Survey on Tourism in Fujairah and the UAE East Coast

A student undertaking a project about tourism in Fujairah and the UAE East Coast has developed a survey.

The student would appreciate it greatly if you spent 2 minutes to share your input.

Here’s the link:

Geoff Pound

Index to Arab Proverbs

Suggestions

Remembering the Arab Proverb, “To understand a people acquaint yourself with their proverbs,” on this page is posted a growing number of Arab proverbs.

Got an Arab proverb to contribute? Send it to me and I’ll be glad to add it to the list.

Ever Expanding Index

“Live Together Like Brothers…” FIF, 4 June 2011.

“The dog’s tail will never be...” FIF, 30 May 2011.

“A Promise is a Cloud…” FIF, 25 May 2011.

“He Walks Slowly and…” FIF, 22 May 2011.

“The One Who Does Not Know the Falcon…” FIF, 15 May 2011.

“Don’t Sell Fish While…” FIF, 10 May 2011.

“When You Are Dead, Your Sister’s Tears Will…” FIF, 8 May 2011.

“Grapes are Eaten…” FIF, 6 May 2011.

“The Beetle is a Beauty in the Eyes…” FIF, 5 May 2011.

“The Dogs May Bark but…” FIF, 4 May 2011.

“In the Desert of Life the Wise Person Travels by…” FIF, 3 May 2011.

“To Understand a People Acquaint Yourself with…” FIF, 2 May 2011.

“Visit Rarely and You Will Be…” FIF, 1 May 2011.

“Look for the Exit Before You...” FIF, 30 April 2011.

“They Planted So We Ate and We Plant…” FIF, 28 April 2010.

“Marriage is Like a Fort…” FIF, 21 April 2011.

“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 on the Fujairah in Focus—Facebook Page.

New Report Raises Questions about UAE’s Nuclear Energy Programme

Confidence Shaken

The UAE nuclear energy programme has suffered a knock in public confidence following the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan.

Leaders of the UAE nuclear energy initiative vowed to review its plans and safety measures after the earthquake damaged the Fukushima reactors causing massive evacuations and public health concerns due to the high and prolonged radiation levels.

New Report

But the recent 26 page study [download link] by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) written by scientists and approved by government delegates at talks in Abu Dhabi should give further reasons to reassess the UAE’s nuclear proposals.

This report states that renewable sources such as solar, wind and hydropower could fulfill almost 80% of the world’s energy demand by 2050 if the right policies are implemented.

Given Abu Dhabi’s commitment to Masdar and being the permanent headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) one would think that it would be far better for the UAE to be in the vanguard of renewable energy sources rather than being a latecomer to nuclear power, which in a few decades may well be passé.

Geoff Pound

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

Arab Proverb: “Don’t Sell Fish While…”

“Don’t Sell Fish While They’re Still in the Sea.”

-Arab Proverb.

More Arab Proverbs

“When You Are Dead, Your Sister’s Tears Will…” FIF, 8 May 2011.

“Grapes are Eaten…” FIF, 6 May 2011.

“The Beetle is a Beauty in the Eyes…” FIF, 5 May 2011.

“The Dogs May Bark but…” FIF, 4 May 2011.

“In the Desert of Life the Wise Person Travels by…” FIF, 3 May 2011.

“To Understand a People Acquaint Yourself with…” FIF, 2 May 2011.

“Visit Rarely and You Will Be…” FIF, 1 May 2011.

“Look for the Exit Before You...” FIF, 30 April 2011.

“They Planted So We Ate and We Plant…” FIF, 28 April 2010.

“Marriage is Like a Fort…” FIF, 21 April 2011.

“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 on the Fujairah in Focus—Facebook Page.

The Ups and Downs of a Fujairah Date Palm Pruner

If you think your job has its ups and downs spare a thought for the Fujairah date palm pruners.

They spend most of their working hours climbing up and down the emirate’s trees.

