Students from HCT-Fujairah Win Poster Design Competition

Global Challenge

Sixty-five students from the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT)-Fujairah recently competed in the HCT Poster Competition in Dubai which was part of the ‘Global Citizenship Challenge’.

Seven Fujairah teams were successful in winning the coveted prizes for their poster designs. The competition and following ceremony, held at Dubai Women’s College on 17^th March 2011, signaled the culmination of a five week project focusing on global citizenship.

HCT-Fujairah was represented by Bachelor, Higher Diploma and Diploma students from the men’s and women’s campuses.

Project Aim

The aim of the project was to encourage awareness, to find solutions to global challenges and to practice responsible citizenship.

The system-wide competition followed on from a college competition that took place on 6^th March 2011 at Fujairah Women’s College. More than sixty posters featured in the local competition. Winners of the local competition went on to compete in the national competition.

The Awards

HCT-Fujairah students performed excellently overall during the national competition, earning seven of a possible nine national awards.

Winning posters, with pictures of many of their creators are:

First Place Winners (2500 AED prize money)

Bachelor students from FMC ‘Only One Earth’

Higher Diploma students from FWC ‘Recycling Computers’

Diploma students from FWC ‘Secondhand smoke’

Second Place Winners (1500 AED prize money)

Bachelor students from FWC ‘Empowering women’

Higher Diploma students from FWC ‘Diabetes’

Diploma students from FWC ‘Dangerous Driving’

Third Place Winner (1000 AED prize money)

Diploma students from FMC ‘Climate Change’

Celebrations

Shaindra Sewbaran, faculty member from Fujairah Women’s College, was pleased with the success of the venture saying, “A valuable educational message was learnt through this competition!” He was joined by fellow faculty member Christine Baldwin who said, “Being on the celebration bus back to Fujairah made it all worthwhile….”

HCT-Fujairah is pleased with the students who represented the college so well at such an important event and the plaudits go to them. As Gabriel Greenspan, another faculty member said, “I was so proud of our students. They were so professional, and we won!”

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

Ground Tanks and Pumps Boost Fujairah’s Flagging Water Pressure

In recent months many Fujairah residents have been reporting the lowering pressure of the water that is coming from the Municipality supply.

The growing Fujairah population and the increasing number of homes and businesses sharing the supply appear to be the chief cause of the low pressure. This is a growing problem for some homes that rely completely on the pressure of the main supply to raise the water to the tank on the roof.

One Fujairah resident became so frustrated with the feeble water pressure that he has used the bore water and pump to fill the roof tank with that thought that showering and washing clothes in salty water is better than doing it with no water at all.

When teams from the Fujairah Electricity and Water Authority come to check the main pipes and the connection to the residence, they frequently ask, “Where’s your ground tank and pump?”

It seems that all new residences in Fujairah must have a ground tank and pump but there is some dispute as to whether these items are legal requirements.

A cost of a ground tank and pump is approximately 6,000 AED (installation costs are extra) and at this price landlords would rather that their tenants foot the bill if they want better water pressure.

Despite the haggling, an increasing number of Fujairah residences are being equipped with ground tanks and pumps to boost the ailing water pressure.

Geoff Pound

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

Image: “An increasing number of Fujairah residences are being equipped with ground tanks and pumps to boost the ailing water pressure.”

Joe Cocker Rocking the Emirates

The UAE is getting an increasing number of musical artists to its shores and rock legend Joe Cocker is soon to thump out his much-loved songs.

Earlier this year Eric Clapton and Stevie Wonder drew crowds from Fujairah and all over the Emirates to Abu Dhabi’s Yas Arena.

On 22 May Joe Cocker will strut his stuff at Dubai’s Al Badia Golf Club only two days after he turns 67.

This is an outdoor concert that will be held regardless of the weather.

With the UAE summer approaching Joe will be working up a greater sweat than he usually does.

Newsglobe reports that the Dubai performance is likely to be mainly a diet of vintage Cocker hits, including ‘Unchain my Heart’, ‘You Can Leave Your Hat On’ and ‘You Are So Beautiful’.

