Fujairah Celebrates Earth Hour 2011 with Chinese Lanterns and Arabic Fusion Music

Fujairah is joining the globe in style to recognize Earth Hour by flying Chinese lanterns and enjoying Arabic fusion music.

Fujairah Flavour
This free event for residents and visitors will take place at the Heritage Village in front of the Fujairah Fort.

Chinese lanterns powered by candles will be distributed as people arrive between 7.00-7.30pm.

A short video will raise awareness about climate change and inspire people to reduce their personal carbon footprint by simple things such as turning off unneeded lights.

Kamal Musallam and his group will play before and after the countdown to the hour (8.30pm) and the launching of the lanterns.

Chinese Sights
Sometimes in the evening one can see Chinese lanterns being lit on the Fujairah corniche before they rise high into the night sky. Children will love to do this at the fort.

Here’s a video on how to fly a Chinese lantern:


Middle Eastern Sounds
Kamal Musallam is from Kuwait who turned his back on a career in architecture to devote himself fully to music.

He has spent time in Lebanon, France and other European countries and he is now based in Dubai where he works as a performer and producer. Kamal is known as an Arabic Fusion guitarist who combines Arabic sounds with jazz. On Saturday night he will be in Fujairah with one of his three bands, the Kamal Musallam Group.

Get into the mood by hearing his music at this link.

All the Details
Here is a rundown of Saturday night’s programme.

Thanks and shukran to the organizers—EWS-WWF, the Fujairah Municipality, the Fujairah Media….

Thanks to the Crown Prince, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi and Sheikh Abdulla bin Saif Al Sharqi for their dream and work in turning the Fujairah Fort into a place where people can gather to celebrate, to compete, to enjoy entertainment and to observe important events like Earth Hour.

Join the World
You might be living in a remote part of a small country in the Middle East but look at the fun you can have in joining the largest volunteer action on the planet:


Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Cut Speeding in Fujairah by Setting Speed Cameras at Lower Limits

The Fujairah Police are installing more speed cameras to reduce deaths and injuries but in their current review of radar equipment it would be good to look at setting the cameras to click at lower speeds.

Currently the fixed and mobile cameras in Fujairah give a generous measure of grace to speeding drivers.

According to a speed camera operator on Faseel Road (between the Hilton Hotel and the Beach Motel) where the limit is 80 kph, the camera doesn’t click until you are driving at 91 kph.

Another operator, who had hidden his camera behind a rubbish bin on Hamad bin Abdulla Street (Fujairah’s main street), said that his camera takes the picture when a car goes 91 kph even though the speed limit is 60 kph. What a big margin for error! He mentioned this soon after clocking one car at 118 kph hurtling down Fujairah’s main street towards the corniche!

Current Remedies
Installing more cameras seems to be the answer all around the UAE and installing them on every major highway at two kilometer intervals.

Some years back it was declared that every effort would be taken to hide cameras in order to catch ‘arrogant drivers’.

The strategy to move around mobile cameras is being tried to catch those who customarily speed and slow down when they come to a fixed camera.

More Effective Cameras
A further way to try and curb speeding has been to install a new model of camera.

A brochure advertising the highly sensitive and precise Sensys SSS speed cameras says that the cameras only flash at night or in low light. They are so effective that they can track a car from 150 metres away so braking just before and after passing a camera does not work. It ‘sees’ you before you can see the camera and say ‘Cheese’!

These new cameras also capture vehicles on both sides of a road and can monitor trucks and cars separately.

The cameras are linked to the control room and such is the clarity of their photos that the police can see whether or not the speeding driver is wearing a safety belt. It does not pay now to drive without a safety belt and speed at the same time.

Amazing Grace
On the Abu Dhabi—Dubai road the speed limit has been stated as 120 kph but the oral tradition is that the cameras only take a picture at 140 kph.

Similarly, on the accident prone Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai where the limit is 100 kph, it is stated that a 20 kph grace limit operates so that the picture is taken at 121 kph.

In New Zealand where a motorist was clocked by a speed camera driving at 55 kph in a 50 kph zone he appealed saying that there should be an 8 kph tolerance allowance. The judges threw out his appeal and maintained the fine saying that “as a matter of law, there was no tolerance to driving in excess of the speed limit.”

Limited Grace
A tolerance allowance of 20 or 30 kph on Fujairah roads seems excessive in light of car accidents being the number one cause of death in the emirate.

Show grace by all means but 5 kph is sufficient!

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Image: A conventional fixed speed camera on Faseel Road (parallel to Fujairah's Umbrella Beach) going toward the Beach Motel; a mobile speed camera on Faseel Road designed to catch speeding motorists heading towards the Hilton Hotel.

Islamic Guidance Center in Fujairah

As-Salaam Alaikum
I dropped in to Fujairah’s Islamic Call & Guidance Center to get some guidance on an issue (see below) and I was as impressed with their welcome and hospitality as I was when I first visited them.

Services
A Sudanese man by the name of Adel heard my issue, gave some advice, served me a cup of tea and showed me around the library which holds books in Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu, Malayalam, French and Thai. It used to be a lending library until books went missing. Now people are invited to read books in the library and there were several people reading when I visited. In addition to Islamic books they have a sizeable collection of audio tapes.

