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First with the news and what’s behind itMONDAY JANUARY 9, 2012 SAFAR 15, 1433 VOL. 6 NO. 1953 QR 2n Newsline n Nationline n Businessline n Lifeline n Sportsline
www.qatar-tribune.com
AILYN AGONIA DOHA
STAGING the grand finale tothe World Travel Awards(WTA) this year in Qatarpresents an opportunity fortravel industry’s biggest deci-sion-makers as well as inter-national media to create busi-ness and partnership oppor-tunities, said WTA founder-President Graham Cooke.
WTA Grand Final to behosted in Katara onWednesday will feature 146categories with more than1,000 nominees.
“We chose Qatar becauseit’s such an exciting and hap-pening place in the world tobe right now, which can onlylook forward to an even betterscenario in the days to comegiven the developments thatare taking place. We can bringthe spotlight it deserves,”Cooke told Qatar Tribune inan interview.
He said the selection ofhosts was fundamental to thesuccess of their awards pro-gramme. Some of the majorinternational industry desti-nations where WTA finalswere held included New York,Las Vegas, The Bahamas,London, Jamaica, KualaLumpur, St Lucia and Turks& Caicos.
“We look for destinationsthat are driving the industryto new heights through inno-vation and experimentation.Qatar is rapidly establishingitself as a world-class tourismdestination for leisure, busi-ness, culture and sport. Thecountry is investing $25 bil-lion in tourism infrastructurein the build-up to the 2022FIFA World Cup, so there area lot of opportunities withinthe luxury hospitality market,and a lot of fresh ideas beingput into practice through themany new projects,” Cookeadded.
The 2011 Grand Tour fea-tured regional events inDubai (UAE), Anatolia(Turkey), Sharm el Sheikh(Egypt), Bangkok (Thailand),and Montero Bay (Jamaica).The winners from these havebeen nominated for theGrand Final in Doha.
The highlights of Qatar-based brands included Dohawinning “Middle East’sLeading Business TravelDestination” and W HotelDoha picking up “MiddleEast’s Leading Hotel &
Residences”.The WTA top boss under-
lined the strong representa-tion of Middle East brandsthis year which reflected thesignificant improvement inthe tourism offerings of thispart of the world.
He said, “The likes of theUAE and Qatar are in themidst of a development mira-cle, and future generationswill look back on this periodas the golden era of evolu-tion.”
WTA was launched in 1993to acknowledge and rewardthe very best travel organisa-tions in the world. Since itsinception, it has been raisingthe bar of traveller’s stan-dards and stimulates compe-tition in the world tourismindustry. The eligibility
CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 8
Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al Thani with Arab LeagueSecretary-General Nabil al Arabi (left) at the meeting of Arab foreign ministers, in Cairo, on Sunday.
Qatar emergingas tourism hotspot, says WTA founder
Arab League Syria mission hasfailed to stop bloodshed: PM
APBEIRUT
THE Arab League repeated itsdemand on Sunday for the Syriangovernment to immediately stopall violence and allow more moni-tors in, as activists reported at least10 more civilians killed by regimeforces including two teenagers.
Prime Minister and Minister ofForeign Affairs HE Sheikh Hamadbin Jassim bin Jabor al Thani saidthe ministers did not agree to callfor UN experts to join theobservers’ mission in Syria butthey would ask UN experts to trainthe monitors before going in.“Even if they had called for the UNexperts to go in, Syria’s regimemay well have blocked them,” headded.
The prime minister toldreporters after the meeting thatthe League is aware that the mis-sion has not fulfilled its goal ofstopping the bloodshed.
“Is what happened, ideal? Wewant to do more,” he said. “Weknow that the Syrian people havemade a decision, but what we wantis to lessen the losses, human loss-es,” he said.
Five foreign ministers from the22-member Arab League, who metin Cairo, also said the 165 ArabLeague monitors already on theground in Syria need greater inde-
pendence from the regime.The ministerial committee called
on “the Syrian government andvarious armed groups to immedi-ately halt all forms of violence andto return to protesting peacefullyfor the success of the Arab Leagueobservers’ mission in Syria.”
Fierce clashes in the southbetween government troops andmilitary defectors killed 11 soldiersdead, activists said. The ArabLeague also called on other armed
parties to halt all bloodshed, anapparent reference to the defectors.
The monitors are supposed to beensuring Syrian compliance with aplan to end the government’scrackdown on dissent. The ArabLeague plan calls on Syria toremove heavy weaponry, such astanks, from all cities, free all polit-ical prisoners and allow in humanrights organizations and foreignjournalists. Syria agreed to theplan on Dec. 19.
But opposition activists sayaround 450 people have beenkilled by President Bashar Assad’s
regime since observers began workin Syria nearly two weeks ago. Theopposition charges that the regimeis misleading the 165 observersand that the mission had donenothing to resolve the crisis.
Arab League Secretary-GeneralNabil al Araby said observers willcontinue their monthlong missionin Syria, despite claims by activiststhat the mission is giving cover toAssad’s crackdown on protestersand delaying further action frombeing taken.
According to the UN, more than5,000 people have been killedsince March when mostly peacefulanti-government protests began.