Which is Your #1 Cocker Request for the Dubai Concert?

Unchain My Heart

You Can Leave Your Hat On

You Are So Beautiful

Details

All the details about the Joe Cocker event are on this site.

Geoff Pound

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

Cutting the Speed on the Fujairah Corniche

The Fujairah Municipality is in the process of creating a speed hump on the Corniche Road in an effort to reduce the speed of motorists and make it safer for pedestrians crossing the road.

Fixed speed cameras were introduced a few years ago but with vehicles capable of rapid acceleration, these only became minor challenges to the many motorists who treat the Corniche Road like a Grand Prix circuit.

Speed Table

‘Traffic calming’ devices are a complex science. The type being installed on the Fujairah Corniche appears to be a ‘speed table’, a long speed hump with a flat section in the middle, long enough for the entire wheelbase of a car to rest on top.

Apparently the long, flat design allows cars to pass without slowing significantly as with speed humps (road bumps, speed ramps, judder bars and speed cushions). But it depends on how low-slung your car is and those with low undercarriages have to slow almost to a standstill and negotiate delicately the rise and fall.

Fortunately, warning lights have been installed and yellow paint applied to alert drivers to the bump.

Related

UAE Drivers Need Ongoing Driving Education, FIF, 14 April 2008.

UAE: The Tailgating Capital of the World, ETE, 16 October 2007.

Reducing Traffic Accidents on UAE Roads, ETE, 20 December 2007.

UAE Pedestrian Crossings: The Most Dangerous Place to Be, ETE, 20 March 2007.

What Does This Sign Mean in the UAE? ETE, 19 March 2007.

Geoff Pound

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

Image: The new speed table is operational on the side of the Corniche Road to slow the speeding cars from Kalba. The team from the Fujairah Municipality is currently at work to establish another one of the same variety on the other side to slow Kalba-bound vehicles.

Fujairah in Focus Expressed in a Word Cloud

Word Cloud

Drop the website address (URL) into Tagxedo and this site turns the most frequently used words on Fujairah in Focus into a ‘tag cloud’.

Fish Shape

There are many shapes from which to select but as fishing is one of the foundational industries of Fujairah, the fish has been selected.

Sizing Words

Words are sized appropriately to highlight the frequency of their occurrence in the articles posted on Fujairah in Focus.

This is one way of seeing the vibrancy, diversity and colour of the life that is experienced in Al Fujairah.

Give It a Go!

Turn your words, articles, letters, famous speeches, articles into a tag cloud at Tagxedo.

Geoff Pound

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

Click on the image to enlarge for a closer inspection.

Check the Dates on the Fujairah Calendar

The dates are plumping well in Fujairah for it is over 100 days since New Year 2011.

Another couple of months and the dates will be changing colour and clumping.

After that the harvest and Ramadan will be around the corner.

Geoff Pound

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

Puranmal’s ‘Pure Veg Restaurant’ Opens in Main Street, Fujairah

Long Awaited

“We have been waiting for weeks for this restaurant to open in Fujairah,” said one of the Fujairah-based diners from Hyderabad.

He added, “This food tastes like home. When we are away from home this food gives us great comfort.”

Before the ‘Pure Vegetarian restaurant’ opened earlier this month Puranmal was receiving 10-15 phone calls a day from people asking, ‘When is the opening day in Fujairah?’

When the Puranmal team came to Fujairah last year serving their sweets at a Diwali festival, it raised the awareness that the new restaurant was coming to the north-eastern emirate.

Judging by the number and variety of people coming to the restaurant each day it appears that there are many who have already tasted and enjoyed the Puranmal food in Dubai and Sharjah.

Puranmal Group

The Puranmal flavour has been known for three decades in the UAE. The ‘Pure Vegetarian Restaurant’ in Fujairah is a franchisee of the Puranmal Group which has a dozen restaurants and sweet shops in Dubai and Sharjah.

Puranmal Pedigree

Puranmal is now a third generation business that was established by an Indian who came to the UAE 36 years ago. The early family members were Brahmans who had vegetarian convictions and did not consume eggs.

