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Founded 1975 . Volume 41 No. | Pages . Baisas 200 . Subscription OMR63 | ISO 9001:2008 Certifi ed Company | Chairman/Editor-in-Chief: Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali | Printed & Published by Muscat Media Group
085010 1200106
BABA [email protected]
MUSCAT: Real estate giants in the Sultanate have called for gov-ernment policy to improve expat property buying in order to boost the sector, attract more tourists and investors and help the coun-try battle the oil price slump.
Expatriates are allowed to buy properties for residential or investment purposes at the Integrated Tourism Complexes (ITCs) licenced by the govern-ment agencies, which is subject to the approval of the Ministry of Housing.
“Most of the foreign buyers face diffi culties in getting the neces-sary paper work done especially when they apply for the visas of residency. Many things are not clear at various government au-thorities,” Hatim Ali, CEO of The Wave Homes told Times of Oman.
“Some foreigners are reluctant. They don’t see the legal frame-work to be complete. Although Oman is safe but investors with big money want to see a clear framework of buying, responsi-bilities and obligations which has not yet done.”
The real estate experts say the attempts to open up Oman’s rea-
sonably priced real estate homes to expatriates would also mean attracting buyers who are no longer able to aff ord in other ex-pensive GCC countries.
“But there are other diffi culties too,” explained the top offi cial of Wave Homes - a property man-agement company.
“In other GCC countries, on
an expat’s Identity Card, they put the title as ‘investor’ once an expat buys a property. Oman doesn’t give that title. The gov-ernment uses the word ‘Owner’, which gives the expats great trouble when they travel to other GCC countries,” Ali said, adding, “When they go to Dubai, Qatar or Abu Dhabi, they are not seen or categorised as investors. So they [expats] always have problems in getting visas when they want to travel to these countries, although some of expats are making invest-ment in millions. Otherwise, the process of buying properties in Oman is very simple.”
However, Saleh S. Al Siyabi, The Wave’s senior manager for sales and leasing, says that there is no collective agreement in GCC countries for allowing “property owners” to move freely in the GCC region.
“The one which Oman gives is a residency visa. It’s not a work visa. This should be clear,” he told TOO.
He added: “The agreement between the GCC countries al-lows the managers - who actu-ally work in the GCC nations - to enter these countries. And vice versa, people who invest in buy-ing a property as “Owners”, there is no collective agreement in the GCC countries. But these are two diff erent laws. Residency visa has nothing do with the work visa,” he explained.
Offi cials of the Ministry of Housing say the process of grant-ing “residence visa” to expats goes according to the procedures.>A8
April 14, 2016 6 Rajab 1437 AH
THURSDAY
45 40
MORNING MINUTE
To Sheikhs and Dignitaries of Dhofar at the conclusion of His Majesty’s Meet-the-People Tour of the country, 1995
FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTYTHE SULTAN
When it rains, it begins in small drops and then it pours. It is the same with material benefi t. What you should be doing is to enlighten your children on these matters so that they can feel responsibility towards themselves and towards serving their country.
‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’
HM sendscondolences
MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of condolences to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the death of Princess Sara bint Saud Al Kabeer. In his ca-ble, His Majesty the Sultan has expressed his sincere condo-lences and sympathy, praying to Allah the Almighty to rest the deceased’s soul in peace and grant her family patience. -ONA
S A U D I A R A B I A
A MIX OF CURIOSITY AND EXCITEMENTStudents rose to the challenge and answered the right mix of questions posed by quiz
master Lloyd Saldanha at Times of Oman Inter School Quiz Contest (TOOISQC) at the Indian
School Ghubra. >A4
Calls to help boost expat property salesExpats face problems in owning properties
in Oman, reducing investment opportunities
OMANAmazing picture
1This photograph shows the stark contrast of the blue sky and turquoise sea. >A7
OMANVishu celebration
2Keralites living in Oman are all set to celebrate Vishu on Thursday. >A8
MARKETSohar water plant
3OPWP signed a OMR100 million agreement with a consortium.>B1
T O P T H R E E I N S I D E S T O R I E S
A6‘Oman one of the most beautiful countries’
HM’s return to Oman welcomed by peopleFAHAD AL GHADANI [email protected]
MUSCAT: Welcoming His Maj-esty Sultan Qaboos bin Said’s return to Oman after the routine medical checkups in Germany, Ahmed Al Hooti, a member of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) said that may the Almighty Allah grant him good health, happiness and a long life, with great joy.
“The news pushes us to build this country as planned and started by His Majesty the Sul-tan in 1970. The private sector is one of the basic pillars of devel-opment, be it on the economic side represented by the develop-ment of commerce, industry, ag-riculture, tourism and economy in general or the social side, rep-resented by the development of human resources as described by His Majesty,” he said.
Al Hooti extended his heart-
felt greetings and the greetings of the members of the OCCI board and OCCI branches in the various governorates and the private sector on the blessed oc-casion of the return of His Maj-esty the Sultan, praying to the Almighty Allah to protect him and preserve the stability and security of Oman under his wise leadership.
Mohammed Al Kindi, a Majlis Al Shura member thanked the Al-mighty Allah on the return of His Majesty the Sultan to his beloved country.
Praising the wise and vision-ary leadership of His Majesty the Sultan, Al Kindi said His Majesty has brought a sea-change in the lives of people in Oman.
The country and its people are indebted to this great leader and we pray to the Almighty to grant him a long life to serve the coun-try and usher in more develop-ment, he added. >A7
M E D I C A L C H E C K U P S
There are restrictions
on expatriates buying
properties for residential
or investment purposes
and they have to face
many hurdles at various
levels in Oman
Users miss free calls on Snapchat
Times News Service
MUSCAT: Popular video and photo-sharing app Snapchat created a lot of excitement among its users when it an-nounced free call feature for its users in the last week of March.
This excitement, however, was short-lived as users could not make or receive calls a few days after the launch.
Many have been left won-dering if the feature will ever become functional in Oman, where several free calling apps are blocked.
Until now, there has been no offi cial word in this regard.
Snapchat users in Oman shared their frustration with the Times of Oman, with many of them saying they wanted to use the free calling fea-ture to talk to friends in other countries.
Snapchat introduced its 2.0 version, where users can voice and video chat with the touch of screen. >A7
C O M M U N I C A T I O N
Omantel’s revenue grows to OMR135mTimes News Service
MUSCAT: Oman Telecommu-nications Company (Omantel), the Sultanate’s biggest telecom service provider, on Wednesday said that its group revenue for the fi rst quarter of 2016 grew 4.7 per cent to OMR135.5 million from OMR129.4 million for the same period last year.
The group net profi t was OMR34.8 million for the fi rst quarter of this year compared to OMR34.6 million in 2015, an in-crease of 0.6 per cent, according to a company release.
The net profi t is propelled by strong domestic performance, which witnessed an impressive revenue growth of 5 per cent contributed mainly by revenues from Fixed and Mobile broad-band services and submarine capacity sales.
Cost of sales increased by 8.4 per cent, while operating expens-es recorded a fall of 3.5 per cent compared to the corresponding period.
The company’s earnings be-fore interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) stood higher at OMR70.4 mil-lion for the fi rst quarter of 2016, against OMR65.1 million for the same period of last year.
The results are preliminary and unaudited and subject to ap-proval of the board.
The fi nal results will be re-leased after the approval of the board of directors meet-ing, which is scheduled on May 12, 2016.
F I R S T Q U A R T E R
A2 T H U R S DAY, A P R I L 1 4 , 2 0 1 6
OMAN
Multiple pacts signed in 2015 to boost Oman’s defence capabilitiesTimes News Service
MUSCAT: Oman has enhanced its security and defence capabilities in 2015 with a string of deals with international companies.
The Omani Authority for Part-nership for Development (OAP-FD) recently signed fi ve Part-nership for Development (PFD) agreements with foreign compa-
nies in 2015. In a statement to Times of Oman, an offi cial of OAP-FD said that the purpose of the agreements is to assure that these companies are aware of the Royal Decree and they will apply PFD programme.
“The PFD programme aims to achieve the objectives of the au-thority which are to diversify the national economy, enhance the
military and security capabilities, strengthen the private sector and promote human resource develop-ment and knowledge transfer in Oman,” it said.
The fi rst agreement was signed with USA Company Raytheon, a major defence contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing in weapons and military and commercial electron-
ics. The second agreement was with the Finnish company Marine Alutech, a leading designer and manufacturer of fast patrol boats in Northern Europe.
In the recent months OAPFD has signed agreements with two more US companies; Bell Heli-copters Textron Inc., a leader in aircraft industry and Lockheed Martin International, one of the
world’s premier companies in the aerospace, defence, security and technology industry.
The fi fth PFD Agreement was signed with the Turkish Company, FNSS Savunma Sistemleri A.S., a leading manufacturer and suppli-er of tracked and wheeled armored combat vehicles and weapon systems.
The fi ve companies have ex-
pressed full readiness to cooperate with OAPFD to support and con-solidate the strategic, economic coperation.
The Board of Trustees of the Omani Authority for Partnership for Development (OAPFD) held its fi rst meeting in 2016 under the Chairmanship of Dr. Ali bin Ma-soud bin Ali Al Sunaidy, the Minis-ter of Commerce and Industry.
E N H A N C I N G C A P A B I L I T I E S
Oman Air celebrates new fl ight
Times News Service
MUSCAT: Business leaders, Omani journalists and senior managers from Oman Air gath-ered in London to celebrate the launch of the airline’s second daily, non-stop and direct ser-vice between Muscat and Lon-don’s Heathrow airport.
The fi rst fl ight of the new service took off on Tuesday, with more than 200 passen-gers. That evening Oman Air’s Chief Executive Offi cer (CEO), Paul Gregorowitsch, hosted a celebratory dinner at a London restaurant. Guests included Ab-dulaziz bin Abdullah bin Zahir Al Hinai, ambassador of Oman, John Holland-Kaye, CEO of London Heathrow Airport, and senior fi gures from UK travel trade. Customers were invited to join in, as Oman Air unveiled a special off er for passengers travelling between Muscat and London. From April 12 to 25, free wi-fi connectivity will be available in the First, Busi-ness and Economy Classes. Premium passengers—those in the First and Business Classes, and Gold members of the air-line’s Sindbad frequent fl iers programme—can enjoy two hours/100 megabits per second (Mbps) of free connectivity.
M U S C A T - L O N D O N
On behalf of Oman Air, I am delighted to be joined by so many frequent fl yers already to celebrate the launch of our new service between Muscat and London
Paul Gregorowitsch, Oman Air CEO
DRIVE SLOWER LIVE LONGER
A3
OMANT H U R S DAY, A P R I L 14 , 2 0 1 6
Share your
world with us
on Instagram
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TRA programme to help buyers spot fake mobile devicesERIK [email protected]
MUSCAT: Consumers in Oman who are buying a mobile phone can now make sure if the product on off er is genuine or fake.
The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) on Wednesday launched a new au-tomated programme that enables consumers to identify fake mobile devices, including tablets and mo-bile phones.
The programme is part of a cam-paign to inform consumers about the risks they are taking while buy-ing fake devices. Hilal Al Siyabi, media and events manager at TRA said the increasing problem of fake
devices in Oman calls for action.“This campaign comes at a time
when the counterfeit phone phe-nomenon is witnessing a signifi -cant increase, along with a rise in consumers’ complaints on lower quality and a shorter lifespan of their phones. To combat this, TRA has contacted the GSM associa-tion to develop technical solutions to reduce counterfeit phones in the local market.”
Verify before you buyAl Siyabi said inspection teams of TRA have received “thousands of reports in the last few years” about fake devices emerging on the mar-ket in Oman.
The new programme, based on
the slogan “Verify before you buy,” enables consumers to check if the phone they want to buy is genuine or a counterfeit copy.
By sending the 15-digit IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number on the prod-uct’s box to 80566, the system will check if the phone is registered in the database of the GSM Associa-tion (GSMA, a body representing the interests of mobile operators worldwide).
If the phone is registered, it’s real. If it’s not, it is fake.
“In case it’s fake, we will urge the consumers to not buy it. Now, the consumer is the decision maker,” Al Siyabi said. He said it’s not only shops that are selling fake devices,
but also unregistered sellers.According to TRA, consum-
ers risk their health by using a fake phone, which are often of bad quality.
Health hazard“As the phones are not properly tested, there might be radiation coming from the devices, which might be a health hazard. The life cycle of these devices is very short compared with the genuine ones. Also, fake phones might aff ect the quality of service of the operator,” said Ibrahim Al Ma’awali, senior specialist at TRA.
Al Ma’awali said the programme also works on a roaming network, which is useful if someone from
Oman is buying a phone abroad. However, the system currently only works with Omantel and Ooredoo subscribers.
He said it will be enabled for other operators “shortly.”
TRA name stampIn order for consumers to discern an original phone from a counter-feit phone, TRA has further ad-vised consumers to purchase their phones from authorised dealers as these dealers go through TRA approval procedures when they import devices into the Sultanate. Such devices are also marked with the TRA name stamp, and consum-er should look for this stamp before proceeding with their purchase.
Other ways to know if the new phone is genuine or a counterfeit, is the price, which is often much lower than the genuine equivalent. If the packaging of the phone does not correspond with the phone’s logo and screen, it is an indication that the phone is fake. If the phone is sold without warranty, it is likely that the device is counterfeit. All manufacturers off er a warranty of a minimum of one year.
ComplaintsConsumers who discover a fake phone while shopping, can report this to TRA by calling its service centre at 800 000 00 or sending a complaint through TRA’s website: www.tra.gov.om
I N I T I A T I V E
Forum for disabled children
Times News Service
MUSCAT: Wadi Kalbooh team under the supervision of the Nizwa Club-Ministry of Sport Aff airs, holds a number of fun events and activities annually for children with special needs in cooperation with the Al Wafa Social Centres for physically challenged children in the Al-Dhakhliya Governorate.
This year, the team intends to organise the 4th Al Wafa Forum from May 22 to 26.
The forum will aim to involve children from Al Wafa centres in activities, competitions and fi eld trips, and integrate them into the community, along with their peers.
This event will be offi cially organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Aff airs to promote eff ective cooperation, awareness and support diff erent parties in the public for children with special needs.
A L W A F A
T I M E S O F O M A NT H U R S DAY, A P R I L 1 4 , 2 0 1 6
Staff Reporter
MUSCAT: Curiosity and excite-ment were seen on the faces of students, who participated in the fourth qualifi er of the Times of Oman Inter School Quiz Con-test (TOOISQC) at the Indian School Ghubra.
Students rose to the challenge and answered the right mix of audio, visual and direct questions posed by quiz master Lloyd Saldanha here on Wednesday.
More than 400 students in two categories –junior and senior—from the Indian School Ghubra and Mabella competed with eagerness to make it to the next round of the Times inter-school quiz.
About 219 teams, 191 from Ghu-bra and 28 from the Mabella School participated in the fourth qualifi er.
The qualifi er was an easy task for Edhil, who is participating in the junior category of the Times quiz for the second consecutive time.
“Today, I found the preliminary round easier and I think my team can easily qualify for the next round as we got 18 questions right,” Edhil, a class seven student said.
“It was a quiet easy but questions about identifying the fl ag was a lit-tle bit diffi cult,” said Prathyaksh, a student of Mabella School, who has participated in the mega-prelims four times.
“I hope I can repeat what I did in the previous years,” he added.
Junior contests grew louder with joy when the quiz master asserted the answers to the questions.
Questions ranged from who’s who, currency, movies, places and inventions to sports and cartoons.
According to the Vice Principal of the Ghubra School, the Times of Oman quiz has given lot of new thoughts and inputs to the students.
“It’s not a traditional quiz com-petition; It is not easy to qualify for the next round with the knowledge that we can get from some books; participants should have a good knowledge of the current aff airs also should have a good observation about the entire world,” G Sree Ku-mar, the vice principal said.
“This makes Times of Oman’s
interschool quiz special and this is a rich learning experience for our children,” he added.
According to a senior contestant, the questions were bit tougher than the previous years.
“It was a bit diffi cult, even though I think we can qualify to the next round,” said Saidev, a class 9 stu-dent of the Ghubra School.
Teams from 20 schools are par-ticipating in the quiz contest while the top 12 schools will clash in the fi nal on April 21 at the City Am-phitheatre. The mega prelims will be held on April 19 at the Indian School Ghubra.
The winning school will lift the Essa bin Mohammed Al Zedjali Rolling Trophy for their school.
T I M E S O F O M A NA4
OMAN
ISG HOSTS QUIZ CONTESTANTSMore than 400
students from
the Indian School
Ghubra and Mabela
competed with
eagerness to make
it to the next round
of the Times inter-
school quiz
T I M E S O F O M A N T H U R S DAY, A P R I L 14 , 2 0 1 6T I M E S O F O M A N A5
TEAM NAME PARTICIPANT 1 PARTICIPANT 2
THE ROUNDY FREAKS LUKSHYA GANJU ABHIRAM SAI ANIL BABU
KWIZ KATS AYAAN ARSHAD NADAMAL ANANDITHA SUNIL
DHA 2 MADHAV MENON DHANANJAI MURALI
ISG - ALL ROUNDERS SUBODH SATISH DALVI MOHAMMED ZEESHAN S
ANONYMOUS NOEL M MANIL MICHEAL
DECIMATERS RYAN SAJI MATHEWS NADIR NISAR AHMED
INFINITY +1 SHAIKH MOHAMMED RIFAT BRYAN THOMAS
QUIZ MANIACS SANCHIT SETHI RISHABH DHAVALE
LEZ QUIZZERABLES ADITYA HARISH SHUBHAN BHAN
THE COOL BUT NOT FOOL GUYS KURIVILLA JACOB VIVEK A
MASTERMINDS PARTH NITHIN RANADE PRANAV RANJIT NAIR
LEGENDARY QUIZ WIZARDS ADITYA SHARMA PRANSHU DASGUPTA
QUIZ QUIZZERS REHAN AGRAWAL VIJAY RAJENDRAN
DOUBLE R BRAINS RISHABH SHANKAR DHAVAN RAHUL DEEPAK VAKVANI
YOUNG MINDS ANIRUDH RAMJI ATHARVA AITWADE
GAMERS ONLINE ! RHYS ABRAHAM ISAAC GOKUL NAIR
THINKING MASTERS OF ISG GARRY P ROY ARAVIND S
QUIZZICALLY CURIOUS AKHIL NAIR SANJEY SURESH
361 INTELLIGENCE PRANAV VENUGOPAL S PRAKATISHWARAN
FREE THINKERS ANGADH P.S. NAKUL M.
BRAIN MASTERS ABRAM ROY THOMAS ATUL B. NAIR
QUIZZERS UNITED AKIEL AREEF SAMPATH KUMAR KORADA
BRAIN BOOSTERS UDAY PISHARODY PRANAV SUBRAMANIAN
BRAIN BUSTERS ADVAIT S. MENON ALWIN K JOSE
MR FRUITS AYAAN SAMEER NEEL NARAYAN
THE BRAINSTORMERS JEREMY JACOB JOHN HERSCHELLE MATHEW
WIKI GIRLS FAIZA REZA ALISHA AMJAD
ISG ACERS THANA AYSHA ISHAAN MOHAMED
INVICTUS ARPIT DWIVEDI SHRWYN MANOHAR
SPARTANS RUPSHA DEBNATH ADITYA MANJUSHA SHAILESH
STRAIGHT OUTTA ISG TEJAS SASIKUMAR SAURABH PUJARI
QUIZZARDS ANISH KUMAR BADRI ARCHIT SUDHEENDRA
LES QUIZERABLES SARTHAK SHASTRI JANAINAH ANAM
19/26 ADARSH VARGHESE MATHEW ARVINDAKSHN RAJESH
THE Q TEAM YASHASVA SWAPANK BAFNA ANIRUDH GOVIL
QUIZARDS VARUN SURESH ANIRUDH MENON
MEN OF STEEL MRITHUNJAY RATNAM SHUSHRUTH SUDHIR URWA
QUIZ TITANS VIGNESH SANKER KEVIN REJI
THE SKYSTORMERS ADITYA SACHIN KAMAT MIUSTAFA DOHADWALA
BALO TELE TUBBIES SRIVATHS MAHADEVAN ASHWIN SANKER
COOL WIZARDS ISAAC P. JACOB SAKSHI M. PAI
SR QUIZZERS SOHAM SHYAM GAIKWAAD MUHAMMED RIZWAN
LIFE HACKERS PRATYAKSH DHANDE PREETHAM PERIYAL MANJULA
THE WIKIPEDIA ANUSHA SYED SHAZIA IFATH
IQ ALIENS ANANDHARKRISHNAN A S MONISH
TEAM VIDYA GAYATHRI M . KURUP SNEHA SARA ELIAS
QUIZZLY GIRLS NUZHA RAZIA DIKKSHA V.
QUIZ BRAINZ SUBAKARAN SAI PRASANNA NAKSHATHRA KURUD
LITTLE STARS ANAAN NOOR SANA SEBASTIAN
QUIZ BUZZERS CHRISTINE VARGHESE SNEHA BHANDARI
Y2 AJ JEBIKSON AKSHAJ
CLASH OF QUIZZERS RISHITH SURESH NATHAN NAVEEN
THE SUOER QUIZZERS SADAF CHOUHAN RANYA KHAN
I.S.A.M. BOYS JASON PINTO HARISH G. HARI
QUIZARDS LAZIM NIHAL SAHIL PANDIT
INDIAN SCHOOL GHUBRA
INDIAN SCHOOL MABELA
JUN
IOR
SJU
NIO
RS
SEN
IOR
S
Photos by O.K. Mohammed Ali and Purushothaman K. /TIMES OF OMAN
HASAN SHABAN AL [email protected]
MUSCAT: Nemr Abou Nassar, a Lebanese/American stand-up comedian, said he is “super ex-cited” about performing in Oman tomorrow at the Al Bustan Pal-ace hotel, adding that the Sultan-ate is, “hands down,” one of the most beautiful countries he has ever been to.
“I am Lebanese, but if I had to choose anywhere else to live in, it will be Oman, there is no doubt about it,” said the 33-year-old comedian, who has been cred-ited with pioneering the stand-up comedy scene throughout the Middle East, where he performs in English.
In an exclusive interview with the Times of Oman, Nassar said that he aims through his com-edy to change the misconceptions about the Middle East in the Unit-ed States.
“We come from the oldest civi-lisation in history; our ancestors were the inventors of language, religion, math and many sciences, however, our rich culture has been defi ned by few thousands naming themselves IS who were recruited by Twitter,” said Nassar.
“I try my best to break down barriers and unite people. I speak on the behalf of my people and I believe that we have so much to of-fer,” he said, adding that a decade from now, his work will do some-
thing great. He also revealed that he is planning to feature his shows on Netfl ix HBO to reach the Amer-ican audience.
The international celebrity grew up in San Diego and moved back later with his family to Leba-non. Recently, he was featured on the Nightly Show with Larry Wil-more and another radio station where he was heard by more than 8 million people.
“We, as Middle Easterners, need to show the world that the power of our people come from the intersection of our people, instead of focusing on the small things that diff erentiate us,” Nas-sar explained, adding that nothing makes him happier than seeing people of various religions from diff erent countries come together during his shows.
“War brought nothing but de-struction to our nation, I lived through a terrible civil war, now, years after that, we still fi nd it dif-fi cult to have electricity for 24 straight hours, our trash has not been picked up for the past 12 months, and we have been left
for two years without a presi-dent,” Nassar recalled, urging people to get themselves to-gether to “make the Middle East great again.”
During his debut US tour, Nas-sar will be performing in Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, Boston, New York, Florida, Michigan, Cleveland and before continuing to record breaking shows all over the Middle East, including Oman, and then returning to Los Angeles on May 14 at Club Nokia to fi nish this global event.
Starting on the social network My Space, Nassar said he has never depended on traditional media to promote his shows as many of them are controlled by political parties, which have their own demands. “I am proud to say that self-promotion made me the person I am now,” he added.
He currently holds the record for the biggest show in every major country in the Middle East, with his latest special, ‘Uninterrupted Funny Observations,’ selling out to over 4,000 people in one night in Beirut alone in July 2014.
Times News Service
MUSCAT: Stand-up comedy pioneer Nemr Abou Nassar is coming to Muscat with his signature style.
Times of Oman in associa-tion with the event organiser Alive Entertainment which
is giving away 3 pairs of blue zone tickets worth OMR 30!
All you have to do is to send us an email saying “I Like to watch Nemr” with your full name, city of resi-dence and phone number to [email protected]. It’s that simple!
A6
OMANT H U R S DAY, A P R I L 1 4 , 2 0 1 6
I am proud to say that self-promotion made me the person I am now
Nemr Abou Nassar, a Lebanese/American stand-up comedian
Oman one of the most beautiful countries: NemrThe stand-up
comedian said that
he aims through his
comedy to change
the misconceptions
about the Middle
East in the
United States
SCAN THIS QR CODE TO INSTANTLY VISIT
ARTICLE, VIDEOW W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M
Win tickets to Nemr show
A7
OMANT H U R S DAY, A P R I L 14 , 2 0 1 6
30%of Muscat is already covered
and that operators are now
off ering very high speeds
HM’s returnThe Embassy of India in Mus-cat, on behalf of the Embassy and Indian community in Oman, extends a warm welcome to His Majesty the Sultan on his re-turn to Oman after successful completion of medical check-up in Germany.
The news of His Majesty’s re-turn has been received with great delight by the Indian community, which shares the joy of their Om-ani brothers and sisters on this happy occasion.
Under the wise leadership of His Majesty, India and Oman have strengthened their cen-turies old civilisational links and their historical relations have evolved into a strategic partnership.
The Embassy and the Indian community in Oman express their sincere gratitude to His Majesty, his Government and the people of Oman for their contri-bution in deepening the strategic partnership and nurturing the enduring friendship between In-dia and Oman, and providing the Indian community conducive
living and working conditions, enabling them to contribute to the growth and development of Oman and India.
Mohammed Shafi qul Islam Bhuiyan, president, Bangladesh Social Club, said: “On behalf of the Bangladeshi people, I would like to extend my greetings to the people of Oman on the occasion of the safe return of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said to the Sultanate.
May the almighty bless His Majesty with health and longevi-ty, and the Sultanate of Oman and the Omani people with continued stability and prosperity under the wise leadership of the builder of Oman, His Majesty.
D B Chettri, Middle East coor-dinator of Non-Resident Nepali Association, said: “This is a very happy day for Oman and the Om-anis after His Majesty returned on Tuesday. We wish him all the success in his life. Oman and Nepal have enjoyed deep rooted relations and it’s an occasion for great happiness for the people of both the countries.
W A R M W E L C O M E
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OMAN, BRITAIN RELATIONS MOVING FORWARD: UK ENVOYBilateral relations between Oman and Britain are
historic and excellent and are moving forward in every
dimension, said Jonathan Wilks, British Ambassador
to Oman, after inaugurating the ‘Best of Britain’ festival
at Lulu Hypermarket – Baushar. The British ambassa-
dor said that while trade fi gures are down because of
low oil prices, investment fi gures are up. “But the trade
fi gures will go up when the oil prices start moving up,”
he said, adding, the United Kingdom still remains the
largest foreign investor in Oman. Ananth A.V, Direc-
tor of Lulu Oman & India said, “We hope this event not
only satisfi es our British shoppers, but also the local
communities in Oman too.” -Jun Estrada
Curbs on callingAl Shaima Al Abri, a college stu-dent said she has been using the calling feature to talk to her fam-ily. “After WhatsApp calling, the authorities have also blocked this. This is frustrating,” she said.
Haneen Al Lawati, who lives in Muscat, is sceptical if this feature would at all work in Oman.
“I was aware that the calling
feature on Snapchat had been activated, and I tried using it, but, I failed to reach my friends,” he said.
An offi cial from Ooredoo said he could not confi rm a ban on Snapchat call features. “It’s not in our hands. We’ll follow all the di-rectives set out by the regulator,” he said.
S N A P C H A T
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Broadband in entire Sultanate by 2020
ERIK PRINS [email protected]
MUSCAT: Entire country will be covered by broadband by 2020, using any means available de-pending on the landscape, Talib Al Rashdi, business relations man-ager at Oman Broadband said.
“We’ll be covering the whole of Oman in 2020 using one of the
three means: fi bre optic, mobile broadband through the operator, or through satellite,” he said.
Al Rashdi said very remote ar-eas in particular will have to be covered by satellites.
Realistically, not all areas can benefi t from the high-speed fi bre optic off ers. But in the end, Oman
Broadband is aiming to cover the whole country with a broadband connection.
“Our preference is to go for fi bre optics. If this is not possible, we’ll go for mobile and if there is no oth-er choice, then we will go for basic broadband using satellites. We are working with the operators and the satellite providers to cover it by any means,” he said on the side-lines of the revelation of the new identity and logo of Oman Broad-band during the COMEX 2016 Exhibition.
Feel the diff erence“While the fi rst phase of the com-pany involved establishing a team and preparing a network, the sec-ond phase of the company is to activate the network and make it feasible for the people to feel the diff erence of having broadband,” he said.
He said around 30 per cent of
Muscat is already covered and that operators are now off ering very high speeds.
“The speed that we used to have one year ago was not more than 20 or 25 megabits per second (Mbps). Today, we have speeds of 100 to 150 Mbps and even 1 Giga-byte (GB).
“This is a very high speed, which enables some other ap-plications, such as smart cities, smart governance and others,” he said.
Al Rashdi said that by 2020, 80 per cent of Muscat will be covered by fi bre optic cables.
He added that by 2018, all cen-tral areas of the other governo-rates will be covered by fi bre optic, representing about 30 per cent of the area outside Muscat.
A presentation by Oman Broad-band further showed the planning of expected coverage in the areas of Muscat.
By 2018, all central
areas of other
governorates will
be covered by
fi bre optic cables
WORTH A THOUSAND WORDSThis photograph taken by an amateur
photographer Soumya N Ghosh shows
the stark contrast of the blue sky and
turquoise sea with a boat sunken in the
sands of the Yiti beach to tellingly con-
vey a tale of man-nature interaction.
A8
OMANT H U R S DAY, A P R I L 1 4 , 2 0 1 6
END CALL
SAVE LIVESA TIMES OF OMANHANDS-FREE DRIVING INITIATIVE
Oman’s population crosses 4.3 millionMUSCAT: Oman’s population at the end of March 2016 stood at 4,397,790, up 0.4% compared to February 2016, according to latest National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) data.
At 2,408,542, Omanis constitut-ed 55% of the population whereas expatriates numbered at 1,989,248 a rise of 12,113 or 45% compared to February 2016.
A majority of the Sultanate’s population is concentrated in the Governorate of Muscat. The capi-tal city’s population increased by 0.6% to 1,382,035.
Muscat is the only governorate where the number of expatri-
ates is more than the Omanis as expatriates reached 881,226 or 63.2% compared to 500,809 Oma-nis, comprising 36.2% of the total population in the Governorate of Muscat. -ONA
M A R C H D A T A
State Council chief leaves for TurkeyMUSCAT: Delegated by His Maj-esty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, Dr. Yahya bin Mahfoudh Al Mantheri, Chairman of the State Council left here yesterday heading to the Republic of Turkey to lead the Sultanate’s delegation in the 13th summit of the Organiation of Is-lamic Cooperation (OIC), due to be held in Istanbul, Turkey on April 14-15.
The Chairman of the State Council is accompanied by Yousef bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Aff airs, Dr. Sayyid Ahmed bin Hilal bin Saud Al Busaidi, Sultan-ate’s ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and its
Permanent Delegate to the OIC, Sayyid Qais bin Salim bin Ali Al Said, Sultanate’s ambassador to the Republic of Turkey, Dr. Ali bin Ahmed Al Issa’ee, acting Un-dersecretary of the Foreign Min-istry for Diplomatic Aff airs and some offi cials.
The delegation was seen off by Dr. Khalid bin Salim Al Sa’eedi, Secretary General of the State Council, Sheikh Al Khattab bin Ghalib Al Hinai, Deputy Chair-man of the State Council, Dr. Su’aad bint Mohammed Su-laiman, Deputy Chairman of the State Council and Ugur Dogan, ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to the Sultanate. -ONA
1 3 T H O I C S U M M I T
Body needed to protect expat investments
“We have our procedures over whether you will get a property right or not. Once you get our ap-proval, you can go to Royal Oman Police (ROP) that issues visas for two years. There is visa for your spouse and children as well. Also one can inherit these properties,” Ali Mussa, Head of the Expat Reg-istration Department at the min-istry told TOO.
One of the transformations ex-pats want to see is the establish-ment of Home Owners Associa-tions to protect their investments.
While the government offi -cials and some of the builders say
the expats have formed associa-tions, Hatim Ali argued that there must be a regulation from the housing ministry.
“There is an association but it’s not legal. It doesn’t have pow-ers. The expats are only managing the current property through the association. It doesn’t have legal sanction,” he said.