The British-based SyrianObservatory for Human Rights said11 soldiers died in intense fightingin the town of Basr al-Harir insouthern Daraa province. Morethan 20 troops were wounded.
In Homs, seven civilians werekilled by troops raiding houses andpro-government snipers onrooftops. A 15-year-old boy wasamong seven civilians killed, theObservatory said.
The Arab League said it needsmore monitors in Syria, but didnot name an exact number.Initially, the League had requestedto send 500 monitors, but so farSyria has allowed in just 165.
SEE ALSO PAGE 3 4
ASIF IQBAL DOHA
QATAR will now be a part ofthe internationally acclaimedYoung Entrepreneur of theYear award with the launchof the E&Y Entrepreneur ofthe Year 2011 award in Qatar.
Globally, the event is held in140 cities across 50 countriesand has been running for 25
years. In Qatar, Ernst & Youngis collaborating with EnterpriseQatar for this award.
Speaking at the launch ofthe award on Sunday, theChief Executive Officer ofEnterprise Qatar Noora alMannai said, “This is the firstyear of Ernst & YoungEntrepreneur of the YearAward in Qatar. The smalland medium enterprises
(SME) is playing an increas-ingly important role inQatar’s economy andEnterprise Qatar wants tosupport and fuel this.”
She said, “Qatar is one ofthe significant powerhousesof the global economy, withour entrepreneurs acting ascrucial pillars of this growth.Launching the Ernst & YoungEOY 2011 Qatar award is an
important way to supportthis advancement.”
The Enterprise Qatar CEOfurther said that theEntrepreneur of the Year is anestablished award that bothacknowledges our country’stalents as well as rewards it,while at the same time pro-vides an international dimen-sion and benchmark for suc-cess, giving local entrepre-
neurs the means to showcasetheir achievements and provethemselves globally.
Giving further detailsabout the award, al Mannaisaid, “To be eligible for con-sideration, nominees must beowners and managers whoare primarily responsible forthe recent performance of
CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 8
Money supply in Qatar grewby 12.7% in NovemberMONEY supply (M2) in Qatar grewby 12.7 percent year-on-year atthe end of November, after a 18.9percent rise in the previous month,the QCB data showed on Sunday.Bank lending to the private sectorjumped by 22.3 percent on anannual basis in November, thefastest pace in 30 months, after an18.0 percent rise in the previousmonth. Money supply saw growthrates of around 60 percent in2008 when inflation climbed torecord, double-digit highs. (AP)
US will respond if Iran blocksStrait of Hormuz: PanettaTHE United States will respond ifIran tries to close the strategicStrait of Hormuz at the entrance tothe Gulf, US Defence SecretaryLeon Panetta warned on Sunday,saying such a move would cross a“red line.” “We made very clearthat the United States will not tol-erate the blocking of the Straits ofHormuz,” Panetta told CBS televi-sion. “That’s another red line forus and that we will respond tothem.” (PG 8)
Non-resident Indians to get voting rights FULFILLING the long-standingdemand of its diaspora, India onSunday said it would allow Non-resident Indians to vote and partici-pate in the poll process. “Pursuantto the law that was enacted toenable Non-resident Indians to votein our national elections, the gov-ernment has issued notifications forregistration of overseas electorsunder the Representation of PeopleAct, 1950,” Prime MinisterManmohan Singh said. (PG 11)
Newsline
Qatar Exchange falls 57points to 8,829QATAR Exchange shed 57 pointsto close the day at 8,829 points,weighed down by Qatar NationalBank which fell 1.6 percent. TheGulf state’s largest lender is due toreport 2011 earnings on Monday.NBK Capital recommends buyingstocks which have dipped recently,adding the trend on the indexremains up. “We expect a climbclose to 9,140-9,300 points,”NBK Capital said in a note. (PG 21)
Qatar joins E&Y’s Young Entrepreneur award
PM AT ARAB LEAGUE MEET ON SYRIA
Around 450 peoplehave been killed byPresident BasharAssad’s regime sinceobservers began workin Syria nearly twoweeks ago.
Exc lus iveQT
Development miracle
“We chose Qatarbecause it’s suchan exciting andhappening place inthe world to beright now, whichcan only look forward to an evenbetter scenario inthe days to comegiven the develop-ments that are taking place.”
WTA FOUNDER-PRESIDENT GRAHAM COOKE
MMIISSTTYYHIGH: 25
0C | LOW: 17
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12,401-14.00
PTS
DOW JONES 8,829-57.00
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QE
CURRENCY SENSEX
WEATHER
15,867+10.00
PTSIndian Rupee 14.47Philippine Peso 12.10
CEO of Enterprise Qatar Noora Al Mannai (left) with ManagingPartner of Ernst & Young Qatar Firas Qoussous, in Doha, on Sunday.
PAGE 13 | NATION PAGE 28 | SPORTS
QP, QF IN STAFF DEVELOPMENTPACT
PAGE 29 | CHILL OUT
FASHIONWORLDLOOKS FOR NEXTINGENUE ON RAMP
ASPIRE QATAROFF TO A WINNINGSTART
End violence & allow more monitors, demands Arab League
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