hub for traffic across continents of Europe, Asia and Africa.

The industrial sector has for long been the foundation of Oman’s long-term diversification strategy as it is also capable of meeting the country’s social development needs and generating more employment opportunities. There is no doubt that the contribution from industry to the Sultanate’s GDP at 16.6 per cent, has played a significant role in shaping the Sultanate’s economy in

terms of accelerated growth. There has been a steady rise in the industrial activity along with strong investment growth in this sector.

The past few years have witnessed greater focus on the growth and development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to compete in the international arena, beyond the domestic markets.

The Public Authority for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Development (PASMED), which was launched by royal decree in 2013, has the mandate to encourage Omanis to establish and develop SMEs. The authority is considered to be a key component of the government’s long-term economic diversification plans.

Oman continues to focus on establishing itself as a major trans-shipment centre for traffic

across continents of Europe, Asia and Africa. One of the key goals is to place Oman within top 30 in the World Bank Logistic Performance Index by 2020. The country is well placed to act as a redistribution point for East and Central Africa. According to The Sultanate of Oman Logistics Strategy 2040 (SOLS 2040), handling shipments, with a particular focus on efficiency and cost is to remain under focus. Moreover, the strategy aims to double employment by 2020 to 80,000 jobs.

It also looks for doubling the industry’s contribution to the economy to OMR3 billion by 2020. As per the ninth plan statement, transportation, storage and telecom shall grow on annual average at constant prices by 5% during the plan.

Oman is likely to see a steady

upward growth in air freight handled in the short to medium term as international trade gains momentum whilst growth in road freight will see a drop in tonnage by 2020. Though the two sectors will see important investment taking place over the coming years, in a bid to increase Oman‘s trading capacity and further diversify away from oil.

Oman’s main ports will continue healthy levels in 2016, as an expansion of capacity continues apace.

This will strengthen Oman’s position as a key trans-shipment hub as well as meeting growing demand for the import and export of key dry bulk materials. The government’s efforts to grow the non-oil based economy as well as shore up infrastructure around the main shipping hubs will also

benefit trade in the region.

Over the medium term, Oman’s shipping industry will continue to grow, with container throughput at the Port of Sohar particularly will see strong improvements.

The Port of Salalah, which makes up the bulk of the country’s container activity, will see some improvement in growth figures.

Oman’s oil industry still provides new and lucrative opportunities ranging from the approval of additional upstream projects to new discoveries with a focus on offshore resource, finds a unique area of interest. However, due to the prevailing low price environment, smaller energy producers in Oman will have more challenges attracting upstream investment.

The persistent market dynamic of softer demand and stronger

supply will become a more dominant driver of prices as the impact of OPEC’s verbal interventions begins to fade and expectations for coordinated cuts are readjusted.

Foreseeing a trading range of USD43.0-53.0/bbl leading oil markets into the new year and maintain the forecasts of average USD55/bbl and USD53.5/bbl for Brent and WTI respectively for 2017. The OPEC meeting of November 30 will dominate the market discourse. Indications are it will be a net positive for prices with a watered down agreement looking the most likely outcome currently. On the fundamentals, demand signals are neutral, while high-frequency supply indicators from OPEC are showing fresh production gains since August. > 6-8

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It is a tradition in Oman to greet a visitor with a bowl of dates, qahwa (coffee with cardamom) and fruit.

The retail market significant supply addition has occurred over the last 24 months. There is now approximately 345,000 square metres of prime retail (mall) space within Muscat capital area, all fully leased and trading. A further 280,000 square metres of confirmed projects will be completed by 2020 which includes the Mall of Oman, The Palm and retail elements of the Convention Centre.

Whilst Oman previously lacked the diversity of retailing offered by its neighbours, this has now changed and along with it retail shopping habits, with retailers reported the rise in spending.

The Omani IT market has a mixed medium term outlook due to economic challenges associated with the decline in the oil price. The government and wider economy are dependent on the hydrocarbons sector to a greater extent than elsewhere in the GCC, which will squeeze enterprise IT spending and the retail market through lower confidence levels, particularly in 2016 and 2017. The IT market is, however, expected to recover over the medium term and

register a CAGR of 5.1% for 20162019, with considerably stronger growth forecast for 2018 and 2019.

Rapid population growth and modernisation by enterprises and public authorities are key to the growth outlook.

Growth in Oman’s construction industry will come primarily from investment in transport infrastructure projects and the government’s push for PPPs to mobilise private investment in the construction sector. This will become increasingly important as global oil prices remain low, curbing government spending.

