KANCOR – new authority to monitor official

Transcription

THE DIPLOMAT
U
nderlining the significance of economic diplomacy in promoting Kuwait's
relations with countries around the world, Kuwait's Ambassador to Albania
His Excellency Nejib Al-Bader notes that this enabled Kuwait to shift from an oildependent economy to a diversified economy capable of funding development
schemes in various countries around the world. Since the end of the Cold War,
many countries, including Kuwait, shifted focus from just political diplomacy to
a combination of economic and political maneuvering to ensure upholding their
respective interests.
250 Fils Issue No 723 Established 1996 28 December, 2014 - 03 January, 2015
www.timeskuwait.com
See Page 3
KANCOR – new authority to monitor official corruption
F
inancial disclosures by government officials are
essential for battling corruption in the country, said
Salem Ali Al-Ali, the Assistant Secretary-General of
the newly established Kuwait Anti-Corruption Authority
(KANCOR).
Speaking to the media on the imminent establishment
of the authority, the assistant secretary-general said, “The
Kuwaiti public has been awaiting the establishment of
this authority since the announcement of its law in 2012,
especially in the wake of recent reports by Transparency
International of the high level of corruption in the country and
its ranking as most corrupt among GCC countries.”
He added that KANCOR would begin its operations
from its newly built headquarters in Al-Shamiya, once the
necessary executive regulations and by laws for the authority
are officially issued.
Clarifying that the delay in issuance was due to the
sensitivity of the authority’s scope of operations, Al-Ali said,
“Due to the existence of numerous governmental bodies that
operates on similar fields, Fatwa and Legislation Department
took its time to produce the executive regulations and by
laws in order to ensure that KANCOR’s operations do not
overlap with that of other governmental bodies. “
Pointing to the significance of financial disclosures by
government officials, Al-Ali said that this was crucial to
fighting corruption in the country, which would be the main
focus of KANCOR. Elaborating on the definition of financial
disclosure, the assistant secretary-general said, “The
financial standing of an official in both assets and liabilities,
irrespective of whether it is loans, real estate, investments
outside or inside the country and other factors of financial
strength for the official, are to be included in the disclosures.”
He added, “The most important aspect of this process
is monitoring the financial standing of officials during their
tenure, and flagging any unexplained financial gain, which
Kuwait Airways takes
delivery of Airbus A320 in
its fleet revitalizing plan
Wishing all our Readers
Happy New Year
then obligates the authority to investigate this gain through specialized
committees.” Explaining that the officials obligated to provide their financial
details to the authority are broadly divided into four categories, Al-Ali went
on to add that these were the executive authority, the legislative authority,
the judicial authority and others. Those included in the executive authority
would begin with the Prime Minister and include all ministers in his Cabinet,
as well as all executive managers in each ministry. The legislative authority
would include the head of parliament and all elected members and their
officials. Those in the judicial authority obligated to submit their financial
disclosures will begin with head of the Cassation Court and all judges under
him, irrespective of whether they were Kuwaiti citizens or non-Kuwaitis.
Al-Ali further explained that the broad spectrum of ‘others’ would
encompass cooperative societies, the Public Authority for Youth and Sports,
Kuwait Investment Authority, as well as companies where the government
held 25 percent or more shares. He added that even the State Audit Bureau
would be obligated to submit financial disclosures to the authority.
Continued on Page 7
During a special ceremony held in Toulouse, France,
Kuwait Airways took delivery of an Airbus A320 aircraft;
the first of 37 new aircraft the company has ordered as
part of its fleet renewal plan.
In February 2013, Kuwait Airways announced the
lease of 12 Airbus aircraft including 7 A320ceo and 5
A330-200
in
addition to the
purchase of 25
aircraft including
10
A350-900
and 15 A320neo
family
aircraft.
The A320 singleaisle
jetliner
family is the
world’s
bestselling
singleaisle
aircraft
family, and its
versatility will support Kuwait Airways’ range of services
- from very short-haul airline routes to intercontinental
segments, on operations from challenging in-city
airports to high-altitude airfields. Taking delivery of the
first aircraft, Kuwait Airways’ chairwoman, Rasha Al
Roumi, said: “This is a defining moment for Kuwait
Continued on Page 13
2
The Times Kuwait 28 December, 2014 - 03 January, 2015 timeskuwait.com
Farewell reception organized for the Sudanese Ambassador
T
he Acting Dean of the
Diplomatic Corps,
H.E. Abdulkadir
Amin Sheikh Abu Baker,
Ambassador of Somalia,
held a reception to bid
farewell to the Ambassador
of the Republic of Sudan
to Kuwait H.E. Yahya
Abdel Galil on Sunday, 21
December at the Al Andalus
Ballroom in the Crowne
Plaza.
Philippines Assistance
to the Nationals Unit organizes
‘An Evening in December’
Ricky Laxa
Staff Writer
T
he Assistance to the Nationals Unit (ATNU) The Philippine
Shelter for the distressed and abused women in Hateen
organized a dinner for its wards in cooperation with the Filipino
Community Organizations, The Filipino Magazine, Mrs. Editha
Hael and Pinoy Zumba Lovers. Currently the shelter houses
29 women, 3 elderly men with a physical handicap and three
undocumented children.
The event was organized to celebrate dinner with wards
and an opportunity for them to listen to selected performers.
Shaima Khuraibet, a Kuwaiti Filipina belted out three songs
to the delight of the crowd immediately followed by Kuwait’s
Bossa Nova Queen Rowena Tinio who sang songs from Sergio
Mendez and a revival Christmas love song accompanied by
Classical guitarist Nomer Cervantes. The main act of the night
featured Kuwait’s Filipino tenor Jummel Carvajal with vocal
renditions from selected Broadway musicals. The much
applauded performance left everyone mesmerized by the
memorable presentation of the three artists.
Certificates of recognition were awarded to presidents of
the Filipino Community Organizations represented by Oliver
Diong, Arthur Tabunda and Claire Constantino, among other
recipients included Adeeb and Guri Shuhaiber who have
contributed to the shelter generously, Dina Al Mallak, Glenn
Untal, Editha Hael, Maripol Abdallah and Pinoy Zumba Lovers,
Republika ng Sports and Filinvest. The Filipino Magazine gave
out mobile phones to each of the wards and presidents of
different organizations donated travelling bags to each one.
Vice Consul Shiena Tesorero lauded the donors and
community leaders for taking the extra effort to attend the said
event and for donating gifts to the wards. She also thanked
each of the staff involved in the Assistance to the Nationals
Unit in Hateen for their tireless and generous work to provide
prompt assistance to the nationals. Charges D’ Affaires Atty.
Raul Dado also thanked everyone who attended and the
donors for their generosity and kindness to the wards. Later, a
generous dinner was sponsored by Editha Hael and Cabalen
restaurant.
Diplomat
3
Kuwait’s international relations
reinforced by its economic diplomacy
Staff Report
I
n its most basic sense, economic
diplomacy is the use of the full
range of economic tools available
to a state, to pursue and promote
its national interests. In this view,
all economic activities, including,
but not limited to, export, import,
investment, lending, aid and free
trade agreements are leveraged to
benefit the interests of the state.
In March 2014, delivering the
keynote address at the Sydney
Institute, the premier Australian
current-affairs forum, the country’s
foreign minister Julie Bishop was
quoted as saying, “If the goal of
traditional diplomacy is peace, then
the goal of economic diplomacy is
prosperity.”
However, the State of Kuwait has
since its inception as an independent
nation been redefining this rather
narrow definition of economic
diplomacy. The country has taken
the concept of economic diplomacy
and evolved it into a highly efficacious
form of international relations that
encompasses peace, security and
stability along with prosperity for its
people.
Shortly after its independence in
1961, the sagacious leadership of
Kuwait realized from past experiences
that the country, wedged between
much large neighbors and located in
a geopolitically sensitive area, would
need the support and cooperation of
strong allies to ensure its continued
existence.
This led Kuwait to strengthening
its political standing by entering into
diplomatic relations with countries
around the world and joining a
number of regional and international
organizations. Kuwait joined the Arab
League as its 15th member in July
1961, the United Nations as its 111th
member in 1963 and was a founding
member of the Organization of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC) in 1969. Kuwait
also joined the regional alliance of the
six countries along the Arabian Gulf
to form the Gulf Cooperation Council
(GCC) in 1981.
But events early in its history as
an independent nation convinced
the Kuwaiti leadership that political
diplomacy alone would not be
sufficient to survive in a rapidly
changing modern world. Cognizant
of its increasing oil wealth, Kuwait
decided to leverage this as a
powerful tool to fortify its relations
and gain support from around the
world in order to ensure its security
and stability. It was partly in this
regard, as well as a genuine empathy
for less privileged nations around
the world that Kuwait decided to
establish the Kuwait Fund for Arab
Economic Development in December
1961. The fund was mandated to
provide financial assistance in the
form of soft loans, grants, guarantees
and technical assistance to Arab
and other developing countries.
Since its inception, the Fund has
provided over US$18 billion in
various forms of financial assistance
to fund developmental projects in
the agriculture, energy, transport,
industry,
water
and
sewage,
communication and social sectors
around the world.
The significance of this economic
diplomacy was highlighted in 1990
when Kuwait received overwhelming
support, both in the General
Assembly and in the Security Council
to more than 10 resolutions, starting
with resolution 660 that called for
the immediate and unconditional
Timeline of Kuwait’s economic diplomacy in 2014
January 15: His Highness the Amir opened the second international
donors’ conference during which he donated US$500 million to back
the Syrians.
January 15: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon designated His Highness
the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad as “humanitarian leader and Kuwait
as “humanitarian center,” in the aftermath of hosting the second
international conference for aiding Syria, capped with pledges to donate
US$2.4 billion.
January 19: The Parliament Speaker was elected uncontested as Chairman
of the Arab Parliament.
March 25: His Highness the Amir chaired the regular session of the Arab
League Council at the Summit level, held in Kuwait for the first time.
The 25th Arab Summit concluded the next day with issuance of Kuwait
Declaration, under the theme “bolstering Arab solidarity for full-scale
Arab Renaissance.”
September 9: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon held a ceremonial
gathering on occasion of naming His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah
Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as “humanitarian leader” at the UN
headquarters in New York.
September 12: His Highness the Amir delivered a speech to citizens on
the occasion of his designation by the UN as “humanitarian leader” and
Kuwait as “humanitarian center”.
October 12: A US$200 million grant given by Kuwait to rebuild Gaza was
announced by First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh
Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah at an international donors’ conference, held
in Cairo, on reconstructing Gaza.
December 7: His Highness the Amir received a medal of honor from the
International Organization of Migration for his role in the humanitarian
domain.
December 9: His Highness the Amir headed a Kuwaiti delegation to the
35th session of the Supreme Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council
(GCC) in Doha, Qatar.
KFAED activities in 2014
February 3: Yemen signed a US$60 million loan accord with KFAED to
build Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Faculty on Socotra Island and equipping
12 faculties.
March 10: KFAED signed a loan accord worth US$300 million with Lebanon
for building a road in Byblos.
April 8: KFAED lent Bahrain US$136 million to fund the fourth stage of
expanding a national sewage network.
November 12: KFAED signs grant agreement of US$1.75 billion to finance
the Al-Batinah highway project in Sultanate of Oman.
withdrawal of all Iraqi forces from
Kuwaiti territory. On 29 November,
1990, the United Nations Security
Council adopted resolution 678,
which gave Iraq one last chance to
withdraw its forces peacefully before
15 January, 1991, failing which UN
member states were authorized to
use all necessary means to force Iraq
to comply.
The total support that Kuwait
received from countries around the
world, during the seven months of
occupation by Iraqi forces of Saddam
Hussein, as well as the international
coalition that was subsequently
formed to drive the Iraqi forces out of
the country, attests to the outstanding
success of Kuwait’s diplomacy, both
on the political and economic front.
Speaking recently about Kuwait’s
economic diplomacy on Albanian
television, Kuwaiti Ambassador to
Albania His Excellency Nejib AlBader underlined the significance of
this economic diplomacy in promoting
Kuwait’s relations with countries
around the world. He noted that
over the years economic diplomacy
had helped Kuwait cope with major
challenges at various levels.
Economic diplomacy had helped
Kuwait shift from an oil-dependent
economy to a diversified economy,
channeling investments into various
domains, said the ambassador,
speaking at the round table, held by
the society of honorary consuls and
the Albanian television channel, Ora
News.
Kuwait has taken major steps
forward for the sake of transforming
itself into an international financing
and investment hub, he said, noting
as well the substantial efforts over the
past 53 years for funding development
schemes in many nations.
After end of the Cold War, all Arab
Gulf states, including Kuwait, shifted
from political to economic diplomacy
as part of the quest to restore the
good economic status, witnessed in
the 1970s and 80s.