From time to time they schedule public lectures and run courses in Islamic studies.

Most visitors are Muslims—residents as well as guests that come via the sea port or the airport. They also get visits from people who are not Muslims but who are curious to know more about the Islamic faith.

With Compliments
As I left I was given a bag of books bearing these titles:
The True Religion of God
Muslim Christian Dialogue
The Religion of All Time
Have You Discovered its Real Beauty?

These books provide an introduction to Islam and offer an explanation for many Muslim practices such as refraining from pork, advocating circumcision and refusing to drink alcohol.

Location and Contact
The Islamic Call & Guidance Center is open most days from 8am to 2pm and 4pm to 6pm.

It is located on Al Salam Road in Old Fujairah.
Tel: 09 2223101
Fax: 09 2229270
P O Box 764
Fujairah


View Islamic Call & Guidance Center in a larger map.

Postscript
Recently I have been asked by several people in Fujairah about the best thing to do when the loudspeakers of a mosque seem to be set at an excessive volume which blasts the call to prayer into their homes.

The Islamic Guidance Center cannot help with this issue, nor can the local imam. The correct place to visit is the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments—Fujairah Branch. My inquiry is in process. I will keep you posted. Any other people feeling that the loudspeakers of their local mosque are set at too high a level or positioned in the wrong direction?

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Offroad Trails from Fujairah

Thanks to Andrew Scholtz who has not only done lots of offroading from Fujairah but he has recorded many of his trips for the benefit of others.

He has used the EveryTrail web platform which allows you to track your route with a phone GPS, plot your photos on the map and record the statistics related to each trip.

Andrew, as his biodata indicates, is a traveler, photographer and offroader with dreams of doing some extensive overland travel in the future. He is also a manager at Fujairah's HCT.

Fujairah Trips
If you click on Trips at the bottom of his profile, you will see records of many of the trails Andrew has recorded.

The Fujairah trips include his recent Defta Trip, Mapping East of Fujairah (through Wadi Farfar, Mamdouh Dam etc), an experiment to get from Fujairah to Masafi via an offroad route, Wadi Madha to Defta and a trip through ‘the grand canyon of Arabia’, Wadi Al Beih’. [Please note that most of these places are spelt in about six different ways even on the road signs]

Guided Trails
If you click on Guides (next to Trips), you’ll see a more extensive report of a trip from Wadi Madha to Wadi Shis and Hajar Bani Hamad.

Community
The beauty of EveryTrail is the way it connects you to a community of likeminded people who generously share their trips (done by alpine skiing, trail running, geocaching etc.), pictures and reflections from scores of countries (check the map of the most popular destinations). For instance Andrew has recorded several trips through the Kruger National Park which will come in handy for people venturing to South Africa or at least dreaming of the possibility.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Image: One of the peaks around Hijer Bani Humayd out the back of Wadi Madha.

Friday Sermons in UAE Mosques

A standardizing process throughout the UAE has resulted in the writing and issuing of a sermon by the General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endowments, which is usually preached in all the mosques of the country the following Friday.

Friday Sermons preached in UAE mosques have been for several years posted online in Arabic, English, Urdu and Malayalam.

Some mosques are currently part of a programme to explore the possibility of certain UAE mosques being appointed on a permanent basis to have the sermon delivered in English.

Islamic Insights
The online sermon resource offers an interesting window on Islam in the UAE. A look at recent sermon titles indicate some of the family themes that are often addressed viz. charity toward parents, the role of women in society, marriage and family values.

In addition there are more specifically religious topics being dealt with including the language of the Quran, the birth of the prophet, the character of God and the place of the mosque in the community.

Down to Earth
Sometimes the Friday service will include a second sermon which may alert people to participate willingly in the census or encourage people to support government initiatives such as “The Desert Thrives with Life” campaign promoted by the UAE’s Ministry of Environment and Water.

Tolerance
Of special interest is the sermon on Tolerance (full script for download) which encourages Muslims to respectfully recognize and show tolerance towards people of other religions.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Image: Fujairah mosque courtesy of this visiting blogger.

UAE Police Triathlon Staged on the Fujairah Corniche

By 4pm yesterday (Wednesday), the Fujairah Corniche was closed to traffic to allow the staging of the UAE Police Triathlon.

The footpaths had been steamed, the flags were flying and every policeman not racing was giving orders and enjoying the festivity of the event.

A large marquee had been pitched for the VIPs in the Hilton corner of the corniche. These men who looked like they needed exercise sipped their juices and dined on dates as they watched the young police go through their paces.

The instructions seemed to take forever as the organizers explained how swimmers needed to go around the outside of the buoys. Police in uniforms and in athletic clothes stood to attention and saluted while the national anthem was played. After the starter loaded his pistol a crack rang out and the competitors leaped into the sea like a lemmings.

The swimming race quickly sorted the men from the boys. One or two gave up after 100 metres and were picked up by a Police Rescue boat. Don’t reckon on the police to save you if get into difficulties in the water. The two swimmers who emerged from the water first had a significant lead on the pack, a distance which they never relinquished for the entire race.