Oman’s pharmaceuticals and

healthcare market will remain an attractive investment proposition for international players. Despite the public sector holding the greatest market share, the private sector will play a pivotal role in healthcare expansion over the long term.

The rising cost of medical services will be kept in check to an extent by the downward pressure on drug prices - mainly driven by the Gulf Cooperation Council’s medicine price unification process. Over the long term, Oman’s population will benefit from more affordable healthcare services as price unification becomes more standardised across the Gulf states.

Expansion of the healthcare sector in Oman will be driven by increasing private-sector engagement. The rollout of a compulsory health insurance scheme, promotion of medical tourism and greater international collaboration will boost the private sector’s contribution to healthcare in Oman. In long term, however, the public sector will remain the dominant healthcare player as the rapidly growing demand for healthcare services necessitates high levels of

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government commitment.

The private sector will play an increasingly pivotal role in healthcare expansion in Oman boosting opportunities for multinational drug makers and healthcare providers. As the Omani government continues to provide investment incentives in an attempt to offload some of the financial burdens of healthcare, investment in associated infrastructure will prove a lucrative opportunity for growth in the Sultanate.

Oman’s power sector is expected to undergo a big jump in output in 2019, as several major projects come to full fruition in the gasfired thermal power segment, which will remain dominant over our forecast period. Generation growth should be in the mid-single digits over the period 2016 to 2018 and then the low single digits between 2020 and 2025. State-owned Oman Power and Water Procurement Company has issued a tender for building a new Independent Water Project (IWP) to meet the domestic water demand. The plant will be located in Musandam, a northern enclave of Oman.

The project will have a desalination capacity of 16,000 cubic metres of water per day and will be developed as a private company. Oman is currently developing independent water projects in Salalah, Sharqiyah and Duqm, which will together increase capacity to 52.8 million imperial gallons per day. Demand for potable water in the country’s northern region, which includes the Muscat governorate, is projected to grow by 6 per cent per annum in the next five years from 238 million cubic metres in 2013 to 349 million cubic metres by 2020.

Six water and electricity projects, including four desalination schemes, are set to open in Oman by 2019 and 2020. The projects, headed by Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP), include the Salalah Independent Water Plant (IWP), located opposite the existing Salalah IWP, which will have a capacity of 100,000 cubic metres per day (m3/d), the Al Sharqiyah IWP at Al Ash’kharah, which has a capacity of 80,000 m3/d, the Al Duqm IWP with a capacity of 60,000 m3/d, and the

Khasab IWP with a capacity of 16,000 m3/d.

According to OPWP, renewable energy projects such as solar energy projects and wind farms are expected to complement gas-fired power plants in the country. The company is set to sign a deal for two gas-fired power plants in Ibri and Sohar Industrial Port with Mitsui & Co, ACWA Power and Dhofar International for Development and Investment Holding. It will purchase the full production of the two plants, which have an investment cost of $2.3 billion (OMR885 million), for the duration of 15 years.

OPWP will also sign a power purchase agreement with Rural Area Electricity Company (RAEC) for a wind-operated power plant in Dhofar, which will produce 50 megawatts per year.

It is expected to start operations in 2017. In addition, it will implement two independent water desalination projects in Salalah and Southern Al Sharqiyah.

Oman’s vast mineral resources are still relatively untapped, with large deposits of metals and industrial minerals waiting to be unearthed. Oman’s mountains which are likely to contain metal deposits such as chromite, cobalt, copper, gold, lead, magnesium, manganese, nickel, palladium, platinum, silver, vanadium, and zinc. Over the past decade, Oman’s mining industry has attracted increasing interest from both foreign and local operators. Oman is the second largest country after Saudi Arabia in the GCC region with an excellent geology of minerals and is the first GCC producer and exporter of ferrochrome.

Minerals Development Oman (MDO), the newly established executive arm of the Public Authority for Mining (PAM), envisions a major role for itself in attracting international investment and technical know-how in the monetisation of the Sultanate’s prodigious mineral resources.

The goal, according to officials of the wholly government owned entity, is a key part of its strategy to unleash the potential of the Omani mining and minerals processing sector to ultimately help drive employment generation, economic development and GDP growth.

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Sixty per cent of the equity in MDO is owned by four government entities: the State General Reserve Fund (SGRF), Oman Investment Fund (OIF), Oman Oil Company (OOC) and Oman National Investments Development Company (TANMIA). The remaining 40 per cent will be offered for public subscription via an Initial Public Offering (IPO) proposed to be floated on the MSM before the end of this year.

