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“Cut Reliance on Maids!” Qatari Family Statistics

Qataris urged to cut reliance on maids

By Anwar El Shamy in today’s Gulf Times

A recent study has warned against the growing reliance on domestic helpers by national families, saying that demand on housemaids has reached “unprecedented levels”.

The ‘Qatari Family’ study prepared by the Permanent Population Committee, said that domestic helpers constituted 24% of the number of people living in Qatari families.
Figures quoted by the study showed that each family had 2.3 housemaids and servants.

“The demand for housemaids to take care of the domestic work and take care of children has increased in a way that made it impossible for families to do without them and that number of domestic workers can exceed the number of family members in several families,” the study added.

It also urged the citizens to cut reliance on housemaids, saying that childcare should be the responsibility of parents rather than domestic helpers.

“It is necessary that parents should be trained and educated through the institutions concerned on how to take care of their children without depending on domestic workers who will never be able to inculcate the society’s specific values, beliefs and traditions in them,” the study indicated.

The study estimated the average number of the Qatari family members to be 9.5 in 2008, from 8.6 in 1997. “Contrary to what happened in several countries where the size of families decreased, Qatari family size increased mainly due to the growing demand on domestic helpers with each family having an average of 2.3 domestic workers,” the study said.

According to the Qatar Statistics Authority, domestic helpers are included in the population census conducted by the Authority.

Without domestic helpers, the study put the national family’s average size at 7.3 persons, which the study said, was “still relatively high”.

About marriage levels, the study said that some 54.9% of males and 55.8% of females, aged above 15, among the Qatari citizens are married, which the study said, signified some sort of “marriage stability”.

It also warned against the growing rates of marriage between close relatives, which increased from 10.3 in 1997 to 23.7% of the total number of marriage contracts in 2007.

“Young people should be educated on the negative effects of the social phenomena like marriage between relatives, early marriage and divorce,” the study said.

On life expectancy at birth for the national family members, the study pointed out that the age has increased from 76 years in 2005 to 79.5 in 2007, which the study said, showed an improvement in life quality.

About the national families’ monthly income, the study put a majority of 71.6% of families in middle and above middle income group ranging from QR10,000 to 50,000 a month, while 27.2% were getting more than QR50,000 in 2007.

January 11, 2010 Posted by | Community, Cultural, Doha, ExPat Life, Financial Issues, Living Conditions, Marriage, News, Statistics, Work Related Issues | 1 Comment

3 Months for Killing, One Year for Stealing

These articles are in today’s Gulf Times, under Court Roundup.

Jail term, fine for death crash
A local motorist has been sentenced to three-month’s imprisonment for reckless driving that led to the death of a 56-year-Pakistani pedestrian.

The Doha court of first instance imposed on the 26-year-old motorist a fine of QR20,000.
The fatal accident took place in the Old Airport area on September 27, 2008. According to the traffic report, “the accident occurred because the motorist was speeding.”

A traffic official told the court that the motorist was driving at 80kmph on a busy street.
Family members of the deceased can claim blood money in a civil court.

Man sentenced for stealing

A Sri Lankan driver has been sentenced to a year-imprisonment for stealing items including two gas cylinders and a vacuum cleaner from the labour camp of a private company. Four of the co-accused were sentenced in absentia to five years in jail.

The theft took place on July 21, 2008 in New Rayan area, the charge-sheet said.

Two Egyptians, who witnessed the incident, testified that they saw five men loading the items, estimated to cost QR4,000, on to a pickup from a store inside the camp.
The Egyptians said they captured three of the workers while the others drove away in the pick-up.

The police arrested all the accused and four of them were deported on an administrative order before the commencement of the trial.

January 11, 2010 Posted by | Bureaucracy, Character, Crime, Cultural, Doha, ExPat Life, Financial Issues, Interconnected, Law and Order, Qatar, Values | Leave a comment

Heart of Doha Creates Beauty out of Destruction

‘Heart of Doha’ construction work to begin
Web posted at: 1/11/2010 1:47:59
Source ::: The Peninsula / By Huda NV

DOHA: Dohaland, a subsidiary of Qatar Foundation, is all set to begin the construction work of its signature project “Heart of Doha”. Under the patronage of

H H Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned, Chairman of the Qatar Foundation, the foundation stone will be laid at a special event on Wednesday at a specially build venue at the Corniche.