A growing number of supporters lined both sides of the Corniche Road and some women viewed the proceedings from the rooftop of a home overlooking the corniche. Vendors sounded hooters in the hope that they would sell more water and snacks. Many of the water bottles that supporters purchased were given to the cyclists and runners who cooled themselves down as they headed up the road.

It was hot when the race commenced at 4.30pm but by the time the last few stragglers crossed the line the temperature had dropped and the corniche looked a picture in the rich evening glow.

Individual place getters are bound to be announced in other papers but for team points, Dubai Police took the gold, Fujairah the silver and Abu Dhabi the bronze.

Take a Look
Some photos of the Police Triathlon are posted in this album.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Image: The winner canters home, to the cheers of the crowd, looking like he could do another lap.

Too Many Fujairah Tourist Sites Closed to Visitors

Several bus loads of Asian tourists called in to tour the Fujairah Museum this morning but many more buses with cruise ship passengers skipped the museum and went straight to the Fujairah fort for a fifteen minute visit.

Fujairah Fort Closed
It was heartening that fifteen bus loads of tourists left their cruise ship to tour the emirate of Fujairah but it was disappointing that the iconic fort was closed as usual.

One tour guide said she thought it was closed because the fort was too dangerous for people to go inside.

Another Dubai-based guide said she believed the reason was that Fujairah was too poor and did not have the money for tourist guides and safety officers needed on such a site.

The large number of international tourists this morning had to be content with a gentle climb to the fort and a photo opportunity outside the front door. What a pity that tourists don’t get to see inside, hear the story of one of the oldest buildings in Fujairah and enjoy the sensational views of the city and sea from its towers!

A group of young Emirati men ventured to the level ground outside the fort and were an immediate hit with the crowd. Two women from Texas handed me their camera and asked if I would take a photo of them in the midst of these men who looked stunning in their national dress. One of the Emiratis said to anyone who wanted to hear, “Did you know that this fort was bombed by a British ship?” Two women from Sydney expressed their interest and wanted to hear more. I said to the young man, “You should be a tour guide here at the fort,” to which he replied, “I have a higher job, working as an officer at the Ras Al Khaimah airport!” I said, “Showing tourists the cultural treasures of your country could be one of the most important things you ever do.”

While there are guides at the museum and the Al Bidyah mosque it is a shame that tourists don’t get a guided tour from Emiratis at the most visited site in the emirate.

Bithna Fort Closed
From the Fujairah Fort, one tour guide said, that the next stop would be at Bithna. “Do your passengers get to go down and into the fort I asked?” “No,” she replied, “The bus stops on the side of the highway for people to take a photo.”

It would be bumpy for buses and cars to get down to the wadi and up to the terrace where the fort is located but creating a smooth road with access for buses would not be difficult.

The fort is usually locked but not to enter, explore the fascinating building and marvel at the wonderful 360 degree views of Wadi Ham, is nothing short of a tragedy.

Its importance in modern times is recognized by the way that Bithna Fort was chosen as the representative image for the emirate of Fujairah on the inaugural five dirham note, when it was printed in 1973. What’s more, the fort is only one of the many treasures for tourists to explore in this beautiful valley.

From Bithna the tour buses go to the Friday market at Masafi (which thankfully is always open for tourists to enjoy) before traipsing on to Dibba and returning to the ship via the coastal road.

Bidyah Mosque Closed
The tour guide said that the buses stop at Al Bidyah Mosque but the tourists cannot enter the mosque because it is only open between 9am and midday. Obviously no one has told the tour operators that the mosque hours have recently been extended to 5pm or even later.

Fujairah Tourists Shortchanged
While there will be times in any city when tourist sites are closed for renovations, it is inexcusable when three of the most important tourist sites are closed or open for a limited time.

The sooner these places are open, properly developed and serviced with trained Emirati guides, the better it will be for tourists as well as the wellbeing of Fujairah.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Image: From top to bottom: Fujairah Fort (2), Bithna Fort, Bidyah Mosque.

US Officials in Fujairah as Secretary Clinton Visits the Region

Americans in Fujairah and the UAE are getting good service for all the taxes they are paying to the US government. Two visits of a different nature are happening this week.

Consular Visit
According to a notice:
The U.S. Consulate General in Dubai will hold an American Citizen Services Day on March 16th, at the Fujairah Women’s College, a member of the Higher Colleges of Technology.

The event will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Library.

All American citizens are welcome, and no appointments are required.

Consular Officers will (also) be available to answer questions about all American Citizen Services.

Consular officers will also provide notarial services and accept applications for Consular Reports of Birth Abroad, passport extra pages and passport renewals.

Payment for such services must be made in cash, in UAE dirhams only. We cannot accept credit cards.

For questions before the event, email the Dubai warden or call 04-311-6000 between 8:00am – 12:30pm.

Mike Davis, an American resident in Dubai, said, “This meeting is not a special gathering to talk with Americans distressed by the turbulence in the region. This is an annual visit that the Consulate General's office makes in all of the different emirates…It is one of the advantages of having a US passport—they provide great services like this.”