Oman is fast developing new strategies that will add more value to the mining sector and the Sultanate’s substantial reserves of minerals. Some of the plans include the development of a complete supply chain, or Sohar Dry Bulk Logistics Corridor, that will immediately enable the export of minerals that are mined and processed in Oman to international

markets at competitive prices.

Kunooz Oman Holding, one of the largest mining companies in Oman, comprises Al Rawas Mining, Mihwar Al Wifaq, Al Rawas Marble and Granite, Salalah Readymix and Al Rawas Transport. Two associate companies of the group are Majan Mining and Carmeuse Majan.

A leading player in mining, quarrying, transportation and construction material sectors in the country plans to float an initial public offering in the first half of 2017. The company has obtained an initial approval to offer at least 25 per cent stake in Kunooz Oman to invest in public through a share offer on the Muscat Securities Market. A successful IPO can improve Kunooz Oman’s access to capital, new mining opportunities both in Oman and internationally,

which is also in line with Oman’s strategy to reduce its dependence on hydrocarbon resources.

The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between SOHAR Port and Freezone, Vale in Oman’s Distribution Centre, and Oman National Investments Development Company ‘TANMIA’, is the first step. The agreement builds on world-class infrastructure already in place in Sohar, currently operated by Vale in Oman to import and export millions of tonnes of iron ore and pellets.

The facilities allow the largest ships in the world, so-called with a capacity of up to 400,000 tonnes each, to be berthed at the port. Vale in Oman recently won the prestigious Best Specialist Dry Bulk Port Award for its Sohar-based terminal, at the International Bulk

Journal Awards in Belgium.

The Omani government has firmly set out its stall in backing tourism as an industry in a move to diversify away from oil and gas for revenue. Over the next five years, there is set to be solid growth in this area as transport infrastructure is improved and the hotel base expands significantly.

Strategic acquisition of eight firms has reinforced the government’s commitment to the industry, and the industry is looking to continue developing attractions and increasing visibility on the world stage. Regional insecurity is a concern; however, Oman has so far been successful in remaining relatively clear of issues.

With a well-trained and wellequipped police force, counterterrorism capability and military, Oman is relatively well-

secured from crime and armed threat. Similarly, increasing capabilities in the cyber security and financial security fields are decreasing Oman’s susceptibility to sophisticated crimes. As a result, Oman is ranked highly in the Middle East and North Africa for its crime and security risks, with a score of 77.8 out of 100 placing it second out of 19 countries in the region.

With the opening of the Oman Convention Centre in Muscat, that in addition to exhibition halls and conference facilities will have four new hotels providing 1,100 new rooms in the capital. Oman will also see significant growth in the hotel sector with over 2,000 new hotel rooms opening in 2016 at destinations all over the country. By 2020 the country hopes to have 20,000 hotel rooms as the

country gears up to rapidly growing demand and visitor numbers to the Sultanate.

Oman’s 2040 strategy has the ambition of ensuring the tourism sector is responsible for 6% of the country’s GDP in the future and in 25 years will employ more than 500,000 people – with 70% of these jobs filled by Omani nationals. The Ministry of Tourism authority predicts up to US $35 billion will be invested in the tourism industry of the Sultanate over the next 25 years. It will come from the private sector as the country plans to double the number of international visitors to five million as part of its new national 2040 Tourism Strategy.

(The writer is the founder and managing director of World Wide Business House)

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46th OMAN NATIONAL DAY Public Prosecution strives to get closer to the society The Public Prosecution continues its judicial march with thoughtful steps toward the successful performance of its message IN ADDITION to the performance of the duties entrusted to it, the Public Prosecution plays its role to keep pace with the steady growth of the Sultanate in various new areas of development and progress of modern mechanisms. During the recent period, it sought to enhance its role in society through channels that touch

societal realities in the Sultanate.

In addition to its clear interest to bring litigation authorities closer to litigants, the Public Prosecution seeks to extend the legal culture to the public and to employ technology to do its work through sophisticated electronic services and appointment of judicial and administrative professionals who

will be able to perform its judicial duties to the fullest.

It also focuses on women and takes into account their internal and external participation through channels benefiting it in future. It also strengthens coordination with all litigation departments to serve litigation procedures. It is also in the process of rehabilitating its staff to cope with the current developments by taking administrative and legal visions as a beacon for them.

The following is a comprehensive vision for the practical reality of the Public Prosecution during the past period, the present and

future vision for the years to come.