Ambassador Al-Bader highlighted
the significance of visits that had
been paid by His Highness the Amir
Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber
Al-Sabah, in his former capacity as
foreign minister, to Asian nations in
2004, to examine the Asian economic
experience and explore cooperation
prospects. He added that Kuwait and
the other GCC countries that possess
more than 40 percent of the global
oil reserves, base their ties with the
Asian nations on joint interests.
Ambassador Al-Bader affirmed
that the Kuwaiti diplomatic missions
abroad are guided according to
the national economic diplomatic
strategy. He also underscored
tangible improvement of ties with
Albania.
Meanwhile, Kuwait’s Ambassador
to Indonesia, His Excellency Nasser
Al-Enizi, speaking on a memorial
event held to commemorate the
10th anniversary of the devastating
tsunami that killed nearly 240,000
people and devastated many Asian
countries in December 2004, said
that Kuwait, through Kuwait Red
Crescent Society (KRCS) and other
entities, helped in relief aid efforts to
support the Indonesians during their
crisis.
Among the Kuwaiti efforts was the
construction of a 150-house town
named after late Amir Sheikh Jaber
Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, said
the Kuwaiti diplomat, noting that
the town also had a mosque and a
health center to serve the Indonesian
populace occupying the area.
He indicated that Kuwait’s
contributions were well received by
the Indonesian government which
named the Gulf country as one of
the strongest contributors of relief aid
efforts after the devastating Tsunami.
4
Local
ICAI conducts workshop on
‘Manager - Employee Relationship’
Burgan Bank holds Blood Donation
Drive with the local Blood Bank
I
n keeping with its
corporate
social
responsibility agenda,
Burgan Bank recently
organized
a
Blood
Donation drive at its
headquarters
for
its
own employees. The
Blood Donation drive
in partnership with the
Blood Bank in Kuwait took
place under the theme of
‘You too can save a life’,
and was aimed at raising
awareness on the need for
blood and the difference it
can make in people’s lives
plus shed the light on the
importance of donating
blood all year long to
support the Blood Bank.
Burgan Bank’s blood
donation drive comes in
line with its long-standing
commitment to improving
and sustaining the overall
healthcare sector as much
as the Banking sector.
The bank highlighted that
donating blood is a noble
act, for both the donor
and the recipient as it
enhances
community,
culture and wellbeing.
T
he Institute of Chartered
Accountants of India,
Kuwait Chapter (ICAI) jointly
with Dale Carnegie Training
organized a workshop
on ‘ Manager- Employee
Relationship: The Bottom
Line for Engagement’ as part
of its Continuing Professional
Education (CPE) for its
members.
The two-hour workshop
was designed to provide
members with the tools
necessary to create a value
driven culture that will raise
confidence levels and make
employees feel inspired,
enthusiastic, and empowered
to achieve higher levels of
performance. The workshop
was very engaging and
interactive.
The workshop discussed
factors that drive employee
engagement and why the
manager role is critical.
Methods to create a
value-driven workplace
to inspire discretionary
effort, ways to strengthen
engagement levels through
person centered leadership
strategies, and a model for
providing meaningful praise
and recognition to maintain
high performance were
recognition that will inspire
and motivate employees to
higher levels of engagement.
The workshop was
conducted by Dr George
Dimeterilis, Dale Carnegie
and was anchored by
deliberated in detail.
There were practice
sessions on a process for
conducting an engagement
interview, to learn personcentered leadership
strategies, and at the end
members were able to walk
away with a proven formula
for giving personalized
CA Prasantha Shetty, the
President of ICAI, Kuwait
Chapter. CA. Balvir Machado,
raised a vote of thanks to
the panelists and to all those
gathered on the occasion. As
a token of appreciation to the
presenters, mementos were
presented on behalf of the
ICAI, Kuwait Chapter.
Ooredoo joins International Women
Group to plant trees in Yarmouk Park
I
n continuing its efforts in the field of
environment activism, Ooredoo gave
a guided tour to a delegation from the
International Women Group in Yarmouk Park
as part of a day out hosted by the Mayor of
Yamrouk, Abdulaziz Al-Meshari. The event was
also attended by the wives of diplomats as well
as activists and dignitaries.
Attending on behalf of Ooredoo, Senior
Manager of Brand in the Group Communications
Division Fatima Al-Mukhaizeem briefed the
audience on the efforts of Ooredoo with the
Governorate of Asmah and the UN Habitat
Program in opening Yarmouk Eco-Friendly Park,
the first of its kind in Kuwait. Al-Mukhaizeem
stressed that such an activity is aligned with
the company’s vision of working to enrich the
community. She noted that the company was
selected by UN Habitat in a first-of-its-kind
gesture to be their partner in celebrating World
Cities Day last November, which was the same
Publisher & Editor-In-Chief
Tareq Yousuf Al-Shumaimry
[email protected]
Managing Editor
Reaven D’Souza
[email protected]
day the park was inaugurated.
The visiting delegation last week planted
trees that represent their cultures, tagging
them with their names in a designated corner
inside the park. The event was also attended
by primary school students from Badr AlRefai School and Zahra Al-Bahar School, who
participated in planting in the park and gave
a brief presentation on the importance of
gardens in suburbs.
P O Box 5141, Safat 13052, Kuwait
Tel : 24814404, 24810109
Fax : 24834815
Email : [email protected]
Printed in: Arwa Universal Printing Press
Dimensions
5
Indian film stars inaugurate three
Kalyan Jewellers showrooms
C
in Al Rai, Malia and Fahaheel
greeted the crowd and thanked them for
the support. After a brief appearance, the
stars were taken inside the showroom for a
special preview before leaving for the other
showrooms. To celebrate this occasion,
Kalyan Jewellers announced a special
rowds thronged Kalyan Jewellers’
much anticipated showroom launch
at Al Rai as popular film stars and
Kalyan Jewellers Brand Ambassadors
Amitabh Bachchan, Nagarjuna, Prabhu
and Manju Warrier regaled the huge crowd
and inaugurated the 75th store of Kalyan
Jewellers.
The stars were overjoyed with the massive
turnout of nearly 3,000 fans and yet, a bit
overwhelmed with the magnitude. They
emerged onto the stage erected outside the
main showroom entrance receiving a huge
applause from the star-struck audience.
However, the appearance of Indian
cinema’s biggest icon Amitabh Bachchan,
who has a huge fan following in Kuwait,
created frenzy, with crowds jostling to
get a glimpse of Bachchan, who strode in
majestically and waved to the audience. He
was the cynosure of all eyes, notwithstanding
the presence of Nagarjuna, Prabhu and
Manju Warrier.
In his deep baritone voice he said, “This
is my first trip to Kuwait. Looking at the
affection from all of you, this is not the last
trip - I can tell you I am going to come again
and again. We have all come here for the
opening of Kalyan Jewellers’ stores - my
relationship with Kalyan Jewellers dates
back years. I am here in Kuwait because
of them - I am sure if you extend the same
love and affection that you have showered
on me to Kalyan, all of us will be blessed
by Kalyan Jewellers. I hope I get to see you
again.” Bachchan then recited the poem
from one of his movies Kabhi Kabhie much
to the excitement of the audience. The stars
inaugural offer. Customers who buy jewellery
worth KD 150 will get a free gold coin and
also be eligible to win the mega prize of KD
75,000 from a lucky draw.
The stars inaugurated the second and
third Kalyan Jewellers showrooms at Malia
(Kuwait City) and Fahaheel and later,
attended a fusion concert by Balabhaskar
Chandran, as part of the launch
celebrations, before returning to India.
Best & only exhibition being held for 8th consecutive year
Top ranked Indian Institutions in Kuwait
Exhibition 2015
09 & 10 January 2015
Venue:
Ramada Hotel, Al Riggae, Kuwait
Time : 11.00 am to 8.00 pm
Study in India
Exhibition Proﬁle
Counselling
Spot Registration
Admission Guidance
More than 40 scholarship
details on display for UG,
PG and Ph.D., Programmes
Universities / Deemed Universities / International
Schools / Arts & Science / Engineering Colleges /
MBA & Management / Distance Education / Medical
Colleges / Post Graduation & Research / Diploma
Studies / Unique and specialized programmes etc.,
Guiding you for a bright future
In Association with
E-mail: [email protected]
Seminar on
Seminar on
“Higher Education in Engineering
& Career Opportunities”
By
Leading &
reputed
institutions
directly
participating
Dr. G. Nagarajan,
Director, Centre for Admissions, Anna University
09.01.2015 / Time : 3.15 p.m.
“Emerging Career Opportunities
in Health Sciences
An outlook towards a successful future.”
By
Dr. Sabu K M & Dr. Raghavendra Prabhu
Manipal University
09.01.2015 / Time : 4.15 p.m.
Local
7
VIVA launches ‘Awareness Instructions
for Campers’ Safety’ Campaign
V
Lulu opens its 111th Hypermarket in Qatar
L
ulu Group, which operates Lulu
Hypermarkets in the Middle East has
opened its 111th Hypermarket and 6th in
Qatar, further boosting its retail presence in the
country.
The latest hypermarket from Lulu was
inaugurated by royal family member Sheikh
Hassan bin Khaled Al Thani in the presence
of Piroon Laismit, Ambassador of Thailand to
Qatar, Tarik Sadovic, Ambassador of Bosnia,
Nguyen Hoang, Ambassador of Vietnam,
diplomats, Dr. R. Seetharaman, CEO of Doha
Bank, Yusuff Ali M.A., Managing Director of
Lulu Group, Saifee T Rupawala, CEO, Ashraf Ali
M.A., M.M. Althaf, Lulu Director of Qatar region.
Prominent businessmen, government and
municipality officials and other dignitaries were
also present on the occasion. A large local and
expat crowd also witnessed the opening event.
The hypermarket is expected to become the
shopping destination of choice for residents in
and around the region.
A major highlight of the newly opened store
is that it has an exclusive store-in-store for all
‘free from worry’ food range, which includes
an extensive import line of gluten-free, lactose
free, dairy free, yeast free, wheat free, vegan,
organic, fat free, nut free, soy free, salt free, GM
free, egg free, free range, no sugar, no additives,
no preservatives, no hydrogenated fat and other
specialty food imported from around the world.
In addition, and in true tradition of Lulu stores
across the Gulf, the hypermarket will feature
the widest choice of world class brands at the
fairest prices and also offers a whole world of
shopping with a good selection of brands and
product lines under one roof. Lulu’s winning
formula of value for money quality shopping will
be a matter of delight for the residents of Barwa
IVA, Kuwait’s fastestgrowing and most
developed
telecom
operator,
launched
a national campaign
‘Awareness Instructions
for Campers’ Safety’
in collaboration with
Kuwait Fire Service Directorate (KFSD),
whereby VIVA will send educational messages
about fire hazards and how to react in a fire
emergency via SMSs about the awareness
boards in camps that guide campers.
The campaign seeks to promote awareness
among desert campers of fire hazards that
could occur in tents, and how to prevent such
accidents from happening during vacations
and camping season.
VIVA’s initiative to raise awareness of fire
hazards and prevention stems from its belief in
the importance of protecting the environment
and promoting prevention measure and
awareness among campers during this
season. VIVA is also involved in the local
community and youth welfare as it continues
to raise awareness, encourage collaboration
among various segments of society, as well as
responsibility towards others.
Leading economist emphasizes Women
Empowerment at ‘Sarganjali-2014’
T
who will cherish the pleasurable shopping
experience and the economy it offers.
“We are very clear in our approach to
expansion and I am very confident about the
economic situation of the State of Qatar and
have full trust in the visions of High Highness
Emir Tamim Bin Hamad Al Althani and we are
fully committed to continue our forward march,”
said M.A. Yusuff Ali after the inauguration. “Two
more new hypermarkets are in the pipeline and
are expected to be operational by mid of 2015,”
he added.
he mega program
‘Sarganjali-2014’of
Vanithavedi Kuwait, a secular
women unity formed by
working and non-working
women in Kuwait, invited
leading economist and
former finance minister of
Kerala, Dr. Thomas Issac to
inaugurate the function. In his
speech, Dr. Issac said that
Kerala is trailing in Women
Empowerment and has a long
way to go. Though better in
comparison with other parts
of India, Keralite women are
far behind their counterparts
in developed countries.
Stage activist and film
star Sajitha Madhathil,
also delivered a special
address as Chief Guest.
J. S Dangi, representing
Indian Embassy in Kuwait
released the multi-coloured
souvenir by presenting
the first copy to leading
social activist of Kuwait, M.
Mathews. The ‘Play Reading’
of ‘Mathsyagandhi’, the
drama authored and directed
by Mrs. Madhathil was an
exciting experience for all
present. Earlier 8 teams
competed on ‘Thiruvathira’, a
traditional art form of Kerala.