“Heart of Doha has all together brought in a new language of architecture by understanding the essence of the place which led to rediscovering its poetry,” said Jawaher Al Khuzaei, Assistant Manager, Public Affairs.

“We have finished the preparation stage of the first phase of the project which is expected to be completed by February 2012. Embodied in traditional Qatari architecture are the timeless aspects of beautiful proportions, robustness, simplicity, ornament, along with tried-and-tested local responses to the hot climate and intense daylight. Local traditions have been studied and analysed to distil the essence of Qatari architectural character rooted in the past, appropriate for the present and looking to the future.”

The first stage – Phase 1A has Diwan Emiri Quarter which includes Emiri Diwan annexe, Emiri Guard head quarters and the National Archives. It also has a heritage quarter which includes the Eid prayer ground and four heritage houses – a Company House, Jalmoot House and Houses of Mohammed bin Jasim and Abdullah bin Jassim. Dohaland is working with Qatar Museum Authority to make the best use of the houses.

The first phase infrastructure includes central cooling plant, utilities and waste provision, basement service roads and parking. In the second stage, which will is expected to begin this year and conclude in 2013 a multimedia centre for arts, central hotel and serviced apartments, luxury shopping street, exclusive town house, a primary school, the Ferjan Square mosque and see the first satge of rebirth of Al Kahraba street. The later stages will include a connection to souq wakif, a retail mall, more hotels, offices apartment, shops, a tram system and an underground Metro station hub apart from to Nakeel Square.

“We have also done archiving of photographs of the area prior to demolition. The area will be for mixed use and will have house more than 25,000 people.”

The project with an estimated cost of QR 20 bn, and an area of 35 hectares is expected to be completed in 2016 in five phases. Heart of Doha will become a hub of activity as a place to live, work, shop, visit and spend time with family and friends once completed

THE PENINSULA

Update: Dohaland has been renamed Musherib.

January 11, 2010 Posted by | Arts & Handicrafts, Beauty, Building, Character, Doha, ExPat Life, Financial Issues, Living Conditions, News, Qatar | Leave a comment

The Party House

We stumbled into the upstairs lounge, all four of us, sleep muzzy and disheveled, but then again, it was 3 in the morning.

“What is that?” asked Mr. Ambassador, who is no longer Ambassador anymore, but still gets to be called that. He was asking about a wailing, like that of an injured cat, only accompanied by music.

I blushed to the roots of my hair. Fortunately, it was dark. No one could see the depth of my humiliation

“It’s the party house.”

This was punctuated by shrieks of laughter from the new influx of ‘hostesses’ invited to entertain the male guests when they ceased their karaoke singing. Doors slamming, karaoke machine at it’s highest setting, the party is in full swing.

AdventureMan broke the ensuing horror-filled silence.

“We are SO sorry. It hardly ever happens. Most of the time they aren’t even there. You just happen to be here on the ONE night.”

With the beautiful weather, we have our windows open. We make up the beds in the rooms on the other side of the house, close all the windows, and turn on the air conditioning to muffle the alcohol-fueled revelry.

“Can’t you do anything? Can’t you complain?” my good friend, the ambassador’s wife, whispered to me.

“It’s their compound. We tried complaining. Nothing happens. I can’t tell you how embarrassed I am that this would happen while you are here, as our guests,” I replied.

She laughed – diplomatically – and brushed my embarrassment aside. She’s a good friend.

January 7, 2010 Posted by | Civility, Community, Cross Cultural, Doha, ExPat Life, Family Issues, Fiction, Living Conditions, Qatar, Values | 13 Comments

‘No Madame, Don’t Tip, Management Takes the Tips’

From today’s Gulf Times

When I was new to Qatar, and thrilled to find my hometown Starbucks going great guns here, I asked “Where is the tip jar?”

Every Starbucks has a tip jar. Everywhere. Baristas don’t get paid that much; you always tip. Often they are young people stretching to pay the rent while they go to school, or trying to raise a child as a single parent. A tip is a way to allow God to redistribute income in the world; you let it go freely and He sends it where it should go.