Clinton Visit
On the US Department of State a video has been posted about Secretary Clinton’s meeting in Paris with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in his capacity as UAE Foreign Minister and President of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Hopefully, there will be more information shared about ‘the events in the region’ after the meetings.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Image: US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, left, shakes hands with UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, right, during a bilateral meeting at the Westin hotel in Paris, Monday, March 14, 2011, ahead of a Group of Eight Foreign ministers summit. (Photo courtesy of Sulekha.Com)

Fujairah Grain Silos to Guard Against Food Shortages

Good progress is being made on the ‘Strategic Grain Reserve’ project on a dedicated berth on the Southern breakwater berths of the Fujairah Port.

The China Harbour Engineering Company was awarded the contract on 7 June 2010 and the construction period (commencing in September) was planned to take one year.

The value of the contract awarded by the Abu Dhabi Investment Company is AED 478 million ($130 million).

The first phase involves the establishment of 14 wheat silos and six rice silos making an initial storage capacity of 250,000 tonnes. The silos come with associated equipment including load and discharge arms.

The silos are made from reinforced concrete and are 42 metres high with a diameter of 28 metres. As they rise, they are becoming quite visible as one approaches the Fujairah Port.

The purpose of the project is not only to provide sufficient grain reserves for the UAE but to provide an important grain transfer hub for other countries in the Persian Gulf.

The strategic location of the Fujairah Port has again been critical in the decision to establish the grain reserves in the eastern emirate. Fujairah is located outside the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, which has too often been blocked in times of war, thus affecting the flow of trade.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Image: “As they rise, they are becoming quite visible as one approaches the Fujairah Port.”

Fujairah International Business Forum 2011 to Explore New Horizons

Meaning Business
The first of three press meetings was held today (13 March 2011) in the Fujairah Freezone.

The 2011 Fujairah International Business Forum will be held 4-5 April 2011 in Fujairah under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, the Ruler of Fujairah.

The two day conference is sponsored by the Fujairah International Business Forum (FBF) and the Fujairah Free Zone Authority.

The Heat Creative Media Group has overall responsibility for the organization of the forum.

Varied Programme
The conference programme at Fujairah’s Al Bustan Center will include a rich mix of plenary sessions with international and local speakers, discussion forums, exhibitions, a gala event and business and sight-seeing tours of Fujairah.

International Flavour
Speakers and participants are expected from many different countries of the world. While most of the presentations will be in English, language interpretation services will be conducted in about eight different languages.

Large delegations are expected from Germany and China and the hope is that business people will discover new investment opportunities in Fujairah.

Exploring New Horizons
The purpose of a forum is largely to talk and much of the discussion will be focused around the theme—discovering ‘New Horizons in the Region’ for investment and manufacturing.

‘Let’s Make a Difference’
Members of the Forum Committee who were on hand today refuted the idea that the Fujairah International Business Forum in April would be just another ‘talk fest’.

As the Fujairah attractions and business incentives are showcased, Coordinator General, Ms Amal Alkaabi, expressed the hope that international delegates will choose to invest and establish businesses in Fujairah.

The ‘new horizons’ theme is not about business as usual but exploring new opportunities in a range of commercial sectors, with new technologies and new markets such as the increasingly popular Halal products and banking services.

Conference chairman and Managing Director of the Fujairah Freezone, Sharief Habib Al Awadhi, thanked people for attending the media conference and closed the proceedings with this challenge: “Let’s Make a Difference!”

Further
Fujairah International Business Forum 2011 Website (which has all pertinent information, contact and registration details).

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Images: Members of the organizing committee already doing deals and demonstrating something of the worth of the business forum; Conference chairman and Managing Director of the Fujairah Freezone, Sharief Habib Al Awadhi.

Record Attendance at 7th Fujairah Bunkering & Oil Forum (FUJCON) 2011

New Features
A record attendance of more than 250 delegates is expected by Vimla Mulchand, chief organizer of the 7th Fujairah Bunkering and Fuel Oil Forum (FUJCON) to be held in Fujairah this week.

At a Press Conference prior to the conference Vimla stated that there were would be more countries represented this year and among the countries to be waving their flags are Iraq, Gibraltar and Russia.

Vimla, who has organized all seven of the Fujairah conferences, said that this year’s conference will be notable for the way it is attracting people from Europe and the Mediterranean, not just from the traditionally supportive regions of the GCC and Asian countries.

Some companies are sending large teams to Fujairah in order to be fully updated on current trends in the oil bunkering business.

Courses and Conference
The conference is not all a matter of cocktails, coffee and cashews. Many have arrived in advance of the large gathering to participate in three courses on ‘Crude to Bunkering’, ‘Bunker Fuel Blending’ and an ‘Introduction to Bunkering’.

Varied Programme
The main conference which gets underway on Monday evening at the Siji Hotel will run until Wednesday evening and includes important receptions (over which valuable deals are struck), keynote addresses by local and international experts, Q & As and a visit offshore to view the changes at the Fujairah anchorage.