Team ‘Saradhi’ stood first
while ‘Niram’ Salmiya took
second place while team
‘Thapasya’ bagged the third
position. The prizes where
distributed by John Mathew,
Sajitha Madhathil and Jayan
MD of Melado. The program
concluded with a musical
show presented by team
Elansa.
K ANCOR – new authority to monitor official corruption
Continued from Page 1
Saying that KACOR was committed to its objectives, Al-Ali
added that among the prime objectives of the authority would be
prevention of financial corruption followed by the protection of
public funds, reinforcing control, stability and transparency within
government institutions and immunizing public servants from
political questioning that might harm their integrity.
He stressed that the law is very clear and comprehensive
regarding the timing of submission of financial disclosures. Public
officials who are currently serving will be obliged to submit their
first financial disclosures within a year from the date of issuance of
KANCOR’s executive regulations and by laws.
Those who join the public service after the issuance of the
executive regulations and by laws are obligated to submit their first
disclosures within 60 days of their employment. Moreover, updates
to the disclosure must be submitted every three years, within 60
days of the due date, while the final disclosures should be submitted
when the public servants decide to leave their positions or are
terminated, but within 90 days from the date of leaving the positions.
In case KANCOR inspection committees find any irregularities
or unexplained increments in an official’s assets and financial
standing, a case will be registered against the official and they will be
summoned for questioning and investigation. Al-Ali affirmed that the
investigative capabilities of the authority will be quite comprehensive
and thorough and it will be able to trace the assets of an official both
locally and internationally. He assured that all information included
in disclosures will be treated with extreme confidentiality using
a system that the authority has developed with the assistance of
international and local consultations for high level confidentiality.
Al-Ali affirmed that the relevant regulations prevent the employees
of KANCOR from disclosing any information obtained from the
authority even after they resign from their positions.
Based on Article 44 of the law, employees who do not comply
with confidentiality regulations will be penalized, said Al-Ali. He
added that the authority is very strict in hiring its staff and that
they will undergo numerous tests ranging from IQ to management
capabilities before being hired. He also revealed that most of the
authority’s higher management will be from the private sector and
individuals with specialized background in law, financial forensic
accounting and all relevant fields. He revealed that KANCOR
will also grant “whistle-blowing” service to the public so that any
individual with strong information, backed by evidence, about
financial irregularities by any government official, will be able to
submit the information confidentially to KANCOR.
Wishing all our patrons
Merry Chriﬆmas
&
Happy New Year
SINCE 1985
Our branches
Hawally
Sharq
Fahaheel
Farwaniya
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Fintas
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Everyone’s First Choice
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[email protected] - [email protected] - www.mughalmahal.com
8
Local
Eighty years on KOC
efforts fuel Kuwait’s growth
K
uwait Oil Company (KOC) celebrates
on Tuesday, 23 December, the 80th
anniversary of being granted oil drilling
concession right in the country under the
agreement signed by the late Amir Sheikh
Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah
on 23 December, 1934. The outbreak of
World War II was one of the reasons for
the delay in oil exploration, and following
the end of the war, Kuwait had turned
from resource-poor desert country into a
Suspect in maid’s
death remanded
T
he suspects in the case of a Filipina
who died of a lion’s bite were
ordered to remain in jail. Lawyer of the
Philippines Embassy Sultan Al-Tawala
said the suspects were charged with
manslaughter. He said the health ministry
will be taken to court for its poor treatment
of the deceased, who was released from
hospital without consideration of her
condition and was not diagnosed properly.
modern rich state. Kuwait Oil Company was
established in February 1934 in London,
with an initial capital of 50,000 pounds
with joint ownership and equal shares
among the Anglo-Persian oil company,
now known as British Petroleum (BP) and
Gulf Oil Company currently known as
(Chevron). Daily production output of KOC
currently stands at 2.9 million barrels of oil;
associated and disassociated gas during
the current fiscal year reached 1.5 billion
cubic feet per day, as compared to the
projected target of 1.4 billion.
No residency for passports
valid less than a year
T
he
Interior
Ministry’s
assistant
undersecretary for residency and
citizenship affairs Maj Gen Sheikh Mazen
Al-Jarrah said that expatriates’ residency
validity would be limited to their passports’
validity. He explained that those holding
passports valid for a year will get oneyear residency visa and those holding
passports valid for two will get a two-year
residency, also noting that the residency
periods would be determined in full years,
meaning that the holder of a passport valid
RECEIVE %10 DISCOUNT ON
TURKEY
WITH ORIENTAL RICE ON THE SIDE
Orders must be placed 48 hours in advance
for 18 months would only get a one-year
residency and that those holding passports
valid for less than 12 months would not be
allowed to renew their residency until they
renew their passports. Jarrah stressed that
valid iqamas on expired passports will expire
too and that sponsors will not have any
excuses of forgetting to renew their workers’
passports before applying to renew their
residencies. He underlined by saying that a
sponsor is mandated to notice the validity
of his workers’ passports and we will never
paste a residency visa sticker on an expired
passport or one valid for only a few months.
K
uwait may increase the fees collected
from expatriate workers for issuing or
renewing work visas, a senior government
official announced. Currently, the Ministry of
Social Affairs and Labor collects KD12 per
new visa issued or transaction to transfer
a visit visa to a work visa, while renewing
a work visa requires an annual payment
of KD2. The Manpower Public Authority
is currently studying the possibility of
increasing the fees on par with rates found
in other Gulf countries where fees for similar
transactions reach KD100, General Director
Jamal Al-Dousary said in a recent statement.
While fees for renewing work visas in other
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states are
higher compared to Kuwait, they are far from
the KD100 mark that Dousary mentioned –
with the exception of Qatar where the fee still
reaches approximately KD80. Furthermore,
GCC states adopt similar fees for new visa
issuance and annual renewal. Dousary
also mentioned other mandatory fees
that expatriates are required to pay when
renewing their visas in Kuwait every year,
including KD10 for Immigration and KD52 for
health insurance.
Guarantee of KD750 for Indians
A
source at the Public Manpower Authority
said the foreign, interior and labor
ministries are coordinating to impose a
guarantee of KD 750 on every Indian who
wants to come and work in Kuwait, be it in the
public or private sector. The guarantee will
be paid at the Kuwait embassy in India. The
source said the move comes after the Indian
Embassy placed two conditions to bring in
domestic workers - a KD 750 guarantee, and
to check the house where the worker will
work before arriving in Kuwait. The source
stated that the Indian community numbers
more than 830,000, and there is a strong
indication that hiring of Indian manpower
may be halted.
I
danishbakery
www.danishbakery.com.kw
Smoking in public to bring KD100
fine; death penalty for
nuclear-waste importers
Visa renewal fees could increase
Expats caught off guard by visa fines
Order now:
25355805 - 95591449
chaos as many people were surprised to find
accumulated fines against them for violations
as a result of not informing the department
about renewing their passports. He said
that a two-month grace period was given to
update the data, then fines will be calculated
at the rate of KD 2 per day. Meanwhile, the
interior minister issued a directive exempting
citizens’ domestic workers residency visas
and citizens’ expatriate spouses and children
holding residency visas from the fines levied
for failing to update their passport information
on interior ministry systems.
nterior Ministry Assistant Undersecretary for
Nationality and Residence Affairs said the
foreigners’ residency law will be implemented
in its entirety, particularly that links the validity
of the visa with the validity of the passport.
The visa affairs department is witnessing
D
eputy Director of the Environment Public
Authority for Technical Affairs Mohammed
announced yesterday that the authority began
to take the necessary measures to implement
the sanctions that vary between penalties
and fines to one year imprisonment in case
of violation of the law by officials who are not
committed to transfer, collection and control
of waste of all types within their organizations.
He warned that life imprisonment and death
penalty await anyone who imports or brings
nuclear waste and disposes to the country.
He also noted that the fines start at KD100 for
the person who smokes in public and semienclosed places, to KD1 million for smugglers
of nuclear materials.
MoI mulls hiking visit
visa charges to KD100
T
he
Interior
Ministry’s
assistant
undersecretary for citizenship and
residency affairs said that a special
committee had been formed to study
increasing family, commercial and tourist visit
visa fees to KD100, as well as increasing
residency fees. It is also firm on collecting fines
from expats who failed to update their passport
data, as various embassies are trying to reach
compromises to delay the procedure for a
while. According to the new bill, fees would be
increased by 30-50 percent, “which is fair” as
they put it, noting that some proposals would
be made concerning expats who do not meet
the dependent visa salary conditions but have
children while residing in Kuwait, and will be
referred to the security leadership for approval.
Authority to seek surety on every
employee entering Kuwait
D
irector General of the Public Authority
for Manpower said, the authority intends
to obtain surety (bank guarantee) from
every employee entering Kuwait, and that
the guarantee money will be returned to
the sponsor after the employee leaves the
country with regards to opening doors for
work permits for all categories which was
to happen at the beginning of the New Year
2015. He added, the authority does not want
to open the door for work permits without a
clear and well-contemplated study.
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TimesKuwait
TimesKuwait
Local
T
Breakfast morning accumulates
blankets for Filipino detainees
9
Spanish Architecture exhibition
opens up opportunities for KU students
he College of Architecture at Kuwait
University organized an exhibition
titled ‘On a Journey - The Spanish
Architecture in the Arab World’ to mark
the 50th anniversary of the establishment
of diplomatic relations between Spain
and Kuwait. The Spanish Ambassador
to Kuwait H.E. Carlos Saenz de Tejada
attended along with embassy official
Alberto Othello.
The exhibition, which was held on the
17 and 18 of December at the Kuwait
University campus in Khaldiya, featured
displays of projects in the Arab world
by renowned Spanish architecture and
engineering organizations, in addition to
lectures and student presentations.
On the first day, recognized Spanish
architects César Ruiz-Larrea Cangas and
Carlos Lamela gave an interesting talk to
the architectural students, teachers and
guests. Speaking about the event, Mr.
Othello said that it was the first of its kind
organized through Kuwait University.
On the second day, several architectural
students presented their projects which
were judged and critiqued by Mr. Cangas,
who also gave the students valuable
advice on architecture.
Pointing out that student exchange
programs between Spanish and Kuwaiti
architectural institution would benefit both
sides through cooperation and exchange
of ideas, Mr. Cangas added that students
could also avail of the many opportunities
in both countries.
Speaking with The Times Kuwait, he
said that the event helped him learn more
about the country, and the participants’
performance was very good. “I am very
happy about the work and the ideas they
have done,” he added. The students
on their part appreciated the new view
on their projects, and agreed that the
professional advice would help further
their studies and expand their vision.
A
breakfast morning was organized by expat women to
celebrate the holiday cheer as well as to donate blankets to
Filipino nationals currently detained in Kuwait jails. The breakfast
collected an ample amount of blankets that will be distributed
during the jail visits of Charges D’ Affaires Atty Raul Dado and
the Assistance to the Nationals Unit team. “I am grateful for their
initiative to extend help to our Filipinos in jail, thank you will not
be enough to express how grateful we are for their kindness,”
said CDA Atty. Dado. Donated blankets were handed over to
GMA 7 News Correspondent Ricky Laxa.
Pinoy Zumba Lovers celebrate
holidays with great workout
Ricky Laxa
Staff Writer
P
inoy Zumba Lovers in Kuwait recently celebrated its first Christmas
get together at the Qadsia Club in Hawally. Attended by two hundred
participants that consisted of instructors, coordinators and mentors of
the group, the event featured workouts by Zin Janice Capili, Zin Blanche
Bravo and assisted by fitness instructor Lyle Colina of Flex Health Club.
Fitness instructors from and members of Fitpro and Philippine Amateur
Body Building Association in Kuwait and Wife of the Philippine Embassy’s
Charges D’ Affaires Chelsie Dado graced the said occasion.
The morning’s event kicked-off with the awarding of certificates
of recognition to the coordinators and fitness mentors of the group;
Coordinators are Maripol Abdallah, Beverly Tonogbanua, Bill Valenzuela
and Editha Hael and mentors Zin Blanche Bravo and Zin Sam Malit.
Certificates of Appreciation also were awarded to Fitpro and other
sponsors of the group.
Zin Janice Capili had the participants on their feet stomping with
great beats of ChaCha music that later sped up to Samba. Zin Blanche
Bravo took over the class after half hour and delivered superb Zumba
choreographies while Lyle Colina of Flex health Club assisted in the
workout. Present in the occasion were Filipino body builders who
provided diet and exercise programs to everyone and gave special
treat with their world class poses for competitions. Exchange gifts
immediately followed and a shared breakfast for everyone.