The goal of the Puranmal Group is to open an outlet in every major city of India but they still have more plans for the UAE. They are exploring an outlet in Khor Fakkan, if not a restaurant, at least an establishment where people can buy snacks and sweets.

Architect Restaurateur

The CEO of the ‘Pure Veg Restaurant’ is Gurnam Singh, who is a partner in the Puranmal Group.

He is also an architect who works as the Managing Director of Bikram Industries.

Gurnam, who has been making the daily journey from his home in Sharjah to Fujairah, said:

“My father came to the UAE in 1976 and my dream has been to enter the field of hospitality. We have been doing regular projections in Fujairah for many years and now it seems the right time for us to set up a restaurant in this emirate.”

Fujairah Restaurant

The outlet opposite the ADCB Bank in Fujairah’s main street consists of a snack bar (chat pati chaat), a sweets and nuts counter, meals to enjoy within the restaurant (breakfast, lunch and dinner), a takeaway service, and off-site catering for parties, corporate dinners including outdoor events.

The Puranmal Experience

When I asked Gurnam Singh what he wants people to think of when they hear the word ‘Puranmal’ this was his reply:

Taste

Firstly, I want people to remember the taste because we have been working to create a consistent taste for many years.

Quality

“We are well known in the UAE for our ‘class cuisine’. We supply sweets to many 5 star hotels in the Emirates as well as to the Dubai Palace and to sheikhs and their families.”

“The way we maintain our standards is to employ expert staff who we train for a further three months to ensure that they know the ingredients we like and the methods we have used for years.”

Pure Veg

“We only serve vegetarian food but we are pure vegetarian. 70% of our ingredients are pure quality vegetables direct from nature and cooked with no additives. Our diners have become very conscious of the need to eat healthily and we want to honor that desire.”

A Touch of Home

“As a restaurant owner and architect I want people to remember their experience of India in our restaurants not only through their taste buds but by the overall ambience of the place.”

“We have created areas for open dining but developed some ‘cosy corners’ for people who want more privacy. There are designated areas with partitions and we are considering the possibility of having dedicated family rooms.”

“The dark colours create a feeling of coziness and the warm tones instill comfort and they soothe the eyes. We have hung good quality paintings and the lines are clear and striking. We have used the traditional Arabic ‘mashrabiya’ (carved wooden latticework) to remind people that they are having an Indian experience in the UAE.”

“Towards the back of the restaurant there is a board containing crafts from many different states of India and one from Pakistan. We hope people will see this and recognize items from their home state.”

“I have selected the music that is played in the restaurant and this features many well-known and much-loved songs.

“All in all, we are aiming for a classic design with a warm contemporary touch. We want to offer every person the many tastes of India.”

Economical

Mr. Singh said:

“We have set our prices so they are not too high and not too low. We do not want to put our prices so low that we cannot purchase quality vegetables and ingredients. We will not compromise on the Puranmal taste.”

“If say a family does not want to pay 100 dirhams for their meal they can choose a thali in which they will get a variety of portions on the one plate all at a very good price.”

“We are flexible and we will never say ‘No’ to a tourist because if they don’t like Indian food we will cook Chinese and if they don’t want a big meal we can serve snacks. We have a spicy taste but for those who don’t like it hot we modify the cooking for the customer’s requirements.”

Hours

Opens at 9.00am and the last order is taken at 11.30pm.

Check the menu. Some orders are only served in the evening.

Location and Contact Details

Pure Vegetarian Restaurant

Opposite ADCB Bank,

Hamad bin Abdulla Street

FUJAIRAH

Tel: 09 2239741

Email: pure_veg@eim.ae

Website: www.puranmal.ae (under construction?)

Find it on Google Maps

Check out the location at this link on Google Maps.

Download the Menu

The dishes and prices are bound to change but these are accurate as at April 2011. You can download the menu at this link.

Take a Look

Some photos of the ‘Pure Veg Restaurant’ in Fujairah, the snacks and the sweets can be viewed in this photo album.

Geoff Pound

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

Arab Proverb: “Marriage is Like a Fort…”

“Marriage is like a fort: Those who are in want out and those who are out want in.”