The barista reached down and pulled out a jar, but did not look encouraging.

“Why is it down there?” I asked, naively.

“We don’t get these monies,” the barista said. “The Management takes everything.”

So I started asking at every Starbucks, and the answer was always the same. The workers don’t get the tips. Management takes everything.

Jesus said it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for rich people to get into heaven. When I hear stories about the workers not getting the tips, or workers being exploited, being treated as a resource or commodity rather than as partners in operations, I fear for the people who would take these monies out of their own greed. I fear for them in the afterlife. If we are not open handed, using our wealth to help others, maybe it will be our burden in the next life, and we will regret having to carry it around. Maybe it will be a barrier, and we can just peek over to see the life of the spirit we might have had. I fear for people who cannot overcome their greed, and share the wealth.

‘Hidden charges’ at restaurants slammed
By Sarmad Qazi

Irked by having to pay what they call “hidden charges”, some customers have expressed their displeasure at the increasing practice in restaurants of adding “service charges” to their final tab.

Patrons say they do not mind paying the extra so long as any additional charge is written visibly on the menus and the money actually goes to who it is originally charged for – the staff.

“The fact that my bill had a 10% service charge came as a surprise. The font size used on the menu to announce the charge was smaller than a bank’s fine print,” a customer of a fine dining restaurant said.

Debate on the subject is raging across the region. Just last week, the UAE outlawed the practice and warned restaurants and cafés to do away with the practice by February 1 or face fines ranging between Dh5,000 to Dh100,000. Exempted from the rule are restaurants located in hotels.

Service charge, often added to the final bill at dine-in and table-service restaurants (not applies on take-outs, home delivery), usually ranges from 5% to 20% depending upon the quality of the outlet. The practice is allowed at restaurants inside hotels but has caught up outside too.

Restaurants, however, yesterday defended the service charge and maintained the money went towards staff waiting tables and inside the kitchen.

“Various establishments use it for different purposes. We use it as a motivational factor for our staff,” said a senior official at a food and beverage company which manages some of the leading franchised restaurants in Qatar.

But customers also accused restaurants of pocketing the extra money rather than giving 100% to employees.

“If all of the service charge is not passed down to staff then restaurant use the money to cover breakages (glass, cutlery etc) by employees rather than managements increasing the cost of products (on the menu),” a general manager of an American franchised chain of restaurant said.

The practice is not restricted to branded restaurants only as some local fine dining restaurants in Qatar also take service charges. Most officials Gulf Times spoke to were not sure whether a prior Baladiya or Ministry of Business & Trade permission was taken before the charge was introduced.

Industry officials also dismissed suggestions that instead of a separate service charge they should increase the price of products as “impossible”.

“This can’t be done. Increase in prices will make the customer move to a competitor,” a restaurant official said.

“We do however waive the service charge if a customer insists or if they do not feel like they received the level of service they expected,” he added.

January 6, 2010 Posted by | Bureaucracy, Character, Charity, Community, Customer Service, Doha, Eating Out, ExPat Life, Financial Issues, Interconnected, Lies, Living Conditions, Values, Work Related Issues | 7 Comments

Losing Fat Easy and Painless – Too Good to be True?

In an article in today’s Peninsula I learned that I can go in for six treatments, just lie there, no sweat, no starvation diets, and fat can be . . . melted (?) by laser and then massaged away, drained away by my lymphatic system.

It sounds wonderful! No sedation, no risk of infection, no long term ill effects like stomach stapling or banding. The fat just goes away! My dream come true!

I am such a cynic. There is a part of me that just can’t believe it could be that easy. What do you think?

Al Emadi Hospital unveils new technology for fat reduction
Web posted at: 1/6/2010 1:43:36
Source ::: THE PENINSULA
DOHA: Al Emadi Hospital has launched fat reduction services by “Zerona”, the latest device to break down body fats, becoming the first medical facility in Qatar to have the new technology. The technology saves patient a great deal of time and works without any side effects eliminating Cellulite and fat from the skin, embroidering and strengthening the figure without any surgical interference.