“On behalf of the Philippine Embassy and POLO/OWWA, I would like
to thank everyone for supporting this great cause. I also would like to
thank the organizers, instructors and assistant instructor for the f effort
they give to make this event happens every Friday and with its proceeds
can somehow help both shelters of the Philippine Embassy. I encourage
everyone to stay healthy and make 2015 a wonderful year for each one
of us,” said Chelsie Dado. Coordinators also extended their gratitude to
everyone who regularly attends the class and encourage others to make
their Fridays healthy habits. Founder and mentor of PZL in Kuwait Gwen
Chavez, wife of the Philippine Labor Attaché thanked everyone for their
continuous support to the project.
Mangaf
Al-Andalous
Farwaniya
Block-3, Street 12
Block-6, St 4, Shop -1
Tel: 23711010
Tel: 24802961
23718555
24802971
Jabriya
Qosour
Block-1, Street 122
Block-6, Street 8
Asrar Complex
Block-7, Street 14
Tel: 24757070
Tel: 25348484
Tel: 25425003
24758080
25343370
25429812
5
In Review
The world witnessed yet another chaotic year in 2014, with conflicts, disasters
and epidemics taking an ever increasing toll on human lives. Political, religious and
ethnic conflicts led to an ongoing civil war in Ukraine, a bloody burst of violence
in Israel-Palestine relations and the rise of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
I
n Africa, the Ebola epidemic took its ravaging toll, mainly
across the three countries of Guinea, Serra Leone and
Liberia in West Africa. Meanwhile, floods and hurricanes
swept away lives and livelihood of thousands in India, Pakistan
and elsewhere in Asia. But it was not all doom and gloom
during 2014, there were moments when acceptance of social
and cultural diversity, advances in technological and scientific
fields, displays of sporting prowess and empathy with fellow
human beings restored one’s faith in humanity.
As another year draws to a close, The Times Kuwait takes a
look at the tapestry of highs and lows from around the world that
marked and marred 2014.
The Times Kuwait
28 December, 2014 - 03 January, 2015
timeskuwait.com
Viktor Yanukovych was overthrown by violent protests over his
reluctance to join hands with the European Union. Crimea,
which has strong ties to Russia, then voted to join Russia in a
referendum in March – deemed illegal by Ukraine, the US and
the EU. Russia accepted the referendum results and immediately
incorporated the peninsula into its territory. The Western nations,
led by the EU, imposed strict economic sanctions on Russia to
protest the move. The contest for power between Russia and
the West has led to an ongoing insurgency in Eastern Ukraine
that has claimed over 4,000 lives.
Winter Olympic Games
February
Rise of the Islamic State
Since June
Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disappears
March
The 2014 Winter Olympic Games were held in Sochi, Russia,
from the 7 – 23 February, with the participation of 2873 athletes
from 88 countries. While originally budgeted at US$12 billion,
the final figure crossed $51 billion and surpassed the estimated
$44 billion it cost for 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing,
becoming the most expensive Olympics in history.
10
The growth of Islamic State that led to creation of a self-declared
caliphate spanning large parts of Iraq and Syria caused
international concern, with a US-led coalition now conducting
airstrikes against the group. Known for atrocities, including
beheading of its victims, the militant group, headed by Abu
Bakr Al-Baghdadi, has killed thousands of civilians. However,
recent events point to the militants having met their match in a
revamped Kurdish Peshmerga forces that have retaken control
from the Islamic State in some areas.
Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disappeared off the Asian
country’s east coast, over the Gulf of Thailand, on 8 March.
The flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, with 239 passengers
and crew aboard, vanished from radars less than an hour after
take-off. The costliest international search efforts in history have
yielded no results so far and no trace of the flight has been
found. The aircraft is presumed to have crashed into the Indian
Ocean.
Ebola Outbreak
Since February
FIFA World Cup
June – July
South Korean ferry disaster
April
The most widespread Ebola epidemic in history is currently
ongoing, mainly in three West African nations of Guinea, Liberia
and Sierra Leone. Researchers believe that 2-year-old boy
Emile Ouamouno, who died in December 2013 in the village of
Meliandou, Guéckédou Prefecture, Guinea, was the index
case of the current Ebola outbreak, the most severe, both in
terms of numbers of infections and casualties. As of midDecember, the World Health Organization (WHO) and
respective governments have reported over19,000 suspected
cases of Ebola infections with 7,388 confirmed deaths — all but
15 of them were confined to the three West African nations.
MV Sewol, a South Korean ferry, sunk on 16 April while on route
from Incheon to Jeju. Nearly 300 passengers, many of them
students drowned in the disaster. National controversy then
erupted over rescue efforts and actions of crew and owner. In
November, the captain of MV Sewol was found guilty of gross
negligence and sentenced to 36 years in prison.
The 20th Football World Cup was held across several venues in
Brazil from 12 June to 13 July, with national teams from 32
teams competed in 64 matches. Germany emerged the victors
by trumping Argentina with a lone goal in the finals and won the
FIFA Trophy as well as $35 million in prize money. Estimates
forecast the games to cost Brazil over $14 billion, making it the
most expensive World Cups ever
Crimean Crisis
Since February
Boko Haram abducts 276 schoolgirls in
Nigeria
Since April
The Republic of Crimea, officially part of Ukraine, plunged into
crisis early this year after Ukraine’s legally-elected president
The extremist group Boko Haram made headlines around the
world on 14 April when it abducted 276 schoolgirls from the
remote northeastern town of Chibok in Nigeria’s Borno State.
Last month, the group’s leader, Abubakar Shekau, claimed
that all the girls had been converted to Islam and married off.
The group continued its deadly attacks in Borno in May with
the killing of over 300 civilians in a night attack on towns of
Gamboru and Ngala. This was followed by bomb attacks in the
town of Jos in Plateau State that claimed a further 120 lives.
Palestine-Israel conflict
July
Simmering tensions rooted in previous Israeli settlements in
Gaza and other disputed territories in the West Bank once
again tipped the boiling point in 2014, and exploded into violent
conflict after three Israelis were kidnapped and killed in June
5
In Review
11
The Times Kuwait
28 December, 2014 - 03 January, 2015
timeskuwait.com
Technology
Technology continued to be the agent of change in 2014
with advances towards the ‘Internet of Things’ promising
to fundamentally alter the way we are set to lead our
lives. The ‘Internet of Things’ offers all sort of services
by interconnecting
‘smart’ machines
embedded with
digital devices to
the internet. Other
techs that provided
a glimpse into the
future during 2014
included, drones
for commercial
purposes, wearable
computers, driverless
cars, ultra-high-definition TV screens, 3-D printing and
more agile robots. The year 2014 also saw the rise of big
data and artificial intelligence that together could give us
more accurate and earlier weather forecasts and better
outcomes from renewable energy sources.
Nobel Peace Prize
and School Massacre
December
On 10 December, in Oslo City Hall, the youngest Nobel-laureate
– Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai and Indian
children’s-rights campaigner Kailash Satyarthi received the joint
Nobel Peace Prize for 2014. The Nobel committee in presenting
the awards to the two described them as ‘champions of peace’.
In her acceptance speech at the Prize awarding ceremony, Malala
Yousafzai launched a searing attack on “strong governments that
have the resources to begin wars but not to enable universal
education. “Why is it that giving guns is so easy, but giving books
is so hard?” she asked raising her voice in the silent room.
A week later the Pakistan Taleban stormed a military-run school
in Peshawar and killed 141 people in one of Pakistan’s bloodiest
terrorist attacks. Of the dead, 132 were children; many of them
were found killed in their classrooms, some holding their books
in front of them in a futile attempt to shield themselves from the
bullets of the deranged attackers.
and the revenge killing of a Palestinian youth by Jewish settlers.
Israel blamed the Hamas which controls the Gaza Strip for
the deaths of the three Israelis and the delicate ceasefire that
had existed between Palestine and Israel fell through in July.
A bloody conflict that then erupted lasted for over 50 days and
saw over 2,100 Palestinians and 72 Israelis killed. According to
official stats, a total of 5,226 air strikes were conducted over
Gaza as part of Israel’s Operation Protective Edge while 4,591
rockets and mortars were fired at Israel. The two finally managed
to broker a peace deal in Cairo in August.
Ukraine on 17 July, killed all 298 aboard, shocking the world and
adding to the woes of the beleaguered Malaysian Airlines. It is
still unclear who shot down the flight, which was heading from
Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.
Rouge Tribunal on 7 August. Their orchestrating of
the Cambodian genocide led to widespread famine, that
caused the death of thousands, in addition to the nearly two
million that died as a result of mass executions and torture
carried out by the Khmer Rouge cadre.
Floods
September
Heavy monsoon rains and floods caused by overflowing rivers
across India and Pakistan during the first week of September.
The rivers Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej, and Jhelum in Pakistan
overflowed and brought flash floods that caused homes to
collapse and resulted in death of over 300.
Commonwealth Games in Glasgow,
Scotland
July - August
On 23 July, the crash of TransAsia Airways Flight 222 in Taiwan
killed a further 48, and a day later, the fatal crash of Air Algerie
Flight 5017 in Mali, left all 116 people onboard dead. An Iranian
passenger plane also crashed in Tehran on 10 August, killing at
least 38.
Khmer Rouge sentenced for genocide
August
Commonwealth Games were held in Glasgow, Scotland with
4,950 athletes from 71 different nations and territories competed
in 18 different sports, making it one of the largest Commonwealth
Games staged to date at a cost of nearly $900 million. England,
Australia and Canada topped the medal tally.
Heavy rains in India’s Jammu and Kashmir State caused
severe flooding, reportedly the worst in in 50 years. Ten
districts were heavily affected and over 280 people were
reported dead. In the region of Jammu, landslides triggered
by heavy rainfall caused serious damages to infrastructure
and agricultural land.
Air Disasters
July – August
Rosetta meets Churyumov
November
The year 2014 will go down in history as one of the worst for the
aviation sector in recent years, following a spate of major air
crashes, in the July – August period. Aviation Safety reported
over 1040 aviation-related deaths so far this year, compared to
just around 346 in 2013.
Following the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines MH370
in February, the shooting-down of Flight MH17 over Eastern
Rosetta, the robotic space probe built and launched by the
European Space Agency in March 2004, deployed its lander
module Philae to touch-down successfully on the comet 67P/
Churyumov-Gerasimen on 12 November, 2014. After over 10
years of travel that took it through 6.7 billion kilometers of our
Solar System, the landing of Philae on 67P marked the first by
a space-craft on a comet.
Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge or Red Khmers leaders Nuon Chea
and Khieu Samphan were found guilty of crimes against
humanity and sentenced to life imprisonment by the Khmer
Local
BAZAAR
What: Fashion Lovers Expo
For all the fashion lovers out there, an exhibition
Fashion Lovers Expo will be held for you. All the latest
fashionable products will be available there.
Who: The 12th Super Brand Bazaar Exhibition
Where: Crowne Plaza – Farwaniya,
Al Baraka Exhibit Hall
When: 26 January to 29 January
How: Contact: 558840555
MUSIC
What: POPSTATIC – The
Musical
Come and enjoy an event
filled with melodious music
by the various talents of
BSK. Tickets are worth
KD 5.
Who: BAIA Juniors
Where: Salwa 1, Block 1,
The
Shakespeare Theatre, BSK
When: 30, 31 January 2:30pm and 6pm
How: Contact, 50962809/25623604 ext 154 or mail
at: [email protected]
protect their
What: TICA Cat Show
This one-day cat show in Kuwait involves four ring
shows for all breeds of cats, for which, entries close
on 15 December and limit 125 cat presenters. Entry
fee for Champion/Open/Premiership: 1st cat –
KD20, Kitten Class – KD15 and Household Pet Class
– KD15. Cage size is 106cm(L)*67cm(W)*75cm(H).
Who: The Kuwait
Cat
Fancers
presents the show
with judges Marie
France Dendauw
and
Geneviey
Basquine.
Where: Hall
5, Kuwait
International Fairgrounds (KIF), Mishref
When: 10 January, 2015, Check in on 2 January
begins at 8am
How: For sponsorship opportunities, visit www.
kcfclub.com, for information, mail at info@kcfclub.
com or call at 67763380 / 99845548.
WORKSHOP
What: Network Security and
Privacy Protection
Learn how to protect yourself
from hackers. There will
be a chance for questions
and answers after the
presentation.
Who: Chris White
Chris will dive into the
details of his job, which he
does for the U.S. government to
data and network.