Appointment of public prosecutors The judicial cadre of the Public Prosecution represents the important axis in its career; being the part that is tasked with investigating lawsuits. Hence it was important to give this cadre the utmost importance in terms of selection, appointment and qualification. Since the early years of work at the Public Prosecution, it was quick to appoint the best-qualified graduates of law outputs. During the consecutive years, the Public Prosecution has > 10-11 been able to possess

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extensive judicial experiences that reinforced its status and was able to play a pivotal role in the areas of investigation even with the most complex lawsuits.

Women have an unrivalled contribution and a significant role that coincided with the government’s interest in Omani women so that they can perform their role in society together with men.

Therefore, the annual appointment of public prosecutors and their distribution to work in various governorates of the Sultanate was a guarantor of the sustainability of the overall geographic expansion witnessed by the Public Prosecution today.

The number of judicial staff today is 167 members distributed throughout the Sultanate, including 29 judiciary women cadres as well as 26 assistants who are still in the training phase.

Construction of Public Prosecution buildings Due to the geographical distribution of the governorates of the Sultanate and in order to provide them with the government services and within the long term plans for the construction of buildings throughout the Sul-

tanate, the Public Prosecution implemented and opened the following buildings: • The building of the Directorate General of Public Prosecution in North Al Batinah governorate.

• The building of the Directorate General of Public Prosecution in South Al Batinah governorate.

• The building of the Public Prosecution’s Departments Complex at the Airport Heights in Muscat.

• The building of the Directorate General of Public Prosecution in Al Dakhiliyah governorate.

• The building of the Directorate General of Public Prosecution in Dhofar governorate.

• The building of the Department of Public Prosecution in the wilayat of Shinas.

The Public Prosecution’s plans included floating and awarding tenders to implement the following: • Project of the Directorate General of Public Prosecution’s building in Musandam governorate.

• Project of the Public Prosecution’s stores in the wilayat of Al Seeb.

In addition, it floated two tenders for supervision and implementation of the project of the Directorate General of Public Prosecution’s building in Al Buraimi governorate and the Directorate General of Public Prosecution’s building in Al Wusta governorate. In the next plan, the public prosecution seeks to float a tender to implement the building of the Presidency of the Public Prosecution in the wilayat of Bausher as one of its priorities.

Employment of modern technology The Public Prosecution today uses modern technology as a tool for creating a work environment characterised by transparency and quality as well as to ensure the confidentiality of litigation information and for promptness in performance. Through technology, it developed an internal connecting network between the public prosecution departments at various geographical locations and the authority’s building in Al Khuwair.

It also applied electronic investigation to put away the use of traditional investigation systems, as well as the application of internal e-mail correspondence system. Now coordination is going on to implement automated link with all other litigation authorities, in the light of which it started implementing a link with the Royal Oman Police, as well as examining the implementation of lawyers’ system whereby the lawyer could view the documents of lawsuits entrusted to them through this system.

Women judicial cadres Within the annual recruitment plans made through the approval of budgets and financial grades, the hiring of women judicial staff was, and is still, of great interest on an annual basis. In recent years, the Public Prosecution has been able to hire energetic judicial women and reached the best options of graduation outputs, out of its belief in the role of women in society and their essential contribution alongside men. Today, the number of women judicial cadres in the Public Prosecution has

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reached 37 members, including nine heads of Public Prosecution, 11 senior prosecutors and nine prosecutors, besides the qualiďŹ cation of eight assistant prosecutors at the moment.

Focus on training Qualifying for judicial and administrative cadres of the Public Prosecution represents a significant challenge. So over the past years, budgets have been approved to meet the training and qualification needs of human development to enable the qualification and training of these cadres both through internal and external courses and through scholarships in order to complete their post-graduate studies.

Participation in various judicial forums Foreign participations of the Public Prosecution aim to strengthen the bonds of cooperation and coordination between the Public Prosecution in the Sultanate of Oman and various Public Prosecutions and investigation bodies of the GCC, Arab and friendly countries. In this sense, the Public Prosecution is keen to participate in the meetings of the public prosecutors, prosecutors and heads of investigation and public prosecution bodies on an annual basis.

Establishment of specialised Public Prosecution Departments There are specialised lawsuits that appear in the society requiring specialised handling from specialised departments of public prosecution. Within a vision of a meaningful process to perfectly deal with such lawsuits, the Public Prosecution introduced during the recent period a number of specialised departments such as the departments of IT lawsuits, juvenileâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lawsuits, public funds lawsuits, consumer protection lawsuits, labour lawsuits, etc.