Unrest in the Region
When asked how the unrest and protesting in oil producing countries such as Libya, Yemen and Saudi Arabia might affect the conference programme and bunkering generally in Fujairah, Dr Mohammad Saeed Al Kindi, the Chairman of the FUJCON Steering Committee said it would have little influence. “There are high oil prices but the shortages will be filled and this will have little impact on the bunkering industry.”

Marketing manager at the Fujairah Port, John Mittlestein added, “Bunkering is about the carriage of oil and it will continue to move despite the unrest and rising prices.”

Environmental Concerns
When asked how much the conference will highlight a care for the environment as the oil industry grows in Fujairah, Captain Mousa Murad, the General Manager of the Port of Fujairah said, “Environmental concerns are extremely important to us and as an indication of this Fujairah is a signatory to the MARPOL protocol and we have implemented many of its requirements many years prior to the agreed dates.”

Vimla Mulchand added that the conference programme includes at least three addresses on environmental issues including addresses on Sulphur Emissions, Environmental Cover and Pollution Response, The Use of Fuel to Reduce Emissions and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading for Shipping.

Spotlight on Fujairah
The international conference will have a Fujairah flavour because of its location and it will be an important time to showcase the city’s strategic and service advantages as one of the world’s top bunkering locations.

The conference this year is happening at a time when huge foreign investment in Fujairah is increasing as well as the expansion of the Port to add further oil berths and extend its quay.

The new Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline, which becomes fully operational this year, will transport 1 to 1.5 million barrels per day to the growing storage facilities in Fujairah.

The spotlight this week will shine on the transformation of Fujairah into a global oil hub and the implications of this growth for other industries in the emirate.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Images: From top to bottom—Dr Mohammad Saeed Al Kindi, the Chairman of the FUJCON Steering Committee; Marketing manager at the Fujairah Port, John Mittlestein; Captain Mousa Murad, the General Manager of the Port of Fujairah; Ms. Vimla Mulchand, Managing Director, The Conference Connection Inc.

Scenes from Khor Kalba Beach Near Fujairah

One of the delights of living in Fujairah is the proximity to several great beaches.

A favourite beach of many is Khor Kalba beach which is in the emirate of Sharjah and only a 20 minute drive from Fujairah’s main street.

For walkers it offers a lengthy stretch all the way down to the Omani border.

For beachcombers, there are always shells, anchors and drift wood to discover.

For fishing enthusiasts, there are always displays by Bengali fishermen, catches being placed in the back of a jeep or sardines being dried on the sand.

For photographers, there are sensational sunrises and sunsets.

For the wistful, there’s an expansive sea and vista over which to look and hope.

For those tired of people, the beach offers ample solitary spaces.

For children wanting a swing or a climb, there’s a good playground.

For conservationists, there’s an important mangrove estuary and flocks of migratory birds throughout the year.

For campers, there are free places to erect your tent and cook your fish only metres from the tide.

For swimmers, this is a spacious and safe beach with the odd stingray, snake or jellyfish around to keep you on the alert.

But don’t tell anyone about Khor Kalba, one of the best beaches in the Emirates. Too many visitors would spoil it!

Take a Look
Here are some early morning scenes from the Khor Kalba beach in this album.

How to Find It
Directions to the Khor Kalba beach are written in this article.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Image: “But don’t tell anyone about Khor Kalba, one of the best beaches in the Emirates. Too many visitors would spoil it!”

Japanese Nuclear Explosion Sounds Warnings for UAE

As the UAE is turning to nuclear power generation to solve its future power shortages, the recent damage caused to Japanese nuclear power plants sounds a warning to the Emirates to reconsider the risks and rightness of moving in this direction.

Japanese Story Unfolding
On Friday 11 March 2011, reports emerged of damage to Japanese nuclear power plants after an 8.9 earthquake struck.

On Saturday 12 March 2011, authorities began evacuating residents near the Fukushima nuclear power plant due to the release of radioactive elements into the atmosphere. This has been interpreted as the signs of a possible meltdown at one of the reactors.

On Saturday afternoon, 12 March 2011, as workers began to repair the damage, an explosion occurred at the nuclear power plant, damaging one of the buildings.

Radiation Leakage
The evacuation of tens of thousands of people living within a 20km radius of the power plant was due to fears of radiation leakage.

An official in Kyodo said that the rate of hourly radiation leakage was equal to the amount usually permitted in one year.

A Japanese nuclear safety panel said radiation levels were 1,000 times higher than normal in a control room and 8 times higher than normal just outside the plant.

Implications for the UAE
The Japanese experience cannot at this stage be compared to the accidents at Chernobyl or Three Mile Island but it should alert UAE authorities to the risks caused by earthquakes to nuclear power plants.

In making a case to develop peaceful, civilian nuclear energy, the UAE’s White Paper carefully set out a range of safety standards and controls covering such issues as commitments to operational transparency, establishing independent regulatory authorities, the highest safety standards as they relate to power plant facilities and radioactive waste, a commitment to non-proliferation, safety in decommissioning old plants and controls to combat accidents caused through malfunction or external threats such as terrorism, sabotage and misuse of radioactive waste.

Nowhere does the White Paper specifically mention the threat of earthquakes to damage nuclear power plants and create danger for those nearby.