Freehold propertiesThe freehold properties at the ITCs are hoped to bring in foreign wealth and add to the tourism revenue beyond the oil generated income the Sultanate has been
relying on for decades.“The business environment is
supportive. Market is not over saturated. Plus, Oman is a tax ha-ven. There are no taxes involved in purchasing properties. There is no value added tax or no capital gain tax,” Al Siyabi said.
“The ITCs is part of Oman’s vi-sion of replacing oil and gas rev-enue with tourism economy. The market is very small but it’s grow-ing,” he said.
The experts say the advantage to the country is very signifi cant from the freehold properties.
“Look at the example of The
Wave where the government put the land on partnership. This land was unused and unexploited - just sitting on the beach. Now the government is making huge money from this land. Because it’s a 50 per cent shareholder of all the profi t generated,” said Ali.
“The housing ministry is mak-ing huge money from people buy-ing and selling properties in this area. The municipality is making a huge money from the tenants or renting in this area. So this market, if properly exploited, will have a signifi cant contribution to the Oman’s GDP,” he added.
R E A L E S T A T E
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Keralites set to celebrate VishuNISHAD [email protected]
MUSCAT: Thousands of Keralites living in Oman are all set to celebrate their astronomi-cal New Year called Vishu on Thursday. Vishu falls on the fi rst day of the Malayalam month of Medam, when the sun crosses the equator. Wearing new clothes and giving monetary gifts to fam-ily members is also part of Vishu celebrations.
Kani kanalThe celebration begins with kani kanal, meaning fi rst sight, for which arrangements are made the previous night.
Hypermarkets across the Sul-tanate are displaying traditional items brought from Kerala to use
for the kani kanal. Restaurants and supermarkets in Oman are bullish about Vishu and many of them are vying with each other by off ering the best Vishu meal deal, ostensibly prepared by special chefs fl own in from Kerala for the occasion. “We have been getting many bookings for Vishu, espe-cially from offi ce-goers who fi nd it diffi cult to spend the Vishu day at home,” said Sajith.M, manager of the Four Squares Restaurant in Ruwi.
Garment salesTop textile shops are also run-ning a campaign to promote gar-ment sales on Vishu. “Our textile shop is having great off ers on Vishu,” said Anto Ignatius, man-ager of Jolly Silks and Joy Aluk-kas in Muscat.
N E W Y E A R
Minister’s statement discussed
MUSCAT: Majlis Al Shura’s Health and Environmental Committee praised the decision No. 42/2016 taken by Dr. Abdul Munim bin Mansour Al Hasani, Minister of Information about adding new article to the execu-tive regulation of the Press and Publications Law on banning advertisements of tobacco prod-ucts or its derivatives in all the media means.
The Shura panel held its 11th meeting of the 1st annual sit-ting (2015-2016) of the 8th term, headed by Ali bin Khalfan Al
Qutaiti, Head of the committee.The meeting discussed the
statement of the Minister of Health, which will be delivered on the 14th and 15th regular ses-sions of Majlis Al Shura on April 27 and 28.
The meeting dealt with a num-ber of enquiries and opinions that will be forwarded by the committee in the next two ses-sions, including those related to the themes of the statement, which includes a number of top-ics, including health plans, strat-egies, and public health, as well as health and treatment services, as well as the human and techni-cal resources and infrastructure, the private health sector health, health education and rehabilita-tion, as well as treatment abroad.
The meeting discussed a draft amendment to the Law on Con-servation of the Environment and Prevention of Pollution.
The meeting reviewed the fi nal report and recommendations of the seminar on autistic spectrum disorder. -ONA
The meeting
praised the ban on
advertisements of
tobacco products
A9
REGIONT H U R S DAY, A P R I L 14 , 2 0 1 6
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Political crisis worsens in Iraq, MPs stage sit-in
BAGHDAD: Iraq’s parliamentary speaker Salim Al Jabouri may request the dissolution of the as-sembly after ministers scuffl ed during a chaotic parliamentary session on Wednesday over a plan to overhaul the government that aims to tackle graft.
The possibility of holding new elections in Iraq was raised after state TV reported that Al Jabouri was considering the future of the current assembly.
According to Iraqi constitu-tion, dissolving the parliament requires the approval of the ma-jority of the lawmakers at the re-quest of one third of the assembly, or the approval of the president at the request of the prime minister.
Parliament convened at the re-quest of several dozen Members of Parliament (MPs) who began on Tuesday evening a sit-in inside the parliament building to de-mand that Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi sticks to his plan to in-troduce a cabinet of independent technocrats.
The cabinet reshuffl e is part of long-promised anti-corruption
drive that Abadi needs to deliver. Or he risks weakening his govern-ment as Iraqi forces mount a cam-paign to recapture the northern city of Mosul from IS militants.
Quarrels broke out between the protesting MPs, prompting Jabouri to adjourn the session to Thursday, state TV said.
A dispute between Kurdish and majority community lawmakers developed into a tussle, where they shoved and hit each other, according to witnesses.
The Kurds opposed a demand by the some MPs to seek the res-ignation of President Muhammad Fuad Masum, a Kurd, together with Jabouri, and Abadi, the wit-nesses said.
In central Basra, the largest city in southern Iraq, several hundred supporters of cleric Moqtada Al Sadr blocked the main street, demanding that a non-partisan government be formed. “We’re staying here until our demands are met,” said one demonstrator, setting up a tent in front of the provincial council building.
Street protests were also held in other southern Iraqi cities while a rally took place in Baghdad.
Sadr, whose opinion holds sway over tens of thousands of follow-ers, agreed to end street protests his supporters had been holding since late February after Abadi presented his line-up for an in-dependent cabinet of technocrats last month. The 14 names, many of them academics, he put for-ward were part of reforms aimed at freeing ministries from the grip of a political class he has accused of using a system of ethnic and sectarian quotas instituted after the US-led invasion in 2003 to amass wealth and infl uence.
But he was forced to present a modifi ed list on Tuesday after parliament’s dominant political blocs rejected the initial one and insisted on putting forward their own nominations.
The vote on the modifi ed cabi-net list had been scheduled to take place on Thursday. Jabouri has yet to confi rm whether the voting session will be held as planned.
“We, the MPs holding the sit-in parliament building... demand that a government of technocrats and professionals be formed, away from the quota system that al-lows the political blocs to split the rights of the people among them-selves,” said lawmaker Ahmed Al Jobouri in a statement.
The dominant blocs in the 328-member parliament back Abadi’s modifi ed line-up, which includes some of their own can-didates. Pressure on Abadi to re-form government has come from the clergy of the majority com-munity and popular discontent at the lack of basic public services in a nation facing an economic crisis caused by falling oil prices.
Many of the protesters inside parliament are Sadr’s supporters along with some MPs represent-ing the minority minority.
Iraq, a major OPEC exporter which sits on one of the world’s largest oil reserves, ranks 161 out of 168 on Transparency Interna-tional’s Corruption Perceptions Index. — Reuters
Possibility of holding
new elections was
raised after state
TV reported that
parliamentary
speaker Salim
Al Jabouri was
considering the
future of the
current assembly
Jordanian police shut Brotherhood headquartersAMMAN: Police in Jordan sealed the headquarters of the Mus-lim Brotherhood in Amman on Wednesday, a senior fi gure in the movement said, as the authorities clamp down further on the king-dom’s most vocal opposition group.
The Brotherhood, which is close in ideology to its Egyptian name-sake and has strong ties with the Palestinian movement Hamas, wants sweeping political reforms.
Police acting on orders of the Amman governor evacuated staff and closed off the building, giving no reason for their actions, said the Brotherhood senior member, Jamil Abu Bakr. Government spokespeo-ple and police were not immediate-ly available for comment.
The Brotherhood has operated legally in Jordan for decades and has substantial grass-roots sup-port in major urban centres.
Its political arm, the Islamic Ac-tion Front, is the kingdom’s largest opposition party and represents many Jordanians of Palestinian origin, who are in the majority in the population of seven million.
Grossly underrepresented in parliament and government posts, many of the Brotherhood’s Pal-estinian supporters in the major cities see them as defending their
interests. “We are not a group that is rebellious or operating outside the law. This is not an appropriate means to deal with us... deploying heavy-handed security measures against us rather than reaching un-derstandings,” Abu Bakr told Reu-ters. Jordan has been tightening restrictions on the Brotherhood in the last two years, forbidding their public rallies and arresting vocal government dissenters.
Earlier this year, the move-ment’s deputy leader Zaki Bani Rusheid was released after serving an 18-month jail sentence for criti-cising on social media the UAE for its crackdown on hardliners. His detention was the fi rst of a major political opposition fi gure in Jor-dan in recent years. — Reuters
C L A M P D O W N
UP IN ARMS: Members of parliament who held a sit-in overnight in the parliament building, stand
during a news conference at the parliament building in Baghdad on Wednesday. – Reuters
CLOSED: Main entrance of the
Muslim Brotherhood’s offi ce in
Amman. – AFP
A10
INDIA T H U R S DAY, A P R I L 1 4 , 2 0 1 6
Some are trying to politicise the mishap. It is very unfortunate and not correct
Oommen Chandy, Kerala chief minister
‘Declare Kollam temple fi re tragedy as national calamity’THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala government on Wednesday requested the Centre to immediately declare the Put-tingal Devi temple tragedy that claimed 113 lives and left several injured as a national calamity.
“The Centre should take neces-sary steps to declare the tragedy as a national calamity without delay,” Chief Minister Oommen Chandy of Kerala told reporters after a cabinet meeting which re-viewed steps taken so far in the aftermath of the April 10 tragedy.
The chief minister said the all-party meeting called on Thursday would try to arrive at a consensus on formulating a policy on bring-ing about restriction on fi reworks.
Chandy said a section in soci-ety was not in favour of stopping traditional practices and rituals based on faith.
However, another group felt ‘this kind’ of calamity should not happen in future, he said, adding government has to fi nd a solution, taking into consideration the views of both.
The chief minister said DNA tests to identify bodies still in hospitals has begun and would be completed soon.
A total of 13 bodies are still to be identifi ed. Chandy said police had received complaints that 21 persons were missing after the tragedy in the area and quoted ex-
perts as having stated that there was a possibility that the entire body of a person would have been charred, making even DNA test-ing diffi cult.
Government’s priority now was to provide the best possible treat-ment to the injured being treated in hospitals, he said.
Chandy said a cabinet sub-committee of ministers, compris-ing Adoor Prakesh, V. S. Sivaku-mar and Shibu Baby John, would visit the accident site on Thurs-day and take stock of the losses suff ered in the area.
“A rehabilitation and compen-sation package would be decided, based on the committee’s report,” he said.
Flaying Communist Party of In-dia (Marxist) (CPI-M) State Sec-retary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan for demanding resignation of Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala in the wake of the tragedy, he said “some are trying to politicise the mishap. It is very unfortunate and not correct”. He recalled the stam-pede at Sabarimala and Thekkady boat tragedy during the previous LDF rule and said UDF, then in the opposition, had not sought resignation of Balakrishnan, who was home minister.
“At a time like this, we all have to work unitedly to help the vic-tims. Balakrishnan’s statement was very unfortunate,” Chandy said. - PTI
M I S H A P
ASSESSING DAMAGES: People check out the damaged structures
after a massive fi re broke out on Sunday during a fi reworks dis-
play at the Puttingal temple complex in Paravoor village, Kollam
district on Tuesday. - PTI
Mamata, Modi ‘two sides of the same coin’: Sonia
SUJAPUR (West Bengal): Launching a frontal attack on TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, Congress President Sonia Gan-dhi on Wednesday accused her of unleashing ‘tanasahi’ (autocracy) in West Bengal and said the chief minister and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi are “two sides of the same coin”.
“The people in Bengal are fac-ing ‘tanashahi’ of the Centre and the Mamata government. Mama-ta has not kept her promises to the poor, the minorities and the backward. We had believed in her promises and supported TMC in the 2011 assembly poll,” she told election meetings.
“Bengal has never witnessed such a situation as it is witnessing now. It is witnessing authoritar-ian rule of both Modi government and the Mamata government,” she said. Sonia alleged that the
women in India’s eastern state West Bengal faced the maximum atrocities despite the state hav-ing a woman chief minister, while farmers are deprived of just pric-es for their products.
“The poor have no job but Mamata government is not con-cerned.” Describing Modi and Mamata as “two sides of the same coin”, the Congress president said, “Both (Narendra) Modi and Mamata bluff ed the people”.
Indicating understanding be-tween Modi and Mamata, Sonia said, “When BJP government gets into a trouble in Parliament, TMC helps it and in return Nar-endra Modi turns a blind eye to anti-people policies of Mamata Banerjee,” she said.
“Did the Modi government or Mamata Banerjee take any action against those who have looted lakhs of people in the name of chit funds?” she asked.
The Mamata government, she said, has betrayed Bengal and the
Modi government has done the same to the people of the country.
“Mamata did not arrest those who are involved in chit fund scam and Modi helped those who have looted banks to fl ee the country safely,” Sonia said in an apparent reference to the Vijay Mallya case.
Turning to Trinamool Congress’s(TMC) slogan of “Ma-Mati-Manush”(Mother-Soil-Hu-manity), she said “Ma is suff ering, Mati is drying up and Manush are facing hardship and unemploy-ment”. Sonia alleged that a gov-ernment has come to power at the Centre which has nothing to do with democracy and said that Mamata Banerjee did not raise her voice when Congress govern-ment in India’s northern state Uttarakhand was dismissed.
Congress is fi ghting the elec-tion in alliance with the Left. All 12 Congress-Left alliance candi-dates of Malda district were pre-sent at Sonia’s meetings. - PTI
Congress President
Sonia Gandhi said
Mamata government
has betrayed Bengal
and the Modi
government has
done the same to the
people of the country
WOOING VOTERS: Congress president Sonia Gandhi with
Congress-Left Front candidates at an election campaign rally at
Sujapur in Malda on Wednesday. - PTI
Valley remains tense, one more youth dies in clashesSRINAGAR/NEW DELHI: Indian-administered-Kashmir remained tense on Wednesday as one more youth was killed in fresh clashes between protesters and security forces in the Valley amid curfew-like restrictions imposed in view of the disquiet following the death of three civilians in fi r-ing by Army on Tuesday.
An Assistant Sub-Inspector of Jammu and Kashmir Police was on Wednesday suspended for “mishandling” of the law and or-der situation in north Kashmir’s Handwara town where two youth
and a woman were killed and four injured in fi ring by Army on Tues-day after allegations that a girl was molested by a soldier.
Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti, who is in Delhi on her maiden visit after assuming the charge, raised the matter with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar who assured her that a probe will be conducted and the culprits punished.
Describing the fi ring incident as “very unfortunate”, she said, “Such incidents should not hap-pen in the future.” She said the
families of the victims will be compensated. Northern Army Commander Lt General D. S. Hooda visited the aff ected area in Handwara and pushed for early completion of probe into the kill-ing of three civilians on Tuesday.
He termed the incident as “highly regrettable”.
Meanwhile, one more youth was killed when security forces fi red teargas shells to quell pro-testers, raising to four the toll in the clashes between protest-ers and security forces since Tuesday. - PTI
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INDIAT H U R S DAY, A P R I L 14 , 2 0 1 6
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Congress, Left slam Indo-US logistics pact
NEW DELHI: Attacking the Modi government over its deci-sion to sign the Logistics Support Agreement with the US, main opposition party Congress on Wednesday said it is “disastrous” and will hit the independence of India’s foreign policy while Left parties termed it as “dangerous and anti-national”.
“NDA Government’s decision to sign Logistics Support Agree-ment with the US is the beginning of the end of the independence of India’s foreign policy and strate-gic autonomy.”
“It is a disastrous decision. Government should retract the decision and should not sign this agreement and other foundation agreements”, senior party leader A. K. Antony, who was defence minister in the United Progres-sive Alliance (UPA) regime, said.
Left parties also lashed out at the government for its “in princi-ple” agreement for a Logistics Ex-change Memorandum of Agree-ment (LEMOA) with the US, terming it as “dangerous and anti-national” move and demanded that it “immediately retract” from inking the agreement.
Accusing government of “cross-ing line” with the move, which the parties said “no other govern-ment” had taken since independ-ence, they charged the Narendra Modi dispensation of converting India into a “full-fl edged” military ally of Washington and “com-promising” country’s strategic autonomy. The communist par-ties also claimed that there is “no transparency” in what the Union Government does with regard to “such critical policy matters” as Parliament is not taken into con-fi dence and sought to know why the dispensation is “desperate”
to “please” US by taking the step “voluntarily”.
“Modi Government has taken the dangerous step…In doing so, the BJP Government has crossed a line which no other government has done since independence - converting India into a full-fl edged military ally of the United States,” the Communist Party of India (Marxist) noted in a statement.
India and the US had on Tues-day agreed “in principle” to the logistics exchange agreement to enable both militaries to use each other’s assets and bases for repair and replenishment of supplies.
Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and visiting US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter had, however, made it clear that the agreement, which will be signed in “weeks” or “coming months”, does not entail deploy-ment of American troops on In-dian soil. - PTI
Left parties also
lashed out at the
government for
its ‘in principle’
agreement for a
Logistics Exchange
Memorandum of
Agreement with the
US, terming it as
‘dangerous and
anti-national’ move
It is a disastrous decision.
Government should
retract the decision and
should not sign this
agreement and other
foundation agreement
A. K. AntonyFormer defence minister
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Artifi cial Intelligence to eclipse humans?Peter Singer
Last month, AlphaGo, a computer program specially designed to play the game Go, caused shockwaves among afi cionados when
it defeated Lee Sidol, one of the world’s top-ranked professional players, winning a fi ve-game tourna-ment by a score of 4-1.
Why, you may ask, is that news? Twenty years have passed since the IBM computer Deep Blue defeated world chess champion Garry Kasparov, and we all know computers have improved since then. But Deep Blue won through sheer computing power, using its ability to calculate the outcomes of more moves to a deeper level than even a world champion can. Go is played on a far larger board (19 by 19 squares, compared to 8x8 for chess) and has more possible moves than there are atoms in the universe, so raw computing power was unlike-ly to beat a human with a strong intuitive sense of the best moves.
Instead, AlphaGo was designed to win by play-ing a huge number of games against other programs and adopting the strategies that proved success-ful. You could say that AlphaGo evolved to be the best Go player in the world, achieving in only two years what natural selection took millions of years to accomplish.
Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Google’s parent company, the owner of AlphaGo, is enthusi-astic about what artifi cial intelligence (AI) means for humanity. Speaking before the match between Lee and AlphaGo, he said that humanity would be the winner, whatever the outcome, because advanc-es in AI will make every human being smarter, more capable, and “just better human beings.”
Will it? Around the same time as AlphaGo’s tri-umph, Microsoft’s “chatbot” – software named Tay-lor that was designed to respond to messages from people aged 18-24 – was having a chastening expe-rience. “Tay” as she called herself, was supposed to be able to learn from the messages she received and gradually improve her ability to conduct engaging conversations. Unfortunately, within 24 hours, peo-ple were teaching Tay racist and sexist ideas. When she starting saying positive things about Hitler, Mi-crosoft turned her off and deleted her most off en-sive messages.
I do not know whether the people who turned Tay into a racist were themselves racists, or just thought it would be fun to undermine Microsoft’s new toy.
Either way, the juxtaposition of AlphaGo’s victory and Taylor’s defeat serves as a warning. It is one thing to unleash AI in the context of a game with specifi c rules and a clear goal; it is something very diff erent to release AI into the real world, where the unpredictability of the environment may reveal a software error that has disastrous consequences.
Nick Bostrom, the director of the Future of Hu-manity Institute at Oxford University, argues in his book Superintelligence that it will not always be as easy to turn off an intelligent machine as it was to turn off Tay. He defi nes superintelligence as an in-tellect that is “smarter than the best human brains in practically every fi eld, including scientifi c crea-tivity, general wisdom, and social skills.” Such a sys-tem may be able to outsmart our attempts to turn it off . Some doubt that superintelligence will ever be achieved. Bostrom, together with Vincent Müller, asked AI experts to indicate dates corresponding to when there is a one in two chance of machines achieving human-level intelligence and when there is a nine in ten chance. The median estimates for the one in two chance were in the 2040-2050 range, and 2075 for the nine in ten chance. Most experts expected that AI would achieve superintelligence within 30 years of achieving human- level intelli-gence.
We should not take these estimates too seriously. The overall response rate was only 31 per cent, and researchers working in AI have an incentive to boost the importance of their fi eld by trumpeting its potential to produce momentous results.
The prospect of AI achieving superintelligence may seem too distant to worry about, especially giv-en more pressing problems. But there is a case to be made for starting to think about how we can design AI to take into account the interests of humans, and indeed of all sentient beings (including machines, if they are also conscious beings with interests of their own). With driverless cars already on Califor-nia roads, it is not too soon to ask whether we can program a machine to act ethically. As such cars improve, they will save lives, because they will make fewer mistakes than human drivers do. Sometimes, however, they will face a choice between lives. - Project Syndicate
Scan this QR for full articleDeveloped countries have stricter laws in case of
fi re crackers violationsThis refers to the news Kerala bans crackers at places of worship (April 13). The manufacture, possession, use, sale, transport and
importation of any explosives, needless to say, including fi reworks, in contravention of the provisions of the Explosives Act 32 of 1978 with eff ect from March 2, 1983, in the whole of India, is a punishable off ence. In case the off ence causes an accident and if the accident is attended by loss of human life, imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months or fi ne or with both should shape the verdict. The homicide has strong evidence of gross violation of norms and use of banned chemicals that led to the tragedy. More than thousand people were offi cially reported injured in the accident. The court has therefore quite reasonably expressed anguish over police incorporat-ing lighter delivery of law with regard to off ences against the defendants and asked why the charge of collective culpable homicide had not been applied. In point of
fact, most developed countries have much stricter laws active in this regard. — Gautam Ghosh-Dastidar, Wadi Kabir
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Economic Coordination Council meetsMUSCAT: The Economic Coordination Council yesterday held its fi rst meeting of the year 2001 on the premises of the Diwan of Royal Court in Muscat under the chairmanship of Sayyid Saif bin Hamad bin Saud, minister of the Diwan of Royal Court. The meeting discussed several topics on the agenda, which focused on several economic and vocational services sectors. It touched on activating the tourism sec-tor in the Sultanate and simplifying tourism visa procedures as well as several matters related to air traffi c between Muscat and Salalah. The council also reviewed the situation of accountancy profession in the light of the provisions of the law regulating accountancy and auditing No. 77/86 and its amendments in the Royal Decree No. 53/96.
1828: The fi rst edition of Noah Webster’s dictionary is pub-lished.
1894: Thomas Edison’s kinetoscope is shown to the public for the fi rst time.
1900: The World Exposition opens in Paris.
1961: First live broadcast is televised from the Soviet Union.
M O S T R E A DTIMESOFOMAN.COM
M O S T P O P U L A R V I D E O
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Syrian peace talks in Geneva do provide some breathing room for
the US and its allies to pursue that gradual strategy, and to consider other approaches. If those talks collapse, along with the current ceasefi re, that breathing room
will disappear, and Obama will be expected to have a plan
JOSH ROGIN
The anti-fracking movement, insists that Hillary Clinton commit to a ban, promise to end fossil-fuel
extraction on public lands and oppose construction of pipelines while Clinton prefers not to ban
fracking or block new pipelines, and instead sees natural gas, as a bridge
to a renewable-energy future
PAULA DWYER
Nuclear security incidents will have an impact that goes beyond national
borders. In the age of connectivity, no country can deal with such
problems alone, and no country can stay immune from its impact. Under
the precondition of respect for national sovereignty, all countries
should participate in nuclear security aff airs
XI JINPING
F R O M O U R A R C H I V E S
T O D A Y I N H I S T O R Y
A site supervisor working in Muscat was injured in the Kerala temple fi re
APRIL 2001Scan this QR code to send letters to the Readers’ Forum, containing not more than 200 words with full name, address and telephone number, may be sent by e-mail ([email protected]).
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1 His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said returns to Oman from Germany
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OMAN’S GDPSERVICES INDUSTRY
(Million rials)
10,000
10,500
11,000
11,500
12,000
12,500
13,000
10,378
2012
11,330.4
2013
12,814.5
2014
Photo: Sreejith K
NEW INDIAASSURANCE
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Acting is not being emotional, but being able to express emotion.
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A13
PAKISTANT H U R S DAY, A P R I L 14 , 2 0 1 6
SIKH PILGRIMS A Pakistani police commando stands guard as Indian Sikhs arrived at Wagah railway station near Lahore, Pakistan, on Tues-
day. Hundreds of Indian Sikhs arrived in Pakistan for pilgrimage. — AP/PTI
PM not to hold secret meeting in UK: Nisar
ISLAMABAD: Dispelling ru-mours that the prime minister was travelling to London for a ‘se-cret meeting’, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar has said Nawaz Sharif is going to the UK for medi-cal treatment only.
“For the last three weeks, his health has deteriorated for which the prime minister had to trav-el,” he said, while speaking at a press conference in Islamabad on Wednesday. “In this country some people cannot even get ill as rumour-mongers keep on politi-cising the issue.”
The prime minister departed for London earlier during the day for a “routine medical checkup, which was repeatedly postponed due to his offi cial engagements over the past few months”.
Commenting about the contro-versial Panama Papers leaks, the country’s security czar said the issue was not linked to the PM but his two sons. “The prime minister
had already formed a commission to probe the issue but some peo-ple are busy in hurling allegations since then,” Nisar said, adding he could further bring any informa-tion to public if need be.
A massive leak of 11.5 million tax
documents on April 3 exposed the secret off shore dealings of world leaders and celebrities, also nam-ing three of the premier’s children for owning London real estate through off shore companies.
Speaking about political rallies
and processions in the Red Zone area of Islamabad, the federal inte-rior minister said from now on no such events will be allowed unless it has been agreed with the govern-ment. “Administration should stand on its own to protect the federal capital. We will not act strictly but certainly brace ourselves before the day of any procession,” he added.
Taking precautionary measures before his visit to Germany, Nisar said: “My wife has already reached Germany, and it will be my pri-vate visit to the country. I have disclosed this personal informa-tion so that no rumours are spread when I am gone.” — Express Tribune
In this country some
people cannot even
get ill as rumour-
mongers keep on
politicising the issue,
said the interior
minister as the PM
left for medical
checkups in Britain
Father dies months after reuniting with son living in IndiaGILGIT: After 44 years, Abdul Ghafoor was reunited with his son after they were separated by the 1971 war between India and Pakistan — both stuck on either side of a newly created border.
However, the reunion was short-lived as the father breathed his last on Tuesday, three months before his Indian son’s visa to Pa-kistan was set to expire.
Ghafoor, 82, died in Skardu at his son’s home. He and his son Ibrahim Sani met on December 28, 2015 after 44 long years when the latter was granted a three month Pakistani visa, which could be extended for an equal amount of time by the Pakistani Embassy in Delhi. “The separa-tion happened today. Ghafoor is no more,” said Musa Chulunkha, a relative.
“The scenes at the reunion were heartrending,” Chulunkha said over the phone from Skardu.
Chulunkha said Ghafoor was extremely worried about the ap-proaching separation in July when Sani’s visa would expire.
“Ghafoor suddenly fell ill last week after his son received an of-fi cial letter informing him about the return date back to India. The elderly man knew he was never going to see his son again.” The death sent many into a state of grief and they could not hold back their tears.
Tears of joyThis was most unlike the scenes last December in Islamabad when the waterworks also fl ew; except they were tears of joy on that occasion.
Ghafoor and his son were separated by a line drawn threw the very hearts of families in
Ghanche district of Gilgit-Bal-tistan during the 1971 war.
Ibrahim Sani was hardly six-years-old when India and Paki-stan went to war over what was then East Pakistan.
State of shockGhafoor and his family used to live in Tyakshi in Chorbat, close to Ladakh. But by the luck of the draw, Indian forces took over Chorbat and Ghafoor, then 38, was in Skardu.
He had left his wife, a daughter and son behind in search of a job. His wife and children, however, woke up to fi nd Tyakshi was an Indian-controlled territory.
“This is what we call life. Eve-ryone has to go, but that’s not go-ing to be realised by those in the seats of power,” said Chulunkha, quoting Sani who was in a state of shock. — Express Tribune
S A D S A G A
CONTROVERSY: Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif addressing the Parliament in Islamabad. Paki-
stan’s embattled prime minister said on August 27, 2014. A massive leak of 11.5 million tax documents
on April 3 exposed the secret off shore dealings of world leaders and celebrities, also naming three of
the premier’s children for owning London real estate through off shore companies. — File photo
Commenting about the controversial Panama Papers
leaks, the country’s security czar Nisar said the issue
was not linked to the PM but his two sons
TRAGIC: Abdul Ghafoor’s son,
Ibrahim Sani, an Indian na-
tional, was set to return to in
July. — Express Tribune
IMF ‘encouraged’ by PIA reform stepISLAMABAD: The Interna-tional Monetary Fund is encour-aged that Pakistan will convert its cash-strapped national airline into a limited company but said on Wednesday it will see if the re-forms go far enough in restructur-ing the company.
Parliament adopted a law on Monday to convert Pakistan In-ternational Airlines (PIA) into a limited company but it prevents the government from giving up its management control.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had made the privatisation of the company a top goal when he came to power in 2013.
The privatisation of it and 67 other state-owned companies is also a major element of a $6.7 bil-lion IMF package that helped Pa-kistan stave off default in 2013.
The IMF has continued to re-lease loan instalments despite missed targets.
“We are encouraged that a con-sensus has been reached on corpo-ratisation of PIA,” Harald Finger, IMF mission chief for Pakistan, told Reuters in an email.
“We will need to study the ap-proved bill and discuss with the authorities their emerging plans to run PIA strictly as a commercial
entity and strengthen its perfor-mance in the absence of a transfer of management control to a pri-vate investor.”
More than $3b in lossesPIA has accumulated losses of more than $3 billion.
It and other loss-making com-panies, including power distri-bution companies and steel gi-ant Pakistan Steel Mills, cost the government an estimated $5 bil-lion a year.
In February, the IMF released the last $497 million tranche of its loan, even after Pakistan shelved plans to privatise its power supply companies and said it would miss deadlines to sell other loss-making state fi rms.
Another $1.1 billion remains to be released. — Reuters
R E S T R U C T U R I N G N A T I O N A L A I R L I N E
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
had made the privatisation
of Pakistan International
Airlines a top goal when he
came to power in 2013
A14
WORLDT H U R S DAY, A P R I L 1 4 , 2 0 1 6
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PANIC-STRICKEN : People during earthquake in Dibrugarh, As-
sam in India, on Wednesday. – PTI
Syria holds parliamentary elections
DAMASCUS: Syrians voted in a parliamentary election in govern-ment-held areas of the country on Wednesday in what they called a show of support for President Bashar Al Assad, while his op-ponents and Western powers de-nounced the poll as illegitimate.
The election is going ahead in-dependently of a UN-led peace process aimed at ending the fi ve-year-long war. Peace talks are due to resume in Geneva on Wednes-day as an upsurge in fi ghting dark-ens the already bleak outlook for diplomacy.
The government says the vote is being held on time in line with the constitution, a view echoed by its Russian allies. The opposition says the election is meaningless, while Britain and France dis-missed it as “fl imsy facade” and a “sham”.
Voters are to elect 250 MPs to parliament, which has no real pow-er in Syria’s presidential system. The state is rallying them around the slogan “Your vote strengthens your steadfastness”.
Support“We are voting for the sake of the Syrian people and for the sake of Assad. Assad is already strong but these elections show that the people support him and bolster him,” said Hadi Jumaa, a 19-year-
old student, as he cast his ballot at his university halls of residence in Damascus.
Dozens queued to vote at one polling station where a portrait of Assad hung on the wall. Outside, some danced.
With his wife Asma at his side as he went to vote in Damascus, a smiling Assad told state TV that terrorism had been able to destroy much of Syria’s infrastructure but not Syria’s “social structure, the national identity”. Assad said it
was the fi rst time a president had taken part in parliamentary polls.
“These elections do not mean anything,” said Asaad Al Zoubi, chief negotiator for the main oppo-sition body, the High Negotiations Council. “They are illegitimate - theatre for the sake of procrasti-nation, theatre through which the regime is trying to give itself a little legitimacy.”
The confl ict has killed more than 250,000 and created millions of refugees, splintering Syria into
a patchwork of areas controlled by the government, an array of re-bels, a powerful Kurdish militia, and the IS group. The government views all the groups fi ghting it as terrorists. The government con-trols around one third of Syria, in-cluding the main cities of western Syria, home to the bulk of Syrians who have not fl ed the country. The United Nations puts the number of refugees at 4.8 million.
With parliament elected every four years, it is the second parlia-mentary election held by the gov-ernment in wartime.
Assad was reelected head of state in a presidential election in 2014. The election coincides with the start of a second round of UN-led peace talks in Geneva. The op-position delegation is due to meet UN envoy Staff an de Mistura on Wednesday. The government has said it will be ready to participate from Friday.