The men from the Fujairah Municipality work in teams.

Some do the pruning and others pick up the debris and pack it away in the truck.

The pruner puts a jute sling around the tree and then around his back.

He grabs an extremely sharp knife and often puts this in his shirt or pants as he makes the climb.

By using his hands and his feet he pulls himself quickly to the business area of the date palm.

At the top the sling allows him to lean back and free his hands while he does the pruning and the cleaning.

The pruning involves trimming off the stems which enhances the growth and height of the palm.

Then there’s the clearing of the debris around the part where the dates are developing.

The pruning of the date palms is done twice a year and at particular times so this amounts to a lot of ups and downs to cover the trees of Fujairah.

While dates are naturally pollinated by the wind most date palms in the UAE are now manually pollinated whereby pollen is taken from the male trees and dusted onto the female flowers to produce the fruit.

Members of the Fujairah pruning team (pictured on Mohammed Bin Matar Road, near the Dana Plaza) come from different parts of Asia but a surprising number are from the Pakistani province of Balochistan.

For this energetic and skilful work the date palm pruners get paid a monthly salary of AED 1300.

Geoff Pound

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

Wonders of the World Include the Wonders of the Emirates

How people work out the qualifications for being included is something of a mystery but it’s interesting to see some UAE sites appearing on lists like this one:

How Many of the Top 100 Wonders of the World Have You Seen? Facebook.

These lists might be valuable for promoting tourism so add your votes to the 5mill votes already registered on this site.

Geoff Pound

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

Being a Mother in the United Arab Emirates

On this day when many countries are celebrating Mother’s Day it is good to consider the changing role of mothers and what it is like to be a mother here in the Emirates.

According to the development organization, Save the Children, more than 350,000 women die each year from complications of pregnancy and childbirth.

Mothers’ Index

Save the Children has just released their ‘2011 State of the World’s Mothers Report’. The organization conducted a comprehensive study of 164 countries (including the UAE) and compiled a ‘Mothers’ Index’.

Those countries at the top of the index are those where women have access to excellent health services, skilled health workers and opportunities for education and advancement.

The gap between the top and bottom-ranked countries is dramatic. The report comes with essays and some recommendations as to what should be done to bridge the divide between countries that meet the needs of their mothers and those that don’t.

Download

To download the full report, including the executive summary, follow this link.

Geoff Pound

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

Image: Photo courtesy of the Save the Children website.

Arab Proverb: “When You Are Dead, Your Sister’s Tears Will…”

“When you are dead, your sister’s tears will dry as time goes on, your widow’s tears will cease in another’s arms but your mother will mourn you until she dies.”

-Arab Proverb.

More Arab Proverbs

“Grapes are Eaten…” FIF, 6 May 2011.

“The Beetle is a Beauty in the Eyes…” FIF, 5 May 2011.

“The Dogs May Bark but…” FIF, 4 May 2011.

“In the Desert of Life the Wise Person Travels by…” FIF, 3 May 2011.

“To Understand a People Acquaint Yourself with…” FIF, 2 May 2011.

“Visit Rarely and You Will Be…” FIF, 1 May 2011.

“Look for the Exit Before You...” FIF, 30 April 2011.

“They Planted So We Ate and We Plant…” FIF, 28 April 2010.

“Marriage is Like a Fort…” FIF, 21 April 2011.

“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.

New Exercise Equipment for the Khor Fakkan Beach

Innovation

The Khor Fakkan beach on the UAE’s East Coast has lots of attractive assets:

+ White sand

+ Grassy areas

+ Shady trees

+ Bird life

+ Changing rooms

+ Children’s playground

+ BBQs

+ Restaurants

Now the local municipality has recently introduced some top class fitness equipment.

Equipment

It comes with yellow panels indicating the name of the equipment, the model, the dimensions, the functions and instructions on how it is to be used.

There’s a Leg Stretcher, an Air Walker, a Pulling Chair, a Taichi Wheel and a Bonny Rider and Bicycle.