The earthquake damage to Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant this last week should give pause to those leading the charge in the UAE towards nuclear power generation.

How might the plants be constructed and controlled to prevent similar earthquake damage keeping in mind the seismic activity in the country?

How might UAE residents be involved in transparent debate that might ultimately reassure them that nuclear power generation is the right direction in which the country should move?

Take a Look
Have a look at this video of the blast at the Fukushima nuclear power plant as it was posted by Russia Today.



Credit
The timetable and details of the Japanese earthquake experience in relation to the damage is drawn from this article in the Guardian.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Image: Smoke rises from Fukushima Daiichi No 1 nuclear reactor after an explosion following the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. (Photograph: courtesy of Staff/Reuters)

UAE Must Impose Fish Limits and Policing Programme

Scores of sailfish are currently being taken out of Fujairah waters while authorities bemoan the depletion of species such as hamour.

It is high time for UAE fishing catch laws to be formulated and policed.

Size but Not Bag Limits
An official at the Fujairah Municipality Emergency and Market Control office (at the Fujairah Souqs) pointed to a chart on the wall indicating the legal length of fish that can be caught—e.g. hamoor (orange spotted groper) 45 cms, sheei’rii (spangled emperor) 22 cms—but he indicated that as a fisherman and an official regulating the sale of fish, he was unaware of any law defining how many fish could be caught.

The same story was told by Ali Al Dhanhy, who has jurisdiction on behalf of the Ministry of Environment and Water for Fujairah and the entire UAE East Coast. He was distressed to hear of the number of billfish that were being taken out of Fujairah waters and said that at the official level there had been some discussion about the need for the UAE to set catch laws, as is the practice in many other countries.

‘Stop the Massacre!’
Expat school teacher and pleasure fisherman, Chris Brand, is alarmed by the ‘slaughter’ of sailfish in recent months. Here is the scenario that he has frequently witnessed:

“The local fishermen rush to the areas where sailfish are spotted. A float or buoy with a few metres of line attached to a strong hook is then baited with a small live fish. Ten or more of these ‘traps’ are then spread over a large area by each fisherman. The fisherman then sits back in his boat…until the sailfish takes the bait. All the fisherman then has to do is to get hold of the float and pull in the sailfish.”

Brand has seen several boats on one of his fishing trips catch and keep a total of 20 sailfish. This species is not a fish that most locals enjoy eating yet the fishermen can sell sailfish at the Fujairah fish market for 250 AED each.

Cash Now, Deletion Later
A representative of a UAE fishing charter company, which has a strict tag and release policy for billfish, said that he and captains of his other boats frequently see local fishermen catching 8-10 sailfish on one outing. He said that two months ago fishermen got paid 700 AED for each sailfish at the Fujairah fish market but now the price is between 200-300 AED. He and his colleagues have discussed the matter with some local fishermen who seem more intent on getting extra cash now rather than worrying about the prospect of there being few sailfish in ten years time.

Other fishermen are being lured to Fujairah to catch sailfish. On Twitter yesterday (8 March 2011) was this tweet, “Arabian fishing update: Loads of sails in Fujairah, water warming in Muscat with some YFT being spotted... nice nice nice.”

Legislation
There are many international precedents that UAE authorities could study and adapt to conserve billfish (sailfish, marlin etc) by writing laws that include imposing release rules, banning the use of live bait, putting an end to the local sale and export of sailfish meat and preferably, banning the catch of billfish altogether.

Having established legal length rules for most fish it would not be difficult for the UAE to pass laws to do with catch or bag limits as has happened in many other countries.

Education and Policing
The tougher challenge will be to implement an education programme (which could be part of the process for getting a fishing license) and then policing the waters and marinas to ensure that the laws are not being violated.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Image: These magnificent sailfish are being caught in great numbers in Fujairah waters and are sold at the local fish market.

Learning the Art of Photography at HCT Fujairah Women’s College

Recently an exhibition of student photographs at the Fujairah Women’s College (FWC) served as the culmination of a new course on the art of photography.

Many of the women were in attendance on Thursday, 24 February 2011 to offer comments to their parents, teachers and other interested people who visited to check out their photographic skills.

Entitled ‘The History and Practice of Photography’, the course ran for the first time as an elective unit for the Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree at the FWC.

The course was taught by HCT teacher and Fujairah photographic identity, Alan Nambiar who said, “The course consisted of 30% theory and 70% experiential learning in which students needed to have access to a camera, were trained in the basics of using it and then they were to engage in taking photographs in a variety of locations, including their homes, the College, around Fujairah, Kalba, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.”

Nambiar, who has run many courses and workshops around the world, added this reflection: “Teaching this course was very exciting, very demanding and very rewarding. It was exciting to see the photos which illustrate the way my students are beginning to see the world differently and express themselves in such creative ways.”

Instead of writing essays, the women were asked to submit a portfolio of photographs that illustrated such things as their choice of an interesting subject, their use of light, good compositional techniques, creativity and their ability to shoot a photo that conveyed a message with impact.