Where: Shuhada Area – Block 4,
Street 413, Villa 67 – Kuwait
When: 30 December, 7pm
PHOTOGRAPHY
ENTERTAINMENT
MEET
What: Bohemia Live in Kuwait
Enjoy your New Year’s Bash with the one and only
Bohemia and DJ Hitesh Live in Kuwait
When: 2 January, 2015
How: Contact 66889295
SPORTS
What: Mega Musical Night
Come and join us for a night filled with laughter, joy
and melodious music where live performances by the
Lakshman Sruthi Live Orchestra and many playback
singers from the Tamil cinema industry will be there
to entertain us. There will also be some comedy and
mimicry done by Sun TV fame, Vadiel Ganesh.
Where: American International School, Hawally
Who: Kuwait Tamil Sangam
When: 1 January, 2015 at 5:30pm
How: Contact [email protected] or visit
their website at www.kuwaittamilsangam.com
What: Hala February 2015
Taking into account the mid-year school holidays
falling during these
days,
a
matter
that would make
the events joyful
for all, the ‘Hala
February’
Festival
will kick off with a
focus on benefits
from
discounts
and special offers
provided
by
shopping centers (malls), cooperative societies,
companies and shops participating in the festival,
which is the first in Kuwait, for citizens and expatriates.
The festival would also showcase various events
chiefly concerts, poetry, religious events and sports
for children as well as other activities that contribute to
the reunion of family members.
Who: The Supreme Committee for the ‘Hala February’
Festival
When: 8 January–8 February
What: Kuwait Yacht Show
The 3rd Edition of (Kuwait
Yacht Show) KYS, lines
up local, regional,
international
exhibitors,
Kuwait’s
world
champions in water
sports for daily in-water
shows showcasing a wide variety of yachts, boats at
the KYS 2015.
Where: Marina Crescent
When: 3-7 February 2015
How: Mail at [email protected] or Call at 25720810 /
25716177. What: Teen Dasmania
Fun and interactive
exercise
group
classes
aiming
to
meet teenagers’ daily
physical needs with
separate classes for
girls and boys of age
group 10–15 years.
Where: Dasman Diabetes Institute, Fitness Center
When: 12 January 2015 onwards, Mondays and
Wednesdays, 4pm–6pm
How: Call on 22242989, Price – KD30/8 sessions
What: Sunrise For a
New Beginning
Be
ready
for
a
gathering to welcome
the New Year in the
most beautiful way. For
all the Malayali Foto
Enthusiasts in Kuwait
get ready to click the
sunrise in Kuwait on
New Year morning. Come prepared with your camera
and a social mind.
Where: Beach Front at the Towers
Who: Q8 clicks A group of Mallu photography
lovers
When: 1 January, 2015 at 5:30am
How: Email [email protected]
ART
What: Monday at the Market
Enjoy new collections
and great music,
try out new
food and shop
for some unique
items.
Where: Shuwaikh
Market, 5th Street
When: Every
Monday 6pm – 10pm
GASTRONOMY
What: What’s Cooking?
Stop by the TIES
Center to watch a free
demonstration of alltime favorite dishes
and international
specialties. The
cooks will guide you
through the steps
to prepare the dishes
and invite you to taste
the results.
Who: The TIES Center
Where: Shuhada Area – Block
4, Street 413,
Villa 67 – Kuwait
When: 14, 21, 28 December, 6pm
How: Visit http://tiescenter.net, Call on 25231015 /
25231016 / 97798222, Email at [email protected]
What: The Sacred Paths
Showcasing photographers from the Middle-East,
whose work documents their journeys
through various countries in
the region, the exhibition
engages the symbolic,
political, social and
personal meanings in
three sections: ‘The
Body’,
‘The
Land’
and
‘The Leader’. This show is
curated by Abed Al Kadiri and was exhibited in
Modern Museum – Hungary in 2013 as part of Zenith
Art Exchange.
Who: 13 Photographers from Middle East, mostly
acclaimed photojournalists.
Where: Life Center – Shuwaikh Industrial Area, Block
2, Street 28, Top floor (Eureka/Midas building)
When: Until 4 Jan 2015, 10am-8pm Saturday to
Thursday.
What: Britain In Kuwait
The 9th British Trade Exhibition in Kuwait – Britain In
Kuwait (BIK) is a country related exhibition tailored
to suit everyone’s taste that covers all segments
including healthcare, retail, hospitality, motor
vehicles, military and the oil sector. The Duke of
York has personally opened the exhibition a number
of times and this year, BIK will welcome yet another
British VIP alongside H.H. Sheikh Naser Mohammed
Al Ahmed Al Sabah.
Who: British Embassy in Kuwait, Kuwait-British
Friendship Society
BIK has lead 70 percent of its exhibitors re-exhibiting
consistently.
Where: Salwa Al Sabah Ballroom
When: 15, 16, 17 January 2015
EXHIBITION
12
What: Horeca Kuwait
A hospitality and food exhibition, Horeca Kuwait will host
a large number of international chefs from Kuwait and
beyond, who will take part in a wide range of culinary
arts competitions throughout the event.
Who: Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel and Spa
Where: Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel and Spa,
Badriah ballroom
When: 19, 20, 21 January 2015
Local
13
Eight edition of Indian Education Exhibition
to be held on 9 – 10 January 2015
T
he Indian Education Exhibition
2015, to be held on 9 and 10
January, 2015 at the Ramada
Hotel in Al-Riggae will be the eight
edition of the highly-anticipated and
successful annual education exhibition.
The two-day Indian Education
Exhibition 2015, open from 11am to
8pm on both days, will be a onestop information event for learning
about the variety of professional and
vocational courses that NRI
and
Kuwait students can pursue in reputed
Indian institutions of higher learning.
Students, along with their parents
will get an opportunity to personally
interact with college administrators
and professors, to know about the
variety of educational programs
available in India. The exhibition
displays attractive options available
to NRI and other students from Kuwait
and beyond to obtain undergraduate
and post-graduate degrees in various
disciplines,
including
medicine,
engineering, business management,
marketing
and
communications,
arts and science, hospitality and
hotel management and Allied Health
Sciences.
This exhibition will have nearly
15 leading Indian Exhibitors with
more than 75 institutions under them
offering nearly 200 programs. Some
of the leading institutions participating
include, Anna University, Manipal
University, DY Patil University, Thapar
University, CMR University, Hindustan
University, Datta Meghe Medical
Science University, KJ Somaiya
Group of Institutions and Vishwakarma
Institutions, among others. All the
participating institutes are recognized
by the AICTE, UGC and respective
government bodies in India.
The
exhibition
offers
free
educational counseling / registration
and admissions from school to
research programs.
The exhibition is organized by
Indus Fairs & Events (India) Pvt. Ltd,
and Response Events and Exhibitions,
Kuwait, and is co-sponsored by
Manipal University. Indus group
established in the year 1995 is
engaged in organizing trade shows
and exhibitions in India and Abroad.
The exhibition has become an annual
affair and quite popular among the
NRIs in Gulf region.
The visitors will get an opportunity to
interact with the faculties and officials
of the leading educational institutions,
get updated information, fee structure,
eligibility criteria and programs
which are currently in high demand.
Some of the institutions are also
offering spot admissions. Information
about
personality
development,
communication skills and demanding
IT courses and programs will be
available at the venue, for which
students would otherwise have had to
travel long distance and spend time
and money.
India is fast becoming a major
economic power in the world today.
And if its growth trend continues
for some more years, it would soon
be playing a major role in the world
economy along with China. This
by itself has been a major cause of
India’s attraction for many international
students. Moreover, India’s successful
stint with democracy has also been
a major magnetic force for scholars
around the world.
However, apart from knowing India
well, there are other advantages that
are attracting students to study in
India, including:
Low Cost: The cost of education in
India is quite low as compared to many
other countries of the world.
Quality Education: While the quality
of education is not uniform throughout
the length and breadth of the country,
there are some educational institutes
in India that provide world class
education. The government of India
is also speeding up the efforts to
establish more institutes that can offer
quality education in India.
Financial
Assistance:
Various
scholarships, education loans and
other financial aids are now available
for studying in India today.
Royal Enfield enters Kuwait with the
Classic and Rumbler models
R
ICSK Amman Branch students
win big at the ICSK Mega Arts Fest
T
he Indian Community School Kuwait (ICSK)
held a Mega Arts Fest last week at the ICSK
Senior branch. Participants from Class K.G. to
XII contributed enthusiastically and exercised
their creativity in the many art competitions
for different categories. The biggest display of
artistic innovation was from the ICSK Amman
Branch. Their excellent performance bagged
them the overall championship trophies in several
categories.
Misbah Zeus Arakkal of Class I C won the
‘Kalaprathiba’ title in category I and Kevin Baiju
Parakal of Class IV B won the ‘Kalaprathiba’ title in
category II. Miss Afrah Rafi of Class VII G and Miss
Ashifa Sayed Furkhan Ali won the ‘Kalathilakam’
title in the Category III and IV respectively.
The students were jubilant that their hard work
and imagination earned them this honour, and
the great accomplishment was also attributed to
guidance of the Principal, teachers and parents.
ICSK Amman celebrated this wonderful moment
by raising their trophies proudly, and the victory
was sweeter as this was their second consecutive
achievement at the Mega Arts Fest.
Kuwait Airways takes delivery of first
aircraft in its fleet revitalizing plan
Continued from Page 1
Airways, as we begin to upgrade our fleet.
The A320 will enable us to provide our customers
with a premium product, delivering best-inclass services, whilst offering excellent value for
money.”
Equipped with ‘Sharklet’ wing tip devices,
Kuwait Airways’ new A320 will deliver up to 4
percent in fuel savings, as well as provide the
airline with additional advantages such as a
better rate-of-climb, higher optimum altitude,
reduced engine maintenance costs and
higher residual aircraft value. The aircraft is
also equipped with Airbus’ innovative Runway
Overrun Prevention System (ROPS) technology.
This on-board cockpit technology, which Airbus
has pioneered independently over several years,
increases pilots’ situational awareness during
landing, reduces exposure to runway excursion
risk, and if necessary, provides active protection.
“As one of the first Middle East airlines, today
signifies a new chapter in Kuwait Airways’
history. We are delighted Kuwait Airways has
chosen Airbus to renew its fleet and meet
its future ambitions. The A320 proven trackrecord is clearly demonstrating the value our
products to both operators and customers. We
are confident the aircraft will act as a fast-track
towards continued success for Kuwait Airways
said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer.
Incorporating all of the benefits from Airbus’
advances in innovation and technology, the A320
includes Airbus’ 18-inch wide seat standard for
unmatched passenger comfort, an extra-wide
aisle for faster boarding and highly efficient inflight service, as well as more space for carry-on
baggage. Airbus’ fly-by-wire technology will allow
for Kuwait Airways’ new A320 to be seamlessly
integrated into the airline’s existing fleet.
oyal Enfield, the world’s oldest
motorcycling company in continuous
production, entered Kuwait and introduced
the Classic and the Rumbler motorcycles.
Royal Enfield has appointed Kuwait
Automotive Imports Co WLL (Al Shaya &
Al Sagar) - KAICO, a leading automotive
and auto products distributor in Kuwait, as
the distributors for the brand in the region.
Going forward KAICO will be
responsible for supplying,
marketing,
reselling,
distribution and servicing
of Royal Enfield products in
Kuwait
An iconic motorcycle brand
with British origin is a part of
the India based Eicher Motors
Ltd. The motorcycles are
manufactured from two of its
facilities based in Chennai (Madras).
Speaking on the development Arun Gopal,
Head – International Business, Royal Enfield
said, “With a view to become leaders in the
global mid-sized motorcycling segment, Royal
Enfield is entering Kuwait as we see immense
opportunities. We are extremely excited
to work with KAICO and they have proven
expertise and experience that synergize well
with Royal Enfield’s brand experience. With
the introduction of the Classic 500 and the
Rumbler 500 motorcycles, Royal Enfield will
re-ignite the mid-sized (250cc-750cc) leisure
motorcycling space in the region.”
Ashish Tandon, General Manager KAICO
said, “We are extremely proud to be a partner
of Royal Enfield and with
leisure riding becoming a
popular trend, the Royal
Enfield Classic 500 and
the Rumbler 500 motorcycles will offer a
unique choice to motorcycling enthusiasts in
the region.”
Royal Enfield has differentiated offering
of evocative motorcycles in the mid-sized
motorcycle space. In Kuwait, Royal Enfield
is introducing the retro street - Classic 500
motorcycle and the definitive cruiser, the
Rumbler 500.
14
Issues
Arms
Treaty
to regulate trade
by merchants of
death
S
The landmark Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), regulating the international trade in conventional arms - from small arms
to battle tanks, combat aircraft and warships, came into force on 24 December, 2014. UN Chief Ban Ki-moon
hailed the treaty as “the opening of a new chapter in our collective efforts to bring responsibility, accountability
and transparency to the global arms trade”. He hoped the treaty would help prevent the transfer of weapons to
“warlords, human rights abusers, terrorists and criminal organizations”.
aying that the treaty, “Ultimately attests to our collective
determination to reduce human suffering by preventing
the transfer or diversion of weapons to areas afflicted by
armed conflict and violence,” Mr. Ban urged all countries to join
the agreement “without delay”.