Spread legal awareness In the framework of communication with internal events and institutions, the Public Prosecution has contributed to enhancing the dissemination of legal culture through participa-

tion in a number of important events within the country such as Salalah Khareef Festival, Muscat Festival and the legal events at Sultan Qaboos University, as well as the events sponsored by a number of other educational and government institutions. The Public Prosecution issued the Society and La magazine as a media platform aimed at strengthening the legal culture in society.

Prestigious award The Public Prosecution was awarded the best government agency supportive of entrepreneurship for 2015. This award is a tribute to the strenuous efforts made by the Public Prosecution over many years during which it supported small and medium enterprises through projects carried out by the Public Prosecution.

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Royal Oman Police â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Great achievements and arduous efforts

Royal Oman Police (ROP) has achieved its goals in preserving security and stability as an environment incubator for the sustainable development of the society. Thanks to the continued support and guidance of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the Supreme Commander (May Allah protect him), who devotes great attention to this institution

Police modern establishments The General Command of the police dedicates all human and material potentials to build modern police based on strategic and sound practical planning capable of keeping abreast with the developments, changes and the emerging security phenomena that our world witnesses today.

Many police establishments have been inaugurated this year, as geographic command buildings have been opened in Rustaq and Nizwa, as well as, a number of police stations in Mudhaibi, Salalah, Bahla, Saham and Sohar port. In addition to opening three buildings for police services in Masirah, Mudhaibi and Saham, police plan to provide one-stop services whereby the service applicant can complete all of their transactions in the areas of trafďŹ c, passports, residence, and civil status easily.

These buildings have been equipped with state-of-the-art communication devices and com-

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puters, to facilitate the efficient completion of transactions.

This year, also, witnessed the opening of a residential complex in Al Kamil Wa Al Wafi police station, apart from opening buildings for the special task units in Liwa, Ibra, Quriyat and Ibri, and work is still underway to open many other police establishments throughout the Sultanate.

Training and qualification ROP pays great attention to training and qualification. Members of the police receive basic training on joining the police institution, in Sultan Qaboos Academy for Police Sciences and other training centres, then they join training courses while on duty in various work sites.

Sultan Qaboos Academy for Police Sciences undertakes to prepare trained cadres for joining fieldwork in ROP. Its role is not only limited to practical training, but also includes scientific qualification. ROP has launched the new officer’s institute premises in Al Wattayah, with the view to accommodate the growing number of trainees, fulfil the needs of current and future training requirements, and serve all the Royal Oman Police formations.

Electronic services ROP offers a wide range of services through its websites. The smartphone mobile application

project has made it possible to renew vehicle registration using the police mobile app installed in smartphones.

The mobile app can also be used for enquiry and payment of traffic fines, contacting the central police operations room (9999), and spotting the nearest police station, as well as, finding out the police stations’ numbers sorted by governorate and in alphabetical order, in addition to providing answers to the frequently asked questions, and the other services that benefit citizens and residents.

ROP launched the use of handheld devices during the Traffic Safety Expo held this year in the Directorate General of Traffic, which enable traffic patrols to issue traffic tickets and print them on spot, in addition to verifying the vehicles and the drivers’ data to establish the occurrence of the terrific violation and the circulars issued against the drivers.

Furthermore, ROP offers, through its website, the services of lost documents enquiry, online smart visa application, besides a bunch of electronic services such as the sponsored and unsponsored visas like the tourist visa, and customs clearance services, the single window portal, (BAYAN) as a part of the custom services computerisation project, which enables importers / exporters (or author-

ised agents) to get a permit for the goods and cargo clearance with the Directorate General of Customs and conduct the various customs data through an integrated service portal ie. (www. customs.gov.om).

ROP has installed integrated computerised system in the police stations to computerise the work of the police centres affiliated to every police command.

This system has also been linked to the Public Prosecution system so that the case files can be electronically transferred.

Excellence awards in the area of e-services Royal Oman Police is considered the most digitally developed governmental body in the Sultanate, which entitled it to obtain many awards, both on the local and the regional levels. ROP has received the award of the best government service provider over the phone at the Arab level in the security and safety sector, during the World Government Summit conference, held on February 10, 2016, in Dubai city, United Arab Emirates. This award comes in addition to the award of the Best Joint National Project for the individual hub and the Civil Number Centralisation Project in transactions in the Sultanate of Oman, in the GCC > page 14-15

Oman is also one of the oldest human-inhabited places on the planet. It is estimated that humans have been living in the country for at least 106,000 years.