De Mistura wants this round to make progress on the question of a political transition. The govern-ment had ruled out any discussion of the presidency ahead of the fi rst round of talks last month. Spiral-ling violence meanwhile threat-ens to unravel the entire political track by wrecking a partial truce that had helped bring the sides to Geneva.
Foreign states opposed to As-sad have said the vote is out of line with a UN Security Council reso-lution that calls for elections at the
end of an 18-month transition. His allies, notably Russia, say it is in line with the constitution.
“The decision of the regime to hold elections is a measure of how divorced it is from reality. They cannot buy back legitimacy by put-ting up a fl imsy facade of democ-racy,” said a spokesperson for the British government.
France said the elections were a “sham” organised by “an oppres-sive regime”.
Russia, one of Assad’s main for-eign allies, said however that the election was necessary to avoid a power vacuum.
“There is understanding al-ready, that a new constitution should emerge as a result of this political process, on the basis of which new, early elections are to be held,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a news briefi ng.
“But before this happens, one should avoid any legal vacuum or any vacuum in the sphere of execu-tive power.”
Foreign Minister Walid Al Moualem said the election showed that “the Syrian people is the one that decides its fate”. But Syrians living in opposition-held areas dismissed it. “We used to be forced to cast our vote in sham elections. Now, we are no longer obliged to. After all this killing they want to make a play called elections,” said Yousef Doumani, speaking from the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta area near Damascus. — Reuters
Opposition terms the
election meaningless,
while Britain and
France dismissed
it as ‘fl imsy facade’
and a ‘sham’
YANGON/NEW DELHI: An earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale hit Myanmar, send-ing strong tremors through My-anmar, eastern India, Bangladesh and parts of Nepal.
Tremors shook the northeast India, several parts of West Ben-gal, Bihar, Jharkhand and even Delhi and National Capital Re-gion (NCR).
There were no immediate re-ports of major damage or loss of life as a result of the tremor, lo-cated around 100km (62 miles) north-northwest of the city of Monywa at an estimated depth of 134km. But around 50 people suff ered mainly leg injuries in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka and northeastern city of Sylhet as they fl ed homes and other build-ings during the quake, according to police.
Witnesses in Bagan, central Myanmar, said some tourists left their hotel rooms and stood out-side when they felt the tremor. They saw no sign of damage to buildings, however.
“We haven’t heard any reports of casualties or damage,” said an offi cial from Myanmar’s mete-orological department based in the capital Naypyitaw. “So far as I know the epicentre wasn’t in a densely populated area.”
Electricity was cut off in parts of northeastern India as thermal power stations were shut down as a precautionary measure.
“I felt the tremor three times. I saw people rushing out,” said Rupak De Chowdhuri, a Reuters photographer in the eastern In-dian city of Kolkata.
Britain’s Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who were visiting the northeastern Indian state of Assam on Wednesday, were safe, the British High Commission in New Delhi said.
Tremors were also felt in east-ern Nepal. “We felt the quake. But it was not so strong to make us fl ee our homes,” said Dinesh Rai,
a resident of Nepal’s eastern state of Jhapa.
Jolts were also felt in Odi-sha, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, said J. L.Gautam, Operations Head at the National Centre for Seis-mology. There was no imme-diate report of any casualty or major damage.
The US Geological Service said the epicentre of the earthquake measured 6.9 on the Richter scale and was 74km south east of Maw-laik in Myanmar.
“The epicentre is in Myanmar, some 100km off the India-My-anmar border. Since the quake occurred at a depth of 134km, the impact could be felt at a large dis-tance,” Gautam said.
This is the second quake on Wednesday in the northeast as a medium intensity temblor meas-uring 4.6 hit areas around Ma-nipur capital Imphal at 9:26am.
In West Bengal, the impact was more in the northern districts.
Metro Railway service was stopped for fi ve minutes imme-diately after the quake, Metro spokesperson Indrani Banerjee said. Tremors were felt in Patna, Begusarai, Vaishali, Kishangaj and other districts of Bihar, Patna MET director A. K. Sen said.
In neighbouring Jharkhand, there were jolts in Ranchi, Dum-ka, Godda, Deoghar, Sahibganj and Jamshedpur, geologist Nitish Priyadarshi said. Offi cials at the Regional Seismological Centre in Shillong said the quake was locat-ed at latitude 23 degree north and longitude 94.9 degree east.
In Guwahati, some people re-ported cracks in buildings while there was power outage for some time in Shillong.
Tremors were also felt in the northeastern states of Mizoram and Nagaland. All the northeast-ern states are categorised under zone V in the country’s seismo-logical map and are considered highly vulnerable. — Agencies
E A R T H Q A U K E
Quake hits Myanmar, tremors jolt many parts of India, Nepal and Bangladesh
USING FRANCHISE: Syria’s President Bashar Al Assad, centre, casts his vote next to his wife Asma,
centre left, at a polling station in Damascus, Syria on Wednesday. – Reuters/SANA/Handout
MARKEWWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COMT H U R S DAY, A P R I L 14 , 2 0 1 6B
Muscat
5,730.97 + 2.25
+ 0.04%
Dubai
3,501.04+ 27.22
+ 0.78%
Abu Dhabi
4,453.91+ 45.76
+ 1.04%
Saudi Arabia
6,440.22+ 36.62
+ 0.57%
Kuwait
5,306.19+ 31.15
+ 0.59%
Bahrain
1,122.90 + 1.80
+ 0.10%
Qatar
10,218.20- 28.09
- 0.27%
CURRENCY RATES* DRAFT RATES (OMR1)* GOLD PRICES*Forex rates vs OMR1*
US Dollar ................................. 2.58
Euro ............................................2.26
Pound ...........................................1.80
Indian Rs ..............................171.94
Pakistan Rs .........................267.31
Bangla Taka......................200.84* Rates are as of Apr. 13
Source: Bank Muscat
Indian Rs ...................................172.65
Pakistan Rs ..............................271.75
Sri Lanka Rs ................................. .N/A
Bangla Taka........................... 203.35
Phil Peso .................................... 119.26
* Rates as of Apr. 13 Source: Oman UAE Exchange
Muscat 24ct per gm (OMR) ...... 16.00
Muscat 22ct per gm (OMR) .......15.40
Dubai 24ct per gm (Dh) ............. 151.75
Dubai 22ct per gm (Dh) .............142.50
* Rates as of Apr. 13
Source: Malabar Gold & Diamonds
Type ............................Delivery...........Price
Oman Crude ............. (Spot) ........ $40.73
Dubai Crude ............. (Spot) ........$40.53
Murban Crude ........ (Spot) ........$42.59
Arabian Light ......... (Spot) ........$39.88
N.Sea Brent ............... (Spot) .........$44.14
West Texas Int ....... (Spot) .........$41.50
CRUDE OIL PRICE
DIGEST VIDEO
S CA N T H I S Q R CO D E TO I N STA N T LY L AU N C H T H E V I D EO
Top stories in one minute with our new daily Digest
Sohar water plant to boost supply
Times News Service
MUSCAT: Oman Power and Wa-ter Procurement (OPWP), the sole procurer of new power generation and water desalination capacity, on Wednesday signed a OMR100
million agreement with a consor-tium to establish Oman Gulf, a fl agship company which will build desalination plant in Sohar.
The project is one of the big-gest of its kind in Al Batinah North Governorate and is expected to
meet about 80 per cent of water demand, under the growing ur-banisation, tourism and industrial activities in Al Batinah North.
Slated for commercial opera-tion in 2018, the independent wa-ter project will produce 250,000 cubic metres of water per day, use reserve osmosis as water purifi ca-tion technology.
As per the terms of the agree-ment, OPWP will have the right to buy the desalinated water pro-duced by the plant during a con-cession period of 20 years.
The agreement was signed by Eng. Ahmad bin Saleh Al Jah-dhami, chief executive offi cer of OPWP and Juan Pablo Diaz Batan-ero on behalf of the consortium at
the Crown Plaza, Muscat. The consortium comprises
Muscat-based Oman Brunei In-vestment Company; Sogex Oman, a subsidiary of Suhail Bahwan Group; and Valoriza Agua, a Span-ish company.
Water security“The project will have a role in sup-porting water security in Oman, in general, and in Al Batinah North, in particular, and will contribute to reducing the cost of water pro-curement thanks to the enhanced effi ciency of the new plant,” said the CEO of Oman Power and Wa-ter Procurement.
The signing ceremony was at-tended by water and power sector
representatives and businessmen. “The project is totally fi nanced
by local banks and this comes in line with the banking sector vision of supporting the local enterprises that contributes to the welfare of the Omani people,” said Qais Al Kharu-si, chief executive offi cer of Oman Brunei Investment Company.
“According to the agreements, the investing company shall pro-vide the required technical exper-tise for the Omani employees and workers recruited at the project. This in turn, will open new win-dows for the Small and Medium Enterprises sector (SMEs) to have a hand and make profi ts,” Al Kharusi added.
Dr Suhaib Abu Deyah, project
manager at Sogex Oman pointed out that the agreement highlights the investors’ confi dence in the lo-cal market and the Omani banks. “Having the project 100 per cent funded by local banks optimises the economic value,” he added.
Valoriza Agua is a Spanish inter-national company specialised in designing and building desalina-tion plants with investments in the Middle East, Australia and the US, while Oman Brunei Investment, which is Muscat-based company interested in the commercial pro-jects; and Sogex Oman which is a subsidiary of Suhail Bahwan that was established in 1971, and is one of the pioneering companies at maintenance and operating plants.
Sohar desalination project is one of the
biggest of its kind in Al Batinah North
Governorate and is expected to meet 80%
of water demand after completion in 2018
‘Smart cities concept can improve effi ciencyin Sultanate’
ERIK PRINS [email protected]
MUSCAT: There is a lot of po-tential to improve effi ciency in Oman by introducing the concept of smart cities, Darren Tong, chief operating offi cer of Telecom Oman said.
“Whatever it is what the city does, whether it’s water man-agement, waste management, traffi c management or car parks, there’s a lot of informa-tion out there about how things are wasted,” he said. He noted that currently, this information is not being connected and not analysed. “If you do that, you can fi nd means to improve,” he said.
Tong explained that the con-cept of smart cities is all about reducing waste, improving time management and opti-mising human interactions. He said that exchanging ideas and knowledge can be made easier by improving connections be-tween people.
“We are having trouble with meeting each other because we are stuck in traffi c jams, have trouble connecting with each other because servers are down.
Electricity, water wastageAlso, smart technologies can help reduce waste of electricity and water. We are wasting ener-gy because every room has an air condition while not all rooms are occupied,” he said. “Since water in Oman is desalinated and there is no electronic monitoring with electronic meters, when the wa-ter leaks, it just fl ows away and is wasted,” he said.
He said that digitalisation would help here, by connecting sensors with 3G technologies and a data centre absorbing all the information. The informa-tion can then be analysed to fi nd ways to optimise the process.
Tong said that city planners, developers and businesses should take the opportunity to improve effi ciency to reach the goal of a smart city. >B3
S M A R T T E C H N O L O G Y
Darren Tong, chief operating
offi cer of Telecom Oman
OMAN OIL PRICE RISES Oman Crude price (June delivery)touched $40.56 per barrel, said Dubai Mercantile Exchange (DME). The price of Oman Crude rose 62 cents from Tuesday, which was $39.94 a barrel. — ONA
B2
MARKETT H U R S DAY, A P R I L 1 4 , 2 0 1 6
MUSCATSECURITIES MARKET
SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13
REGULAR MARKET .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
OM0000001962 ............AL MADINA INVESTMENT ................................... 3,429,589 ...... 248,175..................... 97 ........... 0.072 ........... 0.074 ...........0.071 ........... 0.072 .............0.070 ........... 0.002 ............. 2.857 ................0.071 .............. 0.071...................0.072...................14,914,900 .........0.100
OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL ............................................. 409,442 ............ 31,779..................... 28 ........... 0.078 ...........0.080 ...........0.077 ........... 0.078 .............0.076 ........... 0.002 ............. 2.632 ................0.077 ..............0.076...................0.077...................13,650,000 .........0.100
OM0000001517 ............HSBC BANK OMAN .................................................... 1,700,138........172,614......................17 ........... 0.100 ........... 0.102 ...........0.100 ........... 0.102 .............0.100 ........... 0.002 .............2.000 ................0.100 ..............0.100...................0.103 ..................204,031,905 .......0.100
OM0000003224 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES ..................................... 363,401 ............74,753..................... 30 ........... 0.205 ...........0.208 ...........0.205........... 0.206 .............0.202 ........... 0.004 ............. 1.980 ................0.205..............0.205...................0.207 .................. 59,874,110 .........0.100
OM0000002168 ............AL ANWAR CERAMIC TILES ................................ 92,000 .............26,416........................7 ........... 0.288 ........... 0.288 ...........0.285........... 0.287 .............0.282 ........... 0.005 ..............1.773.................0.285 ..............0.284...................0.285................... 85,013,327 .........0.100
OM0000003000 ...........ALMAHA PETROLEUM PRODUCTS MAR. ....... 32,917 .............55,091..................... 10 ............1.650 ........... 1.700 ...........1.650 ............1.675 ............. 1.650.............0.025 ..............1.515 .................1.700 .............. 1.700................... 1.720 ..................115,575,000 ........0.100
OM0000001319 ............NATIONAL ALUMINIUM PRODUCTS ............. 130,000 ........... 32,525........................4 ............0.251 ........... 0.251 ...........0.250........... 0.250 .............0.247 ........... 0.003 ..............1.215.................0.250............. 0.240...................0.249 ...................8,392,863 ..........0.100
OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK .................................................................... 268,985 ...........48,980........................9 ............0.182 ........... 0.183 ...........0.182 ........... 0.182 ............. 0.180 ........... 0.002 ..............1.111 .................0.182 ..............0.182...................0.185 ..................259,356,578 ........0.100
OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY ..................................................... 25,051 ............. 11,093........................7 ........... 0.438 ...........0.444 ...........0.420........... 0.442 .............0.438 ........... 0.004 ............. 0.913 ................0.420..............0.420...................0.440 ..................26,741,000 .........0.100
OM0000001707 ............OMAN CABLES INDUSTRY ...................................... 70,763 ...........119,833......................19 ............1.680 ........... 1.700 ...........1.680 ............1.695 ............. 1.680.............0.015 ............. 0.893 ................1.700 .............. 1.680................... 1.720 ..................152,041,500 ........0.100
OM0000001145 ............PORT SERVICES CORPORATION ....................... 561,860 ......... 129,367......................31 ........... 0.230 ........... 0.232 ...........0.221 ........... 0.230 .............0.228 ........... 0.002 ............. 0.877 ................0.221 ..............0.221...................0.226 ..................21,859,200 .........0.100
OM0000001087 ............OMAN UNITED INSURANCE ............................... 1,714,085 ....... 461,835..................... 96 ............0.271 ........... 0.272 ...........0.264 .......... 0.269 .............0.268 ............0.001 ............. 0.373 ................0.264..............0.261...................0.264 ..................26,900,000 ........0.100
OM0000001483 ............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ................................. 222,362 ...........60,204......................11 ........... 0.272 ........... 0.272 ...........0.269............0.271 .............0.270 ............0.001 ............. 0.370 ................0.269..............0.261...................0.269 .................399,665,726 ........0.100
OM0000002226 ...........AL JAZEERA SERVICES ............................................64,585 ............. 17,527......................12 ........... 0.270 ........... 0.275 ...........0.270............0.271 .............0.270 ............0.001 ............. 0.370 ................0.270..............0.262...................0.269 .................. 16,586,358 .........0.100
OM0000001160 ............NATIONAL GAS .............................................................44,798 .............13,439........................4 ........... 0.300 ...........0.300 ...........0.300 .......... 0.300 .............0.300 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.300 ............ 0.300...................0.306 ..................16,500,000 .........0.100
OM0000001418 ............RAYSUT CEMENT ........................................................14,254 ............ 14,254........................3 ........... 1.000 ........... 1.000 ...........1.000 ........... 1.000 .............1.000 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................1.000 ..............0.996...................1.000................. 200,000,000 .......0.100
OM0000001533 ............OMINVEST .................................................................... 341,083 ..........169,748..................... 24 ........... 0.496 ........... 0.498 ...........0.496 ........... 0.498 .............0.498 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.496 ..............0.496...................0.498..................316,623,862 ........0.100
OM0000002028 ...........GULF INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS ............ 308,598 ........... 85,038...................124 ........... 0.279 ...........0.282 ...........0.273 ........... 0.276 .............0.276 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.275 ..............0.275...................0.276.................... 5,796,000 ..........0.100
OM0000002275 ...........SHELL OMAN MARKETING ..................................... 2,550 ............... 4,743........................2 ............1.860 ........... 1.860 ...........1.860 ........... 1.860 ............. 1.860............ 0.000 .............0.000 ................1.860 ..............1.860...................1.920 ..................176,700,000 ........0.100
OM0000002366 ...........AL BATINAH DEV. INV. HOLDING ...................... 533,600 ...........48,060..................... 34 ............0.091 ........... 0.091 ...........0.086........... 0.090 .............0.090 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.086 ..............0.086...................0.088....................2,700,000 ..........0.100
OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 935,332 ......... 371,537....................131 ........... 0.398 ...........0.402 ...........0.390........... 0.398 .............0.398 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.390..............0.390...................0.394 .................993,507,603 ........0.100
OM0000002846 ...........GULF INV. SER. PREF SHARES ..............................10,000 ............... 1,140........................ 1 ............0.114 ........... 0.114............ 0.114 ............0.114 ............. 0.114 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ................ 0.114 .............. 0.110................... 0.117 ................... 10,418,549 .........0.100
OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO....................................................................... 250,000 ......... 180,100........................5 ............0.724 ........... 0.724 ...........0.720 ........... 0.720 .............0.720 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.720 .............. 0.716...................0.720..................468,679,846 .......0.100
OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER ................................................. 40,844 ...............8,455........................5 ........... 0.207 ...........0.207 ...........0.207........... 0.207 .............0.207 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.207..............0.207...................0.214 .................. 139,701,698 ........0.100
OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER .....................................................11,041 ...............2,341........................4 ............0.212 ........... 0.212 ...........0.212 ........... 0.212 ............. 0.212 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.212 ..............0.212...................0.216 .................. 151,454,144 ........0.100
OM0000004669 ...........SHARQIYAH DESALINATION .................................. 1,000 ............... 4,735........................ 1 ............4.735 ........... 4.735 ...........4.735 ........... 4.735 .............4.740 ...........-0.005 ........... -0.105 ...............4.735 ..............4.270...................4.735 ...................46,309,323 .........1.000
OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION .......................... 31,077 ............ 49,282........................7 ............1.590 ........... 1.590 ...........1.580 ............1.585 ............. 1.590............-0.005 ........... -0.314 ...............1.580 .............. 1.580................... 1.585 ................ 1,188,750,000 ......0.100
OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE .............. 178,089............ 38,400..................... 10 ............0.217 ........... 0.217 ...........0.212 ........... 0.216 ............. 0.217............-0.001 ........... -0.461................0.213 ..............0.212...................0.213 .................. 43,200,000 ........0.100
OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS ................................................ 116,325 ............. 47,917......................13 ............0.414 ........... 0.414 ...........0.404 .......... 0.412 ............. 0.414............-0.002 ........... -0.483 ...............0.412 ..............0.404...................0.410 ...................21,630,000 .........0.100
OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 7,830,303 ...... 776,758...................347 ............0.105 ........... 0.105 ...........0.094........... 0.099 .............0.100 ...........-0.001 ........... -1.000 ...............0.095 ..............0.094...................0.095...................28,708,083 .........0.100
OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 5,510,797....... 931,824..................... 78 ............0.171 ........... 0.171 ............0.167 ............0.169 ............. 0.171 ............-0.002 ............-1.170 ................0.168 .............. 0.166...................0.167 ..................267,963,696 ........0.100
OM0000004735 ...........SEMBCORP SALALAH .............................................. 226,000 ............59,010......................11 ........... 0.265 ........... 0.265 ...........0.260 .......... 0.261 .............0.265 ...........-0.004 ........... -1.509 ...............0.260..............0.255...................0.262 .................249,143,279 ........0.100
OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 1,447,994 ......322,362...................124 ........... 0.229 ...........0.229 ...........0.220 .......... 0.223 .............0.227 ...........-0.004 ............-1.762 ................0.220 ............ 0.220...................0.222 .................. 33,466,725 .........0.100
OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ......................... 1,000,810 ...... 129,720..................... 50 ............0.135 ........... 0.135 ...........0.125 ........... 0.130 ............. 0.133............-0.003 ........... -2.256 ...............0.125 .............. 0.125...................0.130 .................... 7,649,618 ..........0.100
OM0000002176 ............AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS ........................ 746,391 .......... 123,824..................... 52 ............0.172 ........... 0.172 ...........0.163 ............0.166 ............. 0.170............-0.004 ........... -2.353 ...............0.163 .............. 0.162...................0.165 ................... 20,733,061 .........0.100
OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING ........... 357,000 ........... 46,324......................16 ............0.134 ........... 0.134 ...........0.125 ........... 0.130 ............. 0.135 ............-0.005 ........... -3.704 ...............0.125 .............. 0.123...................0.125 ................... 15,843,750 .........0.100
OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING ........... 1,413,135 ....... 166,349..................... 75 ............0.126 ........... 0.126 ........... 0.115 ............0.118 ............. 0.124 ...........-0.006 ........... -4.839 ............... 0.115 ...............0.115................... 0.117 ...................10,620,000 .........0.100
.............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 30,436,199 ......5,085,553 ...........1,499 .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......37........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
PARALLEL MARKET ................................................................................................................................................................................. OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES ..................................................... 2,938,444 ......196,762..................... 35 ........... 0.064 ........... 0.067 ...........0.064........... 0.067 ............. 0.061............ 0.006 ............. 9.836 ................0.067 ..............0.067...................0.000 ...................8,375,000 ..........0.100
OM0000001368 ............CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IND. .................. 305,000 ............10,950......................17 ........... 0.036 ........... 0.037 ...........0.035 ........... 0.036 .............0.035 ............0.001 ............. 2.857 ................0.035 ..............0.035...................0.036....................3,060,000 ..........0.100
OM0000001590 ............MUSCAT FINANCE .................................................... 1,213,309 ...... 143,049..................... 47 ............0.117 ........... 0.120 ........... 0.116 ............0.118 ............. 0.116 ............ 0.002 ............. 1.724 ................ 0.117 ...............0.117................... 0.118 ...................31,472,438 .........0.100
OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................ 2,784,525 ...... 221,705..................... 86 ........... 0.082 ........... 0.082 ...........0.077 ........... 0.080 .............0.079 ............0.001 ............. 1.266 ................0.078 ..............0.077...................0.078................. 120,000,000 .......0.100
OM0000001046............PACKAGING CO. LTD .......................................................... 50 .....................26........................ 1 ........... 0.522 ........... 0.522 ...........0.522........... 0.522 .............0.522 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.522............. 0.000...................0.000 ................... 1,566,000 ..........1.000
OM0000001426 ............OMAN REFRESHMENT .............................................. 1,500 ...............3,300........................ 1 ........... 2.200 ...........2.200 .......... 2.200 .......... 2.200 .............2.200 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ............... 2.200 .............2.150...................2.200 .................110,000,000........0.100
OM0000002333 ...........SALALAH PORT SERVICES ....................................... 1,600 ................1,011........................ 1 ........... 0.632 ........... 0.632 ...........0.632 ........... 0.648 .............0.648 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.632 ............. 0.000...................0.632.................. 116,534,635 ........0.100
OM0000004511 ............ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK.............................................. 2,977,415 ...... 188,949......................51 ........... 0.064 ...........0.064 ...........0.061 ........... 0.063 .............0.063 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.061 .............. 0.061...................0.062 ..................63,000,000 ........0.100
OM0000004776 ...........TAKAFUL OMAN INSURANCE ................................ 6,500 ...................715........................2 ............0.110 ........... 0.110............0.110 ............0.110 ............. 0.110 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.110 ..............0.106................... 0.110 ...................11,000,000 .........0.100
OM0000005963 ...........PHOENIX POWER ...................................................... 441,256 ............66,745..................... 24 ............0.152 ........... 0.152 ...........0.150 ............0.151 ............. 0.152............-0.001 ........... -0.658 ...............0.150 .............. 0.150................... 0.151 ................. 220,852,820 .......0.100
OM0000001723 ............OMAN ORIX LEASING ................................................17,146 .............. 2,006........................2 ............0.117 ........... 0.117 ............ 0.117 ............0.117 ............. 0.118 ............-0.001 ........... -0.847 ............... 0.117 .............. 0.116................... 0.117 ................... 29,371,610 .........0.100
OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING.................................. 411,319 ............ 35,643..................... 27 ........... 0.089 ........... 0.089 ...........0.085 ........... 0.087 .............0.089 ...........-0.002 ........... -2.247 ...............0.085 ..............0.085...................0.086.................... 6,543,096 ..........0.100
.............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 11,098,064 .... 870,861...................294 .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......12........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
BONDS AND SUKUK MARKET ......................................................................................................................................................................OM0000005971 ............B.MUSCAT COMPL. CONVR. B.B.3.5 ............................. 12 ........................1........................ 1 ........... 0.093 ........... 0.093 ...........0.093........... 0.093 .............0.093 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.093 ..............0.093...................0.099................... 30,147,030 .........0.100
OM0000004867 ...........BANK MUSCAT C C B 4.5 ............................................. 6,695 .................. 683........................2 ............0.102 ........... 0.102 ...........0.102 ........... 0.102 ............. 0.103............-0.001 ........... -0.971................0.102 ..............0.102...................0.106 ...................32,603,553 .........0.100
.............................................SUM: .......................................................................................6,707 .................. 684........................3 .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........ 2........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
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
O M A N S T O C K S
INDICESIndex .................................................High .................Low ..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff %MSM30 Index ........................................5,754.64 ...............5,730.97 ................... 5,730.97 ................... 5,728.72 ....................2.25 ...................0.04Financial Index .....................................7,478.23 ............... 7,410.91 .................... 7,410.91 ....................7,426.31 ................ -15.40 .................. -0.21Industrial Index ................................... 7,004.54 ...............6,971.80 ................... 6,971.80 ................... 6,963.75 ....................8.05 ................... 0.12Services Index .......................................3,162.76 ...............3,156.59 ....................3,158.98 ................... 3,156.53 ....................2.45 ................... 0.08MSM SHARIAH INDEX.......................865.56 ..................862.53 ...................... 862.53 ...................... 860.79 .....................1.74 ...................0.20
Trading SummaryVolume ................ Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up ............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded41,540,970 ..................5,957,098 ..................1,796 ................16,739,491,858 ................ 18 ......................16 .................... 17 .........................51
MSM index closes flat
MUSCAT: Muscat bourse closed on a fl at note 5,730.97 points, up 0.04 per cent. The MSM Sharia Index ended 862.53 points, up by 0.20 per cent.
Galfar was the most active in terms of volume while Bank Nizwa led in terms of turnover. Oman Fisheries was the top gain-er, up by 9.84 per cent, while Al Sharqia Investment was the top loser, with loss of 4.84 per cent.
As many as1,796 trades were executed on Wednesday, generat-ing turnover of OMR5.95 million with 41.5 million shares chang-ing hands. Out of 51 traded secu-rities, 18 advanced, 16 declined and 17 remained unchanged. Omani investors were net buy-ers for OMR155,000 followed by GCC and Arab investors for OMR57,000 while foreign inves-tors switched to net sellers for OMR212,000 worth of shares.
Financial Index retreated 0.21 per cent to close at 7,410.91 points. Al Madina Investments, Al Madi-na Takaful, HSBC Bank, Muscat Finance and Bank Nizwa gained by 2.86 per cent, 2.63 per cent, 2 per cent, 1.72 per cent and 1.27 per cent, respectively. Al Sharqia Investment, Oman & Emirates,
Gulf Investment Services, Al An-war Holding and Bank Sohar de-clined by 4.84 per cent, 3.70 per cent, 2.26 per cent, 1.76 per cent and 1.17 per cent, respectively.
Industrial Index gained by 0.12 per cent to close at 6,971.80 points. Oman Fisheries, Con-struction Materials, Al Anwar Ceramics, National Aluminium and Voltamp Energy increased by 9.84 per cent, 2.86 per cent, 1.77 per cent, 1.21 per cent and 0.91 per cent, respectively. Al Jazeera Steel, Al Hassan Engineering, Galfar Engineering and Al Maha Ceramics slid 2.35 per cent, 2.25 per cent, 1 per cent and 0.48 per cent, respectively.
Services Index ended at 3,158.98 points, up by 0.08 per cent. Renaissance Services, Al Maha Petroleum, Port Services and Al Jazeera Services gained by 1.98 per cent, 1.52 per cent, 0.88 per cent and 0.37 per cent, respectively. Sembcorp Salalah, Phoenix Power, OIFC, Oman Tel-ecommunications Company and Sharqiyah Desalination declined by 1.51 per cent, 0.66 per cent, 0.46 per cent, 0.31 per cent and 0.11 per cent, respectively.
– United Securities
Oman Fisheries was the top gainer, up by 9.84
per cent, while Al Sharqia Investment was the
top loser, with a loss of 4.84 per cent
Don’t litter a beautiful country like OMAN.Ensure proper disposal of garbage.
B3T H U R S DAY, A P R I L 14 , 2 0 1 6
MARKET
‘Cut energy
costs by half’
“If you identify the needs and cer-tain areas of ineffi ciency, as an en-trepreneur we can go and address it,” he said.
He said that Oman is in a starting stage of introducing smart cities. “Right now, nothing is connected, nothing is studied or analysed. The potential however, is to cut your energy costs by half,” he said.
“Smart city is a way for Oman to participate in the digital economy, train its human resources and take advantage of using data to make gov-ernment services more effi cient.”
He said that Telecom Oman, which is seeking a licence to oper-ate as a third telecom operator in Oman, can provide the infrastruc-ture to help stakeholders make this move towards more effi ciency. He said that Telecom Oman is seeking to play a role in the development of Omagine, a new project where smart city technologies will be displayed. “This is where the tech-nologies are showcased, tested and hopefully rolled out to the rest of the country. By 2020 we should be able to see a fi rst version of a smart city here in Oman” he said. He said that there is also potential for e-business to fl ourish in Oman.
“A lot of Omani’s are still in-volved with brick-and-mortar. They like to visit shops and they like to feel and hold the product,” he said. He noted that new tech-nologies like data centres can help the industry to grow in Oman, by inviting big players in e-commerce to base their operations here.
Tong said that as a new telecom operator, it wants to be more than a provider off ering phone calls and internet.
T E C H N O L O G Y New regulation on sukuk to provide transparency
Times News Service
MUSCAT: Oman’s market watch-dog Capital Market Authority (CMA) on Wednesday announced its new sukuk regulation, which includes stipulation on establish-ing a trustee structure and an LLC company as a special purpose ve-hicle for issuing sukuk.
The regulation, which is eff ective from Wednesday, also allows struc-ture of the sukuk subject to the ap-proval of respective Sharia Supervi-sory Board issuer and the choice of the board is left to the issuer.
The regulation made rating op-tional for the issuer and there is no restriction on the sukuk amount to be raised based on the com-pany’s capital, said a CMA release.
The new sukuk regulation will provide clarity and transparency
to the market players, while pro-viding protection to investors in a sukuk transaction. In addition, it has been drafted to provide fl ex-ibilities and spur innovation for the market players.
“The issuance of this new sukuk regulation forms an integral part of the overall strategy of the CMA to enable the capital market to play its vital role as a fundrais-ing platform for companies in the economic development of Oman, particularly in the fi xed-income market, where sukuk forms an im-portant element to further develop Oman’s Islamic capital market,” said Abdullah Salim Al Salmi, ex-ecutive president of the Capital Market Authority .
“In addition, the new sukuk reg-ulation will form a key milestone in the evolution of the sukuk mar-ket in Oman and hopefully spur further Sukuk issuances particu-larly from the private sector play-ers in order to meet their devel-opment and funding needs, while diversifying the fi nancing base and risk away from the traditional banking sector,” he added.
“Further, sukuk issuances will also provide an essential liquid-ity management instrument and investment avenue for both Is-lamic and conventional fi nancial institutions, investment funds and takaful/insurance operators in Oman. Hence, not only provid-ing a wider investor base of both conventional and Sharia-compli-ant investors, but also attracting
the required foreign investments into the country via the foreign investors. We are confi dent that this new regulation will have a positive impact on Oman’s capital market and the economy.”
Amendments to lawThe sukuk regulation is being is-sued subsequent to the amend-ments made to the Capital Mar-ket Law under Royal Decree No. 59/2014 on December 10, 2014, which provides the CMA the au-thority to regulate all sukuk issu-ances in Oman and any Special Purpose Vehicle or Company (SPV) being incorporated for the issuance of a sukuk, including the
tax and fee exemption status pro-vided for the SPV.