So far 130 States have signed the treaty while 61 having
ratified it. The United States the largest arms trader signed the
ATT in September 2013, but the Senate has not yet ratified it. The
UN General Assembly vote to adopt the treaty was passed with
154 in favor, 3 against and 23 abstaining; the three not in favor of
the treaty were Iran, North Korea and Syria.
The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), the product of nearly two
decades of advocacy and diplomacy, is a multilateral, legallybinding agreement that establishes common standards for the
international trade of conventional weapons and seeks to reduce
the illicit arms trade.
The Arms Trade Treaty requires among other things that all
states-parties to adopt basic regulations and approval processes
for the flow of weapons across international borders, establishes
common international standards that must be met before arms
exports are authorized, and requires annual reporting of imports
and exports to a treaty secretariat. In particular, the treaty requires
that states “establish and maintain a national control system,
including a national control list” and “designate competent
national authorities in order to have an effective and transparent
national control system regulating the transfer of conventional
arms”
The treaty obligates all signatories to assess the potential
that the arms exported would “contribute to or undermine peace
and security” or could be used to commit or facilitate serious
violations of international humanitarian or human rights law,
acts of terrorism, or transnational organized crime; to consider
measures to mitigate the risk of these violations; and, if there still
remains an “overriding risk” of “negative consequences,” to “not
authorize the export”.
However, the ATT is not an arms
control treaty, per se, and does not place
restrictions on the types or quantities
of arms that may be bought, sold, or
possessed by states. It also does not
impact a state’s domestic gun control
laws or other firearm ownership policies.
According to Amnesty International,
“At least half a million people die every
year on average and millions more are
injured, raped, and forced to flee from their
homes as a result of the poorly regulated
global trade in weapons and munitions.
The arms trade is shrouded in secrecy,
but the recorded value of international
transfers is approaching USD$100
billion annually.” But some analysts say
the figure is much higher, given the
clandestine nature of its operations and
the involvement of legal and illegal ‘Death Merchants’. According
to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI),
the independent international think-tank that researches conflicts,
armaments, arms control and disarmament, the ATT could be
instrumental in containing corruption, which is systemic and
widespread in the global arms industry.Saying that corruption in
the arms trade contributes roughly 40 percent to all corruption
in global transactions, the think tank said in its annual yearbook
that implementing ATT could both outlaw corruption and provide
mechanisms for enforcement.
The industry’s “deep and abiding link to matters of national
security obscures many deals from oversight and accountability”,
states SIPRI in its yearbook. Moreover, “these close relationships
blur the lines between the state and the industry and fosters
an attitude that relegates legal concerns to the background”. If
corruption was eradicated, many states could be spending less
on each arms deal, thus freeing up funds for peaceful purposes,
SIPRI suggested.
“This corruption exacts a heavy toll on purchasing and selling
countries, undermining democratic institutions of accountability
and diverting valuable resources away from pressing social
needs.” But skeptics say the treaty is far from a comprehensive
solution to global violence. The ATT will not disarm the world.
There are too many weapons already across the globe, and too
many legitimate uses that governments – and others – can claim
for them. Moreover, no weapons will be collected and destroyed
by this treaty, nor will the use of any specific weapon be outlawed.
There will be no tariffs or limits placed on arms transfers. The
treaty’s language and obligations have been watered down to
attract broad support, especially around reporting requirements,
and ammunitions are excluded.
The three largest arms dealers in the world—Russia, China
and the U.S.—are not parties to the treaty.
While the Arms Trade Treaty sets key ground rules for the
global arms trade, it is not a panacea. It will require even more
widespread support and pressure to ensure states strictly adhere
to its principles, says Amnesty International.
Big Spenders
In 2013, the total world military expenditure was US$1,737
billion and represented 2.4 percent of global GDP.
Although spending slowed last year it grew at more than
twice the rate of the global average, with the US remaining the
world’s biggest military spender.
Europe was also a big spender, though overall military
spending here fell 2.8 percent last year when compared with
previous year.
Politically, it is becoming increasingly hard for European
governments to spend vast sums on military action abroad at
a time when ballooning budget deficits are forcing all sorts of
spending cuts at home.
Nearly 80 percent of all military expenditure globally was
made by just 15 countries. Two states — United States and
China — made nearly half of all military expenditure.
The United States alone spent more on military expenditure
than the combined total of remaining top nine states, and this
was also more than double of what the rest of the world spent
together.
Viewpoint
EXCLUSIVE to
Inequality and the
American Child
15
THE TIMES KUWAIT
Joseph E. Stiglitz
Nobel laureate in economics, is University Professor at
Columbia University. His most recent book, co-authored
with Bruce Greenwald, is Creating a Learning Society:
A New Approach to Growth, Development, and Social
Progress.
C
hildren, it has long been recognized, are a special group. They do not
choose their parents, let alone the broader conditions into which they
are born. They do not have the same abilities as adults to protect or care
for themselves. That is why the League of Nations approved the Geneva
Declaration on the Rights of the Child in 1924, and why the international
community adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989.
Sadly, the United States is not living up to its obligations. In fact, it has
not even ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The US, with its
cherished image as a land of opportunity, should be an inspiring example of
just and enlightened treatment of children. Instead, it is a beacon of failure
– one that contributes to global sluggishness on children’s rights in the
international arena.
Though an average American childhood may not be the worst in the world,
the disparity between the country’s wealth and the condition of its children
is unparalleled. About 14.5 percent of the American population as a whole
is poor, but 19.9 percent of children – some 15 million individuals – live in
poverty. Among developed countries, only Romania has a higher rate of child
poverty. The US rate is two-thirds higher than that in the United Kingdom, and
up to four times the rate in the Nordic countries. For some groups, the situation
is much worse: more than 38 percent of black children, and 30 percent of
Hispanic children, are poor.
None of this is because Americans do not care about their children. It is
because America has embraced a policy agenda in recent decades that has
caused its economy to become wildly unequal, leaving the most vulnerable
segments of society further and further behind. The growing concentration of
wealth – and a significant reduction in taxes on it – has meant less money to
spend on investments for the public good, like education and the protection
of children.
As a result, America’s children have become worse off. Their fate is a
painful example of how inequality not only undermines economic growth and
stability – as economists and organizations like the International Monetary
Fund are finally acknowledging – but also violates our most cherished notions
of what a fair society should look like.
Inevitably, in countries where children have inadequate nutrition, insufficient
access to health care and education, and higher exposure to environmental
hazards, the children of the poor will have far different life prospects from
those of the rich. At America’s most elite universities, for example, only around
9 percent of students come from the bottom half of the population, while 74
percent come from the top quarter.
Most societies recognize a moral obligation to help ensure that young
people can live up to their potential. Some countries even impose a
constitutional mandate for equality of educational opportunities.
But in America, more is spent on the education of rich students than on the
education of the poor. As a result, the US is wasting some of its most valuable
assets, with some young people – bereft of skills – turning to dysfunctional
activities. American states like California spend about as much on prisons as
on higher education – and sometimes more.
Without compensatory measures – including pre-school education, ideally
beginning at a very young age – unequal opportunities translate into unequal
lifelong outcomes by the time children reach the age of five. That should be a
spur to policy action.
The extremes of inequality observed in some countries are not the
inexorable result of economic forces and laws. The right policies – stronger
social safety nets, progressive taxation, and better regulation (especially of
the financial sector), to name a few – can reverse these devastating trends.
Of the harm that inequality inflicts on our economies, politics, and
societies, the damage done to children demands special concern. Whatever
responsibility poor adults may bear for their lot in life – they may not have
worked hard enough, saved enough, or made good decisions – children’s
circumstances are thrust upon them without any sort of choice. Children,
perhaps more than anyone, need the protection that rights afford – and the
US should be providing the world with a shining example of what that means.
Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2014.
Immigration
and the New Class Divide
Ian Buruma
Professor of Democracy, Human Rights,
and Journalism at Bard College, and the
author of Year Zero: A History of 1945.
T
he British shadow minister for Europe, Pat
McFadden, recently warned members of his Labour
Party that they should try to make the most of the
global economy and not treat immigration like a disease.
As he put it, “You can feed on people’s grievances or you
can give people a chance. And I think our policies should
be around giving people a chance.”
In a world increasingly dominated by grievances
– against immigrants, bankers, Muslims, liberal elites,
Eurocrats, cosmopolitans, or anything else that seems
vaguely alien – such wise words are rare. Leaders
worldwide should take note.
In the United States, Republicans – backed by their Tea
Party activists – are threatening to close the government
down just because President Barack Obama has offered
undocumented immigrants who have lived and worked in
the US for many years a chance to gain citizenship. The
United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) wants to
introduce a five-year ban on immigration for permanent
settlement. Russia’s deputy Prime Minister, Dmitry
Rogozin, once released a video promising to “clean the
rubbish” – meaning migrant workers, mostly from former
Soviet republics – “away from Moscow.”
Even the once famously tolerant Dutch and Danes are
increasingly voting for parties that fulminate against the
scourge of immigration. Always keen to assert the freedom
to insult Muslims, the Dutch Freedom Party wants to ban
all mosques. And the tiny and much-harassed opposition
parties in Singapore – a country where almost everyone
is descended from immigrants – are gaining traction by
appealing to popular gripes about immigrants (mostly
from India and China) who are supposedly taking jobs
from “natives.”
What can American Tea Party enthusiasts, Russian
chauvinists, fearful Dutch and Danes, and Singaporean
leftists possibly have in common that is driving this antiimmigrant sentiment?
Retaining one’s job in a tightening economy is
undoubtedly a serious concern. But the livelihoods of most
of the middle-aged rural white Americans who support
the Tea Party are hardly threatened by poor Mexican
migrants. UKIP is popular in some parts of England
where immigrants are rarely seen. And many of the Dutch
Freedom Party’s voters live nowhere near a mosque.
Anti-immigrant sentiment cuts across the old left-right
divide. One thing Tea Party or UKIP supporters share with
working-class voters who genuinely fear losing their jobs
to low-paid foreigners is anxiety about being left behind in
a world of easy mobility, supranational organizations, and
global networking.
On the right, support for conservative parties is split
between business interests that benefit from immigration
or supranational institutions, and groups that feel
threatened by them. That is why the British Tories are
so afraid of UKIP. Nigel Farage, UKIP’s leader, is less
concerned with economic growth than with pursuing his
extreme conception of national independence.
On the left, opinion is split between those who oppose
racism and intolerance above all and those who want to
protect employment and preserve “solidarity” for what is
left of the native-born working class.
It would be a mistake to dismiss anxiety about
immigration as mere bigotry or apprehension about the
globalized economy as simply reactionary. National,
religious, and cultural identities (for lack of a better word)
are being transformed, though less by immigration than by
the development of globalized capitalism.
In the new global economy, there are clear winners and
losers. Educated men and women who can communicate
effectively in varied international contexts are benefiting.
People who lack the needed education or experience –
and there are many of them – are struggling.
In other words, the new class divisions run less between
the rich and the poor than between educated metropolitan
elites and less sophisticated, less flexible, and, in every
sense, less connected provincials. It is irrelevant that
the provincials’ political leaders (and their backers) are
sometimes wealthier than the resented metropolitan elites.
They still feel looked down upon. And so they share the
bitterness of those who feel alienated in a world they find
bewildering and hateful.
Populist rabble-rousers like to stir up such resentments
by ranting about foreigners who work for a pittance or
not at all. But it is the relative success of ethnic minorities
and immigrants that is more upsetting to indigenous
populations.
This explains the popular hostility toward Obama.
Americans know that, before too long, whites will
be just another minority, and people of color will
increasingly be in positions of power. At this point,
all Tea Partiers and others like them can do is declare,
“We want our country back!”
Of course, this is an impossible demand. Short of
unleashing massive and bloody ethnic cleansing – Bosnia,
on a continental scale – Americans and others have no
choice but to get used to living in increasingly diverse
societies. Likewise, economic globalization cannot be
undone. But regulation can and should be improved. After
all, some things are still worth protecting. There are good
reasons not to leave culture, education, lifestyles, or jobs
completely exposed to the creative destruction of market
forces.
McFadden has pinpointed the central solution to
globalization’s challenges: giving people “the tools to reap
the benefits” of the globalized world, thereby making the
“connected world work better for people.” The problem
is that this call is more likely to appeal to the highly
educated, already privileged classes than to those who
feel disenfranchised in today’s global economy.
This is a serious problem for political parties on the
left, which increasingly seem to be speaking for the
metropolitan elites, while provincial populists are pushing
traditional conservatives further to the right by fishing in
the dark waters of popular resentment.
Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2014.
16
Beauty
Chic headband
Styles
Tricks for
lasting
lip
Colour
You want to look fabulous for the New Year party, but
the difficulty is finding the means to look your best while
sipping soda, and sitting down for a delicious meal. Longlasting lip color is your answer. Here are some expert tips
on how to keep your lipstick intact through dinner and
even dessert.
F
or the New Year, how about decking your hair with
pretty ornaments. Give your hair a style treatment
with some fun and funky headbands. While your default
headband hairstyle is usually a top knot or a sleek, loose
style, you should think outside the hair box. Here are
three fun ways to rock headband hair.
Twisted updo: Put on the headband and allow the front
sections of the hair to hang free. Twist one side of the
hair so it wraps around the headband and secure it
at the back of the head with bobby pins. Repeat with
the other side. Gather the back section of hair and pull
it into a low, loose pony. Starting from the ends, roll
the pony up into a barrel-shaped bun and secure with
bobby pins. Finally, spray the style with a strong-hold
hairspray.
Braid ’n’ Bun: Do a deep part on the side of your head
and begin French or Dutch braiding the front section
of the hair. Don’t make the braid too tight — it should
look thick and a bit messy. Keep braiding until you hit
the side nape of the neck. Secure the braid with an
elastic band. Pull all of your hair into a low chignon
and pin it down with bobby pins. Pull at the bun a bit
to loosen it up and give it a slightly undone look. Top
off the look by resting a fun headband of your choice
right behind the braided section. Spray the style with
hairspray and you’re good to go.
Messy Pony: Start off by curling the hair into loose,
natural waves using a 1 1/2-inch curling iron. Texture
and volume are key components to this ’do, so before
you start styling, sprinkle some texturizing powder
onto the front of the hair and the crown. Tease the front
of the head with a teaser comb and gently brush it
back so it is full yet smooth. Pull the hair into a high
ponytail. If you need a little added fullness, try the
super-bouncy double pony trick. Grab a headband
and pull it on so it sits at the front of your head. Lightly
tease the pony to give it extra volume and spray it with
flexible-hold hairspray. Be sure not to spray too much
product as it will weigh down the pony.
Choose your colour wisely: Keep it simple
and keep it classy—avoid using intense
lip colours that may move around while
you are conversing or eating during
the New Year party. Instead, opt for a
neutral pout that flatters your skin tone,
pretty eye makeup and thin black liner to
make your eyes twinkle.
Prep with balm: The best way to keep
colour on your lips is to moisturize with
a heavy lip balm and let it sit for 10
minutes. When you are done with the
rest of the face, take a tissue and swipe
the lip, removing the lip balm and any
dead skin along with it. Now the lip is
prepped and ready to be painted.
in handy when your lips are dry, but
remember to fill in the mouth with a
complimentary lip liner first to keep it
stable. Also, don’t forget to embrace
products consisting of ingredients like
vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, shea butter
and avocado seed oil to keep your
luscious pout longer.
Colour outside the lines: To get your
lipstick or lip gloss to stay within bounds,
prep your lips with a clear brow wax. To
execute this non-traditional beauty tip,
line the perimeter of your lips, slightly
outside your natural lip line. Not only will
it fill fine lines, but it makes a smooth,
‘grippy’ surface for colour to adhere to.
Sip with sophistication: The last thing
you want is a glossy red lip imprint on
your glass after you take the first sip of
your drink. Always have a straw handy
when you have to drink at a party.
Powder lightly: Translucent powder is
a double edge sword. On one hand,
they absorb the oil out of lip products,
leaving just the colour—but they
can make the colour feel and look
chalky. As an alternative, use a little
foundation to act as a ‘middle man’
between your lips and lip colour.
Layering is the key: Always apply a lip
stain in a coordinating colour underneath
your colour of the evening. As you feast
on your meal, your lipstick or gloss color
fades, but you will still have your lips
stained with the similar hue you started
with.
Even the score: Lip color won’t crease
or look uneven if your lips are in tip top
shape. Exfoliating your lips and keeping
them hydrated allows for a smooth, even
canvas for lip color to lock onto.
Find the right formula: When in doubt,
go for matte pencils and lipsticks
which are less creamy and stay
put longer. Cream lipsticks come
Don’t discount gloss: For the perfect
lipstick application, apply a layer of
gloss, wait a few minutes until it ‘sets’
on your lips, and then re-apply. Try
applying right inside the lip line instead
for if the gloss moves or bleeds, it will
be less obvious.
Tips
for
Applying
J
Liquid Liner
ust because you struggle with liquid liner,
doesn’t mean you have to completely
steer clear of the product. Liquid liner can
create bold, beautiful eye makeup that
you can show off to all your stylish friends.
However, applying liquid eyeliner is no easy
task, even for seasoned makeup lovers. So,
here are the best tips for using liquid liners.
Start with pencil liners: Always start with a
pencil liner in order to achieve the desired
shape of the eye makeup look you want.
The waxy formula is more forgiving than
its densely pigmented liquid counterpart
and therefore easier to correct quickly.
Using pencil liners also allows you to line
right in between the lashes so you don’t
leave any gaps between lash lines.
Choose pencil liners that are on the drier
side so the eye outline doesn’t get too
messy and does still allow you to smudge
the eye liner for a great look.
Use skinny Q-Tips: All women make
mistakes, but knowing how to correct
them is the key to the perfect eye makeup.
Your best bet is to dip skinny Q-Tips into
a makeup removal solution when in need
of a quick painless removal. This method
a small brush so you won’t need any
additional tools. Also, select formulas that
are so sheer that it won’t look obvious you
are using concealer.
is like a magic eraser to help you quickly
tweak the line without disrupting the rest
of your makeup.
Stare straight: If you are attempting to create
a dramatic cat eye line, always stare
straight into the mirror. Then, use the angle
of your bottom lashline as a guide as to
where the feline flick of your line will go.
Trace line with concealer: To really make
the line pop, trace that outside line with a
little bit of sheer concealer. The color you
use should be slightly lighter than your
actual skin tone. It will just help make the
line look cleaner and more professional.
Go for specific concealers that contain
Resting the pen: The easiest trick to use
when it comes to liquid liner is resting the
pen against your top lashes. Then, you
want to pull up slightly on your lid with
the other hand to expose the bit of skin
closest to the lash line and, working from
the outside in, literally let the pen do the
work for you.
Most makeup professionals advise women
to work from the outside in because the
pen tends to deposit the most color where
it is placed first. Then, the line is slightly
thicker at the outside and tapers off closer
in towards the eye’s inner corners.
Relax: The tools you use help immensely,
but half of the battle when it comes to
using liquid liner is conquering your
nervousness. Try to think of something
else that makes you calm. You don’t want
to put all of your energy into attempting to
create the perfect line, making it a bigger
deal than it is and build the pressure. Keep
calm, relax and draw a great eye line.
TRAVEL
17
World
Tourism 2014
Despite ongoing global economic upheavals and
geopolitical challenges, international tourism
continued its onward momentum in 2014. While
the year-end holiday season travel figures are still to
be tallied into the international visitor numbers for
2014, it is safe to assume that in line with travel data
from previous years, this year too global tourism will
continue to maintain its upward trajectory.
A
ccording to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO),
the UN agency responsible for promoting responsible,
sustainable and universally accessible tourism around
the world international tourist arrivals in 2014 are expected to
be around 1.13 billion, a four-percent increase on the 1.09 billion
figure in 2013.
In its 2013 annual report on the state of the global tourism
industry, UNWTO noted that Europe, with 563 million visitor
arrivals, maintained its title as the most visited region in the
world. In relative terms, the strongest growth was shown by Asia
and Pacific region where tourist numbers grew by 14 million to
reach 248 million visitors in 2013. Meanwhile, Africa registered
increased potential with three million additional arrivals that took
its annual tally to a record 56 million visitors.
The top ten most visited countries in the world accounted
for 47 percent of the total international arrivals. France ranked
at the top of the list with 84.7 million arrivals; the United States
came in second with 69.8 million visitors, followed by Spain with
60.7 million, China with 55.7 million and Italy with 47.7 million
visitors. Making up the rest of the top ten were Turkey (37.8m),
Germany (31.5m), United Kingdom (31.2m), Russia (28.4m) and
Thailand (26.5m). Global tourism industry topped US$1.07 trillion
in receipts, accounting for 5 percent of direct global GDP and
250 million jobs.
No. 1 London
once a fishing and textiles town, it is now a major financial center,
the showpiece of Asian economic development and is expected
to get 6.09 million international visitors this year.
No. 15 Taipei
The capital of the Republic of China, Taipei ranks No. 15 in both
the number of visitors and spending.
No. 14 Rome
It has not lost any of its charm, but Rome ranks behind Seoul,
Kuala Lumpur and Dubai.
No. 13 Milan
With slightly more visitors than Rome, Milan ranks No. 13 on the
list. No. 12 Amsterdam
With its scenic canals, meandering cobble stone streets and
inventive architecture, Amsterdam can satisfy the most ravenous
explorer or jaded traveler. It is also an important hub city for travel
to other European destinations.
No. 19 Tokyo
With a rank of No. 17 in the top 20 worldwide, Vienna is also
one of Europe’s top 10 destination cities. It expects 6.05 million
visitors this year — a 6.8 percent increase over last year.
No. 16 Shanghai
Count Shanghai among the new and dynamic destination cities;
No. 2 Bangkok
No. 6 New York
In terms of overnight visitor spending, New York switched places
with London in 2014. Visitors are expected to spend $18.57 billion
in New York, versus $19.27 in London — perhaps a function of
the strength of the British pound right now.
No. 5 Dubai
No. 3 Paris
Never mind that Paris has a slow growth rate in the number of
visitors — just 1.8 percent, it is still a favorite city of many travelers.
No. 11 Barcelona
For the second consecutive year, Barcelona outranks Madrid in
popularity with visitors. Barcelona’s old world charm and Gaudi
architecture will lure 7.37 million international travelers in 2014. No. 10 Seoul
Visitor spending pumps money into Seoul’s economy; visitors are
expected to spend $11.5 billion there in 2014 – an increase of 6.3
percent over the previous year.
No. 3 Paris
No. 5 Dubai
As a travel destination, Istanbul is a rising star, with sights like
the Hagia Sophia mosque ranking as a prime destination. Last
year’s survey project that if all top 10 destination cities maintain
their current rates of growth in the next few years, then by 2016,
Istanbul will surpass Singapore, New York and Paris in terms of
international visitor arrivals. With a population of less than 5 million, Singapore expects 12.47
million visitors this year — a 3.1 percent increase over last year.
Although it is a melting pot of cultures, including Indian, Chinese
and Malay, English is the dominant language, and Westerners
do not tend to experience the culture shock there that occurs
elsewhere in the region.
The shrinking value of the yen is good news for international
travelers to Japan. Tokyo, which is a major transportation hub,
expects 5.38 million visitors in 2014.
No. 17 Vienna
No. 7 Istanbul
No. 4 Singapore
The top visited destinations in 2014 according to the annual
Master Card Survey were, from bottom to top:
The Saudi Arabian capital expects 5.59 million visitors this year.
A construction boom has altered the cityscape of the downtown
area of Kuala Lumpur, capital city of Malaysia. It expects 10.81
million visitors in 2014, making it No. 3 of the top 10 Asia/Pacific
destination cities, after Bangkok and Singapore. Sometimes called the shopping capital of the Middle-East, Dubai
shows strong growth, increasing their arrival numbers by 10.9
percent in 2013 and 7.5 percent in 2014.
Top destinations 2014
No. 18 Riyadh
No. 8 Kuala Lumpur
No. 2 Bangkok
Political unrest seems to be hurting Thai tourism. Bangkok only
slipped one rank since last year, but experienced an 11 percent
decline in visitors.
No. 1 London
Whether it draws visitors for business or pleasure, London
regained the top rank this year in the MasterCard Global
Destination Cities Index, with an 8 percent growth in visitors.
No. 4 Singapore
No. 6 New York
No. 7 Istanbul
18
Food
Foods
D N NG
to bring in
New Year luck
Whether it is grapes in Spain, pomegranate in Turkey, Sauerkraut in
Germany, lentils in Italy or fish in many parts of Asia, every country it
seems has its own favorite food designed to bring in luck for the new
year ahead. Here we take a look at some of those propitious foods,
while wondering what would happen to our blessings if we picked
more than one food to ring in the New Year.