“The significant role of the device has been scientifically proven success in detecting fat under the skin and fragmenting its sizes into liquid body fats which can be disposed of. The machine uses cold laser technology to break down the fat cells under the skin in several stages. The results do not appear until after six sessions – around two weeks,” said Dr Mohammed Al Emadi, Director, Al Emadi Hospital.

The body fat broken using cold laser can be disposed through the lymphatic vessels with an added help of several massage sessions.

“It can help to get rid of fats in areas which do not respond to exercise and diet. The device works on the upper and lower limbs, breast and abdomen, neck, back and hips. It helps to dispose of cellulite that leads to distortions in the skin, and helps remove the fat masses in the abdomen and buttocks where a difference can be seen in the outer thigh or waist after the completion of the required sessions,” said Dr Kamal Hussein Saleh, a consultant in medical and plastic surgery and replacements and laser treatments.

A clear change in all clothing measurements has been noted after the sessions, according to Dr Saleh. The fact that it does not cause sudden changes in weight is an added advantage of the device compared with other of laser devices. The device is easy to use and can be used at any time, with no sedation or surgical interference.

Since it is a cold laser, it does not generate any heat or redness on the skin and is makes it possible for the patient to continue normal work after the session. Since the device does not touch with the skin, it is superior to regular lasers which may lead to the transmission of some skin diseases. It does not cause emission of fumes or gases, as it is the case of laser hair removal.

January 6, 2010 Posted by | Beauty, Diet / Weight Loss, Doha, ExPat Life, Experiment, Health Issues, Hygiene | 5 Comments

Natural Pearls at Natural History Club

“The Al Fardan collection from Qatar . . . ” Ahhhhhhh.

From the time I arrived in Doha, I have heard whispers about the legendary Al Fardan pearl collection and it has been my dream to see it. This temporary exhibit will be a dream come true. I can hardly wait for this it to open at the Doha Museum of Islamic Art on January 29th, but meanwhile – this should be a fabulous meeting of the Doha Natural History Club.


(Source for photo)

From the Gulf Times:

History group meet

The Qatar Natural History Group will hold a meeting on Wednesday, at the Doha English Speaking School.

Dr Hubert Bari, curator of gems and jewellery at the Museum of Islamic Art and manager of temporary exhibitions for the Qatar Museums Authority, will give a presentation on the subject of natural pearls, ahead of the major exhibition on pearls scheduled to open at the MIA at the end of this month.

Dr Bari will give the audience a pre-view of some of the treasures gathered from all over the world which will be on show in the exhibition, including the famous Hope Pearl and the Pearl of Asia and, for the first time, the Alfardan collection from Qatar.

For my friends and family who do not live in Qatar – exhibits at the Doha Museum of Islamic Art are free. Free. No entry fee, no fee. Qatar sponsors priceless exhibitions like this for the population gratis. Free. As a public service. How amazing is that?

January 4, 2010 Posted by | Adventure, Arts & Handicrafts, Beauty, Community, Cultural, Customer Service, Doha, ExPat Life, Living Conditions, Qatar | 10 Comments

Community Police Graduate

Community policing is necessary when we neglect to police ourselves. . . if, for example, we find ourselves throwing a tissue out of our car window as we drive along, littering the pristine streets of Doha. If we bully someone because we want that parking spot he is driving into, if we disrupt the peace and quality of life of others by our behavior.

I notice, in this story from the Gulf Times, that women are a part of this program, and that they are wearing uniforms, and hijab, and that those uniforms are very modest and also that they are wearing pants. Please see the previous article.

I commend Qatar for this visionary program, helping the community police itself, and for including women from the very first class.

46 take part in community policing basic course

Graduates with officials at the convocation ceremony

The Police Training Institute (PTI) recently held a ceremony to mark the graduation of participants in the first batch of the Community Policing Basic Course, under the auspices of Minister of State for Interior Affairs HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani.

Some 46 students from various security departments took part in the course, which lasted seven weeks, said a spokesperson.

The ceremony was attended by the chairman on the Central Municipal Council, HE Nasser al-Kaabi; director of the PTI, Brigadier Mohamed Hassan Youssef al-Saei as well as other ministry officials.

Brigadier al-Saei explained that the course has been conducted to “enhance the role and mechanisms of community policing,” as well as helping to create partnerships with various social institutions to help with national security.