This sukuk regulation would complement the existing bond regulatory framework, which are currently in place in the Com-mercial Companies Law and Ex-ecutive Regulation of the Capital Market Law.
All jurisdictions have specifi c and separate sukuk regulations, particularly in the Gulf Coopera-tion Council, with many just hav-ing a conventional bond regulatory framework with some additions made on the Sharia requirements.
In a short span of three years, besides the establishment of two Islamic banks and six Islamic
windows, the Islamic fi nancial market in Oman has seen the launch of the new Muscat Securi-ties Market (MSM) Sharia Index with 30 Sharia-compliant listed companies on the MSM, three Sh-aria-compliant investment funds, the fi rst Oman sovereign sukuk and also the fi rst corporate sukuk, and the establishment of two takaful operators including the is-suance of the new takaful law.
New rule includes
stipulation on
establishing a trustee
structure and an LLC
company as a special
purpose vehicle for
issuing sukuk
Omani fi rms enter into trade agreements with Ethiopia Times News Service
MUSCAT: Various import and export agreements, including commercial agency agreements for a group of the participating companies were signed, in addi-tion to entering into partnership deals, on the third day of Omani Products Exhibition (Opex 2016) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Wednesday.
The four-day event, which con-cludes today, witnessed a signifi -cant turnout from Ethiopian busi-ness owners, traders and investors.
Abay Tsehaye, special adviser to the Ethiopian prime minister, visited the exhibition at the Mil-lennium Hall, and met Opex Or-ganising Committee members. Tsehaye was briefed on the Omani products and their capabilities to compete in the overseas markets.
Tsehaye hailed the eff orts un-dertaken by the Omani govern-ment to boost and develop the in-dustrial sector, especially that the contribution of the sector to the gross domestic product (GDP) is estimated at more than 11 per cent. “We are optimistic that this event will be a step forward to boost trade relations between Ethiopia and Oman,” Tsehaye said.
Positive resultsEng. Basim bin Ali Al Nassri, director general of Marketing and Media at the Public Estab-lishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE) pointed out that Ethiopia is the fi fth Opex event and more than 100 companies are partici-pating this year.
“The previous Opex events which were held in the Gulf Coop-eration Council (GCC) countries have achieved positive results, particularly by emphasising the presence of Omani products in these markets. Besides, the suc-cess of the previous exhibitions
encouraged us to put more eff orts into the coming exhibitions,” Al Nassri said.
“The Opex Organising Com-mittee – PEIE, Public Author-ity for Investment Promotion and Export Development (Ithraa), and Oman Chamber of Com-merce and Industry (OCCI) – are always keen to take into account all the reviews and recommenda-tions that would help in develop-ing the coming events and over-coming the challenges,” he added.
Asked about the eff orts un-dertaken by PEIE in promoting and marketing Omani products, Al Nassri said, “PEIE aspires to support the Omani industries lo-cally, regionally and internation-ally. Annual plans are being put in place to organise a series of Oma-ni products’ exhibitions through-out the Sultanate’s governorates which are always welcomed by the companies.”
Al Nassri said the committee will prepare an evaluation after the event in Ethiopia and thus the des-tination will be determined as per the existing options. He added that the results of Opex 2016 will open
wider opportunities for the Omani products in the African market.
“Ethiopia shall act as a gate-way for the Omani products to strengthen their presence in the neighbouring markets to Ethio-pia. In fact, the Omani industries have got the essential ingredients to achieve success and compete in diff erent markets,” he said.
Export Credit GuaranteeExport Credit Guarantee Agency of Oman is participating at Opex 2016 in Ethiopia in line with its commitment to stimulate and promote Oman’s non-oil exports by providing credit guarantee covers for the Omani exporters.
Ahmed Khalfan Al Balushi, head of underwriting at Ex-port Credit Guarantee Agency (ECGA) of Oman, said that the main aim of this guarantee cover-age is to reduce risks and there-fore create wider opportunities to increase the volume of exports to the foreign markets.
ECGA commenced its export credit insurance, guarantee and fi nancing activities in servicing Omani exporters since 1991.
O P E X 2 0 1 6
World Bank to provide Egypt with fi rst tranche of $3b loanCAIRO: World Bank will provide the fi rst $1 billion tranche of a $3 billion loan to Egypt after parlia-ment approves the government’s economic programme, World Bank vice-president Hafez Ghanem said at a news conference late Tuesday.
Parliament is expected to pass the programme in April.
Egypt has been negotiating bil-lions of dollars in aid from various lenders to help revive an economy battered by political upheaval since the 2011 revolt and ease a dollar shortage that has crippled import activity and hampered recovery.
The lender had agreed to provide the fi rst $1 billion in December but is waiting for the government’s economic programme, which out-lines the broad strokes of its reform plans, to be passed by parliament.
The government presented a pro-gramme to parliament in late March that aimed to reduce the budget def-icit while protecting the poor.
The World Bank said in De-cember that the fi rst tranche was focused on “10 prior actions for policy and institutional reforms” already implemented. The second and third tranches are linked to additional reforms the govern-
ment plans.A long-delayed Value Added
Tax (VAT) that has yet to be im-plemented but was included in the government programme was one of the reforms agreed to as part of the fi rst tranche, Ghanem said.
Food subsidy policyGhanem said that there would not be specifi c conditions placed on future tranches but highlighted certain changes the lender would like to see, such as a shift in food subsidy policy away from reduced prices to direct cash transfers for the poor.
Egypt has delayed a number of diffi cult reforms, from a VAT that
would increase government rev-enues and a civil service law that would trim the country’s public workforce, to an ambitious plan to wean the country off costly en-ergy subsidies that has since been scaled back.
Egypt’s economy is currently growing at around 4.2 per cent with a budget defi cit of about 11.5 per cent, the prime minister said last month.
Saudi Arabia, along with other Gulf oil producers, have pumped billions of dollars, including grants, into Egypt’s fl agging economy since the army toppled President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013 after mass protests against his rule.
But Egypt has said it would rely less on grants from its neighbours moving forward and would focus instead on attracting foreign in-vestment that could relaunch its dollar starved economy.
Last week it signed an agree-ment with Saudi Arabia to set up a 60 billion Saudi riyal ($16 billion) investment fund among other in-vestment agreements including an economic free-zone to develop Egypt’s Sinai region. - Reuters
D E B T
TRADE DEAL: Abay Tsehaye, special adviser to the Ethiopian
prime minister, hailed the eff orts undertaken by the Omani gov-
ernment to boost and develop the industrial sector. - Supplied picture
< FROM
B1
HAVE YOUR SAY Send us your comments at facebook.com/timesofoman blog.timesofoman.com [email protected]
Further, sukuk issuance will also provide an
essential liquidity management instrument
and investment avenue for both Islamic and
conventional financial institutions, investment
funds and takaful/insurance operators in Oman
Abdullah Salim Al SalmiExecutive president, Capital Market Authority
B4
ROUND-UPT H U R S DAY, A P R I L 1 4 , 2 0 1 6
General Automotive launches new Mitsubishi Montero Sport in Oman
MUSCAT: General Automotive Company (GAC), the offi cial dis-tributor of Mitsubishi Vehicles in Oman, offi cially introduced the all-new 2016 Mitsubishi Montero Sport to Oman at a press confer-ence held here yesterday.
The new-generation mid-size SUV, which replaces the former Pajero Sport, has been developed to a ‘stylish and comfortable off -road SUV’ concept.
The all-new 2016 Mitsubishi Montero Sport was launched at an offi cial event held at the Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, under the patronage of Masahiko Takahashi, the president of Mit-subishi Motors Middle East and Africa. Presiding over the event were Hani M. Al Zubair, chair-man of the Zubair Automotive Group, together with Mark Tom-linson, group general manager of the Zubair Automotive Group, and Manoj Ranade, General Manager of General Automotive Company, says a press release.
Commenting on the all-new vehicle, Takahashi said: “This full-feature off -road SUV inherits the best aspects of Mitsubishi’s renowned SUV prowess; while bringing with it a refi ned and high-quality exterior design, high levels of performance, a comfort-able interior, environmental per-formance on a par with the best in its class, and a comprehensive list advanced safety features. I am confi dent, it will make for a great addition to Mitsubishi’s fl eet here in Oman.”
In its appearance, the all-new Montero Sport has been boldly sculpted and stylishly accented; its assertive aerodynamic body delivering solid refi nement down to the last detail — from dynamic shield front design concept, a fur-ther evolution of the design fi rst introduced in the latest generation Outlander models, right through to the vibrant rear lamps. The high-quality stylish design uses both sporty and dynamic elements to set it apart from conventional cross-country SUVs. The sophis-ticated new LED headlamps and daytime running lights contribute to this appealing, high-quality per-sonality while the dynamic LED rear combination lamps boldly
proclaim this is no ordinary SUV.The interior uses a high console
proportion dashboard, as befi ts a larger SUV, while dynamically styled silver-fi nish ornamenta-tion and sculpted seats add to its luxurious feel. The well-appointed cabin surrounds occupants with solid craftsmanship, supportive comfort and intelligent features. The leather seats with smooth gathers, dual layered cushioning, wide open view, and the relaxing spaciousness of the cabin, all come together to keep everybody com-fortable and in the best of spirits. From the refi ned meters to the sophisticated fl oor console and an optimised driving position, every feature has also been fi ne-tuned to enhance driving pleasure and keep the driver in confi dent control.
Handling stability, ride and qui-etness have also been taken to the next level through optimisation of the suspension and improvements to the body mounts. The all-new Montero Sport also uses a further-evolved version of MMC’s own super-select 4WD-II four-wheel drive system. This is complement-ed by other advanced features such including hill descent control, se-lectable 2WD and 4WD modes, in-telligent assistance in challenging conditions, and the new off -road mode that enhances traction and provides even better all-terrain performance and stability on de-manding surfaces. Together with its advanced suspension and out-standing all-around clearance, all these features combine to provide a one of a kind vehicle with both on- and off -road capabilities wor-thy of the tri-diamond badge
“Combining its dynamic capa-bilities, advanced technology, new seats and overall spaciousness, together with its upgraded sound insulation and effi cient dual-zone climate control system, the Montero Sport provides its new owners with a cabin that off ers amongst the highest levels of com-fort in its class,” added Ranade.
The all-new Montero Sport is powered by a 3.0L MIVEC V6 gasoline engine that pro-duces 219 hp@6,000rpm and 285Nm@4,000rpm; all the power that one may require of a rugged SUV to accomplish every mission with smooth, effi cient ease. This is mated to Mitsubishi’s new 8-speed automatic transmission that deliv-ers a smoother, more luxurious ride and improved fuel effi ciency.
It even features sporty paddle shifters that allows the driver to shift gears with just a press, and without having to remove either hand from the steering wheel.
“The tough and powerful high-displacement V6 engine, together with the new 8-speed transmission ensures strong acceleration from the new Montero Sport, even when carrying heavy loads or travelling up mountain roads,” added Ranade.
The all-new Montero Sport also comes with a very comprehensive list of active and passive safety features. MMC’s own RISE (Re-inforced Impact Safety Evolution) body design and a total of up to sev-en SRS airbags provide occupants with outstanding passive safety. Active safety features include a Forward Collision Mitigation sys-tem (FCM), which helps prevent a frontal collision or reduce damage if the collision becomes unavoid-able. Blind Spot Warning system (BSW), that uses ultrasonic sen-sors to detect vehicles in rear blind spots with warning indicators on either side mirrors; and the Ultra-sonic misacceleration Mitigation System (UMS), that helps prevent collisions while parking by sound-ing a buzzer and displaying a warn-ing if the front or rear sensors de-tect a nearby obstacle in your path, going so far as to even control en-gine output if the driver suddenly accelerates by accident.
The all-new Mitsubishi Montero is now available at all GAC show-room across Oman and is available in seven exterior colour options and three trim levels – GLS, GLS Highline and GLS Premium.
Off -road capability and drive systemsThe all new Montero Sport is just as capable off -road as it is on with stable and accurate handling in all kinds of weather and driving con-ditions. Not only has the Montero Sport been designed to climb up, over, around and through the toughest terrain, it also features a bevy of technological advance-ments that bolsters its all-terrain capabilities. This is all thanks to selectable 2WD and 4WD modes, an Off Road Mode that enhances traction on demanding surfaces, intelligent assistance in chal-lenging conditions, an advanced suspension and outstanding all-around clearance
Off road mode: This system improves traction when driving off
road by simply entering the correct setting depending on the terrain the vehicle is being driven over. It includes four primary modes com-prising gravel, mud/snow, sand or rock settings. To activate the system the driver need only press the off road mode selector until the appropriate mode appears in the multi-information display. Engine output, transmission settings and braking then adjust accordingly to optimise performance.
Hill Start Assist (HSA): When starting on a steep slope, the HSA system helps prevent the ve-hicle from rolling backwards when the brake is released. It does so by maintaining the braking force for up to two seconds until the accel-erator is applied.
Active Stability & Traction Control: The Active Stability & Traction Control system inde-pendently regulates braking force to the wheels during cornering to help maintain excellent vehicle stability when needed. It also op-timises traction to prevent loss of torque whenever wheel spin is de-tected by controlling engine out-put and applying brake force to the spinning wheels.
Engine and drivetrain3.0-litre V6 MIVEC: All vari-ants of the Montero Sport share the same engine – a 3.0-litre V6 MIVEC. With power rated at 219 hp@6,000rpm and peak torque of 285Nm@4,000rpm, this tough and powerful high-displacement V6 engine supplies strong ac-celeration even when carry-ing heavy loads or travelling up mountain roads.
8-Speed Automatic Transmis-sion: A fi rst from Mitsubishi Mo-tors, the Montero Sport includes an all-new 8-speed automatic transmission. This new transmis-sion delivers a smoother, more lux-urious ride and improved fuel effi -ciency. It also sports sporty paddle shifters that let the driver shift-gears with a single press, without having to remove their hands from the steering wheel.
Safety technologyThe Montero Sport features so-phisticated new safety features that intelligently support safer driving whether parked or cruis-ing on the highway. The vehicle can be driven with greater confi -dence knowing that all occupants are solidly protected by a robust
RISE body and comprehensive list of safety features.
Blind Spot Warning (BSW): This safety feature uses ultrasonic sensors on the rear bumper to detect vehicles in the driver’s rear blind spots, on the right and left sides. When a vehicle is detected, a warning indicator appears on the door mirror on that respective side.
Ultrasonic misacceleration Mitigation System (UMS): To help prevent collisions while park-ing, this system sounds a buzzer and displays a warning if front or rear sensors detect a nearby ob-stacle in your path. Engine output is also automatically controlled if the driver suddenly accelerates by accident. However, engine output control activates only under cer-tain conditions which include driving at 0-10km/h and the ve-hicle is not in N or P position on the gearbox, when an obstacle or vehicle is within approximately 4m of the Montero Sport, when the accelerator pedal is pushed hard or abruptly, and when the driver is not turning to avoid the obstacle or vehicle.
Forward Collision Mitiga-tion System (FCM): This system helps prevent a frontal collision or reduce damage if the collision becomes unavoidable. It works by detecting the distance between ve-hicles ahead of the Montero Sport and warns the driver if it gets too close. If the initial warning is not heeded the system lightly applies the brakes. If a collision is im-minent the system then applies strong braking force to reduce damage or prevent the collision if at all possible.
RISE body: In case of a collision, safety performance is signifi cantly enhanced thanks to Mitsubishi Motors’ RISE (Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution) body. This prov-en design effi ciently absorbs energy and maintains high cabin integrity in the event of a collision.
Rigid lightweight body: The RISE body is further comple-mented by the generous use of high tensile strength steel plates. The use of these high quality ma-terials not only contribute towards a high level of collision safety, but also ensure the body itself remains extremely sturdy and lightweight.
7 SRS airbags: In the event of a collision, seven SRS airbags help protect the driver and passengers by absorbing the force of impact.
The system includes front airbags, front side airbags, curtain airbags, third-row curtain airbags in the7-seater, and a driver’s knee airbag. All variants of the Montero come standard with front airbags. Side, curtain and driver’s knee airbags are available on the GLS Premium.
Cabin highlightsThe new Montero Sport features a well-appointed cockpit, which surrounds you with solid crafts-manship, supportive comfort, in-telligent features and a wide open view. From sophisticated fl oor console and high-contrast meters and multi-information display, to the comfortable three-row seating, every feature is fi ne-tuned to en-hance comfort and keep the driver in confi dent control.
Electric parking brake: The parking brake is easy to operate via a stylish switch. Simply pull the switch up to apply the park-ing brake or push the switch-down to release it.
Dual-zone automatic climate controlair conditioner: The powerful air conditioning system provides separate temperature settings for the driver and front passenger. Better still, it provides powerful front and rear air fl ow and top-class cooling that keeps all passengers comfortable even in the hottest weather.
Cabin entertainment: The Montero Sport GLX comes stand-ard with a quality tuner/CD player and USB port on the fl oor console to enable easy connection with an iPod or other audio player. It also doubles as charger port for your compatible portable devices. The GLS on the other hand comes with an upgraded audio system that includes a 6.1-inch QVGA touch-panel display. Controlling the audio system is easy on the touch-panel display, which also displays the view from the rear view camera where fi tted.
VariantsThe new 2016 Montero Sport is available in three variants GLS, GLS Highline and GLS Premi-um. All variants come standard with the 3.0L V6 MIVEC engine, 8-speed automatic transmission and super select 4WD II. The base GLS also includes a comprehensive range of com-fort and safety features including ASTC, HSA, Anti- theft alarm sys-tem, automatic dual zone air con-ditioner, steering mounted audio and cruise controls, USB port and much more.
The GLS highline adds rear dif-ferential lock, hill descent control (HDC), Hands free bluetooth and voice control system, upgraded audio with a 6.1” LCD display, Rear view camera, Off road mode selector and much more. The GLS Premium goes a step further and adds a Power tilt and sliding auto sunroof, 7 airbags, UMS, BSW, and FCM. All models are available in a choice of seven colours.
The new-generation
mid-size SUV, which
replaces the former
Pajero Sport, has been
developed to a ‘stylish
and comfortable off -
road SUV’ concept
B5T H U R S DAY, A P R I L 14 , 2 0 1 6
ROUND-UPLove us on
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New Jaguar F-Pace can be booked at MHD showrooms across Oman
MUSCAT: Pre-orders for the all-new Jaguar F-Pace are now being accepted by Mohsin Haider Dar-wish (MHD), the exclusive distrib-utor of Jaguar cars in the Sultanate of Oman.
The Jaguar F-Pace is a perfor-mance crossover designed and en-gineered to off er the agility, respon-siveness and refi nement that all Jaguars are renowned for, together with unrivalled dynamics and eve-ryday usability. With a starting price of OMR23,550 (F-Pace Pure),
customers can now place their pre-orders through the Mohsin Haider Darwish showrooms in Muscat, Sohar and Salalah.
David Aziz, CEO - Automotive Products, MHD, said: “Immedi-ately recognisable as a Jaguar, the all-new F-Pace is the ultimate practical sports car for all car afi -cionados who love driving. Gar-nering a huge amount of atten-tion since its launch, the all-new F-Pace has been in high demand all around the world and we are ex-
tremely excited to fi nally give our loyal Jaguar customers in the Sul-tanate of Oman the chance to place their pre-orders to be some of the fi rst to get their hands on this out-standing vehicle.”
The all-new Jaguar F-PaceCarrying through the design vi-sion of the C-X17 concept through to production, the all-new Jaguar F-Pace has been developed using Jaguar’s lightweight aluminium
architecture, combining purity of line, surface and proportion with F-Type-inspired features such as the powerful rear haunches, fender vents and distinctive tail light graphics.
With the 380PS supercharged V6 petrol engine from the F-Type under its sculpted aluminium bonnet, the all-new F-Pace can accelerate from 0-60mph in just 5.1 seconds before reaching an electronically-limited top speed of 155mph.
The all-new F-Pace seats fi ve occupants in absolute comfort. The interior is a perfect blend of premium materials and fi nishes, exquisite detailing, luxuries such as electrically-reclining rear seats and cutting-edge technologies includ-ing the InControl Touch Pro info-tainment system and 12.3-inch HD virtual instrument cluster.
The lightweight aluminium ar-
chitecture gave the design and en-gineering teams the ideal starting point. It was created from the out-set as a modular structure, so the wheels can be positioned exactly where they are needed to deliver the proportions, dynamics, and practicality essential for a perfor-mance crossover.
Boasting Jaguar’s new infotain-ment system, its most advanced all-wheel drive system and a re-markable range of active safety technologies, the all-new Jaguar F-Pace makes every journey a bet-ter, more rewarding experience.
The all-new Jaguar F-Pace is now available to pre-order exclu-sively at MHD showrooms across the Sultanate of Oman with prices starting from OMR23,550 (F-Pace Pure) inclusive of fi ve years or 65,000km service package, war-ranty for fi ve years or 250,000km whichever is earlier.
Mohsin Haider Darwish is now accepting pre-
orders for the all-new Jaguar F-Pace vehicles
in the Sultanate of Oman
AOU workshop enhances role of its staff on academic counsellingMUSCAT: In its eff orts in elevat-ing the academic level of the Arab Open University (AOU) students and enhancing the role of the aca-demic staff in advising the students, AOU held a workshop on academic advising to its faculty, recently.
The workshop sessions were given by Dr Youssef Takroni, She-rimon P. C. and Abdulqader bin Ra-hit, members of the Academic Ad-vising Committee: and attended by Dr Moosa Al Kindi, the university director, the academic staff , and the admission and registration de-partment, says a press release.
The workshop fi rst covered ba-sic aspects such as the role, func-tion and purpose of academic
advising. The participants agreed that academic advising was a shared responsibility by the tu-tors, programme coordinators and deanships.
Then dealing with students of diff erent academic categories,
under-probation, critical GPA and good GPA, were discussed. The audience explained the role of the resources in advising the students such as the student information system, study plans and academic plans. Besides, the pre-academic advising mechanism (online ad-vising) was critiqued. They also said that archiving and documen-tation of academic advising pro-cedures and processes was equally important for quality purposes.
The participants discussed the notifi cation system for students who are placed under academic probation. Finally, the workshop ended with an open discussion session from the participants.
W O R K S H O P S E S S I O N S
Utsav food festival till tomorrowMUSCAT: Revelling India’s myriad cultures and its festivals, Mazaya Oman is showcasing a gala food festival called Utsav spanning across eight days at all its Yellow Chilli outlets in Muscat from April 8 to 15.
With Gudi Padwa, Ugadi, Chaitra Navratri, Cheti Chand, Baisakhi, Rongali Bihu, Ram Navami around the corner, The Yellow Chilli is featuring the ex-clusive gourmet festival, ‘Utsav’. The menu revels in India’s col-ourful cultural potpourri, says a press release.
Bringing regional delicacies savoured across on your palate like Shorshe Murgi Kashundi Ka-chumber, Rava Surmai Tawa Fry, Karari Bhindi Jaipuri, Mysuru Chicken, Malabari Fish Curry,
Aloo Dum Benarasi, Gujrati Ka-dhi Pakodi to be complemented with regional delectable desserts like Bhapa Doi, Kesari Rasmalai and coconut-jaggery ice cream, it sure promises an indulgence in the wholesome Indian food while
ushering in the festivities and rel-ishing the festivals from all cor-ners of India.
Mazaya Oman, the parent com-pany working behind the scene, has ensured that The Yellow Chilli is all set to increase the em-phasis on the Indian dining expe-rience in Oman, making it appeal to foodies across generations and demographics.
The gourmet event features a culinary showcasing under guid-ance from Indian celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor and brought to life by Chef Manoj Radi.
Calling all Indian cuisine afi -cionados Kalyan Bose, restaurant manager - The Yellow Chilli’s, said, “If you believe in food heav-en, then the Utsav festival just might be it!”
G O U R M E T E V E N T
The Yellow Chilli is
featuring the exclusive
gourmet festival, ‘Utsav’.
The menu revels in
India’s colourful cultural
potpourri
Six-day Sri Lankan food festival starts at Al Falaj HotelMUSCAT: Al Falaj Hotel is host-ing a spectacular six-day Sri Lankan food festival and food products show at the pool side till april 18, in collaboration with the offi cial partner airline MihinLan-ka and offi cial beverage provider African Eastern.
They will also fl y in the famous Channa-Upuli Oriental dance troupe from Sri Lanka to perform
for the event, says a press release. The hotel is off ering more than
ever at this food festival by fl ying in the celebrity Olympian chef Di-muthu Kumarasinghe to showcase his skills to all diners.
Chef Kumarasinghe won fi ve golds at the Culinary Olympics in 2004 which is also the highest number of gold medals won by any individual in the world at this
event and the record still exists.The guests who are looking for
truly Sri Lankan dining experi-ence don’t really need to go far. Sri Lankan food brought to life with extravagant buff ets including live cooking stations has been laid out for the guests to feast on irresist-ible Sri Lankan fl avours.
Al Falaj Hotel will bring some culture to the hotel with celebra-
tion of Sinhala and Tamil New Year. People celebrate the Sinhala and Tamil New Year by making milk rice and other sweet meats, boiling of milk at an auspicious time and bringing family members together in unity.
The Sri Lankan chefs fl own in for the occasion will bring out the traditional authenticity of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year till
April 18 during dinner time at Al Falaj Hotel pool side. Guests can also enjoy a variety of Sri Lankan sweets, while enjoying the Orien-tal dancers and the live music.
Entertaining the guests throughout the spectacular even-ing at Al Falaj Hotel pool side will be Channa- Upuli Oriental dance troupe and the one man musician fl own in from Sri Lanka.
I R R E S I S T I B L E F L A V O U R S
Nissan Sentra makes serious impact in Oman auto marketMUSCAT: After gaining rave re-views from auto enthusiasts, the Nissan Sentra comes in a new 1.6 & 1.8 SV CVT P26 from the house of Suhail Bahwan Automobiles which is set to create another milestone.
The Sentra boasts of top of the range options that focus on class-above design standards inside and out. Loaded with full options, the Sentra 1.6 & 1.8 SV is an edge over competitors in its segment making it an enticing option for auto enthu-siasts, says a press release.
Exciting off er Customers can now avail exciting benefi ts on Nissan Sentra that in-cludes cash back of OMR1,000, free registration, six years’ unlimited mileage extended warranty, easy fi nancing options, a loan term up to eight years with Bank Muscat at-tractive interest rates and periodic maintenance service only up to 2 years/20,000km whichever is ear-lier (off er includes only on the new service intervals of 10,000km). The off er is applicable on private regis-trations or personal vehicles only.
The presence of the Nissan Sen-tra vehicles on the road is aptly sup-ported by Nissan Oman’s world-class service facilities and trained manpower. The Nissan Sentra of-fers drivers the spaciousness and comfort of cars usually found in the larger segment, as well as technol-ogy usually associated with much more expensive cars. Apart from Nissan Sentra 1.6 and 1.8L engine options, the Sentra 1.6 SV has an en-gine capacity of 113hp, Dimensions
(LxWxH) – 4615 x 1760 x 1495mm and Xtronic CVT transmission.
Powering ahead The Sentra 1.8L engine is designed to excel. With its longer stroke and Twin CVTC (Continuously Varia-ble Valve Timing Control) System on intake and exhaust valves, it of-fers greater combustion effi ciency and maximum fuel economy. Sen-tra’s engine is very durable but lightweight, giving great perfor-mance and power without being a burden to the car.
The Sentra 1.6L engine takes a leap with its lead performance. Equipped with a Dual Injector Sys-tem and Twin CVTC (Continuous-ly Variable Valve Timing Control), it provides a smoother ride with great control and responsiveness, along with superior fuel economy – making it an ideal road companion for all types of driving conditions.
The Sentra 1.6L SV features rear window defroster with timer, it
comes with power window (both front and rear), central lock, key-less entry, driver seat manual height adjuster, roof console sun-glass holder, map lamp, manual A/C + rear vent in CTR console, 1CD, AM/FM, MP3, Aux, 2-speak-ers, power steering speed sensitive with manual tilt and telescopic, tachometer, drive computer and outside temperature display.
The biggest change in effi ciency doesn’t come from technology; it comes from how you drive.
Sentra off ers a holistic approach to safety and security; agility com-bined with advanced technology can help the driver easily avoid a situation. If an accident does oc-cur, an advanced airbag system combined with zone body con-struction, helps reduce injury.
Suhail Bahwan Automobiles, the exclusive importers and dis-tributors of all Nissan vehicles in Oman, have their Nissan show-rooms spread across the Sultanate.
E N T I C I N G O P T I O N
21 investment professionals qualify to receive CFA chartersMUSCAT: With the support of CFA Society Emirates and CFA Institute; 21 investment profes-sionals in Oman qualifi ed to re-ceive their CFA charters and three more completed all levels of the examination (charter awaited).
The new charterholders at the event were bestowed with their charters by Hamood bin Sangour Al Zadjali, the executive president of Central Bank of Oman, dur-ing the third CFA Charter Award Ceremony in Muscat, which was sponsored by the National Bank of Oman (NBO).
There are now over 70 CFA charterholders and members based in Oman, comprising port-folio managers, analysts, chief investment offi cers, chief execu-tive offi cers, investment advisers, pension plan investment offi cers and senior fi nancial consultants. Oman has witnessed 42 per cent growth in new candidates aspir-ing to become CFA charterhold-ers, which is among the highest in the region, and there are currently over 150 candidates appearing for the CFA exams at various levels in the Sultanate.
Addressing at the event, which was attended by over 150 of Oman’s leading investment in-dustry professionals, Hamood Al Zadjali said: “I would like to con-gratulate all the new charterhold-ers and we are delighted to see an increase in the number of char-terholders in Oman and to see more young Omanis undertake this challenging course. Quali-
fi ed professionals are huge assets to the country for its continued growth and success.”
Speaking on behalf of the CFA Institute, Zouheir Jarkas, member of Board of Governors, congratulat-ed the new charterholders and stat-ed: “The CFA Institute is pleased on the eff orts being taken by profes-sionals on setting up a CFA society in Oman and will provide all sup-port for the society formation.”
Speaking on behalf of the spon-sors, His Highness Sayyid Wasfi bin Jamshid Al Said, head of Fi-nancial Markets and Advisory Services at NBO said: “NBO is proud to continue its association with CFA, an organisation that shares our commitment to the highest standards of ethics, integ-rity, and professional excellence. We congratulate the new charter-holders on their achievement and we look forward to working to-gether to develop the Sultanate’s investment industry.”
A raffl e draw was organised
during the event with forecast cards handed to the audience on which they made predictions for the values of gold, oil, the MSM 30 Index, S&P 500, USD: Euro, and UST 10-year yields on December 31. The prizes were sponsored by Lulu hypermarket.
The event also saw a lively dis-cussion themed ‘Oman - In the new oil era’, by eminent panellists including His Highness Dr Ad-ham Al Said, assistant professor of Economics at Sultan Qaboos University; Ali Malallah Habib Al Lawati, chairman of the Al Habib Group of companies; Dr Amer Ra-was, Group CEO at Tasneea Oil & Gas Technology; and Dr Said Al Saqri, president of Omani Eco-nomic Association.
The panel discussion was mod-erated by Wasfi Al Said. The dis-cussion included the key aspects of the current oil price crisis, its impact on diff erent sectors, the resultant economic challenges, and potential solutions.
N B O S U P P O R T
B6 T H U R S DAY, A P R I L 1 4 , 2 0 1 6
COMEX 2016
Ooredoo inspires tomorrow with its ‘Business Anywhere’ solutions
MUSCAT: Making the latest in connectivity and communication better value than ever for Oman’s dynamic business community, Ooredoo business has prepared an unbeatable portfolio of off ers for Comex 2016.
Designed to connect and inspire companies of all sizes and ambi-tions, the exciting business solu-tions include Shahry Business Packs, Musafi r business roaming bundles, Offi ce connectivity solu-tions, Business Reach - Mobile,
Business Conferencing, and Inter-net Enterprise, says a press release.
“Ooredoo strives to be the part-ner of choice for Oman’s business community, inspiring their ac-tivities and supporting new op-portunities for success through our value-packed promotions, innovative services and smart solutions,” commented Said Al Shanfari, director of Business Marketing at Ooredoo.
“This year we aim to show how business can be done from any-
where through Ooredoo’s connec-tivity solutions off ering smart busi-nesses the freedom to communicate wherever, whenever and however they operate while managing their communications effi ciently.”
When Comex visitors sign up for a new Shahry Business Pack 30 bundle with a one or two year contract, they will get fantastic ex-tra value. Those selecting the two-year option will receive an extra 3 GB of free data for 6 months and a free golden special number as a welcome gift. Customers opting for a one-year plan will get a bonus
3 GB of free data for 2 months and a complimentary silver number.
Business travellers can visit Comex to fi nd out more about Musafi r for convenient voice and data roaming bundles that can be activated directly on their hand-sets for just RO15 per week, allow-ing them to roam in 42 countries worldwide in confi dence and stay connected to their business while keeping costs to a minimum.