The students at the exhibition spoke with energy and passion about the course in which they had conquered the basics and learned for the first time how to use a camera. Without exception, the exhibiters were planning to look for opportunities to continue their training and some were seriously contemplating the possibility of a camera-related career in spheres such as photo journalism and marketing.

Take a Look
Here is an album of photos that were entered by photographers into the Fujairah Women’s College Photographic Exhibition.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Image: Photo by Bashayer Mohamed, Fujairah Women’s College (HCT).

Fujairah Catering for the One Day Tourist

In addition to developing its major attractions so they are tourist-friendly, Fujairah would do well to establish ‘fast tourism’ for the majority of visitors whose stay in the emirate is only for a weekend, a day or a few hours.

Six Hour Tourists
In recent days we have seen the rise of the cruise ship tourist in which between October and May, two cruise ships (each with approximately 2,500-2,800 passengers) a week dock in Fujairah for the best part of a day. What a great business this could be but the underdeveloped state of tourism in the emirate means that only 5% of the passengers on each cruise bother to get off their ship at the Fujairah Port.

While cruises in this region are on the rise, the accumulation of Cruise Ship tour commentaries, such as the Cruise Critic who calls Fujairah ‘Foo-what?’ and an ‘uninspiring city with little to do’, has led passengers to stick around the ship’s swimming pool rather than explore the emirate. Those who take a tour appear to spend most of their short stay visiting the Fujairah markets and renewing their supplies at the Lulu Hypermarket.

The One or Two Day Tourist in Fujairah
If tourists have got one or two weeks to spend in the UAE they are not likely to devote more than one or two days to each of the seven emirates, especially the lesser known emirates.

Dubai has marketed itself to such an extent that many around the world recognise the ‘Dubai’ brand more than the name ‘UAE’. More recently Abu Dhabi is developing several sparkling tourism attractions that will urge tourists to devote the bulk of their time to exploring the western side of the UAE.

According to the opinions on expat forums, many residents in Dubai and Abu Dhabi think that one or two days are enough time for ‘doing Fujairah’.

Marketing Fujairah as a stopping off point on the way between Oman and Dubai may be a good strategy for the increasing number on this route but how can the eastern emirate pitch itself to cater for the one day tourists?

A Taste of Fujairah
Toward the end of last year I received a letter that went like this:

“My husband and I are touring the UAE from the USA. We will be in Fujairah for one day on Saturday 11 December 2010. We have read about the bull butting and the sword competition in Fujairah. Will these events be scheduled on this day?”

Unfortunately, I had to respond in the negative but the enquiry started this line of thought about developing tourism for the one day tourist.

The Al Saif Traditional Sword competition which had its inaugural showing from October to December 2010, gave a valuable example of what might be achieved at the Fujairah Fort. The sword competition was central but it was accompanied by entertainment, a host of cultural activities and the opportunity for thousands of people to visit a heritage village.

Extending this idea further one could envisage at the Fujairah Fort a heritage tourism extravaganza. Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

A large Marhaba (Welcome) Centre with sufficient services (refreshment shops, souvenirs, toilets etc) to accommodate hundreds of people at any one time who might come from cruise ships or by tourist buses from Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.

A 90 minute programme, each morning, afternoon and evening on every day of the week, presented on the arena where the sword competition was played out, in which visitors can get a taste of Fujairah.

The programme could include:
+ Bull butting
+ Falcon flying
+ Al Saif Traditional Sword throwing and dancing
+ Arabian horse parade
+ Entertainers singing traditional and contemporary Emirati songs
+ Yollah Dancing
+ Poetry reading
+ Camel parade and camel racing
+ Video presentation highlighting Fujairah heritage sites (Bitha, Bidyah, Wurayah etc), heritage sports (traditional rowing, shasha) as well as contemporary tourism delights (fishing, jet skis, dhow cruises, diving etc).

Before and after the programme there could be a range of activities for people to experience Fujairah viz. traditional coffee drinking and eating dates, henna painting, shisha imbibing, Arabic food, have a go at palm crafts, horse riding, watch the shasha being made, camel riding, pottery making exhibition etc.

Lots of good quality shops, galleries and restaurants might round out the area.

When good signage is posted and information made available, people will be able to take an interesting guided tour of the fort, the surrounding historic homes and the museum.

Going Deeper
‘Fast tourism’ isn’t everybody’s preference but if tourists to Fujairah get a taste of the emirate they might just be tempted to make a long, lingering return visit during which they tour the main sites.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Image: Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing…camel parade, camel rides, photos with camels…”

Building Boom at Fujairah’s Gateway

Entering the gateway of Fujairah from Dubai and Sharjah one cannot fail to notice the frenetic building activity on both sides of the highway.

Right Side
On the right side of the highway as one enters the city and the suburb of Haleefath, here are the current construction projects:

KBZF Multi Use Hall
On Plot #1, nearest to the Petrol Station, a sign declares the site of the Khalifa Bin Zayed Foundation (KBZF) upon which is being built a Multi Use Hall. SUN Engineering and Contracting has been engaged to build this new structure. The walls have been erected but looking inside one can see that this is a vast area.