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46th OMAN NATIONAL DAY E-Government Award Conference and Exhibition 2015, held in the Kingdom of Bahrain. That year also witnessed the Royal Oman Police receipt of the Best Integrated e-Service Award for the electronic connectivity project with the United Arab Emirates during the 20th Middle East Smart Government and Smart eServices Excellence Awards held in Dubai, UAE, in addition to two Sultan Qaboos Awards for Excellence in e-services in 2014.

In 2012, ROP won two awards, at Sultan Qaboos Awards for Excellence in e-Government in Muscat.

In 2010, the ROP claimed the Best e-Government Service Provider award for the e-payment of traffic fines at Sultan Qaboos Awards for Excellence in e-Government.

ROP also obtained the UN excellence award of Service Delivery Improvement in the civil status system category in 2009, as well as, two Sultan Qaboos Awards for Excellence in e-Government.

Reduction in crime rates Last year witnessed the success of forensic work, particularly in the area of reducing the rates of significant crime, including, to name a few, theft, robbery and the attempt thereof; which clearly reflects the efficiency and effectiveness of the exerted efforts aiming at laying the foundations of security and safety throughout the country, in order to preserve the national resources and safeguard its achievements with a view to realise the best results in the coming years.

Despite the population increase resulting from economic expansion and recruiting large numbers of expatriate employment, crime rates remained low in comparison to the international rates. Most of the crimes committed in the Sultanate ranges between theft, lost items - usually out of carelessness and negligence, petty assaults, quarrels, issuance of bad cheques, and the crimes of deception and fraud.

Narcotic and psychotropic substances control ROP exercises outstanding efforts to combat the narcotic problem and arrest smugglers, dealers, or users thereof, and try to reduce its human and material damage to the community.

To that effect, ROP has established branches of the Directorate General of Narcotic and Psychotropic substances control in all governorates to track narcotic and

psychotropic substance crimes and those who are involved in them i.e., drug dealers, users, and smugglers, as well as, considering legal actions against them in coop-

eration with the other authorities concerned, which contributed to increasing the detection of drugrelated crimes, such as smuggling, drug dealings and drug use.

Monitoring Omani coasts and preventing smuggling To secure the coasts and prevent smuggling and infiltration, the Coast Guard Command was supplied with modern boats within the framework of the ROP fleet modernisation and development plan, which enables it to combat smuggling and infiltration across the Omani territorial waters. On the other hand, the Coast Guard Command was provided with speedboats properly equipped for the Omani coasts surveillance, prevent smuggling, and help stranded fishermen. The new premises of the Coast Guard Police command project, which is being implemented in Sidab, Muscat Governorate, is considered one the most important projects for developing the Coast Guard work in the Sultanate.

ROP recently developed the Port Security Directorate to preserve the safety and security of maritime shipping lines and ports and

established centres for the Police Coast Guard all over the industrial, commercial and fishing ports along the Omani coastline for the purposes of extending security coverage and surveillance.

Police aviation ROP strengthened the role of the Directorate General of Police Aviation, which assign different formations related to the performance of its tasks. They are patrolling to monitor the Sultanate coastline and the vessels crossing the Omani territorial water, tracking the suspected boats within the territorial sea of Oman, and transporting the police forces, crime scene investigation teams, and medical teams to remote locations with difficult terrain in criminal cases. The helicopter hangar of the Directorate General of the Police Aviation was also inaugurated this year.

Traffic safety Statistics indicate a decline in

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traffic accidents mortality by 48%, injuries by 14%, and accidents by 26%, in comparison to 2012 for the third year in a row.

This comes as a result of Royal Oman Police efforts to reduce traffic accidents, as traffic safety aspects in the Sultanate are considered, the procedures taken by the authorities concerned in the area of traffic safety are assessed, and the best practices are identiďŹ ed to ensure the enhancement of traffic safety in the short, medium and long term.

This is in addition to promoting the national efforts aiming at reducing deaths and injuries resulting from road accidents, as well as, the services, procedures, and mechanisms that need further development to address the shortcomings that may overtake the institutional management of traffic safety in the Sultanate.

Moreover, the efforts exerted by all community segments play a signiďŹ cant role in reducing the accident and death ratio.

Customs services During April 2016, the Directorate General of Customs has launched

The Directorate General of Customs, affiliated to the Royal Oman Police, also launched a project for computerising customs procedures/processes and the single electronic window system (BAYAN) in Sohar Industrial Port, Muscat International Airport and Salalah Airport

the Automatic Transfer System of customs duties among the GCC countries in order to enhance customs services, facilitate the procedures and cargo customs clearance, as well as making use of the modern electronic technologies in supporting the trade exchange movement.