Keeping with the theme of busi-ness anywhere, Comex visitors can also learn about Ooredoo’s of-fi ce landline connections that cus-
tomers can take with them should they move offi ce.
The solution covers all business fi xed line communication needs – internet, voice, and free Busi-ness Group calls – in one bundle. Comex visitors will be able to see the convenience of this bundled solution, which also boasts faster connectivity, to have the solution up and running quickly to reduce the usual waiting time often faced when opting for such solutions.
A business must-have is Oore-doo’s Business Conferencing Ser-vice that allows collaboration in re-al-time between partners, vendors, customers and decision-makers through high quality audio and HD video, and visitors to Comex are welcome to experience a live demo of it. Designed to help business customers communicate and stay continually connected with geo-graphically dispersed audiences in an effi cient and professional way, this fully legally complaint solu-tion has been a long term need, now provided by Ooredoo.
Ooredoo’s Business Reach – Mobile is a new solution which al-lows companies with fi ve or more mobile lines to have the conveni-
ence of a switchboard, or a Pri-vate Automated Branch Exchange (PABX), without the need to actu-ally own any equipment. The so-lution makes sure that incoming calls are directed to the required recipient, regardless of where the call comes from.
This is ideal for cash-conscious growing businesses which are al-ways on the move; now they will never miss a call again.
Ooredoo’s popular Internet En-terprise solution is usually off ered over fi bre connection but under-standing that today’s customers need a faster solution delivery with the same trusted security and dependability, Ooredoo can now off er 2MB dedicated bandwidth using their 4G technology.
The solution is aimed at ena-bling growing businesses to work smarter and more eff ectively and is a further testament to respond-ing to customer needs regardless of their actual location in Oman. Visit the Ooredoo business stand at Comex 2016 to fi nd out more about these fantastic off ers and services and fi nd out how Oore-doo can inspire tomorrow with business anywhere.
Designed to connect and inspire companies
of all sizes and ambitions, the exciting
business solutions include Shahry Business
Packs, Musafi r business roaming bundles,
Offi ce connectivity solutions, Business Reach
- Mobile, Business Conferencing, and Internet
Enterprise
GBM innovations woo visitorsMUSCAT: Gulf Business Ma-chines (GBM), the region’s num-ber one provider of customised IT solutions, is showcasing a range of technology solutions that can be tailored for clients across Oman, at the Sultanate’s leading technology exhibition, Comex 2016.
This year GBM is a diamond sponsor of Comex 2016, demon-strating its continued contribu-tion and support for Oman’s evolv-ing IT landscape.
The theme of the 7th edition of Comex at Oman International Ex-hibition Centre, Muscat, is ‘Cre-ate, Connect Comex’ which aims to highlight and encourage inno-vation and creativity. In line with the theme, GBM is highlighting its latest innovations and solu-tions along with its partners, IBM and Cisco, in addition to other key partners such as Tuatara Business Solutions and Schneider.
Along with its vendors and part-ners GBM is also highlighting key
solutions around analytics, mobil-ity, cloud, collaboration, data cen-tre, digital innovation, security and enterprise content management.
“Comex 2016’s focus on inno-vation is a further demonstration of Oman’s active initiatives in pushing forward the region’s IT landscape. GBM is committed to and continues to support Oman in
the development of its IT indus-try and its central role in regional progress,” said Ahmed Auda, GBM Oman’s country general manager.
GBM – recently named winner of an IBM Choice Award for Top Busi-ness Partner in the Middle East and Africa, and winner of three prestigious awards at this year’s Cisco Global Partner Summit – is also highlighting the importance of cyber security infrastructure and solutions at Comex 2016. The com-pany recently unveiled the results of its latest security survey, which revealed that 50 per cent of GCC organisations cannot predict and prevent cyberattacks.
Comex 2016 has allowed visitors to see how to prepare organisations across sectors in Oman and the re-gion for cyberattacks. GBM’s SIEM and UTM Solutions, Assessment and Security Compliancy Solutions provide customisable solutions in order to stave off business threat-ening hacks and breaches.
K E Y C O N T R I B U T O R
SBL presents products
and services at Comex
MUSCAT: SBL is an IT and business process management (BPM) organisation that off ers smart solutions to organisations across geographies and industry verticals and empowers them to respond quickly to the changing market dynamics.
SBL off ers a range of custom-ised services and solutions in GIS, technology, multimedia and business process manage-ment that allow their customers to reduce operational costs sub-stantially while accelerating the growth of their businesses.
Their target audience is very diversifi ed as they target sectors: Travel, hospitality and health-care, education, oil & gas, energy and utilities, construction, man-ufacturing, trading, banking and fi nance, mining, genealogy, sur-veying and retail.
At Comex, SBL is showcas-ing products like zingGo, DAMS (Digital Archival Management Solution), e-Legislature, ERP, Vehicle Tracking System
SBL is exhibiting in Comex as it wants to present its products and services to Omani and inter-national market.
S M A R T S O L U T I O N S
It offers a range of
customised services
and solutions in
GIS, technology,
multimedia and BPM
OCS Infotech participates as platinum sponsor
MUSCAT: OCS Infotech is pro-viding Information and Commu-nication Technology (ICT) Solu-tions for more than three decades to help organisations achieve their goals and objectives.
As a soul member of reputed Omani group of companies, OCS Infotech is aware of its potential role in Oman’s ICT industries, within which a professional and competent team is built to meet the ICT market requirements on demand. This year OCS Infotech is participating in Comex 2016 as a
platinum sponsor.OCS Infotech, obviously, under-
stands the potential and crucial needs of its clients and therein designs the accurate, appropriate, affordable and utmost delegable ICT solutions, and delivered professionally.
OCS Infotech targets govern-ment organisations, medium and large scale private companies, tel-ecom companies, oil and gas com-panies and group companies.
Hence OCS Infotech’s targeted audiences are executives, decision makers and IT managers.
OCS aims to be the reliable and trusted ICT partner to its clients. In few words, OCS Infotech builds and delivers ICT solutions in a professional and competent man-ner. OCS Infotech being a national and potential company with more than three decades established in Oman market, and Comex being a national event specialised in ICT; is lending OCS a great opportu-nity to take part in this prominent event. Its goal is to reach all organi-sations interested in ICT industry development in Oman.
I C T S O L U T I O N S
Telematics4U Services comes to Comex
MUSCAT: Telematics4U Ser-vices Private Limited (T4U) is a leading global ICT (Information and Communication Technology) solutions provider with a global footprint across over 55 countries.
T4U is now poised to crest one of the most transformational tech-
nology waves of the future, i.e. the advent of the Internet of Things, which will drive new consumer and business behaviour.
T4U off ers telematics driven solutions tailor made for verticals/sectors as diverse as e-governance, people mobility, mining, logistics,
supply chain, livestock, environ-ment, OOH etc.
At Comex, its target audience are ICT & telecom companies, transportation and logistics com-panies, governments, mining, oil and natural gas transportation, OOH (Out of Home) media etc.
T E L E M A T I C S D R I V E N S O L U T I O N
Yusata Infotech makes
Oman debut at Comex
MUSCAT: Yusata Infotech Pri-vate Limited is a Jaipur, India based company providing telem-atics solution and IoT based solu-tions to the various industries.
The company is in existing business of GPS tracking solu-tions with exceptional capabili-ties of DOT Log, proof of delivery, crash technology, driving behav-iour and many more. Yusata In-fotech is taking part in the Comex for the fi rst time.
The company has more than 40 developers team at its offi ce. The management team consists of experienced veterans from IT industry, management and mar-keting fi eld, with an average 15 years of experience.
It has partnered with break-through technology of video ana-lytics, which is a proactive ser-vice notifying administrator in real time upon rule breach.
In Comex, they will be target-ing diff erent kind of audience for
their products like:For telematics - Transport and
logistics companies, service ori-ented companies, courier, deliv-ery vans, school bus intelligent transit system, security vans, marketing teams, etc.
For video analytics - Malls, re-tails stores, individuals, hotels, resorts, public locations, railway / metro stations, airport, defence and security services.
ObjectiveTheir objective is to reach out to the world with their innova-tive technology and Comex is a reputed exhibition which allows them the access to meet the right audience who are interested in technology and want to achieve better results with technology for their business or organisation.
They are looking for poten-tial clients as well as partners for our services in Oman and GCC countries.
T E L E M A T I C S S O L U T I O N
Radixweb
showcasing
its technology
competencies
for Middle East
MUSCAT: Since 2000, Radix-web is a leading software prod-uct development and IT out-sourcing services provider.
The company delivers a com-plete range of IT services and enterprise-class solutions to clients from SMEs to fortune 500 companies across the globe.
At Comex Radixweb will be targeting IT and software devel-opment companies looking for outsourcing partnerships and SMEs from various industry sectors considering software de-velopment for business process automation. Radixweb will be showcasing its technology com-petencies for Middle East region in-line with industry trends at Comex. Radix has a leading partnership with Microsoft for Application Development.
I T O U T S O U R C I N G
Panamax Inc. makes debut at Comex
MUSCAT: Having made its de-but at this year’s Comex, Pan-amax Inc. is the technology unit of Bankai Group, established in 2001. It is a rising technology company off ering market-prov-en telecom switching, carrier business automation and mobile fi nancial solutions.
It is targeting telecom opera-tors, service providers, banks and fi nancial institutes. Pan-amax is participating with the aim of introducing the at-tendees with their time-tested switching, routing, billing, car-rier business automation and mobile fi nancial solutions.
The company wishes to assist ICT industry in meeting opera-tional challenges head-on with its cutting-edge technologies and high-end solutions.
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‘Best of Britain’ promokicks off at Lulu malls
MUSCAT: Lulu Hypermarket has kicked off the British promotion ‘Best of Britain’ 2016 in Oman, bringing a slice of Britain across all its malls.
The promotion was inaugurated by Jonathan Wilks, British am-bassador to Oman, at Lulu Hyper-market, Baushar in the presence of Michael Head - deputy head, UK Trade and Investment, Ashraf Ali, executive director – Lulu Group International and the senior management of Lulu.
The promotion this time is all the more exciting with fi ve return air tickets to London from Oman Air to be won through a ‘Scratch & Win’ with the purchase of OMR3 worth of British products.
‘Best of Britain’ will be on until April 19 and will serve as a plat-form to familiarise and promote the best of British brands among the local community and a large section of expatriate communi-ties in Oman. It is also an occasion to blend together the culture and heritage of the two countries. The event running through selected Lulu outlets in Oman is a great op-
portunity for customers to explore and experiment the culinary de-lights and lifestyles of Britain.
Lulu has stacked up its shelves with a range of fresh food, frozen food, confectionery and seafood exclusively fl own in from UK for this promotion. Special in-store counters will be put up throughout the promotion, enabling custom-ers to get a real taste of some of the best British delicacies on sale. The food sampling counters will also be off ering many dishes specially prepared for the festival to pamper the taste buds of foodies. From fi sh and chips to pies and cakes and the best-loved chocolate and tof-fee brands, Lulu has everything in store for the promotion. Shoppers can choose anything they need from both the hot and cold food sections to simply whip up a tradi-tional British meal.
Lulu Group has launched its procurement and consolidation unit in Birmingham to export Brit-ish products to its 126 retail stores. Apart from their line of fresh im-ports of dairy, fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, the promo-
tion will also feature fresh eggs, variety of confectioneries, breads, goat’s milk, plain and fl avoured yo-gurts and diff erent types of canned food too. A variety of diabetic-friendly, gluten free and organic products will also be available for health-conscious customers. The promotion will also host an assort-ment of chocolates, pies and cakes as a treat for the sweet-toothed.
Diplomatic relationsSpeaking at the event, Ashraf Ali said: “We have always been keen to host such events that enrich the customers’ knowledge of the food, cultures and traditions of diff erent communities of the world. I hope this event will help in strengthen-ing the diplomatic relations be-tween the two countries. I am also confi dent that this promotion will pave the way to introduce more of the UK brands in Omani market in future,” he added.
Commenting on the event, Ananth A. V., director of Lulu Oman and India said: “We are delighted to host this promotion every year to help consumers un-
derstand the quality, heritage and creativity that make British prod-ucts some of the best in the world today. Lulu hypermarkets always launches promotions and off ers for every season and occasion to cater to every culture and taste. The British promotion receives a great response from our custom-ers every year. We at Lulu always strive to take an extra mile to bring in the best of products from across the world to delight our cultural rich database of shoppers. We hope this event not only satisfi es our British shoppers, but also the local communities in Oman too.”
Lulu has always been at the fore-front as a one-stop shop for the diverse population of the region with an international assortment of products from several countries. With goods sourced from coun-tries worldwide including UK, Af-rica and Far East, the brand is fully equipped to serve any community in this diverse country. From in-ternational brands to local favour-ites, Lulu makes sure its custom-ers get whatever they need from all over the world at amazing prices.
The promotion this
time is all the more
exciting with fi ve
return air tickets to
London from Oman
Air to be won through
a ‘Scratch & Win’
with the purchase
of OMR3 worth of
British products
KR Group felicitates recipients of 25 years long serviceMUSCAT: The Khimji Ramdas Group recently conducted its an-nual long service awards honour-ing its employees who completed 25 years of service in the company.
Employees from various de-partments at KR received com-mendation and certifi cates for their decades of committed ser-vice to the organisation, says a press release.
Kanak Khimji, director, Kh-imji Ramdas, said: “The KR long service awards is a true refl ection of the company’s strong ‘people power’ philosophy, which recog-nises the commitment, dedica-tion and values our employees bring to the organisation. It also signifi es the relationships we have built with our employees over the years. Indeed, the event is a celebration of dedicated service and loyalty.”
The event continues its `grand tradition’ which fi rst started in 2010 to honour those employees who have contributed almost a lifetime of hard work and service.
Shamsa Saif Harib Al Mashani
from Khimji’s Aalami Stores Al Qurum, a recipient of the award said, “I would like to thank my employers at the KR Group for giving me the opportunity to grow and learn.”
Another long-service award re-cipient, Khalifa Ali Mohammed Al Wahbi an employee at Khimji’s Building Material Division, said: “First I would like to thank the KR Group for valuing the hard work and long years of service I have put in at the company. It is a privilege to be acknowledged with such appreciation; it makes us feel part of the KR family.”
C O M M I T T E D S E R V I C E
Shoexpress now in Nizwa Grand MallMUSCAT: Shoexpress has in-creased its presence in Oman by opening new store in Nizwa. This is the 7th store of Shoexpress in the Sultanate.
The new 3,000 sqft store lo-cated on ground fl oor in Nizwa Grand Centre showcases wom-en’s, kids & men’s fashion value footwear and accessories, says a press release.
The new store features the brand new look and feel that of-fers customers an international shopping experience, while pro-viding them with the latest styles and trends at aff ordable prices.
Shoexpress provides an exten-sive collection of fun, fashionable and eye-catching accessories, in-cluding costume jewellery, hand-bags and purses, as well as socks and belts for the entire family that are defi nitely aff ordable and
are on trend. Started in 2009, Shoexpress
aims to off er customers a real val-ue experience, through an exten-sive assortment of fashionable footwear and accessories at truly unbelievable prices. It currently operates more than 100 stores across the Middle East and North Africa with plans of opening a number of new stores each year.
The Shoexpress store design and concept is fresh, attractive and very effi cient in its approach. It uses open stock concept in which shoes are displayed neatly within each department, allow-ing customers to easily browse and fi nd what they’re looking for.
Catch the new collection this Spring 2016 and be season savvy than the usual with im-pressive range of styles in a very competitive price.
F O O T W E A R A N D A C C E S S O R I E S
Employees from various
departments at Khimji
Ramdas received
commendation and
certificates
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Times of Oman, Assarain Group to vie for titleMUSCAT: Times of Oman and Assarain Group will clash in the fi nal of the 8th FILCOSOC–FMB Basketball Tournament on Friday.The summit clash is scheduled to be played at Oman Club in Al Khu-wair from 9.00 p.m.
The tournament is being jointly organized by the Filipino Commu-nity Social Club (FILCOSOC) and Filipino Muscat Ballers (FMB).
The Assarain Muscateers, a sea-soned championship team under the multi-titled coach Peter Barro, will rely heavily on their playmak-ers JP Orquia and Chris Toriente, formidable center Mark Constan-tino and Nino Zotomayor, high-leaping forwards Mac Sta. Juana and Jason Cortez, hot-shooting
Rainier Barro, new acquisitions Joecel Ramos, Aquino and Guit-terez and their veteran defensive players Nandy Marcera, Gary Gan-goso and Jojo Pumanes.
The Times of Oman, which im-proved their line-up during the off -season, was steered to fi nals by their ever reliable coach Clarence Carlos, will be banking on their dreaded back-court tandem of rookie Froilan Busquit and scoring machine Romwel Galang.
They will be backed up by their bigs in Alvin Sambo, Emerson Mallari, Harris Palo and new rook-ies Art Medina and Art Abesamis. They will be counting also on the off ensive plays of Anton Tan, Hen-ry Abling, Jay Dacatimbang, Mark
and Kirk Sakai, Boboy Escoto and the hotshot Bisoy Rances. The de-fence will be on the hands of Karlo Sakai, Isao Tanigawa, Elmer Mal-lari and their hard-nosed defender Sean Abellanosa.
The organisers of the tournament thanked the support of the sponsors, Assarain Group of Companies, Asia Express Exchange, Times of Oman, Badr Al Samaa Group of Hospitals, Khimji Ramdas, Kuwait Airways, Robinson’s Land, Lens Buddies, Consolidated Contractors Com-pany Oman, Millenium Hotels & Resort, Wasalak Team, Baranggay 29 Team and Nokie Pirates Team. The fi nal day’s proceedings will in-clude an exciting Skills Challenge and 3-point shootout contests.
B A S K E T B A L L
IMPROVED SIDE: Times of Oman basketball team.
Mohsin not to appear for interview before Akram and Ramiz
KARACHI: A top candidate for the post of Pakistan cricket team’s head coach, Mohsin Hasan Khan on Wednesday said that he will not appear for an interview be-fore the Pakistan Cricket Board-appointed panel members Wasim Akram and Ramiz Raja.
Mohsin said while he was in-terested in becoming the new coach of the national team, he would not appear for any inter-views with Akram and Ramiz.
“If and when I do apply for the post I will do it directly to the board chairman.I will not agree to any interviews with Wasim and Ramiz who are juniors to me in Pakistan cricket,” he said.
Mohsin that he had played for Pakistan with dignity and hon-our and served the country.
“I have also coached the na-tional team successfully in the recent past. So I see no reason for me as a matter of principle to prove my credentials to play-ers who started their careers to-wards the end of mine,” he added.
Mohsin, who played 48 Tests and 75 ODIs, was chief coach in 2011-2012 and secured series wins over Sri Lanka, Bangla-desh and England before the PCB replaced him with Austral-ian Dav Whatmore.
“The board treated me un-justly then and removed me without giving any justifi able reason. I had done well as chief coach and I got along well with the players. There was no rea-son to remove me,” he said.
Mohsin said he was confi dent he could help in turning around the fortunes of the team if given another chance.
The PCB has invited inter-ested candidates to apply for the position by April 25 after which a committee which has Wasim and Ramiz will help the Board select the best candidate. - PTI
C R I C K E T
WADA makes U-turn on meldonium, Sharapova ban may be overturned
MOSCOW: Athletes who tested positive for meldonium before March 1 could have bans over-turned less than four months before the Rio de Janeiro Olym-pics after WADA said it was un-able to establish how quickly the drug, outlawed since January 1, cleared the human body.
The World Anti-Doping Agen-cy’s notice to national anti-dop-ing bodies is expected to have a major impact on many of the 172 athletes who have tested positive for the performance-boosting drug since January.
They include fi ve-time Grand Slam tennis champion Maria Sharapova, who was among 40 Russian athletes to test positive for the drug after it was added to WADA’s list of banned substanc-es in January.
Sharapova’s lawyer John Hag-gerty said on Wednesday that WADA handled the issue “poor-ly” and was now trying to make up for it.
WADA said there was a lack of clear scientifi c information on excretion times.
“As a result it is diffi cult to know whether an athlete may have taken the substance be-fore or after January 1, when it became illegal,” WADA said in a statement sent to anti-doping agencies and sports federations.
“In these circumstances, WADA considers that there may be grounds for no fault or negli-gence on the part of the athlete,” it said, adding that the presence of less than one microgramme of meldonium in the samples was acceptable.
As revealed by Reuters last month, the drug’s Latvian manu-facturer said traces could remain in the body for several months depending on doses, duration of treatment and sensitivity of test-ing methods
The anti-doping body’s notice also gave hope to athletes who have tested positive for the drug since March 1, depending on
studies being carried out to deter-mine how long it stays in the body.
“Since meldonium was pro-hibited on 1 January of this year, there have been 172 positive sam-ples for the substance, for ath-letes across numerous countries and sports,” WADA President Craig Reedie said. “Concurrently there has been a call by stake-holders for further clarifi cation and guidance,” he said.
“WADA recognises this need — that meldonium is a particu-lar substance, which has created an unprecedented situation and therefore warranted additional guidance for the anti-doping community.”
Sharapova caseSharapova, who said she had been taking meldonium for more than a decade because of health prob-lems but had not used it since January 1, was provisionally sus-pended by the International Ten-nis Federation (ITF) in March after announcing she had failed a test at the Australian Open.
“The fact that WADA felt com-pelled to issue this unusual state-ment now is proof of how poorly they handled issues relating to meldonium in 2015,” Haggerty said in a statement.
“Given the fact that scores of athletes have tested positive for taking what previously was a le-gal product, it’s clear WADA did not handle this properly last year and they’re trying to make up for it now.”
Russian Tennis Federation President Shamil Tarpishchev said Sharapova’s ban could be addressed in a meeting with ITF head David Haggerty this month.
“The situation with Sharapova could be resolved after April 21 when we meet with the head of the international federation. It is too early to talk about Shara-pova competing at the Olympic Games,” Russia’s TASS news agency quoted Tarpishchev as saying. - Reuters
D O P I N G
Fanja earn fi rst point, Al Arouba beaten in AFC CupMUSCAT: Fanja fought back bravely to earn their fi rst point in four outings while Al Arouba suf-fered a defeat in the AFC Cup on Wednesday.
Playing their Group D home game at Seeb Sports Stadium, Fan-ja shared the spoils with Palestine’s Ahli Al Khalil in a six-goal thriller.
According to news posted on AFC website, Imad Al Hosni scored with four minutes remaining to help Fanja salvage a 3-3 draw and keep the team’s slim hopes of claim-ing a place in the Round of 16 alive.
The point earned was Fanja’s fi rst in four games in this year’s competition and they remain bot-tom of the Group D standings while Ahli Al Khalil moved on to four points, despite playing only three games.
Ahmed Wridat gave the visitors the lead in the fourth minute when he headed home Jonathan Eduardo Cantillana Zorrilla’s in-swinging
free kick from the left, but 11 min-utes later Fanja were level when Abdulrahman Al Ghassani claimed his fi rst of the game when his head-er from Basil Al Rawahi’s corner nestled in the corner of the goal.
By the 33rd minute the home side had taken the lead when Al Ghas-sani struck again, this time latching on to Mohamed Al Maashaari’s no-look pass behind the Ahli Al Khalil defence before scoring with a cool right-foot fi nish.
There was barely a minute on the clock at the start of the sec-ond half when Ahli Al Khalil lev-elled the scores once again, with a goal similar to their opener. Zor-rilla against sent in a curling free kick from the left, only this time Mahmoud Wadi met the ball with the slightest of headers to redirect it past goalkeeper Mazin Al Kabsi.
Two minutes after the hour mark, Ahli Al Khalil reclaimed the lead with Wridat notching up his
second of the game after the Fanja defence failed to clear Islam Ba-tran’s cut back from the right bye-line, with the ball eventually fall-ing to Wridat and he put his shot beyond Al Kabsi.
With just four minutes remain-ing, Fanja sealed a share of the points when substitute Jarlisson Pereira lifted the ball over the Ahli Al Khalil defence before Al Hosni controlled the ball on chest and slotted the ball home.
Al Dharia beat Al AroubaIn Hebron, Al Dharia picked up their fi rst win of their Group C cam-paign as goals from Abd Morjan and Mohammed Fouda saw the Pales-tinian side defeat Al Arouba 2-0.
Victory moved Abdulfattah Arar’s team up to four points from their fi rst three games and keeps the club’s hopes of advancing to the Round of 16 alive as they drew level on points with Al Arouba,
who have played one game more.Al Dharia took the lead with
just four minutes on the clock when Morjan, a late inclusion in the starting line-up after recover-ing from injury, scored with a fi ne long-range eff ort that beat goal-keeper Riyadh Sabeit to his left.
Al Arouba cranked up the pres-sure as the half wore on, but the Omanis were unable to fi nd a way past the home defence in the open-ing 45 minutes.
It was a similar story in the early stages of the second half as Al Arouba continued their search for an equaliser, but the more they sought an opening the more vul-nerable they left themselves to the counterattack.
The sucker punch came in the 66th minute when Al Dharia pushed down the left before Fouda volleyed home an eff ort that gave Sabeit little chance, allowing Al Dharia to take all three points.
F O O T B A L L
SIX-GOAL THRILLER: Action from the AFC Cup match between
Fanja and Palestine’s Ahli Al Khalil at the Seeb Sports Stadium on
Wednesday. – ISMAIL AL FARSI/Times of Oman
Rohit, Buttler lift MI against KKR
KOLKATA: Rohit Sharma’s love aff air with Eden Gardens contin-ued as he smashed an unbeaten 84 to power Mumbai Indians to a six-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in an Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter here on Wednesday.
Jos Buttler with a quickfi re 22-ball 41 was the other major con-tributor. For KKR, Andre Russell, Piyush Chawla and Kuldeep Yadav picked up a wicket apiece.
The defending champions start-ed off at a brisk pace chasing KKR’s challenging 187 for fi ve with Ro-hit and Parthiv Patel picking the gaps at will.
By the end of the powerplay, the score read 53 for one. But then Brad Hogg eff ected a brilliant run-out and sent back Parthiv to the dugout much to the delight of the 35,000-odd fans in the stadium.
The wicket also helped KKR bring down the run rate. Thereaf-ter, some silly errors from wicket-keeper Robin Uthappa helped the visitors. Mumbai Indians got to 87 for one at the end of 10 overs.
KKR then got rid of Hardik Pan-dya (9)and Mitchell McClenaghan (20) in quick succession as they tried to slowly crawl their way back into the contest.
However, Buttler and Rohit had other ideas. The England power-hitter did not need a sighter and tonked the hapless KKR bowlers too all parts of the park. He also took on Andre Russell and clubbed him for 18 in an over.
The onslaught brought down the asking rate rapidly and before long Mumbai were in touching distance of the KKR total.
Earlier, fi fties from Gautam Gambhir and Manish Pandey along with a quickfi re 17-ball 36 from Andre Russell helped KKR post a challenging score.
Gambhir scored a 52-ball 64 and was ably supported by Pandey’s 52. For Mumbai, Mitchell McClena-ghan returned fi gures of two for 25.
The hosts got off to a slow start and lost Robin Uthappa (8) early but then Pandey came out to give his skipper company and after six overs KKR had managed to put up 40 for one on the scoreboard.
Once in the groove, both batters successfully hit the big shots against
the likes of off -spinner Harbhajan Singh and Hardik Pandya.
In the 11th over, Jagadeesha Suchith was taken for a ride as it yielded 18 runs — the biggest in the innings. Gambhir, who was dropped at 30 by Rohit Sharma, then got to his half century. Pandey too got to his fi fty as the Knights tried stepping on the gas.
But soon after, the men-in-pur-ple lost Pandey who succumbed to a soft dismissal, caught and bowled by Harbhajan. The strike also end-ed the duo’s 100-run partnership. Andre Russell who walked out to bat next started off with a bang. He almost hit sixes at will.
However, after a brief cameo, Russell dragged a pull on to his stumps and then KKR lost Gamb-hir, which helped Mumbai pull things back in the last few overs.
Brief scores: Kolkata Knight Rid-ers 187/5 (Gautam Gambhir 64, Manish Pandey 52; Mitchell McClenaghan 2/25) lost to Mumbai Indians 188/4 (Rohit Sharma 84 n.o.; Jos Buttler 41). - IANS
Rohit Sharma
smashed an unbeaten
84 and Jos Buttler hit
a quickfi re 22-ball
41 to power Mumbai
Indians to a six-
wicket victory over
Kolkata Knight Riders
CAPTAIN’S KNOCK: Mumbai Indian’s Rohit Sharma plays a shot
during their IPL match against KKR in Kolkata on Wednesday. – PTI
C2
SPORTST H U R S DAY, A P R I L 1 4 , 2 0 1 6
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If a man is known by the company he keeps, Royal Challengers Bangalore
skipper Virat Kohli is incred-ibly blessed with the plush in the word. The guys he could hang out with for nearly two months are worshipped around the world for the extraordinary things they could conjure up on a cricket ground.
But the unpleasant truth sticks out. Despite having fabulous blokes together in the dressing room, the RCB failed to make the playoff in 2014 and in 2015, after fi nishing third on the points table, got knocked out in the qualifi er. Such uninspiring history of the past two disap-pointing seasons looks set to vanish this time around.
The splendid fi rst act scripted by Kohli and AB de Villiers for which youngster Sarfraz Khan delivered the spicy punch hints at fresh, spunky Royal enter-tainment set to gather momen-tum as it gets going in the com-ing days and climaxes on May 29 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai with a brave new his-tory to celebrate for the fans of the Bangalore team as such and the true lovers of the shorter format of the game as a whole.
It’s exciting to think about the prospect of the Tuesday show getting repeated. With Kohli and ABD enjoying being together out in the middle, Chris Gayle looking to make amends, Shane Watson happily fi nding his feet in the new dugout and short and stocky boy amid giants send-ing out buddy-goody vibes all around, season nine could be a long, loud celebration for the RCB fans, from start to fi nish.
If Kohli is upbeat about the company he keeps and fi nds himself enviably posh and de-lightfully above the line of pov-erty, Sunrisers skipper David Warner stands deep below the line of poverty (BPL), obviously disgusted with the mates he chose to swing with.
One of the fi rst few things for the Sunrisers to get right to chase a target of 228 was a good start. That meant Warner and Shikhar Dhawan should take the fi ght to the opposition and give the rivals a scare. While Warner played his part to per-fection, Dhawan lacked all that required to play the role. What Warner needed as he tore into the RCB attack was more than
moral support from his partner, but Dhawan seemed happy tak-ing singles, leaving it to his skip-per to do the dirty, daring job. Rotating the strike is fi ne, but it is when both batsmen rotate hitting the big runs, chases, like the one the Sunrisers were up against at M Chinnaswamy sta-dium, looks possible. Dhawan, at the moment, seems to have forgotten who he really was.
The competition for the RCB came from within, and that was the best part of the day for the noisy Kohli-ABD fans who thronged the stadium. The loss of Gayle in the second over when the score was just 6 would have put spokes in the RCB wheels—unless the man at the crease was Kohli and the guy who joined him was ABD.
ABD was in his mettle soon, hitting Ashish Nehra for two fours and a six in the fourth over, which set the tone of the feast on off er. The South African raced past the 25 runs mark in the next over, inspiring Kohli to catch up with. From then on it was a game of one racing ahead and the other catching up with, and the roles reversed frequently to spice things up for the play-ers and the fans in an amazing display of batting together.
ABD reached 50 with a four off Ashish Reddy in the 11th over, and celebrated it smashing the next ball to the long-on rope. Kohli marked his half century with a six over long-on in the 13th over, and by the end of the next over, 14th, both were level at 68. That was surely, as ABD put it at the end of the match, “a nice, busy innings with Virat”.
With Mitchell Starc unavail-able owing to ankle surgery, the RCB look a bit vulnerable in the bowling department. But if the top four — Gayle, Kohli, ABD and Watson — get in gear, and Sarfraz steps on the pedal in the death overs, there’s no doubt about a place in the playoff for RCB.
The writer is a freelance contributor based in India. All the views and opinions expressed in the article are solely those of the author and do not refl ect those of Times of Oman
C O M M E N T A R Y
BPL of IPL — how the line divides Kohli and WarnerPune to face Gujarat
in clash of debutants
RAJKOT: Rising Pune Super-giants and Gujarat Lions, after making impressive debuts in their respective openers, will test each others’ strengths in the Indian Pre-mier League (IPL), here on Thurs-day. The two teams feature a lot of faces from the suspended Chennai Super Kings and at least six play-ers, who played in the same side till last year, will now be in opposite
camps. CSK teammates Mahen-dra Singh Dhoni and Suresh Raina will now be devising strategies as rival captains. Both have admitted that playing in a jersey other than ‘yellow’ has been very “emotional” but have promised to give their all for their new teams.
The Dhoni-led Pune Super-giants were very convincing and dominant when they handed de-fending champions Mumbai Indi-ans a nine-wicket drubbing.