And the Rest

When you’ve finished on the machines there’s plenty of walking and running paths, a long stretch of beach and swimming in the Khor Fakkan waters.

Further

Best Beaches in Fujairah and on East Coast of the UAE, FIF, 3 January 2009.

Khor Fakkan Beach Delights, FIF, 5 January 2009.

Stop Off at Khor Fakkan if You Are Visiting Fujairah, FIF, 30 November 2008.

Related

Renovating the Beaches of Fujairah City, FIF, 19 October 2011.

Geoff Pound

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

Arab Proverb: “Grapes are Eaten…”

“Grapes are Eaten One by One.”

-Arab Proverb.

More Arab Proverbs

“The Beetle is a Beauty in the Eyes…” FIF, 5 May 2011.

“The Dogs May Bark but…” FIF, 4 May 2011.

“In the Desert of Life the Wise Person Travels by…” FIF, 3 May 2011.

“To Understand a People Acquaint Yourself with…” FIF, 2 May 2011.

“Visit Rarely and You Will Be…” FIF, 1 May 2011.

“Look for the Exit Before You...” FIF, 30 April 2011.

“They Planted So We Ate and We Plant…” FIF, 28 April 2010.

“Marriage is Like a Fort…” FIF, 21 April 2011.

“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.

Fujairah and UAE Awakening to the Potential of Social Media

Getting Serious

Fujairah Businessman, Patrick Antaki, was reported (2 May 2011) at the Arabian Travel Market in connection with this statement:

“Monitoring and being active on social media sites such as TripAdvisor has become so important that Patrick Antaki, complex general manager of Le Méridien Al Aqah in Fujairah and Al Maha in Dubai said today that he is recruiting a dedicated social media manager.”

The statistics are compelling throughout our shrinking and increasingly connected world:

Globally Social Media Abuzz

• Facebook is now home to more than 600 million users
• More than half a million people join the site each day.
• A recent survey by the Pew Research stated that 61% of Americans get their news online.
• About 75% of them hear about the news through updates from social media sites or email newsletters.

Social Media growth has received a strong boost this year from unexpected sources:

Social Media in the Arab World

As Middle Eastern business people have seen the mobilizing power of Facebook and Twitter in countries such as Tunisia and Egypt they are awakening to the potential of social media to inform people and promote their own businesses.

The figures are remarkable in the UAE as this country is taking a leading role in the region:

Social Media in the UAE

• 2,054,520 Facebook Users in the UAE (latest figures from Grafdom)
• 36,841 Twitter users in the UAE (latest figures from Grafdom)

Growth of Social Media among Global Businesses

Some conference organizers are portraying the different ways in which successful companies are getting serious about social media management:

• 65% of the largest international companies now have active accounts on Twitter
• 50% of the largest international companies have a YouTube channel
• 54% of the largest international companies have a Facebook Fan Page
• 33% of the largest international companies have corporate blogs
• At the same time more and more FTSE 100 companies are interested in incorporating social media within their enterprise.
• Forward thinking companies are employing social media thinking in their recruitment, customer service, research and development and sustainability communications

Social Media and Marketing in the UAE

Social Media is no longer seen as a time-wasting fad in the UAE but a potentially powerful marketing tool.

Ponder these figures provided by Grafdom:

• 999,905 Total number of followers of Top 11 UAE Social Media Brands
• $1,048 Average online spending by UAE consumers annually
• AED 50,000 Average Social Media spending by UAE firms annually

Matter of Survival

Tony Zingale, the Chief Executive at Jive has issued this wake up call to businesses and organizations:

“If you don’t have a social strategy, inside and outside, you better get one; it’s a matter of survival as your workforce and your customers get more social.”

Sources

Grafdom Releases UAE’s First Social Media Report of Top 100 Brands, Grafdom, 5 May 2011.