The Directorate General of Customs, affiliated to the Royal Oman Police, also launched a project for computerising customs procedures/processes and the single electronic window system (BAYAN) in Sohar Industrial Port, Muscat International Airport and Salalah Airport, as well as, in a number of customs points all over the Sultanate.

Health care provided to police members Efforts are underway to establish the new Royal Oman Police Hospital at the Airport Heights area, within the framework of the ROP General Command aspiring to develop medical services offered to the members of the police and their families.

ROP provides healthcare and therapeutic services to ROP

members and their families through ROP Hospital and the affiliated clinics in Sultan Qaboos Academy for Police Sciences, the special tasks units and the mobile hospital. The emergency building of the police hospital was established to treat emergency cases and is supplied with a room for simple / urgent surgical operations, to establish a good level of health care.

Awareness and guidance ROP communicates with the public through media i.e. through a number of radio / television programmes, media councils, and Al-Ain Assahira periodical issued along with Al-Shurti Al-Saghir supplement for kids. ROP focuses on the direct communication between the concerned formations and the public to introduce the security and humanitarian services provided to the citizens and the residents in the Sultanate.

This is in addition to providing useful security information / tips on the prevention of crime and the different accidents, through lectures, seminars and exhibitions.

Muscat Clock Tower is the oldest monument in modern Oman.

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Social development and welfare programmes at the forefront

P

roceeding from its principle, the Ministry of Social Development seeks to map out the future concerning the realisation of sustainable development in accordance with the social development concept, which aims at enhancing the effectiveness and improving the various social development and welfare programmes/activities intended to provide prosperity and stability to citizens who are the principal driver of comprehensive development. Moreover, the ministry also works on developing and updating performance in its structure, extrapolating into the future, and keeping pace with the progress and the cultural growth that the Sultanate currently witnesses on different levels, which casted on it an innovated methodology and model. Hence, the ministry pursues its efforts to develop the roles of the different aspects, particularly the social, development, welfare, and family aspects in the full sense. This is in addition to the community and voluntary efforts that contribute to the enhancement of social work.

Social security The social security and assistance sector aims at improving the living standards of the needy families and supplying the social security families with quality services, as well as, enabling them to enjoy an adequate standard of living through monthly payments disbursed to those with no sufficient income and no breadwinner capable of supporting them.

Beneficiary groups of the social security services include orphans, widows, divorced women, disabled, single girls, and prisoners’ families. The number of social security cases until the end of the second quarter of this year reached 83,140 cases. These cases received an amount of OMR37,993,515, where 8,134 social security cases in Muscat governorate received OMR3,390,528; 5,725 cases in Dhofar governorate received OMR2,191,158; 1,356 cases in Musandam governorate received an amount of OMR671,954. In addition, the social security cases in Al Buraimi governorate reached 3,547 and received OMR1,824,155; 8,866 cases in Al Dakhiliyah governorate

the abandoned respectively.

received OMR3,719,119; 21,143 cases in Al Batinah North governorate received OMR10,288,739; the number of social security cases in Al Batinah South governorate amounted to 8,952 and received OMR4,002,526; 9,272 cases in Al Sharqiyah South governorate to which an amount of OMR4,395,475 was disbursed; 8,075 cases in Al Sharqiyah North governorate received OMR3,730,301; 6,221 cases in Al Dhahirah governorate received

an amount of OMR2,879,623, and 1,849 cases in Al Wusta governorate received OMR899,937.

It should be noted that the groups which benefitted the most from the social security pension is the elderly group as it constitutes 40% of the total number of cases, and received 41.2% of payments, followed by the divorced group which represent 14.3% of the total cases in the Sultanate, then the groups of widows, orphans, single girls, the families of prisoners, and

Juvenile welfare Juveniles are just like a little plant that need a constant care and attention as neglecting them may lead to their delinquency, which could negatively affect their life and future.

In this sense, the Ministry of Social Development represented in the juveniles’ sector, seeks to provide juveniles with adequate social welfare and legal protection through the enforcement of the juvenile accountability law in coordination with the authorities concerned, in addition to securing the needs of the juveniles placed in reformatories and juveniles guidance homes through supplying them with health, educational, rehabilitation, psychological, and sports services/care.

The number of juveniles registered during the first quarter of this year was 86, most of them were males, around 90.6% of the total number of cases. Moreover, the majority of cases are based in the governorates of Al Batinah South, Al Batinah North and Al Dakhiliyah where the total num-

ber of juveniles reached 39 cases, while the governorate of Dhofar registered the minimum number of only two cases registered, whereas, the governorates of Al Wusta and Musandam registered no cases of juveniles delinquents or juveniles at the risk of delinquency.