They did not even require their middle order, packed with Dho-ni himself and players such as Steven Smith, to come out with top-order delivering it for them
comfortably. The Lions though needed a proper team eff ort in taming Kings XI Punjab, who bat-ted well but were pretty ordinary when they bowled. Aaron Finch was in good touch but the way-ward Punjab bowlers only made his job easy. The big positive for the Lions was the heart showed by the young Ishan Kishan. The Un-der-19 Indian captain played with a lot of gumption and his confi -dent fl ick off Mitchell Johnson was a proof of that.
Dwayne Bravo continued his im-pressive form in T20s as he became the only IPL player to have a com-bo of 1000 runs and 100 wickets.
Overall, the Lions look like a good package but they will be tested by the Supergiants, who are looking the most formidable outfi t.
RP Singh with Mitchell Marsh will test their batsmen together along with quality spinners such as R. Ashwin and M. Ashwin. But it will be interesting to see if Dhoni continues to underbowl R. Ashwin or lets him complete his full quota of overs.
Rising Pune Supergiants: MS Dhoni (Captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Kevin Pietersen, Faf du Plessis, Steve Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Jaskaran Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin, An-kit Sharma, Albie Morkel, Irfan Pathan, Is-hant Sharma, Ishwar Pandey, Thisara Perera, Saurabh Tiwary, R P Singh, Rajat Bhatia, Ankush Bains, Baba Aparajith, Murugan Ashwin, Ashok Dinda, Deepak Chahar, Scott Boland, Peter Handscomb, Adam Zampa.
Gujarat Lions: Suresh Raina (Captain), Dwayne Bravo, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Brendon McCullum, Dwayne Smith, Dale Steyn, Pravin Tambe, Ishan Kishan, Ravindra Jadeja, Shadab Jakati, Dinesh Karthik, Shivil Kaushik, Dhawal Kulkarni, Praveen Kumar, Pradeep Sangwan, Jaydev Shah, Umang Shar-ma, Andrew Tye, Sarabjit Ladda, Akshdeep Nath, Amit Mishra, Paras Dogra, Eklavya Dwivedi. — PTI
Overall, the Lions
look like a good
package but they
will be tested by the
Supergiants, who
are looking the most
formidable outfi t this
year in the League
GOOD START: Gujarat Lions cricketers celebrate during their de-
but IPL match against Kings XI Punjab in Mohali on Monday. – AFP
Kohli’s consistency, adaptability ‘is phenomenal’BENGALURU: Indian batting legend V.V.S. Laxman heaped praise on star batsman Virat Kohli for his consistency in T20s and termed his adaptability to any situation “phenomenal”.
Kohli, skipper of Indian Pre-mier League (IPL) side Royal Challengers Bangalore, struck a quickfi re 75 alongside A.B. De Vil-liers’ 82 which steered his team to a 45-run win over Sunrisers Hy-derabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Tuesday.
Kohli came into the cash-rich league after emerging as player of the tournament in the recent World T20.
“It was magic. It is amazing to see the way Virat continues to score so consistently for which-ever team he plays and whatever position he bats at. It is great to see the kind of level he has taken his T20 batting to; he is one of the most exciting batsmen in world
cricket. His consistency and adaptability is phenomenal,” Lax-man, mentor of Hyderabad, was quoted as saying by iplt20.com on Wednesday.
The 41-year-old praised RCB’s strong batting line-up compris-ing Chris Gayle, Kohli, De Villiers, Shane Watson followed by prom-ising youngsters Sarfaraz Khan,
Kedav Jadav, Stuart Binny.“From RCB’s point of view it
was good to see AB de Villiers perform like that. He didn’t have a great World Twenty20 and he must be disappointed that South Africa, despite being one of the strongest teams in the tourna-ment, didn’t qualify for the knock-out stage,” he said.
“I am sure he wants to make it count in this IPL and this was a great start for him. That is one power-packed batting order that RCB have with Gayle, Virat and AB in top-three and Watson com-ing in as well. Now they also have Stuart Binny, Sarfaraz and Kedar Jadhav, which make their line-up very formidable,” he said.
Bangalore’s 18-year-old Sarfar-az Khan (35 off 10 balls) played a cameo at the end to help his team cross the 220-run mark.
“I am very impressed with him (Sarfaraz). He is a young boy but
the kind of confi dence he shows and his body language is really good to see. It bodes very well for Indian cricket to see such young-sters do well against international bowlers at this level. Some of the shots that he played were mind-boggling,” the former right-hand-ed batsman said.
For Sunrisers, pacer Mustafi -zur Rahman was the most eco-nomical bowler with fi gures of 2/26. Laxman praised the Bangla-deshi youngster.
“He (Muztafi zur) is one of the most exciting bowlers in world cricket. Since his international debut against India, he has made enormous progress. This is the fi rst time I am spending some time with him and I can see that he has got a lot of confi dence in his skills. He has a lot of variations and he knows when to use them. His work ethic is fantastic,” Lax-man concluded. - IANS
I P L
Virat Kohli.
C3
SPORTST H U R S DAY, A P R I L 14 , 2 0 1 6
Putra, Asma win titles at A’Saff a golf tourney
MUSCAT: Shaidnan Putra emerged the winner of the second A’Saff a Golf Tournament organ-ised by A’Saff a Foods at the Ghala Golf Club here recently.
In a highly competitive tourna-ment, which saw participation of over 110 avid golfers from across
the Sultanate, Shaidnan Putra took top honours with an impres-sive score of 47 points.
Faisal Al Adawi, with 45 points, was a close fi rst runner-up while Suhaimi Abdullah, with a score of 43 points, was the second runner-up. The ladies division was won
by Asma Al Rashdi with 36 points. The top honours in the junior di-vision went Fahad Al Kitani who fi nished a score of 38 points.
‘Nearest to the Pin’ award went to Ahmed Al Balushi and ‘Longest Drive’ prize was won by Asma Al Rashdi. Mohammed bin Hamad Al Rumhy, Minister of Oil and Gas, presided over the proceed-ings and handed over the trophies.
Congratulating the winners on their victories, Dr. Nasser Al Mauly, CEO at A’Saff a Foods, said: “Through the A’Saff a Golf Tour-nament, it is our aim to do our bit towards increasing the scope of the game in Oman, alongside using the event as a platform to showcase our range of healthy and tasty savouries.”
“Apart from thanking those who participated and made this
year’s event a success, I would also like to thank the Ghala Golf Club for hosting the event at their world-class facility,” he added.
“As a market leader, it is our promise to provide consum-ers with food products that are wholesome and processed hy-gienically from natural, pure, ha-lal, healthy, premium ingredients and aromatic spices,” Sidhartha Lenka, Head of Marketing & Sales, A’Saff a Foods, said
“Being pioneers in fully inte-grated poultry production and farm management systems we have built our competence and expertise in food production, pro-cessed food technology, and in-novative food recipes; helping us to deliver new, fl avourful choices that consumers can enjoy any-time,” the offi cial added.
In a highly competitive tournament, which
saw participation of over 110 avid golfers
from across the Sultanate, Shaidnan
Putra took top honours with an impressive
score of 47 points
Oman Cricket to organise 50-overs knockout tourneyMUSCAT: Oman Cricket will organise a 50 overs-a-side invi-tational knockout tournament ahead of the Sultanate squad’s preparation for the forthcoming World Cricket League Division 5 tournament in Jersey.
Six Premier Division teams will be participating in this tourna-ment and they are Muscat CT, As-sarain, Enhance, Raha, Passage to India, Al Turki.
According to a statement issued by Oman Cricket on Wednesday, the tournament is designed to in-crease the level of competition in the 50-over format.
In the fi rst round, the fi rst match will be played on April 30 and last match on May 7.
The fi nal is scheduled to be played on May 13 before the Sul-tanate national team leave for Jer-sey WCL 5 competition.
C R I C K E T
OFA, Iran clubs discuss plans for Champions League matchesMUSCAT: Sultan Ameen Al Zad-jali, the General Secretary and the CEO of Oman Football Associa-tion (OFA), will leave for Malaysia to take part in an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) meeting.
The annual meeting, a two-day aff air, will discuss the diffi culties and challenges faced by affi liated football associations and ways to fi nd appropriate solutions.
During the meeting, which will take place in Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, the members will be discussing various topics in-cluding the problems faced by the associations in the regulatory, ad-ministrative and fi nancial aspects.
Coaches courseMeanwhile, a D Level coaching course organised by the OFA con-cluded at the Seeb Sports Stadium on Wednesday.
At the end of the fi ve-day course, the participants were felicitated by OFA board member Mansour Al Hajri. The OFA, meanwhile, revealed that the association held a co-ordination meeting with the Iranian football clubs to discuss the preparations for the forthcoming AFC Champions League matches.
The meeting was chaired by Omantel Professional League CEO Sheikh Shabib bin Hilal Al Hosni. It may be mentioned that Asian Football Confederation’s Competitions Committee has decided to host the Champions League matches involving clubs from Saudi Arabia and Iran in Oman, Qatar and the UAE.
As per the agreement, Iran clubs will play their home matches in Oman and the Saudi Arabia’s team play their matches in Qatar and the UAE.
The matches to be played in Oman are Iran’s Zobahan vs Sau-di Arabia’s Al Nasr (April 20 at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex), Iran’s Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan vs Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad (May 4 at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex) and Iran’s Tractorsazi Tabriz vs Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal.
F O O T B A L L
MALAYSIA BOUND: OFA CEO
Sultan Al Zadjali. – Supplied photo
CRUCIAL MEETING: Oman Football Association offi cial Sheikh Shabib bin Hilal Al Hosni, centre,
speaks during a meeting with the representatives of the Iranian clubs. – Supplied photo
WINNERS ALL: Winners in various categories pose for a group photo along with chief guest Mohammed Al Rumhy, Minister of Oil and
Gas, at A’Saff a Golf Tournament. – Supplied photo
Muscat Rugby Football Club to organise Mercedes-Benz tournament on Friday
MUSCAT: The Muscat Rugby Football Club (MRFC), in asso-ciation with Mercedes-Benz, will organise the Touch Tournament at MRFC Pitch in Bauhser on Friday.
A total of 12 teams will be in ac-tion during the tournament.
The participating teams are equally divided into three groups.
The Group 1 comprises Canada, Ireland 1, Merc Barbarians and New Zealand while the Group 2 consists of England, France 2, Scotland and Somalia.
South Africa, France 1, Ireland 2 and Sohar are placed in Group 3.
The three group winners and the best second placed team will vie for MRFC Cup.
The remaining second placed teams and the second third placed
teams will battle in MRFC bowl competition.
There will also be MRFC Plate event which will see the worst fi nishing third rd placed team and the three teams that fi nish bottom of their groups in action.
T O U C H T O U R N E Y
C4
SPORTST H U R S DAY, A P R I L 1 4 , 2 0 1 6
Zidane passes biggest challenge yet with Ronaldo’s hat-trick help
MADRID: Zinedine Zidane over-came the biggest challenge of his fl edgling coaching career as Real Madrid brushed aside VfL Wolfs-burg to overturn a fi rst-leg defi cit and reach the Champions League semi-fi nals.
Last week’s surprise 2-0 defeat at Wolfsburg left the Frenchman facing the prospect of becoming the fi rst Madrid coach since Manuel
Pellegrini in 2010 to fail to reach the last four of the competition. Tuesday’s hat-trick from a resur-gent Cristiano Ronaldo at the Ber-nabeu saved him from that fate.
“I’ve lived football as a player, I know what it is like. I am now liv-ing it as a coach, which is much more diffi cult,” admitted Zidane after the 3-2 aggregate win.
“I can’t worry about what might happen. We have to be calm when this (losing a fi rst leg) happens; you can’t go mad because all sorts of things happen in football.”
Zidane attracted criticism for starting Danilo rather than Dani Carvajal in the fi rst leg in Germa-ny and for his decision to take off Luka Modric, saying: “I had to do something”.
In the second leg, Zidane rein-stated the Spaniard at right back and the decision had an instant impact, with Carvajal showing de-sire to beat Julian Draxler to the ball in midfi eld and then setting up Ronaldo’s opener.
We win together“We are a team and I always have to make decisions, we all win to-gether but it’s true that Carvajal was enormous today,” said Zidane.
The Frenchman vowed not to get ahead of himself after the win, which was the fi rst time Madrid had overturned a fi rst-leg defi cit in the Champions League since 2002 when a team containing Zi-dane saw off Bayern Munich in the quarterfi nals on their way to lifting the trophy.
“I never got a big head as a player and it won’t happen as a coach ei-ther after a night like this, I know how diffi cult this job is,” said Zi-dane, who has repeatedly talked about the expectations on a Ma-drid manager since succeeding Rafa Benitez in January.
The coach did not shy away from suggestions that Ronaldo had saved his reputation, and possibly his job. “He is the best player in the world and nights like tonight make him a special player,” said Zidane. “He makes the diff erence.” - Reuters
Last week’s surprise
2-0 defeat at
Wolfsburg left the
Frenchman facing
the prospect of
becoming the fi rst
Madrid coach since
Manuel Pellegrini
in 2010 to fail to
reach the last four
of the competition.
Tuesday’s hat-trick
from a resurgent
Cristiano Ronaldo at
the Bernabeu saved
him from that fate
HAT-TRICK HERO: Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo who scored
three times walks on the pitch with the ball under his shirt after the
Champions League 2nd leg quarterfi nal soccer match against VfL
Wolfsburg. – AP/PTI
MADRID: VfL Wolfsburg came close to staging a minor Champions League miracle but their 3-0 loss at Real Madrid in the last eight on Tuesday for a 3-2 aggregate defeat was a refl ection of a season of missed opportuni-ties, club offi cials said.
The Wolves are unlikely to see any Champions League action next season, with a weeks-long domestic slump sending them down to eighth in the Bundesliga with fi ve games left. They came agonis-ingly close to staging a huge upset after stunning the 10-time European champions 2-0 in Germany in the fi rst leg last week to go into the game at the Bernabeu brimming with confi dence.
Real’s Cristiano Ronaldo struck twice in two minutes early in the fi rst half to level the tie and added a third goal from a free kick to complete a superb turnaround by the Spaniards. “It was a bit of a refl ection of our season,” Wolfsburg sports director Klaus Allofs told reporters. “We seem to be making mis-takes at all the wrong times.”
Wolfsburg, last season’s Bundesliga runners-up and German Cup winners, had
enjoyed a solid start to their domestic campaign but gradu-ally ran out of ideas and goals.
Champions League contenders at the halfway mark in the Bundesliga and cruising through the group stage by December, Wolfs-burg hoped for a repeat of last season. Instead, they managed just three league wins in 12 matches after the winter break to implode in the Bundesliga.
It was the same over the two ties against Real. They enjoyed a stellar fi rst game but failed to pose a threat in the return encounter in what would have been the Germans’ biggest success in Europe in their maiden quarter-fi nal appearance.
Wolfsburg had only one good chance in the game with a Luiz Gustavo shot despite managing to contain Real’s attack for about an hour after they took their two-goal lead.
“These are the fi ne diff er-ences that you cannot com-pensate for at the Bernabeu,” Allofs said. “Overall it was just like we had predicted it. We needed a goal and we did not get it. On the one hand I am proud of the team’s out-standing run.” - Reuters
Loss to Real caps Wolfsburg’s season of missed chances
Superb De Bruyne shows anything still possible for Manchester CityMANCHESTER: Manchester City’s season began to unravel when Kevin de Bruyne missed 10 matches with a knee injury but as he showed when he scored against Paris St Germain on Tuesday, any-thing is possible with him back in the team.
The 24-year-old Belgium in-ternational forward scored with a brilliantly-manufactured 76th minute curling shot from the edge of the box to give City a 1-0 win over the French champions to reach the Champions League semi-fi nals for the fi rst time.
The goal secured their 3-2 aggre-gate success, sent the Etihad Sta-dium crazy with delight and earned him the headlines on Wednes-day morning with the Manches-ter Evening News anointing him “King Kev”, while the Daily Mail hailed him as “Special K”.
There has only been one “King Kev” in English soccer -- former European Footballer of the Year Kevin Keegan back in the 1970s and 1980s -- but if De Bruyne achieves anything like the success Keegan enjoyed, he will deserve that title. The Belgian turned down PSG to join City for a club record fee of 55 million pounds ($78.29 million) from VfL Wolfsburg last August, and is one of the gifts waiting to be unwrapped when Pep Guardiola takes over as City coach from Ma-nuel Pellegrini next season.
Guardiola, whose Bayern Mu-nich side could yet face City in this season’s competition, is expected to re-shape and overhaul the squad when he arrives, but the ever-im-proving De Bruyne will doubtless be central to the new coach’s plans.
Defi ant messageAfter making that transfer fee look like something of a bargain with his third goal in four matches — in-cluding one in the fi rst leg against PSG last week — since returning to the side earlier this month after two months out, de Bruyne sent out a defi ant message to everyone, including Guardiola.
“We are not done yet. It is two games to the fi nal, so we will be doing everything we can to get through,” he said.
“This has been a season of ups and downs but in the Champions League we have gone from down to up. The performances have been
good and hopefully we can go all the way.” Both City and PSG have been enriched by Arab billions in the last few years and both sides have come to the fore in their do-mestic leagues following massive investment after decades of un-der-achievement. Although City have already won the League Cup this season and are in fourth place in the Premier League, their age-ing side fell away badly in the title race while De Bruyne was out.
Before he was injured City were second, three points behind Leicester City, but while he was sidelined they won only two of the seven league games without
him and are now 15 points behind Leicester with no realistic chance of catching them.
Although the Premier League title has gone, the greater prize of European glory remains and Pel-legrini praised the player who kept that dream alive after the match.
“Kevin is a very important player for us. He is a very danger-ous player, he does not need much space to get his shots in and good players always make a diff erence.”
According to Pellegrini, City are now among the top four sides in Europe, and, revitalised by De Bruyne, there is no telling what might happen next. - Reuters
C H A M P I O N S L E A G U E
INSTANT HERO: Manchester City’s Belgian midfi elder Kevin De Bruyne, right, celebrates with Man-
chester City’s Argentinian striker Sergio Aguero after scoring during the UEFA Champions league
quarterfi nal second leg football match against Paris Saint-Germain. – AFP
Black Sticks edge India, Malaysia down PakistanIPOH: India’s hockey team lost 1-2 to New Zealand to slide to the third spot in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup here on Wednesday.
After a slow beginning, Kane Russel gave the New Zealanders the lead in the 29th minute from a penalty corner. Mandeep Singh equalised for India in the 36th minute but Nick Wilson (41st) struck his fourth goal of the tour-nament to clinch the encounter for the defending champions.
India failed to utilise three penalty corners — two in the fi nal quarter — in the match as they searched for the equaliser and went down losing 1-2.
Refl ecting on the match, In-dia head coach Roelant Oltmans said: “We played a strong game, considering the conditions we must consider ourselves a bit unlucky. Both the New Zealand goalkeepers had a great game.”
With this win, Colin Batch-coached New Zealand moved to the second position with 11 points from six matches.
Last year’s bronze medallists India are third with nine points from fi ve matches and have to beat Malaysia to qualify.
“We get another opportunity to get to the fi nal though, and are fo-cussed on winning our next game against the hosts Malaysia to get that spot,” Oltmans said.
The Indian team was expected to play an aggressive game, espe-cially after the 5-1 triumph over traditional rivals Pakistan. But it didn’t turn out to be like that.
Malaysia winMalaysia posted their fi rst win over Pakistan in three years when they hung on to an early lead to emerge 1-0 victorious in a league fi xture.
Malaysia rode on captain Ra-zie Rahim’s fourth-minute pen-alty corner conversion to reg-ister their fi rst victory against Pakistan since they won 3-1 in the World League semifi nals at Johar Baharu (Malaysia).
That victory in the World League play-off s clinched Ma-laysia’s qualifi cation for the 2014 World Cup at the expense of four-time champions Pakistan, who missed their last chance to qualify and failed to make the elite tournament for the fi rst time since its inception.
Malaysia’s victory took them to eight points from fi ve fi xtures and kept alive their chances to clinch a medal,
After fi ve matches, Pakistan have just three points from their victory over Canada.
Winning spreeMeanwhile, world champions Australia extended their winning spree to fi ve successive matches as they prevailed 3-1 over Japan.
Not playing full-press, Aus-tralia scored through Jamie Dwyer (17th and 36th minutes) and Blake Govers, but Japan shot back to reduce the margin through a penalty corner con-version by Kentro Fukuda (37th minute). - Agencies
A Z L A N S H A H C U P
It’s not every day one gets to have a long chat with Ma-layalam fi lmmaker Vineeth Sreenivasan. The man is like the movies he directs. He
talks straight from his heart with a clear sense and with clarity.
Vineeth dons several caps. He conceives the story. He writes his scripts. He directs fi lms. What do you see yourself as, I ask him curiously? Vineeth takes a deep breath and says confi dently, “All my fi lms start with an idea and the rest fall in place.”
From his fi rst fi lm, Malarvadi, to his latest Jacobinte Swargara-jyam (JSR), which was released in India last Friday, Vineeth has come a long way. All his movies stand tall and his admirers are loyal and vociferous.
Though Vineeth looked ex-hausted at the beginning of this interview, he springs to life when I ask him about the chal-lenges of filming and his friend, Nivin Pauly, who has emerged as the biggest sensation in Ma-layalam film industry.
Tell us about your latest movie, Jacobinte Swargarajyam (JSR)?The movie is based on a true inci-dent that happened in the life of my close friend, who is residing in Dubai. When I heard the story long ago, I found little essence in it that could well be made into a fi lm. Some ideas are like that; it has the potential to be trans-formed into a full-blown fi lm. While some look promising as an idea, they do not develop at that point of time, but it can haunt you constantly. That’s how JSR hap-pened, and slowly the thought process began to take shape in my mind before I had the com-plete story to write the script. It took some time, but here we are now at the theatres.
How diffi cult was it to shoot a movie like JSR in Dubai?It was far easier to shoot in Dubai than in Kerala. Initially, we faced a few diffi culties, but that’s part of the game. The moment we got the nod to go ahead to shoot, it was easy. I must thank Nobel Thom-as, the producer and the real strength of JSR. To make a fi lm like JSR, I had to do a lot of re-
search. It’s not like a book where knowledge alone is enough. In cinema, you have to translate that knowledge into execution.
You don several caps. You con-ceive a story, write scripts and direct fi lms. What do you see yourself as?I see myself as a complete fi lm-maker. I enjoy every aspect of fi lm-making, be it writing or directing. When I take up a fi lm, it is my duty to ensure that it reaches the audi-ence eff ectively. For any director, every movie is a challenge, and in order to conceive it the way you want, it is always better if you take up all these roles together.
How tough is to place an idea on paper for the fi rst time? Writing for me is painful but, at the same time, it is fascinating and exciting. At times, you are clear about what you want to write, and at times you become completely blank. However, the real high is when an idea comes together. As you are writing, you don’t know where it was and you suddenly see
it happening and the characters stand in front of you as you write. I enjoy that process completely.
How much have you evolved as a fi lmmaker in the last six years?I am in that learning stage where you still want to push yourself to the wall. Every movie is a new learning experience for me. Movies happen from observations and experi-ences and quite often we forget to see what’s happening around us. I have been hooked on cinema since childhood. Nothing much has changed in those years. My knowl-edge, curiosity, and ability remain the same as they were before.
You are someone who has been successful since releasing your fi rst fi lm. How do you handle the pressure of being Vineeth Sreenivasan? The pressure is always there from the time I start writing the script till the movie hit theatres. But over the years, I have learnt to take things by the stride. I hon-estly believe that every movie is a team-work and I am quite lucky to work with some amazing peo-ple who are still standing by my side. They are the real force of Vineeth Sreenivasan.
A movie does not deliberately try to please its audience, yet a director hopes that the picture will be accepted by all who see it. So what is the greatest chal-lenge a fi lmmaker faces while making a fi lm?Life puts people in very diff erent but interesting circumstances and a fi lmmaker’s greatest challenge is to capture the authenticity of life as it is lived. This is what I have been trying to do for the last several years. I don’t fool the au-dience and, instead, I respect the audience for their intelligence and sensibility and for their own life experiences. Through my movies, I want to share with them what I think about it. It is a very respectful process. Au-dience these days are mature enough to judge your fi lm. When some- thing is shown to them that touches their lives, they get back to me. My approach is to be loyal to myself, to the medium of cinema and to the audience.
Nivin Pauly is your good friend. He is now the biggest sensation in the Malayalam fi lm industry. How do you analyse his growth as an actor?I am really happy to see Nivin grow as an actor and reach great heights. I still remember those
days with him while shooting Ma-larvadi where I had to explain in de-tail to him about every scene. Now, when he gets a script, he knows what a director expects him to con-vey and, believe me, he excels above your imagination. He is such a de-light to watch on screen, and he is an actor with exceptional intelligence.
Your wife, Divya, is an integral part of your fi lmmaking pro-cess. What is her contribution to JSR?She is a critic, fi rst. She will be the fi rst to read the draft of my script. She also has a long-distance per-spective. She was a great help when we shot JSR, especially the song sequences.
Looking back at your journey, how do you rate yourself as a fi lmmaker?I don’t think I can evaluate myself as a fi lmmaker. It is the audience who should evaluate my work. Ever since I made my debut in 2010, I have been trying to do fi lms that I believe in.
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SHATTIFan (Hindi| Thriller) (PG12)Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Joelle Koissi, Ileana D’Cruz, Vaani Kapoor2:30, 5:30, 8:30, 10:00 & 11:30PM
The Jungle Book - (3D) Adventure | Drama| Family) (PG)Cast: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley3:15, 5:15 & 7:15PM
Criminal (Action|Crime | Drama) (15+)Cast: Kevin Costner, Ryan Reynolds, Gal Gadot2:45, 7:45, 9:15 & 11:30PM
Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice (3D) (Action, Adventure) (PG12)Cast: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams5:00PM
MUSCAT GRAND MALLThe Jungle Book – 3D (PG) Adventure Cast: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley12:15, 2:15, 4:15, 6:15 PMGold Class – 6:15 PM
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The Jungle Book (MX4D) (Adventure | Drama| Family) (PG)Cast: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley3:30, 5:30, 7:30 & 9:30PM
The Jungle Book - (3D) Adventure | Drama| Family) (PG)Cast: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley2:45, 4:45 & 6:45PM
Criminal (Action|Crime | Drama) (15+)Cast: Kevin Costner, Ryan Reynolds, Gal Gadot2:30, 8:45 & 11:15PM
Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice (3D) (Action, Adventure) (PG12)Cast: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams9:00 & 11:30PM
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RUWIScreen 1Fan (Thriller) –PG12Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Joelle Koissi2.30, 5.30, 8.30, 11.30 PM
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Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice– 2D (Action, Adventure, Fantasy) (PG12)Cast: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams3:00PM
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Theri (Tamil) Cast: Vijay, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Amy Jackson8:45PM
SALALAH
The Jungle Book (3D) (PG) (Adventure)Cast: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley12:30, 2:30, 4:30, 6:30PM Fan (2D) (PG12) (Thriller) Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Joelle Koissi, Mariola Jaworska12:00, 3:00, 6:00, 9:00, 11:15PM Criminal (2D) (15+) (Action| Crime | Drama) Cast: Kevin Costner, Ryan Reynolds, Gal Gadot12:15, 2:45, 6:50, 9:00, 11:30PM Anti-Squad (2D) (15+) (Action | Drama)Cast: Jean Reno, Alban Lenoir, Caterina Murino5:00, 11:55PM
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Stitches
By Shwan Mendes
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A t this stage of my life, realising that highly principled people are a
pain in the neck is a bit late. But every bit of information helps when dealing with people with more prejudice than sense. On the other hand, as I explained to a younger friend, having princi-ples, even though a bit crooked, is better than none.
We might hate principles be-cause they shackle us in many ways but without them, I went to explain further to my annoy-ing friend, we are open to cor-ruption. He fully agreed with me. I found that very satisfying because it is not very often that people agree with me when I feel strongly about something. A week later, a leading regional airline sent me an invitation for their new route launch. Where is the connection? Let me tell you without trying to off end anyone. In the welcome speech, a senior offi cial of the airline said that the carrier’s philosophy was “based on principles of honouring what was promised to customers.”
It was a very brave statement considering that he was talking to reporters. I could see them feverishly jotting down in their notebooks the moment he start-ed saying the words. It was a statement reporters would hold the company hostage to when it fails to deliver on its promise. Almost a breath away, the man continued with the same ab-surdity by saying, “all journalists will get special discounts when they fl y with us.”
We all knew that would never happen because it was not part of the speech. He spoke the words too soon and too eager to be part of the plan. He was of course insincere because he wanted the cooperation of the media to promote the airline’s business. He would not admit it but he was actually bending his own company’s principles to get what he wanted. I was proved right a month later while plan-ning for my annual holiday. The local manager told me “I have no instructions from the head of-fi ce.” A fortnight later, I visited the same gentleman and he gave me another explanation: “It is peak season and we cannot af-
ford to give discounts.”Personally speaking and per-
haps I applied a little pressure, I got the fare cheaper than the original price. That made me feel a little guilty. First, I was part of the great conspiracy. Sec-ond, I betrayed the solidarity of my fellow journalists. In that, I bent my own principles and jus-tifi ed somebody else’s prejudice.
In my schooldays, one teacher I was very proud to call him my hero, beat the hell out of me in the last term. Until then, he was unquestionable when it came to moral values. Though only pint sized, he used to stand tall among his peers for his teaching ethics. I reminded him years later and you know what his defence was? “It was to instil strict discipline in you!” He squeaked, “I am sure you appreciate it now.”
Old and grey then and too fragile for me to do anything, I just changed the subject. The absurdity was that he nearly ripped apart the seat of my pants and he had the courage of praising his own princi-ples. Like the airline offi cial, his methods to get his crooked messages across depended on bent ideology. Good principles are the ones that respect other people’s feelings. Bad ones, like a friend always says, break you into tiny pieces. Don’t get me wrong, I also have certain prin-ciples and sometimes I use them to upset people. This column is one example. However, I like to think I carry a straight message with no sting in the tail. Some of my friends would raise their eyebrows learning this but then principles are never principles if they are never declared.
A Questionof Principles
SO TO SPEAK
SALEHAL SHAIBANY
Britney’s new album likely in MaySinger Britney Spears is set to release her much-anticipated new album next month.
According to Las Vegas Sun’s Robin Leach, the former Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous host who is quite re-liable when it comes to anything related to the pop diva, a follow-up to 2013s Britney Jean could come in May.
In a tweet posted over the week-
end, Leach said that Spears would select the lead single from her forthcoming record and shoot the video later on April 18. The album itself is “coming in four weeks.”
“Coming Monday at Vegas De-Luxe: Britney selects her new single and will shoot its video the following Monday with album coming in four weeks,” Leach has tweeted. Spears
has been working hard on what would be her ninth studio instalment with several songwriters including Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter, the ones behind Selena Gomez and Justin Bie-ber’s recent hits, the report added.
She has been planning to release the album later this year, but she al-ways refuses to set a release date.
“Honestly, I’m just particular
with this record. It’s my baby, and so I really want it done right,” she said of the album in an interview earlier this year.
“I just know that the direction I’m going in is so good. It’s the best thing I’ve done in a long time.
“I’m proud of the work, and it’s very diff erent; it’s not what you would think at all.” — IANS
I N B R I E F
LIGHT & BRUSH SHOW
LIFESTYLEC8 T H U R S DAY, A P R I L 1 4 , 2 0 1 6
The exhibition by famous Om-ani artists Hassan Ali Jawad and Abdul Majeed Karooh, titled Light and Brush, will pro-voke perceptual sensitivity and mesmerising visions to art lov-ers. The exhibition, which began on Monday at Bait Al Zubair, will continue till April 25. Karooh is known for his depiction of old doors. Glimpses of local Omani folklore and childhood memories of living in Muttrah between the old houses, forts, doors, and walls can be seen in his works.
He uses artistic symbols and signs engraved on these doors with the means to enter the extravagances of these cities that are rich with ar-tistic heritage. Hassan’s photogra-phy focuses on human characters and nature.
The exhibition gives him an opportunity to display his pic-tures taken over a long period of time.The exhibition is open to public from 9:30am to 6:00pm, Saturdays to Thursdays. Contact: +968 2473 6688.—[email protected]
A unique art exhibition is underway at Bait Al Zubair
that merges Hassan Ali Jawad’s photography with
Abdul Majeed Karooh’s brush strokes.
Photography: Shabin E
W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O MSECTION
CONNECT H E D A I LY G U I D E
D
D4 VACANCY CARGO D7
Ruwi: 24 792 792 Sohar: 2684 2420
All HP, Epson, Canon, Lexmark, SamsungCartridges also available.