-Arab Proverb.

More Arab Proverbs

“Write the Bad Things that are done to you in sand but…FIF, 20 April 2011.

“Give the Bread Dough to the Baker Even…” FIF, 18 April 2011.

“A Chameleon Does Not Leave One Tree Until…” FIF, 17 April 2011.

Geoff Pound

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

Oil Washes onto Beaches at Al Aqah, Fujairah

Hotels at the Fujairah resort area of Al Aqah said that an oil slick had washed up on their beaches yesterday (19 April) causing the closing of the beaches to clean the sand.

Hotels reported that more oil washed up this afternoon (20 April) with some guests complaining about the smell in the air and their inability to use the beach and sea facilities.

One diver reported that he and others who went diving yesterday got covered in oil and had to cut their excursion early to clean their equipment. The reports differ along the coastline. One Al Aqah diving company this evening reported “little bits of tar” in the water today that were judged insufficient to cancel their diving instruction classes.

Dead sea birds covered in oil were the visible sign of the huge damage that is caused to the marine environment when rogue captains of oil tankers dump their tanks of waste oil and detergents into the sea.

Oil Dumping Saga

During the oil dumping saga of 2008 there were concerns expressed by commentators and fishermen that not enough was being done in surveillance and in apprehending oil tanker captains who dump.

An Opinion piece in The National (15 September 2008) declared that there were ‘No Excuses for these Oil Slicks’ and judged that current monitoring measures were ineffective and unacceptable.

In this same article, however, the journalist indicated a change of attitude with the Fujairah authorities “aggressively pursuing the case” [of the then current oil slick] and pledging to do “whatever is necessary to find out who did this.” Mohammed al Afham, the Fujairah Municipality’s General Manager confirmed, “We will not hesitate to use the law to protect our coast and our environment.”

At this stage the Fujairah authorities have issued no public comment about the recent oil slick at Al Aqah, the extent of the damage, the work of cleaning the coast and what is being done to bring the offending sea captain/s to justice.

Geoff Pound

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

Image: One of the beach cleaners and sand sifters that are used for regular and special cleaning on the East Coast beaches.

Fujairah International Airport Evolving Into Air Center for Middle East

At the recent Air Center Conference 2011 in Fujairah many speakers approached the ‘Air Center’ concept from different angles and local experiences.

Dr Khaled Almazroui, the General Manager of the Fujairah International Airport (FIA), said to delegates at the Air Center Conference 2011 (13-14 April) that it is the goal of the FIA to become the first Air Center in the Middle East.

After tracing the evolution of the Fujairah International Airport and highlighting specific plans on the drawing board he described the concept of the Air Center and how Fujairah was finding its aviation niche.

Comparing Airport Cities and Air Centers

Dr Khaled used the following chart to compare ‘Airport Cities’ like Dubai with an emerging ‘Air Center’ like Fujairah:

Strategic Considerations

The General Manager mentioned some of the strategic considerations that were in Fujairah’s favour of becoming the first Air Center for the Middle East which included:

1. Population Growth: Fujairah currently has a population of 165,000 and is growing by 10% per annum.

2. Proximity: The new Dubai-Fujairah highway that opens in September 2011 will mean that 4 million people will be within a 45 minute drive of Fujairah.

3. Expansion of the seaport and the establishment of the Abu Dhabi to Fujairah oil pipeline.

4. The growth of the tourism industry in the emirate of Fujairah.

5. The growth of commerce and industry.

6. Fujairah’s location on the Indian Ocean and its proximity to the growing markets of Asia and Africa.

7. The increasing identification of new business niches.

Learning from France

Martin Fraissignes, the President of Chateauroux Airport, was present at the Fujairah conference.

He spoke upon how his airport had felt under the shadow of the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, until they realized there were significant advantages in becoming an Air Center.

Mr. Fraissignes named some important trends that offer favourable conditions for an airport like Fujairah that is seeking to become an Air Center:

1. Global air travel will double in the next 15 years.

2. The Middle East aviation industry is projected to sustain very strong growth in the years ahead.

3. The global and regional growth creates new opportunities to focus on cargo handling, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO).