N KUWAIT
Don Mario’s Ristorante
Cuisine: Italian
Tucked away in the newly-built
Dhiafa Village restaurant complex,
Don Mario’s Ristorante, is Kuwait’s
only mobster-themed Italian dining
experience. While this may suggest
an overly-commercialized gangster
setting to some, Don Mario’s embraces this theme with elegance and
style. Its menu includes authentic Italian ‘Grisini Bon’ breadsticks,
freshly baked Panini, a superb black olive paste and fresh brushetta
toppings. Don Mario’s ‘Tortellini Con Crema Ai Funghi e Pollo’ is what
makes this place famous. For desserts, this restaurant shakes things up
a bit with French-inspired profiteroles filled with cream and chocolate
sauce, milkshakes and ‘Don Mario on the Beach’ with Oreo cookies,
soya milk, ice cream and crushed ice.
Location: Dhaifa Village Kuwait City
Contact: 22475987
Rowdy Taco
Cuisine: Mexican
Salad
Ingredients
with
2 tbsp sour cream
Pomegranate
1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Dressing
3 tbsp pomegranate juice
1/2 tbsp molasses
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups arugula or other lettuce, washed and patted dry
1 sweet apple, thinly sliced
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
Parmesan shavings
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
Preparation:
In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, apple
cider vinegar, pomegranate juice, molasses and olive
oil; season with salt and pepper. Put arugula, apples
and almonds in a serving bowl. Add the dressing and
toss to coat. Divide among 4 serving bowls and sprinkle
with Parmesan shavings and pomegranate seeds.
Ingredients
A drizzle olive or vegetable oil
Soup with
125g lean, smoked meat,
Sauerkraut
chopped; 330g beef steak,
diced into 2cm; tbsp butter
4 cloves garlic, chopped; 2 onions,
chopped; 2 starchy potatoes, peeled
and chopped; 1 large carrot, chopped; 1 large fresh
bay leaf; 4 cups chicken stock
800g sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
One 420g can white or red kidney beans
Salt and pepper
Handful fresh parsley leaves, chopped, for garnish
Rye or sourdough bread, to pass
Preparation:
Heat the oil in soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the meat
and brown.
Remove the meat, and reserve. Add the beef and
brown, then remove and reserve. Melt in the butter, and
add the garlic, onions, potatoes, carrots and bay leaf.
Partially cover and cook to soften, 10 minutes.
Add the stock, 2 cups water, the reserved meat and
beef, the sauerkraut and beans, and simmer until
potatoes are cooked and soup flavor combines, 15
minutes more.
Season with salt and pepper; cool completely and
store for a make-ahead meal.
To serve, reheat over medium heat. Add the parsley
just before serving and pass bread at the table.
Haddock
Ingredients:
and chive
12 new baby potatoes 2
200g smoked haddock fillet
hash
1 large onion
Small bunch of chives
2 eggs
A knob of butter and slug of oil
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 180 C.
Sprinkle the haddock with salt, pepper and a little oil
and wrap in foil to create a sealed parcel. Bake for 15
minutes, until opaque and just cooked through.
While the haddock is cooking, cover the baby potatoes
with cold water in a small saucepan, add a little salt
and bring to the boil. Simmer for 8 - 10 minutes until
just cooked. Drain and plunge into cold water to stop
them cooking.
Peel and finely slice the onion and heat a large, heavybased frying pan over a moderate heat. Add the butter
and oil and when sizzling, tip in the onions. Cook until
just beginning to color, stirring every so often.
Cut potatoes into halves and add to the hot pan with
the onions. Turn the heat up a little and cook until the
potatoes and onions take on quite a lot of color and are
golden and crispy at the edges.
Break the haddock up into large flakes with your
fingers, discarding any skin or bones, and add to the
pan along with the finely chopped chives. Reduce the
heat, stir well and season with pepper.
Push some of the mixture to the sides of the pan to
make two little wells in which to fry the eggs. Crack an
egg into each and cook over the heat until set.
Serve immediately.
At Rowdy Taco, breakfast, lunch
and dinner are always made of the
freshest organic ingredients and 100
percent halal, certified Angus Beef,
using many of the cooking techniques
found in Mexican kitchens. Slow
roasted brisket, spicy Tex Mex beef, grilled or crispy chicken and fish,
crispy shrimp and seasoned lamb rolled into a choice of three types of
tortillas are exclusive taste concepts on the Rowdy Taco menu. Pico de
gallo, salsa, and chili con queso are among the sides that are popular
here. Also, be it savory apple, sweet cherry, pungent peach, or the
deliciousness of Nutella® on a taco, all of it makes a good treat.
Location: Alila & Ghalia Towers, Mahboula
Contact: 96070102
Fauchon Paris
Cuisine: French
Known world over for its tea and
gastronomy, its founder Auguste
Fauchon’s place for selling the best
fruits and vegetables from around
the country, in Paris, became the
‘place to be’ with its exclusive stores,
gourmet food and restaurant. Fauchon Paris opened in Kuwait as a
boutique-restaurant, as a gourmet boutique and recently, with a cafe.
Its line of creative gourmet dishes includes the classic French gourmet
delicacies such as Fois Gras and Caviar. The Rainbow display of
pastries is considered the outlets main attraction. The French Afternoon
Tea, inspired by the famous Five O’clock Tea tradition, serves the finest
teas and coffees offered from the world’s leading estates, blended to
the perfect balance with added exquisite scents to produce its fruits
and flower flavored teas.
Location: 360 Mall
Contact: 25309620
Braised
lentils with
onions
Ingredients: 3 tbsp olive oil; 450g brown or green lentils,
rinsed; 3 cloves garlic, peeled; 3 bay leaves, fresh or dried;
4 cups water; Salt and freshly cracked black pepper; 12
pearl onions, stemmed and peeled; 1/4 cup fat
Preparation: Coat a large high-sided sauté pan over
medium-high heat, with the olive oil. Add the lentils, garlic
cloves and bay leaves with 4 cups water or just enough
to cover. Bring the water to a simmer and lower the heat.
Simmer the lentils, uncovered, until they are tender, about
25 to 30 minutes. If you need to add more water for the
lentils to finish cooking, add a little at a time. Once they
are cooked but still somewhat ‘al dente’, set them aside to
cool. Remove and discard the garlic cloves and the bay
leaves; season with just a touch of salt and pepper.
Add the fat to a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add
the onions, season with salt, to taste, and allow them to
caramelize. When you are ready to serve add the lentils
to the sautéed onions. Stir to coat the lentils with the fat.
Taste and season with salt, if needed.
Soul & Spice
Cuisine: Indian
The cuisine at Soul & Spice is all about
Indian flavours which are modern
yet true to its roots. Its delectable
approach with unique blend of
authentic Indian spices crafted
with the finest seasonal ingredients
results in exquisite creations. The dishes, served in an ambience that
sheds light on India’s contemporary culture, includes dishes cooked in
traditional Indian spices that have been selected from all corners of the
magical country as well as signature dishes like Aloo Tikki, Jal Tarang,
Jafranni Murgh Tikka and a wide selection of authentic tandoors.
Location: Courtyard by Marriott Hotel
Contact: 22997070
Want to feature your restaurant in our ‘Dining in Kuwait’
section and reach out to our wide reader base?
Email us at [email protected] with a brief
about your restaurant along with an image.
Education
19
Things you need to know when
learning
a new
language
Learning a foreign language is always an asset; it increases your job potential, it broadens your world view, it gives
you closer access to people and to aspects of their culture and society that would normally be out-of-bounds
for someone not clued into the local lingua franca. But before you rush off to grab the latest Berlitz volumes off
library shelves, here are a few pointers on what to avoid and what to ignore, including offensives and old age,
when it comes to learning a new language.
M
ake realistic, specific goals: Begin by
asking yourself: what do you want to
achieve and by when? Language learning
is best when broken down into manageable goals
that are achievable over a few months. This is far
more motivating and realistic.
You might be feeling wildly optimistic
when you start but aiming to be fluent is not
necessarily the best idea. Why not set yourself a
target of being able to read a newspaper article
in the target language without having to look up
every other word in the dictionary?
Remind yourself why you are learning: It
might sound obvious, but recognizing exactly
why you want to learn a language is really
important. To keep the momentum and motivation
going, write down ten reasons you are learning
a language and stick it to the front of the file you
are using, so as to turn to in times of self-doubt.
Focus on exactly what you want to learn:
Often the discussion around how to learn a
language slides into a debate about so-called
traditional v/s tech approaches. The question is
not so much about online v/s offline or app v/s
book. When signing up to a particular method
or approach, think about the substance behind
the style or technology since, the learning takes
place inside you rather than outside.
Read for pleasure: Reading is not only great
for making progress but also one of the most
rewarding aspects of the learning experience.
Reading for pleasure exposes learners to all
sorts of vocabulary that they would not find in
day-to-day life, and normalizes otherwise baffling
and complicated grammatical structures. The
first book ever finished in a foreign language is a
monumental achievement remembered for long.
Learn vocabulary in context: Memorizing
lists of vocabulary can be challenging, not
to mention potentially dull. Association is
key to retaining new words: a great way to
build vocabulary is to make sure the lists to
be learned come from situations or texts that
one has experienced so that the content is
always relevant and connects to background
experience.
Ignore the myths: age is just a number:
For a monolingual adult a key language myth is
that it is harder as an adult. Adults and children
may learn in different ways but that should not
deter you from committing to learning another
language. Languages are simultaneously
organic and systematic. As children we learn
languages organically and instinctively; as adults
we can learn them systematically.
Do some revision of your native language:
Speaking your first language may be second
nature, but that does not necessarily mean
you understand it well. Understanding native
language and just general know-how of how
languages work is essential before launching
at a bunch of foreign phrases. Do not
underestimate the importance of translation:
Different approaches may be necessary at
different stages of the learning process. Upon
reaching a certain level of proficiency fairly
accurately, it is typical to feel a slowing down in
progress. Translation is an important exercise
for language learners to help them get over a
certain plateau, since translation exercises do
not allow learners to paraphrase and do not
force the learner on to the next level.
Beware of fluency: Not only is it difficult to
define what fluency is, but as a goal, it is so much
bigger than it deserves to be. Language learning
never stops because it is culture learning,
personal growth and endless improvement.
Go to where the language is spoken: It
may not be an option for everyone but if you are
serious about learning the language and getting
direct pleasure from what you have learned, you
need to go to where that language is spoken.
Travel and living abroad can complement
learning in the classroom: the books and
verb charts may be the easiest way to ensure
exposure when at home, but the people and the
culture will far outclass them once getting to the
country where that language is spoken.
Could a portfolio career be for you?
On leaving university, some graduates will
have already paved their way to a steady
full-time job. But for others, working nineto-five in the same place every day just does
not cut it. Instead, they opt for a portfolio
career: splitting their time and skills between
two or more part-time positions.
M
ulti-strand careers are a growing and significant part of
the jobs market that many graduates are choosing over
conventional careers. A careers website Prospects’ research
shows that in 2013, only 20 percent of those with portfolio careers
were doing so because they needed to take more than one job to
make a living.
Graduates in the creative arts – such as artists, actors and
photographers – are most commonly those found with at least
two jobs. Portfolio careers are also common among those who
want to set up their own social enterprise or build an academic
career, as it enables them to build up their skills base or portfolio
of research. Architecture graduates, for the want of freedom that
self-employment brings, pave way to set up their own architecture
collective and also, often, work as freelance graphic and exhibition
designers, or spatial designers at boutique property agencies.
Overlooking the major downside of lack of job security, the
trade off is to get the opportunity to work on a wide range of
creative projects, and with freelance work, to choose one’s hours.
For example, if an arts administration intern could land up working
front of house at theatres as warm up, build up experience and
contacts in the theatre industry before starting up a theatre
company. It is a good chance to have conversations, keep up
to speed with what is going on in the region and source out new
opportunities. Nothing beats a face-to-face conversation, so
working front of house or in the theatre is conducive for networking
- especially when getting paid for it.
But for some, working many jobs is not an option, it is a
necessity. Those wanting to go into an arts-based career will
often have to take up other jobs to make ends meet. People
often combine developing their artistic portfolio – where pay can
be poor – with more steady work that might have nothing to do
with their creative field, or closely linked to it. In a way, having a
portfolio career gives the financial security to make creative work
without having to worry too much about profit.
Yet, juggling several job roles is not always easy – the need
to be resilient, confident and optimistic is there, since having
great people skills helps getting one’s name out there but the
uncertainty always looms in portfolio careers. Organizing one’s
finances is a part of this juggling, if you are going to set up a
company – whether an entrepreneurial venture or a theatre
group. The uniting factor among the majority of graduates in
portfolio careers is that they all go to any lengths to pursue a
desired career choice. This might be through gaining lots of
experience in their field, or doing a completely unrelated job on
the side. Either way, if you can do what you love while earning
enough money to get by, that cannot be a bad thing.

KANCOR – new authority to monitor official

Transcription

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