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Available on very GOOD prices
COMEX 2016 VISIT US AT STALL
N.O: 1629 Printers, Laptops & PC’s, CD’s, DVD’s & Flash Drives & Cartridges
T H U R S D AY, A P R I L 1 4 , 2 0 1 6
RENT D2
FLATS FOR RENTSpacious 1 Bedroom &
2 Bedroom
F r coFa
Contact : 95399988, 24942600 Email - [email protected]
Showroom 2 Side Facing I CBD OPP. B.M.Showroom Space I CBD OPP. B.M.Office With Partition I CBD OPP. B.M.Flat 3 BHK I MBD Nr.SheratonFlat 2 BHK With Terrace I MBD Nr.SheratonFlat 1 BHK - 2 BHK I MBD Nr.SheratonSmall Offices With Partition I MBD Nr.SheratonVilla 4 BHK+M.Room+S.Pool I Qurum 29 Nr. MSQFlat 2 BHK I Khwair 33 Nr. Maya
New building - Maintenance company provided- Caretaker Cleaner - A.C.- Multiple Elevators- Central settelite system
Good Parking Space
FOR RENT
Tel: 24571962/63 Mob: 94289050/ 95495281Email: [email protected]
1. Qurum Top Finish New- Res-5 apartments- 2 bhk/maid room 550/450, 3 bhk- 550, 1 BHK-350
2. Al Kuwair New 3 bhk, posh. Kit.fur,s.pool-700, 3 bhk +maid,ind.villa-650/-3. Wadi Kabir 1/2 bhk-250/300/3504. Al Kodh Villa 5 Bhk- Compounded 550/-5. Qurum(Comm) Sama Center-Brand New 114/122/129 sq.mt6. Azaiba (Comm)
*Tourist visa arranged
Email: [email protected] classifi [email protected].: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461
FOR RENT
D2 T H U R S D AY, A P R I L 1 4 , 2 0 1 6
FOR RENT
For viewing please call 99466729, 99316410, 92841690, 91313271, 24694088 or email us on :[email protected]
Mtr. Facing main RoadHAR Complex MSQ : 2,3-BHK Flats and 2 & 3 BHK villas with
Qurum : 6 BHK villa with garden, split Acs, shaded car parks, servant rooms
Darsait : 1 & 2-BHK Flats with AC & Shop Ruwi : 2-BHK & 3-BHK Flats and shopsAl Amerat : 2 & 3-BHK Flat , 3 & 4-BHK Villa with A/C
DAILY GUIDE
3 Rooms, 2 Toilets Flat for Rent. 18
November Street. Near Mars Hyper-
market and The Chedi. Ghobrah -Good
for Commercial or Residential use.
OMR 295/- month. Call 94477222
Offi ce & 2B/R with 3 toilets directly
from owner, near Dolphin Complex
Bausher. Contact 92158031
Flat in Wadi Al Kabir 2 bedrooms, 1
living room, 1 family hall, kitchen & 3
bathrooms. Contact: 99277787
Flat for rent in Wadi Kabeer near
India Primary School 2B & 1K.
Contact: 92222922
150 Sq mtr available GF + MEZ
Offi ce + showroom + store loca-
tion Honda road Ruwi. Contact:
99345044 / 91480682
Villa at Azaiba 7 rooms attach
bath at 18th November road. Con-
tact: 9224748 / 99332297
1BHK at Hamriya near Muscat
Pharmacy & 2 BHK at Mawaleh
near Mosque Sadiq Al Amin. Con-
tact: 99224748 / 99332297
1BHK Mumtaz. Contact: 92144045
1 BHK M.B.D R.O 250/-. Contact:
92144045
1BHK Ghubra R.O 275/-. #92144045
2 BHK Ghubra R.O 325/-. Contact:
92144045
1&2 BHK Darsait. #92144045
2& 3 BHK in Al Khuwair RO 375/-,
RO 400/-. Contact: 92144045
1BHK at Al Falaj R.O 190/-. Contact:
92144045
Single room for rent 50/RO water
& electricity near Khimji Mart Mut-
trah. Contact: 97477670
1 BHK in Azaiba. Contact:
99385835 / 99428143
2BHK fl at near Wadi Adai signal
R.O 280/- negotiable. #97645436
Flat for rent in Ruwi, Mumtaz area
2 bedrooms. Contact: 24291500 /
91409667
New fl at at Al Wadi Al Kabir. Con-
tact: 96130797 / 92130703
1000 sq mtrs industrial land for
rent in Ghala suitable for warehouse
workshop etc. Contact 24700120 /
92584715
2bed rooms fl at with hall, 2
bathrooms in Darsait near Muscat
Municipality. contact 92584715 /
24700120
Ware houses in Hay Aseem Barka,
11000 m2 near round about new
Beach road at Al Khoud location
open store with offi ce. #92959129
Warehouse for rent at Ghala Ind.
Area. 800 & 2500 approx sqms
Near Hotel Al-Madinah Holiday,
Ghala. Container can enter. Imme-
diate access to roads & highways.
Contact : 94583320
Offi ce space small in Azaiba. Con-
tact: 99428143
3 Room with kitchen & Bathroom in
Alkhuwair, short terms. #99792181
Flats in Qurum. Contact 94051789
/ 97201688
Flats in Darsait. Contact
94051789 / 97201688
Flats in Wadi Kabir. Contact
94051789 / 97201688
Fully Furnished apartments in
Boucher (35)#94051789 / 97201688
Flats in Muttrah. Contact
94051789 / 97201688
Offi ces in Ghala. Contact
94051789 / 97201688
Brand new villas in Al Ansab. Con-
tact 94051789 / 97201688
2 Bhk Flat in Alkhuwair. #99792181
Offi ces & Showrooms in Mutrah.
Contact 94051789 / 97201688
Duplex villa in QURUM 29. Con-
tact 94051789 / 97201688
Offi ces & Showrooms in Al Khoud.
Contact 94051789 / 97201688
Flat for Rent 2 bed room Near ISM
muscat Indian Scoole Dar sate Tel :
00 968 95158570
2BHK with split / AC in W.K behind
Sana Fashion. Contact: 96635026
Villa for rent Ghubra 5 rooms, 5
bathroom, kitchen & hall. Contact:
91153933
Flat for rent Al Khoud room 3, hall,
kitchen & bathroom. #91153933
Villa for rent 6 rooms, hall, living
room, kitchen, 7 Bathroom in Al
Khoud. Contact: 91153933
One room, bathroom for rent
Bousher. Contact: 91153933
Furniture fl at for rent Bousher 1
room, 1 bath room, Kitchen & hall.
Contact: 91153933
Flat for rent Bousher, 2 rooms, 1
hall, dining hall, 2 bathrooms &
Kitchen. Contact: 91153933
Flat in Al Khuwair opp grand mall
4 room 3 toilet + hall kitchen in 3
fl oor 400. Contact 99420346
Shops / fl ats available in Honda
Road, Ruwi & Mabellah Indus-
trial area. Contact 24833972/
24833974/ 99367448
1 Bed room, sharing K& T, R.O
100, 2 bedrooms , sharing K& T
R.O 200/- in Al Khuwair. contact
95154331
OFFICES FOR RENT AT AZAIBAPrime location on service road (previously occupied by A'Saffa Foods) near Al Turky and Mazda showroom.
- 2 BHK flat available directly from the owner, at Azaiba.
Contact: 99229263, 93221054, 95215289
FOR RENTStore space in Al
Wattayah.Contact
99382489 / 99263443
2 BR, 2 bath, a kitchen, a yard
, with AC, separate enterance,
AlKhuwair near Ibis hotel. PDC.
RO 250 .. Call 97056443
Readymade offi ce space for rent
(240sm) in Bank Melli Iran Build-
ing, MBD area, Ruwi, opposite
Center point. Contact: 99011352
2BHK Ghala, new bldg with A/C,
325/- R.O. Contact: 99024730
1+2+3 BHK Al Khuwair. Contact:
99024730
Available - fully furnished 2 bed-
room apartment ( 12 nos) & fully fur-
nished studio fl ats (10 nos) -location
near Sohar Port - Contact : 94532131
Available - Fully furnished labor
camp and executive accommodation
- ready for occupation-location near
Sohar Port - Contact 94532131
4 BHK commercial villa in Al Khu-
wair 33. Contact 99792181
Offi ce & shop space in Al Khuwair.
Contact 99792181
Quality Warehouses
for rent at Mizfa 550 sqm to 3400 sqm.
Contact 99332291 / 96046951
FOR RENTIN RUWI
1 BHK – SPILT A/C,
BUILT IN WARDROBE
&CENTRALIZED GAS.
SPACIOUS 2 BHK.
Contact :990 49 722
DAILY GUIDET H U R S D AY, A P R I L 1 4 , 2 0 1 6 D3
FOR SALE
FOR SALE
FOR RENT
FOR RENT
2BHK available Mumtaz area Ruwi.
Contact: 99269751
Flats, shops and store for rent in
Ruwi, MBD & Mumtaz. Contact:
97293708 / 92433127
2BHK fl at shops / ware house space
available for rent behind new ROP
building at Honda road. Contact:
91165807
2 BHK / 1BHK near Machi Market
Ruwi. R.O 200/- & 225/-. Contact:
99354771
2 BHK available in Ghubrah North
for rent. Contact: 92253080
2 BHK offi ce in Al Khuwair. Contact
99792181
1 & 2 BHK fl at in Al Khuwair. Con-
tact 99792181
3 BHK fully furnish fl at in Al Hail.
Contact 99792181
Furnished offi ce (61M2) for sale
/ rent Al Khuwair near Zawawi
Mosque. Contact: 95611569
2BHK Wadi Kabir R.O 300/-. Con-
tact: 92144045
Flat for rent in South AlGhubrah
3 rooms, hall and 3 toilets, kitchen
rent 450/-. Contact: 99335580
2,200 sq mtr factory area & 800
sq mtr store with 8 accommoda-
tion rooms and 10 offi ce cabins
available for rent in Barka indus-
trial area. Contact 91398381 / 80 /
78, email - [email protected]
02 BHK residential fl at opposite
to Al Nahdha hospital.
Contact: 99342733 /99795241
Two bedrooms fl at in Al Ghobrah
near Oman Oil of 18 November Street.
OMR 330 Monthly.#99333479 or
95215360 or 97509955.
1 Bed room, sharing K& T, R.O 100,
2 bedrooms , sharing K& T R.O
200/- in AL Khuwair. #95154331
Flat for rent 2 BHK 2 split A/C, 2
toilets, Wadi Kabir near Kuwaiti
Masjid. #97007934 / 92629232
Warehouse at Wadikabir - total
area 3500 sqm - covered ware-
house (500sqm), offi ce, ac-
commodation (1000sqm), open
area (2000sqm) please contact:
99273774 - 99202278
3BHK in Qurum P.D.O high 350/-
Monthly. Contact: 99342661
2BHK split A/C 200/- Monthly & 1BHK
spilt A/C 150/- monthly new building
good location Barka Market. contact
99342661
New building Wattayah main road,
showroom & offi ce space. contact
94300909
Restaurant for sale (Indian, Chinese,
Arabic food ). #91181765 / 95411354
Paver, ABG Titan - 4732, Bitelli tan-
dom roller, bitelli - PTR roller, Bomag
combination roller, shovel SDLG.
Contact: 92964673
Dental Clinic for sale in Seeb. Con-
tact: 96373097 / 92882209
Show room for sale in Ruwi main
rood big space around 200 sqm.
Contact: 93333951 / 93333957
An excellent condition portacabin 1
x 40’ for sale in Ghala. Rate negotia-
ble contact 99509460
Coff ee shop for sale in Al Khuwair
33. Contact: 92994415
Villas in Al Khoud.#95056808 /
97201688
Luxury Apartments in Boucher (35).
Contact 95056808 / 97201688
Single colorful Bed and Sofa for Sale
at Al Khuwair.#92881849 /What`s
up No 97290565
Furniture and other treatment items
for Ayurvedic clinic. #97986525
Steel Scrap materials for immediate
sale # 99273774/ 99202278
Almost new beach/ garden lounge
chairs /bar stools/ counter. Photos
can be sent 95865457
A well running pharmacy for sale at
prime location. Contact- 99627621,
93240949
ACC. AVAILABLE
ACC. AVAILABLE
Separate entrance furnished
bedroom with attached bath and
kitchen for Executive bachelor in
a villa opp. Star Cinema. Contact:
99314807
Single room B/K sharing Mumtaz
area. Contact: 95212017
Available single room in Wadi
Kabir. Contact: 92177850
Room + bathroom furnished for Ex-
ecutives, Wadi Kabir. #99336206
Room with attached bathroom avail-
able in Ruwi for Executive bachelors.
Contact 95527969
Single room non cooking bachelor,
near Darsait round about. Contact:
92120626
Fully furnished bachelor sharing
at Wadi Kabir. Contact: 99325387
Available sharing accommoda-
tion, opposite Al Maya Wadi Kabir
in 2 bedroom fl at. #95470129
Sharing Accommodation avail-
able for working ladies opposite
Al Nadhah Hospital. Preferably
Indians. Room with seperate toilet
and sharing kitchen.RO.90. contact
96524717
Furnished apartment for rent,
two rooms, majlis, hall, kitchen.
Near Carrefour al-mawalah.
#99336776
Small old house for rent in Al
Ghoubra. Contact : 97165972
DRIVING
MATRIMONIAL
MATRIMONIAL
32 yrs BE + MBA male Ezhava
working as Senior Engineer
in Muscat Kerala Matri-
mony ID E1415525. Contact:
+919846672390
Kerala Christian Marthoma boy from Adoor, working in Oman MBA
graduate seeks suitable alliance.
Contact: 99852167
Tamil Hindu Brahmin Iyer Boy.
Parents invite proposal for their
only son 25 yrs / 6.1 ht / B.Tech
(NIT), MBA (IIM), EX- ISM student,
employed MNC Bangalore Star
Uttirathdhi seeks suitable alliance
fom Iyer/Iyenger families. Parents
in Oman #98288925 / 92264915
Malankara Catholic Male Nurse (28) from Thiruvalla working in
Nizwa Private Co. Alliance invites
parents/nurses working in Oman.
#968 98267338,
0091 9287215726
Indian male Roman Catholic 40yrs divorcee working in Muscat.
Seeks suitable alliance from widow/
divorcee/ single.contact 96059801.
Four bedroom two fl oors luxurious
and spacious residential villa in Al
Hail North, near to the sea and Oman
oil. Each room has its own bath-
room. It has splits A/C’s and shaded
car park. OMR 750 monthly. Tel:
99333479 or 95215360 or 97509955
For rent and investment Land
industrial shops in Rusayl.
Contact: 99323957 / 95490842
2BHK Big Size Flat Behind Bank Muscat,
Wadi Kabir. Near ISWK. 97826454,
24815012.
New fl ats for rent at Darsait near to
Ministry of Sports, Mumtaz area the
fl ats includes, 1 living room, 2 bed-
room, kitchen, 3 toilets, every rooms
with split A/C high quality fi nishing
rent per fl at is R.O 340/- . Interested
candidates please #00968 92225523
400 sq mtrs Commercial/Residential
land in Mabela Phase 5 Block 2. OMR
165 Thousand. CONTACT 99333479
or 95215360 or 97509955
Space for printing press available at
wadikabir with or without
machinery. Contact 99328430
Shop for sale near Oman House, Mut-
trah. Contact 99024362.
Urgent sale of steel scrap only
serious buyers kindly #+968
96725423 for viewing the items.
HD Scaff oldings, Shuttering Jacks,
Wooden Planks, Shuttering wood
assorted, Tower hoist (lift), Concrete
Mixer, Bending Machine, Steel Fabrica-
tion Machinery (Searing/Cutting, lathe
& Welding) including tools for immedi-
ate sale: #99273774/ 99202278
Sharing for Executive females at
Mumtaz area. Contact: 97094797
Room available for Executive
bachelor at Al Hail.#96234708
Room for rent with furniture.
Al Bustan village.#93687466
Furnished room attached bath
for Indian bachelor, Al-Falaj
Ruwi & lady Wadi Kabir near
Mars hypermarket. CONTACT
96202458/96761960
Furnish bedroom with attach
bathroom for executive bachelor.
Contact: 97704794
Room with attached bathroom for
a family in Wadi Kabir. #97167857
Room with attached bathroom and
sharing kitchen available for
Executive bachelor or small family
at wadikabir Contact 93049849
Room available in Mumtaz area
1 room, 1 Bathroom, Kitchen & 1
room, common bathroom. Interested
pleasecontact 92680041 Mr. Altaf
DAILY GUIDED4 T H U R S D AY, A P R I L 1 4 , 2 0 1 6
SITUATION WANTEDSITUATION VACANT SITUATION WANTEDSIT.WANTED
SITUATION WANT-SIT.WANTED
Email: [email protected] classifi [email protected].: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461Fax: 24812624
DRIVER
MEDICAL
MEDICAL
DRIVER
DRIVER
ACCOUNT. & FINANCE
BEAUTICIAN
CATERING
ACCOUNT. & FINANCE
ACCOUNT. & FINANCE
Required urgently an experienced
Accountant having 2-3 years expe-
rience. Send your resume by e-mail :
Wanted a male Accountant with
knowledge of fi nalization. Contact
: 91067751, email - georgyjacob7@
gmail.com
Very urgently required a Gulf
experienced professional Hair
dresser cum beautician (lady) for
a reputed beauty salon. Immedi-
ate appointment visa available.
Contact: 99816262 /98557585
Fax: 24796211 Email: skin.hair.
Wanted a Catering Supervisor with
experience in Oman. #91067751,
email - [email protected]
Required driver for building &
electrical material Company in Ghala
with valid Oman driving license.
Contact 99345044 / 91480682
Wanted driver. Contact: 91025698
Urgently required female Staff
Nurse (two) with or without M.O.H
license, good package. Contact af-
ter 5:00 P.M on Mobile: 99253650
or send C.V on dr.kamalsaqib@
yahoo.com
Wanted B-Pharmacist (lady) for
Sohar. Contact 99767605
Urgently required MOH licensed
Lab technician, Dietitian and
Nurse for a reputed center at
Azaiba. Please contact: 92724345
/ 91960401
Urgently required Pharmacist &
MOH licensed female Dentist for a
reputed polyclinic. Send CV : man-
contact 96721709.
Required Gynecologist, Lab techni-
cian, X Ray technician. contact
99030773 Email: kunoozghala@
gmail.com
Required gynecologist GEN: practitioner lady lab Technician and pharmacologist immediately
for a clinic in Suwaiq. contact
95081010 Email: umchealthcare@
gmail.com
Wanted Staff Nurse for
a dermatology clinic in Muscat .
Must have MOH license and NOC.
Attractive salary off ered. Email:
GP doctor needed for reputed
clinic. Preferably with MOH license
or with Datafl ow & Paramatics
pass Contact: 95388934
ENGINEER/MECHANIC.
MANAGER
Required Hydraulic Mechanic. Contact
95251213
ADMIN
Light duty driver 4 years Oman
exp seeks placement. Contact:
98726383
Driver, exp 1.5 years, Language
English, Arabic & Urdu, license
light. Contact: 96011572 /
94484181
Experience driver looking for job.
Contact: 95113612
Light vehicle driver with 5 years
exp looking for job. Contact:
92171166
Driver want job. #95892363
Light driver Pakistani wanted job.
Contact: 94182695
8 years experience in Oman. Con-
tact: 95587206
Light duty driver, 3 yrs Oman ex-
perience seeks placement. Contact:
91362475
Light driver looking for job 4 yrs
Exp in Oman. Contact :92681457
Driver with Oman experience 11
yrs available. Contact: 92374955
Pakistani looking for driving job
with 3 yrs experience. Contact:
95776320
Light Duty Driver seeks job. Con-
tact: 94182497
Bangladeshi male light driver
exp 16 years need job. Contact:
99165961
Light Duty Driver with 2 yrs exp. in
Muscat seeks placement. Contact:
91659265
28/male/MBA - fi nance/B.Com -
Accountant with 4 years of Dubai/
India experience looking for a
suitable placement.#90187483
Indian male, 24 yrs, Graduated with
specialization in Accounting 2 years
experienced C.A.CPT completed.
#94628086 / 97315091
Indian male 34 years MBA fi nance &
marketing 7 years experience in Indian
accounts / Administration currently
in Muscat on family visa. #98104991
Email: [email protected]
Indian male well experienced in Ac-
counts ERP, TALLY 9 & Admin NOC
available looking for a suitable job.
Contact: 92650835
Accountant 8 Years experience with
D/L and NOC. Contact 97712084
Part-time Accounting up to fi naliza-
tion, Auditing, Taxation and Project
Finance assistance - 91044655
Male Accountant M.Com (fi nance &
accounts) having 3 years experience
in accounts looking for available job
on visit visa. Contact: 94648575
CMA & CIA qualifi ed fi nance profes-
sional with 13 years of me experi-
ence in FMCG industries as well as
various other industries available for
immediate permanent job openings.
#94543660
ACCA fi nalist with 2 years of experi-
ence in a Construction Company as an
Accountant in United Kingdom here
on visit visa for 3 weeks from 12 April
- 3 May. Contact: 99171627
Part time accountant, up to fi na-
lization, looking for job after 5 pm
(location prefer - MSQ to Al Hail).
#95694737
Accountant available with NOC,
plus 10 years experience up to
fi nalization of Accounts on Tally
ERP9, ready to join immediately.
#97667273 Email: babujashid@
gmail.com
MBA fi nance from Pakistan with
4 years experience in Accounts &
fi nance department currently in
Muscat on family visit visa, 27 yrs.
Contact: 90590037 Email:
ACCA Qualifi ed, 26 female with 3
years work experience looking for
suitable position in Accounting /
fi nance. Contact: 91322423
Filipino Male, 24 Years Old..
looking for job, have experience
in Cargo & Logistics/ Rent a Car/
Real Estate/ Finance & Accounts/
customer service and as Travel
Agent. Hard working and with
good computer and communica-
tion skills having Omani driving
license. GSM: 95370052
Indian male 26 years B.Com, having
4 years experience in Accounts with
valid driving license & NOC available
on visit visa looking for suitable job in
Accounts. Contact 90311936
Indian male 25, 4 years experience
& Arabic speaking with D/L seek-
ing suitable opportunity interested
in Sales & Marketing also. Contact:
91266733 Email: safvank.k9@gmail.
com
MBA Finance Indian male, Fresher
seeking opportunity in fi nancial sec-
tor. Immediately available. Contact
93990638 [email protected]
Qualifi ed 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 ex-
perience) oil and gas projects is cur-
rently looking for suitable job. contact
93953613 , Email allen.mathew83@
gmail.com
MISCELLANEOUS
Required candidates for following
posts: Accountant, Storekeeper, Foreman Building Maintenance, Van-salesman (water), Help-ers. Candidates with Omani
driving license preferred. contact
99273774/99202278
ENGG. / TECH./MECH.
Indian female 23 years Engineering
Electronics and communications,
well knowledge in C and JAVA, pres-
ently in Muscat seeking suitable
placement. Contact: 90320846
Email: kavyahiremath499@gmail.
com
Electrical Engineer having 8 years
experience in Gulf seeking suitable
placement can join immediately,
have knowledge all kind of MEP
project. Contact: 96535204
Indian male 22, Chemical Engineer
residing in Oman looking for suit-
able placement. Contact: 92379181
Civil Engineer, 6 yrs experience
with Omani driving license, local
release available. #91693008
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: [email protected]
Indian male, Mechanical
Engineer having 1year experi-
ence, on visit visa looking for
suitable job. Contact:97416564,
Email:[email protected]
HSE offi cer, Indian male 27, 1.5
years exp call: 90649152,
98205818
Indian Mechanical Engineer
(B.tech)23. With qualifi cation in
Qa-QC,HVAC and Piping.1 year expe-
rience. Ready to join immediately.
Contact: 92365040
Civil Engineer 8 years experience
in Oman as a project engineer for
governmental & private projects.
Contact – 90164912
Building Site Supervisor since
2010 in Oman with Omani D/L
looking for suitable placement.
Contact: 91507828
Mechanical Engineer is looking for
a job vacancy Graduate of Malaysia,
7 years of work experience in oil &
Gas fl uent in both Arabic & English.
Contact: 95569430
Electrical Engineer 6 years
experience in Oman experience in
MEDC / projects valid D/L. Contact:
91249329
B.Tech Mechanical Engineer, on
visit visa looking for job, who has
done certifi cation courses in quality
control, basic pipeline engineering,
ASNT NDT Level II, also good knowl-
edge in HVAC. Contact:94743373
email:[email protected]
B.E Mechanical Engineer, 24, one
year experience as Production Shift
Engineer, achieved training on HVAC
Engineering design and has good
hands on software like AutoCAD
and HAP, presently in Oman on visit
visa, looking for a suitable place-
ment. Contact:95065955 Email: mjs.
Mechanical Engineer (B Tech)
Indian male with 1 year experience
on visit visa looking for suitable job.
Contact : 90510800, Email : mu-
Electrical and Electronics Engi-
neer looking for a job & interested
in any available role Nationality Su-
danese have valid visa for 2 years.
Contact 97304565
Graduation, tool and die engineer-
ing & tool designer, have two and
half years experience in pess tool
and moulding , I know CAD, CATIA
, PRO-E software’s now in Oman.
Contact: 95287978
Electrical Engineer Indian male 30
years, having 5 years of experience
in industrial automation & utility
maintenance in Indian (MRF Tyres)
holding valid Oman D/L. Contact:
92789995 Email: akhilabraham-
Electrical Engineer (B.E) 8+ yrs
experience, NOC & release avail-
able with valid D/L. Contact 968
94374735
ARCHITECT
Architect exp.7 years, 4 years in
GCC Architectural design interior
sites 3D Max AutoCAD, Photoshop.
Contact: 93238813 Email:
SKILLED LABOUR
UPVC windows & doors factory
operator with Gulf exp. Contact:
99010141 Email: [email protected]
Reputed contracting company
requires following: Q.S swimming
pool (auto cad exp), pool technician
and pool cleaners. Minimum 5 years
Gulf experience preferred. Contact:
Required A/C Technicians, Carpen-
ters, Electricians, Plumbers, Painters,
General Helpers. Contact 94147874 /
24504281. Email :
Urgently Required Expatriate Furniture
Carpenters, for a well established
furniture manufacturing
company.
Miniumum experience of 2/3
years required in the same field.
Intreseted candidates please
mail CV to
[email protected] or call 94250003 for appointment.
SENIOR ACCOUNTANT, 5 yrs Oman,
12 Yrs UAE experience in Manufactur-
ing & construction companies Valid
D/L Immediately available. Email:
[email protected], Call:
95389018
22 years B.Com with 1 year exp in
accounting, auditing with good work-
ing knowledge in Tally ERP-9 looking
for a suitable placement now on visit
visa. Contact: 97189500
Accountant available with NOC, 7
years experience ready to join imme-
diately. Contact: 98263394
Male CA fi nalist B.Com having 5
years experience with big four
audit fi rms looking for suitable job
on visit. Contact: 92230543 Email:
BBA fi nance experience 2 years As-
sistant accountant 24 years, 2 years
stay visa. Contact: 93150918
Indian male: B.Com. with 4
years experience in Tally ERP
Accounts, Ready to join im-
mediately for Accounts, Store
& Sales. Contact: 94813962,
Email:[email protected]
Jordanian Senior Accountant 15
yrs experience in Oman fi nance &
accounts. Contact : 92881223
CA fi nalist Indian with 7 years
experience having D/L & NOC look-
ing for Senior Accountant / Chief
Accountant position. #98097009
Email: [email protected]
ACCA member with 6 yrs of
experience in Oman looking for
a suitable job in fi nance. contact
99284193
Fresher 24, ACCA Affi liate, Ad-
vanced diploma in Accounting
and Business seeking suitable
placement in Accounts, Finance or
Audit with Oman driving license.
#- 92430152 Email - raju.rd619@
gmail.com
Indian, Executive with 5+ years
experience in HSBC etc, done
with MBA, M.Com, DMM, M. Phil
seeks a suitable position. Contact:
90369540 Email: abilashraji@gmail.
com
Indian male 34 Yrs, Dual MBA
Finance and marketing with IT
skills, 7+ yrs of experience,
Looking for suitable placement.
contact 94879615,Email-
Accountant available with NOC,
7 years experience in Oman.
Ready to join immediately. contact
98263394
10 yrs of Oman experience capable
of handling large accounts, looking
for suitable placement in senior
sales / business development posi-
tion. Contact : 98987654
DESIGNER/DRAUGHTSMAN
EDUCATION/TRAINING
Female B. Ed English teacher, 7
yrs exp seeking suitable placement.
Contact : 99739415 / 92091528
SALES / MARKETING
Required experienced Estimation
Executives, Sales Engineers / Sales
Executives, with Local release for
Reputed Electrical Trading Company.
Interested please send detailed CV to:
Salesman for a printing press.
Contact: 99498949
Required Salesman cum driver for
spare parts shop in Ghala. Contact:
99410172
A leading management consult-
ing fi rm in Muscat requires spe-
cialist in Qualitative & Quantita-
tive Market / Consumer research
to lead the division. Kindly send
your resumes to advance@omatel.
net.om or Fax us at
+968-24792175
Looking for Salesman with experi-
ence in vegetable and fruits sales,
good conduct, fl uent in English.
Should have driving license. Email
CV on: [email protected]
Contact - 96339339
A Leading company selling print-
ing consumables looking for Sales
Executive. Preferred candidate
with experience in selling digital
wide format printing consumables
& off set printing consumables and
with Omani driving license. Send
CV to [email protected]
Required indoor Salesman for
building material shop with 3 years.
Contact: 96374344 Email:
Urgently required Sales Execu-
tives, Operations Executive import
& export, for a reputed freight
forwarding company in Muscat
candidates with Oman D/L and
minimum 2 yrs experience in
similar fi eld preferred. Interested
candidates may send C.V to r
Indian, 20 years experience
in Oman as personal assistant /
offi ce manager / administrator
seeks change of job with release -
99168054, [email protected]
Indian male – MBA (HR) & Engi-
neering graduation with total 10
years of experience in HR & Admin
( 3 yrs of Oman Exp.) along with
hands on experience in technical
bid submission for all Government
& PDO tenders ready to join im-
mediately with NOC. # 91240251/
Email; [email protected]
Indian female with nearly 10 years
experience in administration & HR,
seeking for a suitable placement.
NOC available. Contact: 99242841
Jordanian Graduate with experi-
ence in Administrator jobs available
for immediate placement. Contact :
94662712 / 94770990
HR Manager (Indian Male – 41 Yrs)
PG in HR, working for MNC having
12 years of experience in Oman.
Handling SAP-HR, Talent Acqui-
sition, IR, Payroll, Visas & allied
administration. Holding Valid Omani
D/L & car. Seeks suitable placement.
Contact 96792103
Indian female (MBA/CIPD), having
more than 6 years of experience,
working in Oman as HR Manager
looking for job. Contact hrjoboman@
gmail.com 97288278.
UAE/UK/Oman Experienced Gradu-
ate Male33 seeking administration
Job. Diplomas in IT & Finance too.
Driving licenseTel:94496642
B.Com 3 years business process
outsourcing. Contact: 94657273
Supervisor / Cad Draftsman with
Oman light driving license 10
years experience in carpentry
fi eld. Contact: 95962384
Piping designer with 14 years
experience working with PDO, OXY
for 10 years NOC available. Contact:
92582356
Revit autocad d/man , diploma cert
attsd. exp salary 200-acco.
ph: 9227 9784
Filipino Senior Revit/AutoCAD
Draftsman with 20 years profes-
sional experience is looking for
suitable job in Oman. Please
contact 96489798,
(+974) 66653780.
Revit, Autocad D/man, expected
salary 200 OMR PH :92279784
REQUIRED ELECTRICAL ENGINEER
Having B.E. in Electrical Engineering
Min. 5 Years Experience in Oman
With Driving License and Valid C.E.P License
Contact : 95697401Send CV to: [email protected]
Required urgently, experienced
Supervisor, Graduate with oil &
gas experience as Site Supervisor
with valid D/L. Contact: 94027279
Email: [email protected]
Urgently required female Gy-
necologist D.G.O or M.C.P.S with
minimum 3 years of experience,
with or without M.O.H license, very
good package. Contact after 5.00
P.M on Mobile: 99253650 or Send
ARCOP & Partners (Middle East)
Engineering Consultants LLC looking to hire minimum 3 years
experienced Omani Civil
Engineer, for upcoming building
projects in Ibri & Buraimi. The
candidate must be capable of
independently handling the
works, as a consultant. Resident
engineer stationed at site.
Interested candidates to forward their CV’s with all the details to [email protected]
or fax to 24493446.
SITUATION WANT-SIT.WANTED
ACCOUNT. & FINANCE
Part time Accountant up to fi naliza-
tion. Contact: 91126314
Indian male 25 yrs, Graduate in com-
merce, overall 5 yrs exp in accounts/
fi nance fi eld. On visit visa. Immediately
available. CONTACT 92836216 /
ADMIN
A young dynamic post gradu-
ate with 2 years work experience
in business operations looking
for suitable placement. Contact
98564880 or maccmuscat@gmail.
com
Indian male, 25, 4+ years of expe-
rience as an Offi ce Administrator
looking for a suitable placement.