4. There will be a greater need for smaller airports to develop a range of diversified activities such as a cargo center, a training center, an aeronautical center and offering airlines customized services.

Martin Fraissignes said an airport like Fujairah could play a significant role if it has less congestion than bigger airports, it can act quickly, it is cost effective and is able to give a flexible service to its customers.

Learning from Brazil

Also speaking at the Fujairah conference was Luis Guilherme, General Manager of Marketing for the Cabo Frio Airport in Brazil.

Mr. Guilherme, likewise, spoke of the way his airport discovered its niche despite being located 140 kms near the massive airport in Rio de Janeiro.

He said his airport has been able to achieve fast cargo clearance rates and has assumed a role as a hub of air cargo for other Brazilian airports which has enabled his air center to be competitive in terms of time and money.

Why an Air Center in the Middle East?

Charles Hajdu, Strategy and Business Development Manager for the Fujairah International Airport, spoke of the location and growth of the aviation industry in the Middle East that provides the context for Fujairah to discover its special role:

1. There has been consistent growth of 8% in Middle Eastern aviation in the past decade.

2. The Middle East has combined aircraft orders of US$ 300 bill.

3. The Middle East is home to more than 700 airlines and aircraft operators.

4. More than US$120 bill. is being spent on new airports and infrastructure developments.

5. Business and executive aviation is growing at 7% per year.

6. 14% of aircraft orders with Boeing and Airbus come from Middle Eastern carriers.

7. The Middle East is a major sea/air trans-shipment point connecting Asia, Africa and Europe.

8. It is estimated there will be 3000 aircraft in service in the Middle East by 2020.

Fujairah Features

An Air Center like Fujairah could offer:

1. Cost savings

2. Local services

3. Focused Support

4. Customized requirements and tailored solutions

5. Time savings (in the light of the new highway) and convenience.

Becoming an Air Center

Charles Hajdu said:

“In the case of Fujairah, with all the power of Dubai and Abu Dhabi focused on major flows (both sea and air), this leaves niche operations and operators who are flexible and agile enough to attend to complementary businesses.”

For Fujairah to become the primary Air Center of the Middle East it will require being intentional about giving support services in the following key areas:

1. Dedicated freighter operations.

2. Training in flight, engineering, cabin crew, rescue fire fighting, airport operations etc.

3. Maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO).

4. Being an alternative low cost, unconstrained airport that is required for business aviation, flight training, cargo operations and low cost carriers.

Related

Exciting Plans Developing at the Fujairah International Airport, FIF, 17 April 2011.

Middle East Aviation Boom Sets Context for Air Center Conference 2011 in Fujairah, FIF, 14 April 2011.

Geoff Pound

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

Top image: The new maintenance workshops being developed at the Fujairah International Airport.

N.B. In the comparison chart 'PAX' is the aviation abbreviation for passengers.

FINA’s Report on Death of Francis Crippen During Fujairah Swimming Race

Following the tragic death of Francis Crippen on 23 October 2010 while competing in a 10km marathon swimming race in Fujairah, FINA commissioned a report which has recently been received and made public.

FINA appointed a Task Force to assemble all relevant information on the death of the open water swimmer, to produce a report and:

“To propose useful, effective and firm recommendations in order to improve the safety in the sport of Open Water Swimming to avoid future harm to its athletes.”

The extensive report includes information on the establishment of the Task Force, an examination of the FINA Rules, information about the Fujairah venue, the climate on the day of the event, safety measures, a summary of Crippen’s medical history and coroner’s statements, and conclusions and recommendations to be considered by FINA.

Link

Here is the link to the eight part FINA Task Force Report.

Related

Recommendations Flow from Death of Francis Crippen in Fujairah, FIF, 26 October 2010.

Tears, Tributes and Talk of Francis Crippen in Fujairah, UAE, FIF, 25 October 2010.

Geoff Pound

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

Image: A photo of medal-winning Open Water swimmer, Fran Crippen.