Al Nabooda Automobiles
The next property (Plot #8), is the new home of Al Nabooda Automobiles which will consist of a showroom and a workshop. Al Nabooda Automobiles include Porche, Audi and VW and with one of the signs on the wall stating, “Expect Nothing but the Best’ one should be expecting a high quality building.

Al Tayer Motors
Further towards Fujairah city on Plot #3, Block B) is Al Tayer Motors, which was the first construction to get underway on the right side of the highway in Haleefath. Being built by Amana, this huge building will have a ground floor and mezzanine for a car showroom and a workshop. The vehicles in the Al Tayer stable include Land Rover, Jaguar, Ford and Lincoln.

Left Side
The construction activity on the left of the Highway 89 is just as active as that on the right side:

Exhibitions and Events
Immediately as one enters the gateway to Fujairah and passes the petrol station there is a large expanse which has been used for events such at the Maktoum Ramadan Tournament in July-August 2010. Currently preparations are underway for this site to be converted in a 40 day Fujairah Shopping Festival. It is unknown as to whether this site will continue to host temporary events or whether it will become the site of a permanent building.

Institute of Applied Technology
A few buildings down and passed the Fujairah Men’s College, the Al Nuaimi Group is well advanced in the construction of a new building behind the front wall of the IAT.

New Hospital
At the first traffic lights, set back from the road is the NMC (New Medical Centre) Al Fujairah Hospital. This hospital is one of a chain of NMC medical centres and hospitals springing up around the UAE. At the outset the cost of the building was 57,333,000 AED. It started back in 2007 and was due to be completed in February 2009. Like many other hospitals around Fujairah the finishing process appears to be very slow.

Fujairah Commercial Complex
On a strategic site (Plot 1A Haleefat), alongside the Fujairah Hospital and opposite the Toyota Motors at the first roundabout that one encounters upon entering the city is a major shopping and commercial district called the ‘Fujairah Commercial Complex’. Initiated by the Majid Al Futtaim Group, this is styled as a City Centre Market and Retail Park. From the pictures on the sign it looks to house some picture theatres and a new Carrefour Supermarket.

Locations
See the location of these buildings being constructed within the Fujairah Gateway.

View Buildings Under Construction at Gateway to Fujairah in a larger map

Take a Look
Some pictures of these construction sites (as at March 2011) can be found in this photo album.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Drive-Through Coffee on Fujairah Beach

After weeks of speculation about the purpose of a new building being created on Fujairah’s Umbrella Beach, a sign (pictured) has been erected on the site indicating the emergence of a Drive-Through Espresso Coffee Shop.

The concept should be a winner as long as the coffee tastes fine but the ‘Espresso’ name hopefully suggests a high quality coffee rather than a dishwater variety.

Coffee was first produced in this region and the nearby Coffeepot Roundabout stands as testimony to coffee drinking continuing to be fundamental to Arab hospitality.

The drive-through feature will go down well among a people who both love their cars and who are not given to exercising.

Other Conveniences
This drive-through Espresso shop will be a commercial venture which does not meet the hopes of many residents and tourists who have been yearning for basic amenities such as changing rooms, toilets, showers, BBQs, new tables, seats, trees and shelters.

Is there an overall plan for the entire beach or will the development take place in an ad-hoc, piecemeal fashion?

Take a Look
Some photos of the beach building site are posted in this photo album.

Related
Renovating the Beaches of Fujairah, FIF, 19 October 2010.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Fujairah’s Bidyah Mosque Inspires an Artist

Among her many artistic creations, Dr. Ansul Noureen Khan has painted this picture of Fujairah’s Bidyah Mosque.

A self-confessed gypsy at heart, Ansul was raised in Canada, grew up in Dubai, completed her medical training in the UAE and England and now resides in Arizona, USA.

While working as a doctor, Ansul says that painting and poetry remain her first love.

Some of her work can be viewed on her blog where she says:

“Her message is one of love, global peace, appreciation for our environment, and finding joy in the little things, which have a universal meaning in the scheme of this beautiful yet fragile life.”

Enjoy!

Related
Longer Visiting Hours at Bidyah Mosque, FIF, 16 February 2011.
Visit Al Bidya Mosque—the Oldest Worship Place in the Emirates, FIF, 9 August 2009.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Fujairah Competing in Inter-Gulf Netball Tournament

Fujairah has entered a team in the annual Inter-Gulf Netball competition being held in Al Ain this weekend, 4-5 March 2011.

One of the Fujairah players, Charmaine Lim, said, “Our team is made up mostly from teachers from the Fujairah Private Academy and a few mums like myself. We are entered in the Women’s Social Category and most of our matches are expected to be played on Friday and Saturday between 9.00am and 5.00pm.”

A total of 28 teams will be competing at Al Ain’s Hilton Hotel. The teams will represent Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Fujairah.

The Inter-Gulf Netball Championships is known as one of the longest running sporting events in the world and the tournament in 2011 will notch up its 23rd year.

Entrance at the Hilton Hotel venue is free and spectators are encouraged to attend and cheer on their team.

Updates
Hopefully updates from Fujairah’s team in Al Ain will be posted on this page throughout the weekend.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.