Social welfare house in Al Rustaq This house shelters the elderly and the disabled who have no breadwinner among their relatives to take care of them, serve them, and fulfil their basic living and social needs. The number of guests until the end of the second quarter was 36 out of which 31 males accounting for 86.1% of the house guests and five females accounting for 13.9% of the total number of the house guests.

The disabled welfare and rehabilitation There is a broad range of different social programmes and services dedicated for the disabled, who seek to enable and rehabilitate such cases with the view to enhance their self-reliance in

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46th OMAN NATIONAL DAY ies concerned when needed. The total number of children exposed to abuse who were handled by the child protection committee until the end of June 2016 were 103 children, 57 of whom were males while 46 were females.

managing their daily lives. The Vocational Evaluation and Rehabilitation Centre provides welfare and rehabilitation services for persons with mental disabilities whose cases are eligible for vocational rehabilitation. Those persons are admitted to the centre after they undergo an evaluation process, and then the appropriate vocational programme would be chosen for them based on the evaluation indicators and results of each case.

The number of cases enrolled in the centre’s programme till the end of June 2016 reached 50 cases, 31 males and 19 females where males constitute 62% while females constitute 38% of the total number of the enrolled persons.

Al Aman Rehabilitation Centre offers the disabled persons who are enrolled therein a number of social, health, rehabilitative, psychological, and therapeutic services, as well as, residential and day care, along with a bunch of awareness raising activities aiming at introducing the community with the disability issues, ways of dealing with the disabled persons and integrating them in the community. The number of people with disabilities who were enrolled in the centre by the end of the second quarter of 2016 was 279 people, out of which 162 were below the age of 15 and 117 people were above the age of 15.

Al Wafa Rehabilitation Centres for Children with Disabilities Al Wafa Rehabilitation Centres for Children with Disabilities with 26 branches across the Sultanate, aim at offering welfare to children with disabilities between the ages of 2 and 14 of both sexes; they receive children

who suffer from mental, aural, visual, and motor disabilities among others.

These centres offer a bunch of rehabilitative and training programmes, which seek to empower the enrolled children and integrate them in society. The number of children registered in the said centres until the end of the second quarter is 2,053 children, 1,130 of whom are males, i.e. 55% of the enrolled children and 923 females i.e. around 44.9% of the total number of the enrolled children. Furthermore, 50.7% of the children enrolled suffer from mental and motor disabilities which amounts to 1,042 male/female children.

Family protection The community in general and the relevant bodies in particular are responsible for protecting all members of the family.

Since some families face social problems such as (preventing women from getting married or domestic violence etc.), the ministry has devoted much attention to this aspect through adopting policies and procedures to limit the occurrence of such problems and provide safe protection in line with the values, rights, stability and cohesion of the family.

Thus, the number of women prevented from marriage at the end of the second quarter decreased to 14 cases only, such cases were handled according to defined mechanisms in the way that ensures legal rights and confidentiality.

The free service telephone line number (1100) was dedicated to child protection, as it receives calls either from the child or from others reporting the child’s exposure to violence, abuse, or danger. It also offers the services of guidance and referral to the bod-

Family counselling and guidance The Family Counselling and Guidance Department with its various sections provide family counselling and guidance services either through guidance interviews or through family counselling services over the phone, where calls from citizens - who seek advice on their psychological, social, and economic problems - are received and considered, also citizens are assisted to find proper solutions to their problems and directed to the available services and programmes. The number of cases who benefited from these services till the end of the second quarter was 613 cases. Family counselling and guidance services in the ministry are being supplied through the free family counselling and guidance telephone line number 80077788 from 10am to 1pm.

Childhood Welfare Centre The ministry represented by the Childhood Welfare Centre provides welfare to children who were deprived from the natural family care due to certain social circumstances, as it offers them comprehensive residential and living welfare, as well as, educational, social, cultural, and recreational programmes.

The number of children enrolled in the Childhood Welfare Centre until the end of the second quarter of 2016 was 143 children, 103 of whom were males and 40 were females, whereas the number of the children registered in the basic education stages was 94 students, 60 of whom were males and 34 were females.

On the other hand, the number of fostered children reached 336 cases by the end of the second quarter of 2016. The authorities concerned in the ministry conduct the necessary social researches on the families willing to foster the child, guarantee sound upbringing and decent life for them in accordance with the terms stipulated in the regulation organising the fostering process.

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