Arab Proverb: “Write the Bad Things that are Done to You in Sand but…”

“Write the bad things that are done to you in sand, but write the good things that happen to you on a piece of marble.”

-Arab Proverb

More Arab Proverbs

“Give the Bread Dough to the Baker Even…” FIF, 18 April 2011.

“A Chameleon Does Not Leave One Tree Until…” FIF, 17 April 2011.

Geoff Pound

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

Trucks, Front End Loaders, Buses and Bobcats for Hire in Fujairah

The spirit of enterprise is alive and well in Fujairah.

Anywhere you can find an empty piece of land (and these are getting as scarce as hen’s teeth), men who have machinery to hire bring in their equipment and wait for the next customer to call.

The trucks (pictured) on Airport Road (which runs parallel to the Fujairah International Airport) are hired out by the distance they travel not at an hourly rate.

Younis (pictured below), from Balochistan gave these rates for carting furniture (or whatever you want to shift):

Fujairah to Khor Fakkan 150 AED

Fujairah to Dibba 200 AED

Fujairah to Masafi 150 AED

Fujairah to Dubai 450 AED

Fujairah to Sharjah 350 AED

Fujairah to Ajman 350 AED

Fujairah to RAK 350 AED

Fujairah to Abu Dhabi 700 AED

There is a phone number on the truck window but Younis can be contacted on 050 799 9784.

Faseel

Lots of machinery is sitting off Al Nakheel Rd coming from the city towards the corniche and to the left just after the big date farm.

Want a front end loader? Only 120 AED per hour.

Need to do some work with a bobcat? Only 70 AED per hour.

All Equipment

Keep an eye out as you drive around Fujairah. There are trucks, buses and any bit of machinery you will ever need.

Geoff Pound

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

DAM999 Unveils ‘World’s First 3D Movie Website’

Today, (April 19^th 2011), Sohan Roy unveils what he describes “the world’s first 3D movie website” for his forthcoming film, 'DAM999', the movie that was shot partly in Fujairah, UAE.

According to the Press Release:

“This…will make the audience realize that they themselves are now a part of the movie on screen. This initiative is expected to be a trend setter for all upcoming 3D movies which prefer 3D websites rather than traditional flash ones. All the images in the gallery have been made stereoscopic to share the feel of the actual movie….The 3D website has been created by the in house software team of BizTV network.”

Evolution of the DAM Project

Director Sohan Roy began the project DAM999 in 2007. The movie is about the overlooked dangers of outdated dams; the realities of the marine world; tradition, culture, forgotten medical cures of India, the pain and pleasures of being in love and the many hidden emotions of humankind.

Sohan Roy began writing the novel ‘DAM 999’ in 2008.

He went on to the production of ‘DAM999 – The First International movie from the mariners’ and the documentary ‘DAMs the Lethal Water bombs’, inspired from his own novel DAM999.

DAM Awards

DAM999 was mentioned as one of the 30 most awaited movies this year by the Berlin film festival trade publication, “All lights Film Magazine”.

The short documentary ‘DAMs the Lethal Water bombs’ released as a curtain riser to DAM999 won the Award for ‘Best Documentary Short’ at Los Angeles Cinema Festival of Hollywood 2011.

16 National and International award winners from 9 different film industries including Hollywood and Bollywood have been roped up for DAM999 to create magic on screen.

The DAM Cast and Crew

The international crew has Eric Sherman as the project consultant, Rob Tobin as the Script Doctor and Uzma Xina Kang as the Casting Director. A line-up of veteran actors like Ashish Vidyarthi, Rajit Kapur and Gary Richardson along with multi-faceted actors like Vinay Rai, Vimala Raman, Megha Burman, Joshua Fredric Smith, Jaala Pickering, Linda Arsenio and Jineet Rath form the cast of DAM999.

DAM999, the movie is in its final post production stage and is to be released in 2011 in 3D.

Link

Check out the 3D website at Dam The Movie and try out the 3D experience.

Further

Shooting of the Film ‘DAM999’ in Fujairah, UAE, FIF, 16 May 2010.

Geoff Pound

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

Images: The web site and some of the 3D effects.