Contact: 92600859
Email: [email protected]
Teacher female 27 yrs, MCA 5 yrs
experience in teaching in India cur-
rently on visit visa seeking for a suit-
able placement. Contact: 96709509
Email: [email protected]
Filipino HRD especialist / material
controller supervisor with 18 yrs
experience looking for suitable job
in Oman. Contact: (+968) 98037142
/ (+968) 92659817
Indian Female, MBA-HR having 8+
experience in Administration/HR,
Customer Support, Offi ce Coordina-
tor with good Computer skill, Now
on Visit Visa,looking for suitable
position. Contact: 90196235
Young Omani male have experi-
ence 12 years as P.R.O, CLERK
Helper Supervisor Admin Supervi-
sor, H.R Manager have 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 male, MBA with 3 years GCC
experience seeks job in Muscat. Pos-
ses Valid Oman D/L. Currently under
visit visa and can join immediately.
E mail : [email protected] contact:
00968 98896847
Driver 3/6 years experience, I
have 2 years experience out door
sales man in led light, Pakistani,
Oman experience 6 years. Contact:
94565993 / 92627855
Family driver available. contact
92943094
DAILY GUIDET H U R S D AY, A P R I L 1 4 , 2 0 1 6 D5
SITUATION WANTEDSITUATION WANTED
IT
IT
Indian male, MCA (Post Graduate) fresher seeking
suitable placement
anywhere in Oman, now on
visit visa.
Contact 92319677, Email :
An experienced Chartered Accountant
with over 25 years in varied
industries, presently working
with a reputed group in Muscat,
looking out for a suitable change.
96491030
ENGG. / TECH./MECH.
SECRETARIAL & OFFICE
SKILLED/ UNSKILLED LABOUR
Indian Male more than 10 years
gulf experience in Offi ce / Sales
Coordinator, Admin, Secretarial and
purchase with good computer skills.
Holding Oman Driving license. Look-
ing for suitable placement. contact
99709336
Lady Secretary / Sales Co-coordi-
nator 12 years experience in Oman
in reputed companies, seek imme-
diate Employment. Call: 95244761
Sales & Marketing specialist with 16 yrs experience in Oman in
MNC retails telecom lubes
construction related industry
handled various projects, holding
valid Oman driving license,
release available.
Contact 96960991
HOSPITALITY
Indian male, 28 yrs B.Sc Hospital-
ity Science with 5 yrs experience
in Hospitality & banking Sectors
in Oman & India seeks suit-
able placement, NOC available.
#91383167
MISCELLANEOUS
MISCELLANEOUS
MISCELLANEOUS
Electrician with plumber and A/C
tech, with D/L. Contact: 95600418
S.T.P Operator 20 years experience in
Oman. Contact: 93089468
BS in Electrical Engineering, Experience: 5 years(Power Plants).
Contact: 92475206 Email:
MANAGER
Purchase/Planning & Logistics Man-
ager, MBA (Finance), 14yrs. Oman Exp.
with D/L, NOC available, looking for
suitable position. Contact : 93826090,
Egyptian male 36 years Warehouse
Manager, 7 years in Sultanate of
Oman, 1 year in UAE, and 3 years in
Egypt. Contact: +968 97200468 Email:
General/Divisional Manager MEP
& Civil, MBA Operation, BE Electri-
cal, 10 years experience in Oman &
10 years in India. Valid DL, release
available. GSM. 92447102
Mechanical Engineer with 15 yrs
Exp in steel fabrication, quality,
design, material estimation, sales en-
gineering. Contact: 97093241, Email:
Diploma in Civil Engineer having 8
years experience in Oman with driv-
ing license, internal release avail-
able urgently. Contact: 95387537 /
90524700
M.Tech Mechanical Engineer from
NIT, India with 1 year experience on
visiting visa, ready to join imme-
diately. Contact: 99742424 Email:
Civil Engineer (B.Tech) Indian male
24 yrs having 1+ year experience in
Industrial construction with good
communication skills and software
knowledge, looking for suitable posi-
tion available on visit visa. Contact:
968 - 99779538 / 98694939 Email:
Sudanese Civil Structure Engineer
3 years looking for job in reputable
company AutoCAD, Etabs, Staad Pro
Omani driving license available.
Contact: 97906770
Engineer with 4 years experience in
Oman in telecom operations looking
for a suitable opportunity have valid
driving license interested in market-
ing also. Contact: 98513495
Civil Engineer, bachelor degree driv-
ing license & experience in Oman.
Contact: 91102892
B.Tech Civil Engineer 7 yrs exp hav-
ing valid Oman driving license need
suitable replacement. #98052924
Email: [email protected]
25 yrs, male, B.Tech Electronic &
Communication Electrical design
Engineer, 2+ years in Multinational
company industrial automation
course + Electronic AutoCAD looking
for suitable placement. #99586317
Email: [email protected]
Electrical Engineer, Indian male 24
years, BE (Electrical & Electronics)
having 3 years of experience, seeking
for suitable placement. #91917369
Road Engineer 10 years experi-
ence in Oman. Contact: 91274706
Civil Engineer 14 years of experience
8 years at GCC at Dar Al Handasah
Consultant, Al Raghi Construction
building & infrastructure culverts,
bridges & road. #93068195 Email:
Civil Engineer diploma, 4 yrsexp
seeks suitable position ina reputed
company. NOC available. contact
96789711
Civil Engineer 8 years experience
Structural buildings marine. Avail-
able NOC release. Contact: 92451323.
Email: [email protected]
Civil Engineer (B.Tech), Indian
male 24 years with 1+years Indian
experience,(Certifi ed in Staad Pro/
Quantity Survey/ Auto Cad).Look-
ing for a Suitable position. Avail-
able In Sultanate of Oman (Muscat)
on Visit Visa. contact
92835952. E-mail:
Male QC inspector Mechanical,
NDT 20 years experience valid Oman
D/L , release available. conrtact
91001104
Indian male Electrical Engineer, having 6 years gulf experience in
designing, assembling, commis-
sioning execution etc having valid
GCC license too looking for a suit-
able. Contact: 00968-98052942
Email: [email protected]
HSE Engineer (B.E Mech+Diploma
Safety+NEBOSH+OSHA) over
10yrs. Exp, (Visa Release Letter
(NOC) available), seeking suit-
able placement, Mob:97061817,
Email:[email protected]
Indian female Quantity Surveyor
Civil 11 years experience, local
release available NOC.#95719108
Email: [email protected]
Engineer Civil & M. Arch (RED) Indian
(F) 25 yrs, B.Tech (Civil), now pursuing
M. Arch - RED (Real Estate Develop-
ment fi nal semester thesis) completing
by June 2016, now available till 15th of
April on visit visa seeks suitable place-
ment in Oman. Contact: 968- 92743004
Email: [email protected]
Tea boy looking for job Name: Man
Bahadar Contact No. 97859837
Indian Female on a visit visa hav-
ing master degree seeking suitable
placement in any fi eld, 1 ,5 year ex-
perience in HR .#+968 91467576.
9 yrs exp Site Engineer in Civil &
Shade Structure. 2d, 3d draughts-
man (HOLDING OMANI DRIVING
LICENSE) seeking job. Contact :
93790601
LAND SURVEYOR: Male, more than
12 years’ experience in land/pipe
line surveying in Oman and UAE.
Looking for suitable placement.
NOC available. #91215843
Marketing Communications Coordinator Indian, 25 years GCC
experience in Media, Advertising
& Marketing ATL + BTL brand-
ing. Contact: 93031168 Email:
Indian, 32 years, passed M.A. Eng-
lish M.Sc Psychology, DHM & B.Ed
in English with 4 years experience
seeking for part time or full time
job. Contact: 99869535 Email:
Indian male Kerala, B.com & B.PE.
Currently on visit visa, looking for
a suitable job in Accounts, Store
keeper etc. Ready to join as early as
possible. Contact:-93301023, email:-
Structural Engineer, ME, with 2 yrs
exp profi cient in ETABS, STAD, SAFE
& Prokon, seeks job.
Contact: 050-9984535
NDT / QA / QC Supervisor / Radi-
ographer DAE Mechanical piping-
vessel LPG Bozer Storage tank
inspection experience 10 years.
#96954202 Email: nasirarain86@
yahoo.com
Site Supervisor, Diploma in Civil
Engg (cert attested) knows autocad
revit, salary exp: 250 ph : 9227 9784
BE Mechanical Engineer, 6 years ex-
perience in piping & structural work
release available. Contact: 96115463
Email: [email protected]
B. Sc Civil Engineer 27 yrs, Oman
experience as Project Manager,
Structural Engineer looking for suit-
able placement. NOC / local transfer
available. Contact : 99349578 Email:
Indian male B-tech 8 years experi-
ence as senior electrical project
engineer / QC engineer on visit
visa seeks suitable placement.
contact 94094543
Email: [email protected]
Indian female Project Engineer 15
yrs experience in Project Manage-
ment Quality database management
data analytics marketing business
development haying Omani driving
license seeks suitable placement
presently on family visa having Om-
ani experience. Contact : 95783792
Indian female (M. Tech, Power
system) having Gulf experience
seeking suitable placement in Oman
currently in family visa. Contact:
94306164 / 91001194
An Electrical engineer with 4+
yrs of experience in Electrical
network (MT, LT) with professional
computer skills seeking for work.
Contact: 99841736 / 93955381/
+149922698343 Email:
Civil Engineer 6 years experience.
Contact: 90183630
Sudanese Mechanical Engineer 2
years experience, fi re fi ghting HVAC
on visiting visa. Contact : 95630047
Procurement Engineer (27 years
single male with Oman Driving Li-
cense) having 7 years experience
(UAE 2, Oman 3) with expertise in
MEP, Water, Electromechanical,
Instrumentation seeking suitable
placements. Contact 95852033,
mail: [email protected]
Pakistani male Diploma Civil En-
gineer 4yrs exp in Oman bulling &
mega projects, valid license Oman.
contact:98921022
Electrical & electronics Engr,
knows autocad & revit. PH:93837973
Sr. Electrical Engineer with17+ yrs
of exceptional exp in spear head-
ing strategic planning and project
management initiatives & execut-
ing various high rise residential
& commercial building as well as
roads and highway project with
profi ciency in installation, seeking
a challenging position in a dynamic
organization. #96570891
Network Engineer CCNA-MCSA
exp computer science with NOC.
Contact : 92346191
INDIAN FEMALE, 23 years, BSC-
CS Diploma in IAD graphics, well
knowledge in computer applica-
tions 6 months experience pres-
ently in Sohar seeking suitable
placement. Contact: 96670907.
Email: [email protected]
B.Tech (IT) experience in Network-
ing server & desktop management
in corporate environment looking for
suitable placement. Contact: 92954613
Indian male 25 yrs B.Sc Computers
Science, 3 yrs work experience in
Computer hardware & networking &
CCTV, security system looking for job
(NOC) available. Contact: 93243372
Indian male, B. Sc Computer Science,
CCNA, MCP, 8 years exp. in system &
networking now on visit visa, seeking
suitable position. Contact: 91751472,
SALES / MARKETING
SALES / MARKETING
Indian male, 5 yrs exp in
marketing & trading (Oman), dealt
with International companies & prod-
uct also having good
knowledge in logistic and Admin with
D/L & car, NOC available.
Contact 93639385 Email:
35 years male, Lebanese hold-
ing British passport, 10 years of
experience in procurement, Omani
Government tenders, setup marketing
plans & strategies, importing, Organ-
izing events, management, have car,
NOC available. #94123939 Email:
Indian male (25) MBA / MMS
(Marketing) on visit visa valid UAE
driving license exp 2 yrs sales /
marketing. Contact: 98089262
Indian male, 29 years BSc, Gradu-
ate, with Omani driving license and
7 years of sales experience in home
appliances, IT products, mobile
and traffi c safety equipments cur-
rently working on employment visa,
NOC available seeking for suitable
placement immediately. Contact:
97890607 Email: ashrafambar@
gmail.com
BE (Mech) MBA (UK) 32 yrs male
having 7 yrs exp in Oil & Gas product
/ project Marketing looking for suit-
able placement in GCC. Contact: +
968 91104381
26 yrs Indian male MBA Market-
ing Sales / Marketing Executive,
3 yrs experience now available in
Muscat on visit visa seeking place-
ment for immediate joining. Contact:
95978874 Email: ansariafsar550@
gmail.com
Indian male, 25 yrs,
Accountant, 2.5 yrs in
Finance & Accounts, MBA
Finance & HR, exposure in
SAP, Tally, ERP 9 on visit visa.
Contact 96715420 / 91265020, Email : [email protected], [email protected]
MEDICAL
Female Indian MOH licensed den-
tist looking out for job opportuni-
ties in Nizwa. Has 14 yrs experi-
ence as dentist after graduation.
Can be contacted on 93329964
Indian female (MSC – Microbiolo-
gist) seeking suitable job. contact
96791162 / 90618567
Indian Bsc Female Nurse with 6.5
years exp, 4 years in KSA. Passed
Oman Pro Metric with 69%, complet-
ed data fl ow. Presently in Muscat
in visit visa looking for a suitable
placement. #94744900, 94742834,
Female Dentist with MOH license
and NOC, 7 years experience 2 yrs
out of them in Oman looking for a job.
Contact 97401243
27 years old Indian male looking
hospitality jobs in Hotel. Experi-
ence in customer service, front desk,
housekeeping supervisor, captain,
cashier,guest relation manager.
Contact. +968-90351742Email. sam-
27 yearsold Indianmale looking Jobs
in documents Collection executive.
Experience in collection executive.
Contact. +968-90358068Email
Indian male, 26 years old BA Gradu-
ate having 1 year experience in
accounts fi nance fi eld. Looking for
suitable Job On visit visa immedi-
ately available. Contact 9565 9415
Anishkhan991867@gmail. Com
ELECTRONICS ENGINEER In-
dian/male/24Yrs,Bsc.Electronics &
Communications,ITI,1.7 Years experi-
ence as Service Technician in India.
On visit Visa, Looking For a Suitable
Placement. Contact :92794176, E-
mail:[email protected]
B.Tech, MBA currently working in In-
dia in Bank. Contact: +918939857146
Email: [email protected]
Accountant cum cashier available.
Contact: 98002428
Pharmacist M. Pharm working in
Oman for 2 years with MOH license
Data fl ow completed. #98399415
Pakistani male 23 years old experi-
ence in travel agency - ticketing look-
ing for a suitable job, NOC available.
Contact: 93253759
Pakistani male having 7 years
experience in General Salesman
having valid D/L Looking for suitable
placement. Contact: 97216830 Email:
Indian with 3 years for experience
in sales and marketing fl uency in
English, Arabic, Hindi, Tamil and Ma-
layalam looking for suitable job. Also
hold valid Driving License, currently
in oman Mob : +968-93451439
HSE Engineer, Indian male, 4 Plus
years exp. in Oil & Gas, Working in
Shclumberger, NEBOSH, IOSH, & NDT
Certifi ed, M Tech in HSE. #krish.569@
gmail.com, Mobile- +91 9867016808
Indian male physiotherapist with
3 years of experience, with (moh
license and NOC available. seek-
ing suitable placement. contact
99767528, 91317863
Electrical diploma Engineer Indian
male 22 years, 2 years experience
in control panel contact 93047707
Indian male Physiotherapist with
MOH license and NOC looking for
suitable job. Contact: 92617235
Indian Male, 40 Years, B. Com, hav-
ing 10 years experience in Oman,
Tally &ERP- looking for suitable
placement ( Local release and
Oman driving license available.
Tel- 92469789
Indian Male 42 year’s, MBA, Sr.
Material controller having 12 years
experience in Oman with reputed
companies. Having Oman driving
License, Seeks suitable replace-
ment immediately. Available NOC.
Cont. 00968-92944026, Email –
ELECTRONICS TECHNICIAN Indian/male/24Yrs,Bsc.Electronics
& Comm,1.7 Years experience as
Service Engineer in India. On visit
Visa, Looking For a suitable place-
ment. Contact : 92794176
E-mail:[email protected]
Indian male Executive Secretary
having vast experience in admin,
logistics & procurement well
versed with computer seeks suit-
able placement. #99514286
ELECTRONICS ENGINEER Indian/
male/24Yrs,Bsc.Electronics &
Communications,ITI,1.7 Years
experience as Service Technician
in India, on visit Visa, looking For
a Suitable Placement. Contact
:92794176 ,E-mail: prathyushkp9@
gmail.com
IT System Administrator 6 yrs
experience, male, Filipino Desktop,
Laptop and printer Support, Backup
administrator, Router and switch
Network, Server Administrator.
+968 94134295
Female dentist with MOH license
and NOC ready to join 7 years expe-
rience 2 of them in Oman. Contact
97401243
Omani 26 (M) Seeks placement 6 yrs
experience IT specialist. #99025044
IT Support Engineer, Exp 3 years
in Oman 2 years in India. contact
94672759
Female 24 yrs, 3 years in IT pro-
grammer now in Oman looking for
suitable job. Contact: 96350234
INDIAN FEMALE COMPLETED
M.C.A seeking for suitable jobs. Con-
tact: 91409481 / 97308719
Indian male 32 B.Com and 7 years exp
in Sales & marketing (Oman) seeking
for suitable placement with valid D/L
& release. Contact : 99164461 Email:
Male 13 yrs exp in Sales & Market-
ing looking for a post of Senior Sales
Manager in Oman presently working
in UAE in consumer appliances
company, having D/L GCC. Interested
can Contact: 00971 561096660 Email:
saairavi@rediff mail.com
Indian male 10 yrs experience in
Sales, marketing manager fi eld with
D/L seeks suitable placement. Contact:
97205114
5 yrs experience in software and 2 yr
in administration/accountant, looking
for any part time or work from home
offi cial jobs contact no: 91711326
Sales Executive seeking suitable
placement Oman driving license.
Contact 93533786
Sudanese looking for a suitable job
holds the safety and health of OSHA
certifi cate and computer exp. in Sales
& safety and health (HSE).#91318822
Young Indian male 24 yrs having 4
yrs marketing & sales experience in
Oman looking for suitable placement
holding valid driving license. Contac:
96913806 Email: shuhaibrajesh@
gmail.com
Indian male 37 years MBA graduate
in marketing with 9yrs of experience
in UAE in fi eld of brand promotions
& marketing with UAE D/L on a visit
seeking suitable position. conatct
95792820
Indian male 40 yrs SSLC, PDC knows
MS Offi ce & Tally 1 year Oman experi-
ence in Accounts & 2 yrs marketing
experience valid Oman D.L. NOC
available seeks suitable placements in
marketing. contact 92409891 Email:
Indian male 28 years B.com, MBA
4 yrs experience in accounts /
fi nance currently in Oman on visit
visa looking for suitable place-
ment. Contact: 93460277 Email:
Having 10 years exp. in Admin &
HR in reputed companies. Pres-
ently working in Muscat and seek-
ing for suitable placement. Contact
No.: 97693456. email :
Indian Male 42 year’s, MBA, Sr.
Material controller having 12 years
experience in Oman with reputed
companies. Having Oman driving
License, Seeks suitable replace-
ment immediately. Available NOC.
Cont. 00968-92944026, Email –
NOC available, Indian Male - MBA
(HR) and B.E (E.I.E) with total 9 years
of experience in HR & Admin and Busi-
ness Development (3 yrs of Gulf exp.)
can join immediately - 91240251 /
M. Sc Computer Science – 2 year
Experience – in India, looking suit-
able Placement. Email:-elvisgt6@
gmail.com, Mob:-+91 9497482305
(INDIA), Oman:-98291626.
Indian, 30 years, B. Com with 2
years Oman experience in Tally
ERP-9 available in Muscat seeking
suitable positions. # on 95186652
Indian male B.Tceh (ECE) MBA
(HR) 2 years experience CCNA,
CCNP, MCSE looking for suitable
job , presently on employment
visa release available. #95584814
Email: [email protected]
Indian civil Engineer BE, with 16
years of Industry experience in design
, Quantity surveying , billing looking
for suitable job. #90302823 Email:
ELECTRONICS TECHNICIAN Indian/male/24Yrs,Bsc.Electron-
ics & Comm, 1.7 Years experience
as Service Engineer in India, On
visit Visa, looking for a suitable
placement. Contact : 92794176, E-
mail:[email protected]
B-tech Civil with honours, Civil Engi-
neer (structures) Experience more than
six years. #91431483. Email
mohsinyousuf86@rediff mail.com
HSE Engineer,Indian male, 4
Plus years experience in Oil &
Gas .Working in Shclumberger
NEBOSH, IOSH, & NDT Certifi ed, M
Tech in HSE. CONTACT-krish.569@
gmail.com #+91 9867016808
Indian male Network cabling tech-
nician ( 19-years gulf experience)
seeking for suitable placement.
Contact : 0091-8089909265 (In-
dia), Email: [email protected]
14 years experienced light driver
with valid Oman license looking for
suitable job. Contact 99442481
Indian Pediatric consultant, md
with 20 years experience and wife
gynecologist md with 15 years plus
experience seeking opportunities
with reputed hospitals in Muscat.
PROCUREMENT OFFICER, Indian-
Male 34yrs,M.Com with 14 yrs
work Exp.(8 yrs in Oman) work-
ing in Construction Co LLC( for
ROAD,CIVIL,ELECTRO-MECHANICAL
& Others Projects ) and having valid
LT D/L, NOC available & ready to join
within a month-M:94064650,Email:
Indian male: 24 years, diploma in
computer science and B.E(CSE)
having experience in hardware and
networking seeking for the suitable
job. Contact: 91170912, Email id:
Indian male auto cad draughtsman
(civil) 8 years experience, seek-
ing for part time job. mobile no:
0096899070584. email:
Civil Engineer (roads and struc-
tures) Education B. Tech Civil
Engineering with honours
experience more than six years.
Contact no 91431483 ,Email
mohsinyousuf86@rediff mail.com
Indian male 6 years exp in diff er-
ent fi eld, with valid Oman driving
license. Languages known Hindi,
English, looking for any job(Driver
for executives). Contact 98696795
HSE Engineer,Indian male, 4
Plus years Experience in Oil &
Gas .Working in Shclumberger.
NEBOSH,IOSH, & NDT Certi-
fi ed, M Tech in HSE, contact
[email protected] Mobile- +91
9867016808
DAILY GUIDED6 T H U R S D AY, A P R I L 1 4 , 2 0 1 6
Email: [email protected] classifi [email protected].: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461Fax: 24812624
SITUATION WANTEDEDUCATION/CLASSES/COMP./WEB.
Spoken Arabic class for Non Arabic Speakers & English
class for Malayalam Speakers in Azaiba and Ruwi
• Learn in two months• Satisfaction guaranteed
Tel: 95244310
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
MANPOWER
NRI
Classes for Spoken EnglishTOEFL / GRE / GMAT / SAT
Excellent Guidance and Coaching Satisfaction Guaranteed
IELTS PREPARATION Target Band 8.0
EAGLES INSTITUTE92325542 | 93657915 | 93657917 | Email: [email protected]
WEB, ERP and Business Intel-
ligence (BI) creation and man-
agement at rock bottom price.
Contact:
http//webviewoman
FOR HIRE
Grader, roller, bobcat, JCB 3CX, JCB 4CX with breaker & water
tanker for rent. contact 93218705 /
24478450
MISCELLANEOUS
MISCELLANEOUS
SITUATION WANT-SIT.WANTED
SITUATION WANT-SIT.WANTED
New fl ats in prime location near
Pushpagiri Medical College - Thiru-
valla. #Abraham - Owner Tel
95919122.
1 B/R - 890 S.FT fully furnished fl at
at Best Western Quepem contact
97094797
CHANGE OF NAME
I Prasanth Valiyaparambil Surendran (holder of Indian pass-
port No. G0062277) son of Suren-dran V. Gopalan having permanent
residence in Valiyaparambil House,
Mukkada PO, Ponthan Puzha, Kot-
tayam Distt Pin 686544 (complete
postal address in India) and pres-
ently residing in Al Wadi Al Kabir,
PO Box 582, PC 117 (complete postal
address in Oman) intend to change
my name from Prasanth Valiypa-rambil Surendran (old name)
to Davis (Given name) Prashant Valiyaparambil (sur name) (new
name) for all practical purpose.
Any objection towards my name
change may please be communi-
cated to Embassy of India, Muscat,
Diplomatic Quarters, Al Khuwair, P.
Box No. 1727, Postal Code 112, Ruwi,
Sultanate of Oman.
SITUATION WANTEDSERVICES
SITUATION WANTEDSERVICES
SERVICESWe Provide Cleaners,
Offi ce boys, Cleaning Contracts, General cleaning etc.
Al Mudakhir Nati onal Est. LLC Contact : 94277020
Window & split unit A.C servicing &
repairing. Contact: 99557080
Split & window unit A.C servicing &
maintenance. contact 96236476
Split & widow unit A.C servicing &
maintenance.#93769089 / 95323517
Split & window A/c servicing & main-
tenance. # 93769089 / 95323517
GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing,
Contact 99314807/24792998
A/C maintenance & servicing,
fridge, washing machine & dish
washer repairing, painting & clean-
ing services, electrical & plumbing.
#99447257 / 97014234 / 24504281
Water proofi ng ABUQABAS-
Contact 99320217/24788722
PEST CONTROLAL TABA SERVICE LLC
Ants, Rodent, & cleaning On monthly,
Harmless & Odourless
100% Professional A ordable Rate !!!
CALL - 91464586
Pest control & Building cleaning all kinds of pest control building. Cleaning ti les /
Marble polishing monthly/ Yearly contracts available.
Contact: 98814733 /98814740 Al Husn Cleaning L.L.C
House shifting & transporting.
Contact 92490422
Pest control treatments, Ocean center LLC #99344723
House shifting. contact
99708138
CAD drawings Archi/ MEP CAD –
comply BIM. Contact: 91233975
MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of
your marble. contact 24793614/
99314807
Marble crystallization & grinding, cleaning & carpet shampooing.
Ocean center LLC.#99344723
Al farzdaq Al Fedi Trad and Cont
Maintenance services electric,
plumbing and A/C. Contact:
96524904 /94285064
CATERING SERVICES We do industrial catering
service, Canteen / mess,
3 times packed meals and
all types of catering events.
Contact: 92188777 / 99249899
Split A/C servicing R.O 10 only.
Contact: 94217681 /99210141
Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles
polishing, carpet shampooing,
maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS-
99320217 /24788722
All MEP & Civil shop drawings.
Contact : 93070771 Email : design-
Cleaning Services, Sofa, carpet
shampoo old house or new house.
Contact: 92179395
Split & window A/c installation &
maintenance specialist package &
ducted units. Contact
98667326
Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile
polishing, pest control & anti-
termite treatment, general cleaning
painting,Plumbing, Electrical, shift-
ing. Contact Mundhir
Al-Rizaiqi trading. L.L.C.
Contact: 24810137, 99450130
Marble crystallization & grinding, Ocean center LLC contact
99344723
AVAILABLE
Party & Wedding equipment rentals.
Full line, from Tables, Linen & Skirt-
ing, Chairs & Chair covers, Cutlery,
Crockery, Glassware, Chafi ng Dishes, Ice
Sculptures, to Large Sound Systems and
spectacular lighting. Call Andrea 9606
2222 for Catering and Croyden 9623
5555 for Sound & Light. ww.tunesoman.
com, E-mail: [email protected]
GOOD NEWS
Ayurvedic treatment for backache,
paralysis, arthritis etc & mas-
sage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam).
Contact:24475280 / 95371664 /
92504980 www.siddhayur.com
FREE INFORMATION ABOUT IS-LAM. If you would like to know more
about Islam, please call: 99425598,
99250777, 99353988, 99253818,
99341395, and 99379133. For ladies:
99415818, 99321360, 99730723
Orvisit:www.islamfact.com
WANTED
IELTS Coaching (academic)
required nearby wadi Kabir
area. Please call on mobile or
msg on Whats up. Mobile no:
92927880/99012165
Experienced B.Com graduate +
IATA Diploma holder looking for
Accounts/Admin/Travels related
job. Mob. 91142997. NOC available
.
Indian male B.A degree & diploma
in hotel management with 16
years experience as restaurant &
catering manager in Oman & Saudi
with V/L Oman D/L seeks suitable
placement. Contact : 92100141
MBA Graduate (Indian male 26
years) having 2 years experience
in Qatar as admin assistant look-
ing for suitable placement. contact
93041141 Email: mahinmehboob@
gmail.com
Indian female, MBA with 9 yrs of
experience in fi nance & procure-
ment currently on family visa look-
ing for suitable position in fi nance
& supply chain. Contact 95622568
Draughtsman, 15 years’ experi-
ence, Indian male currently in
Oman looking for suitable position.
Gsm – 95358115, 96977289, Email
Indian Female living in Ghubra -
Muscat near Emirates Shopping
Center. 20 years of experience in
Teaching. Able to handle all sub-
jects till grade 6. Need suitable job.
Contact- 94406552
PART TIME ACCOUNTANT avail-
able, well experienced in account-
ing up to fi nalization. knowledge in
tally also. contact. 92643875
Chief Accountant 25 years
experienced looking for part/
full time accountant job. Contact:
95598477 / 98803439
Indian male,16 years Oil & Gas
experience ( Down Hole Tools ),
3 years in Oman, Dip. Mechanical
Engineer, Having D/L and NOC.
Email – [email protected], Mob :
965 956 18.
Bangladeshi Male, Univer-
sity MA, Working as Store
In-charge cum Logistic Manager
in Muscat; searching better job.
Phone:91997605. email:
mohamednazrulislam2@gmail.
com
8 plus years of experience in
Events /Marketing Communica-
tion /conferences / Trainings /
Media representation. Having UAE
D/L. seeking Suitable Placement:
Contact: 95792820. suheal.ma@
outlook.com
DAILY GUIDET H U R S D AY, A P R I L 1 4 , 2 0 1 6 D7
TOURS
TOURS
RENT A CAR
RENT A CAR
25 - 50 seater bus with PDO & BP
specifi cation for monthly rent &
small car with driver. #99839898
SITUATION WANTEDCARGO
Dolphin Watch, Dhow Cruise with Buffet, & Land Tours Al- Ainain Marine Tours contact 98029602, 92808636
We arrange tours & accommodation at all the beautiful places in Oman. Contact 99839898
Moon Travel L.L.CSaudi Arabian Government approved agent
Contact: Tariq Al Balushi - 99218069 Ahmed Maseehuddin - 99353611, O ce: 24790746/24706217
Umrah Package by Road & AirBus Departures- Apr 19, May 03, 17 & 31.2016
Ramadan Schedule - Jun 06, 10, 14, 18, 22, 26 & 30.2016
SITUATION WANTEDBUSINESS
RENT A CARBest Rates for Saloon
Contact: 97869042 / 95730550
[email protected] for a villa in Amerat area.
Contact : 95405033
ACC WANTED
Investment RequiredMinimum OMR 500,000 to transfer
5 Excavators big + 5 Tippers 2015
Astra, working on good profitable
Excavation projects. Assured
income 36 %.
98867530 / [email protected]
MV SALE
GMC Sierra 4-Door Pick-up 2010
Model, 177,000 Kms - RO.8,000/-.
Contact: 92564199
Toyota Corolla 1.6 cc automatic sell-
ing. Contact: 98504279
Hyundai Veracruz 2011 model for
sale, 4 WD color black 7 seater
with engine capacity 3775CC,
automatic – Steptronic with GPS.
Contact 97203784
Nissan Sunny, White, 1.6, Automatic
2010, 76,750 KM, excellent condi-
tion, regular service at Nissan
Service center for RO 2300 contact
– 96530052
TRANSPORTATION
Transportation available on rent
10 ton Hiap Trailers. #94207475 /
95649231/ 97982842
Pick and Drop Al Khuwair to
Rusayl# 96733572 / 91287470
Transportation. #99508282
Transportation. contact 92015894
Transportation available Ruwi to
Al Khuwair, Ghubra & Azaiba.
Contact: 91103909
Transportation required from
Qurum to WadiKabir at afternoon
only 1 PM. Contact -
99012165
Transportation. contact
94087276
BUYING
BUYING
Buying cars for cash.contact
90202090
Bobcat available for rent. contact
97623299
KTT&CO LLC Customs Clearance
thru Bayan System ( AIR & SEA
CARGO) Freight Forwarding (both
import & export) by giving best
freight rates to Customers. Road
Transportation, Delivery of all types
of goods (within Oman). Contact :
Tel : 24713288 & 24711071 ; GSM :
(99597129 (MR. KISHORE
D8 T H U R S D AY, A P R I L 1 4 , 2 0 1 6
DAILY GUIDEEmail: [email protected] classifi [email protected].: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461Fax: 24812624
SITUATION WANTEDDINING DELIGHTS
*Classifi ed Advertisement space booking with text,
should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s
publication. * Subject to space availability