The PTI director added that the graduates of this course will be able to translate the Ministry of Interior’s aims and strategies to encourage understanding between various communities and to help the police to be able to prevent crimes before they are committed.

Brigadier Rashid Shaheen al-Atheeque, chairman of the steering committee of community policing, said: “The graduation of the first course of community policing is one of the stages of qualifying the national cadres at the Ministry of Interior to work in the national project.”

“Qatar is currently witnessing progress in all aspects of development in economic and social fields – this increases the role of all sectors in the country to face all kinds of challenges brought with this development,” he said, adding: “These factors require the improvement of capabilities to keep pace with development.”

Brigadier al-Atheeq explained that the ministry had pursued the initiative of community policing to help reduce crime throughout all institutions, and said that they had pursued the objective with the co-operation of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs as well as other ministries and companies, working towards the National Vision 2030.

He explained that the concept will initially be employed in the North Security Department from April 2010, with plans to apply it across the board from 2011.
Representing the director of the Ummul Qura Independent School for Boys, teacher Areezah al-Yami described the noticeable benefits of introducing the community policing programme in the school over the past year.

January 4, 2010 Posted by | Bureaucracy, Character, Civility, Community, Cultural, Customer Service, Doha, Education, ExPat Life, Family Issues, Law and Order, Leadership, Living Conditions, Social Issues, Values, Work Related Issues | Leave a comment

“Cross-Dressing” in Qatar – Girls in Thobes? Gutras? Egals?

When I read “Cross Dressing ‘on the rise in Qatar’ in today’s Gulf Times, the article below was totally not what I expected.

What do you think this ‘abnormal behavior’ might be? Girls wearing white thobes, with gutras and egals? Or girls wearing jeans? Girls wearing pants? Maybe girls wearing t-shirts, or pantsuits?

This article would be hilarious were it not so sad. The ‘abnormal’ girls are to be secretively counseled. That sounds very very scary to me.

Cross dressing ‘on the rise in Qatar’

As much as 70% of girls who have taken to cross dressing remain adamant and refuse to give up their abnormal behaviour, says a report published in the local Arabic daily Arrayah.

Quoting the director of the Abdullah Abdul Ghani centre for Social Rehabilitation in Wakrah, Buthaina Abdullah Abdul Ghani, the report says that the phenomenon of cross dressing seems to be on the rise in Qatar and other countries in the Arab world and abroad.

However, in Qatar it is not an alarming situation but efforts to redeem this misguided lot should continue persistently, she said.

The problem has to be tackled carefully and secretively since many of these girls refuse to come out of their closely knit circle. The centre had announced a programme of counselling for these girls.

Highlighting the reasons for the spread of this phenomenon she mentioned lack of parental control, programmes on the satellite channel that seek to encourage wrong values in life and the illusion of being independent in life.

This problem was the subject of a debate in the monthly Lakom al-Qarar TV programme a few months ago. The deputy chairman of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development said in his concluding remarks that this problem is a serious menace to society.

January 3, 2010 Posted by | Community, Cross Cultural, Cultural, Doha, ExPat Life, Family Issues, Generational, Living Conditions, Qatar, Values | 7 Comments

The Garden Restaurant ReLaunches in Najma!

For those of you who miss The Garden restaurant which used to be on Karabaa / Electricity Street, there is a new one opened in the Najma area! From today’s Peninsula:

DOHA: The Garden Group of Restaurants has relaunched their exclusive vegetarian restaurant “The Garden Annapoorna” in Najma on Friday, January 1, as a New Year gift to all the residents of Doha. “This restaurant was actually a part of our old restaurant at Shara Kahraba which had to he terminated due to the acquisition of the area for government projects,” said a group spokesman.

“I am glad to inform our loyal customers that we are now opening their favourite vegetarian restaurant at Najma. The operations timing will be from 6am to 3pm and from 4pm to 11:30pm,” remarked Yoonus Salim Vappattu, Managing Director of The Garden Group of Restaurants.

January 3, 2010 Posted by | Community, Customer Service, Doha, Eating Out, ExPat Life, Food, Living Conditions, Qatar | 2 Comments

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