Arabian Travel Market Live: Day 3 Updates, Hotelier Middle East. Com., 2 May 2011.

Where Do You Find the Latest News? Newsglobe, 3 May 2011.

A Quarter of UAE Population is on Facebook, Emirates 24/7, 18 October 2010.

Geoff Pound

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

Image: The growing range of social media marketing tools.

Obtaining a Police Clearance Certificate in Fujairah UAE

How and where does one apply for a ‘Police Clearance Certificate’ in Fujairah?

What and Why

A Police Clearance Certificate is a copy of your criminal record or a declaration of the absence of any criminal record.

It is usually requested for immigration purposes, a new job or new accommodation in the UAE or overseas.

Police, government departments, businesses and private individuals request these to prevent people who pose a risk to their country, company or accommodation from entering into the country, into employment or an accommodation agreement.

The certificates are called different names in different countries—Police Clearance Certificate, Police Check, Good Conduct Certificate, Judicial Records Extracts etc.

The wording on the certificates can differ according to the country and state.

Because they are valid for only three months the authorities requesting a Police Clearance Certificate will ask for one that is less than three months old or maybe will demand a new one.

Fujairah Process

One applies in Fujairah to the Police Station on the right side of the road to Dubai just before the last set of traffic lights (see location below on Google Maps).

The office is on the First Floor at the Fingerprints Office.

One can make application on behalf of dependants. They do not have to appear in person but all documentation needs to be presented for each person requiring a Police Clearance Certificate. Certificates are issued for each person not each family.

One needs to bring the following:

1. Emirates ID Card/s: Formerly fingerprints were taken but since the emergence of the Emirates ID card this step is no longer required.

2. Passport’s.

3. A ‘No Objection letter’ from your sponsor in Arabic and English, addressed to ‘The Police Commander, Fujairah’.

All companies have this ‘No Objection’ for a Police Clearance Certificate form letter that states on company letterhead the person’s name, nationality, Passport No., Position, Location, Date of application.

The ‘No Objection Letter’ for a Police Clearance Certificate goes something like this:

“The _________ (company name) certifies that the above named employee is holding a job according to the particulars stated.”

“The __________ (company name) has no objection to the above named employee obtaining a Police Clearance.”

“This certificate has been issued at the employee’s request and implies no responsibility on the part of the ________ (company name).”

4. AED 300 is the fee if the certificate is needed for submission to another country. The charges are different if the certificate is required from within the UAE (unsure how much). Nationals normally pay a lower fee.

Processing Time

Obtaining the certificate in Fujairah takes about 30 minutes (in contrast to Dubai where it can take between 2-3 days).

The application documents have to be signed and stamped by a number of Police Officers and departments.

The Police Clearance Certificate

This certificate is issued by the UAE Ministry of Interior, Directorate General of Fujairah Police, General Homicide.

In addition to the person’s particulars—Name, Nationality, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Passport No, Date of Issue (Passport), Place of Issue (Passport), Date of Expiry (Passport), Residence No, Date of Issue (Visa), Date of Expiry (Visa), Place of Issue (Visa), Profession—there is also a line ‘To Be Submitted To’. They might require the name and address of the company or person requesting the certificate but generally they simply write the name of the country e.g. England, New Zealand etc.

Wording

The certificates are issued in Arabic and English. It pays to check the details carefully to see that there are no mistakes.

The wording generally goes like this in English:

"Fujairah Police General Directorate Certifies that the above mentioned has no precedents till the date. He/she has been awarded this certificate upon his/her own request without any liability from the directorate towards any third party."

Remarks

The certificate lists these two remarks:

1. Any scratch or change voids this certificate.

2. This certificate is valid for three months only.

Location on Google Maps

View Fujairah Police Station in a larger map

Geoff Pound

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

Image: A sample PCC issued by Abu Dhabi (Courtesy of Google Images).

Arab Proverb: “The Beetle is a Beauty in the Eyes…”

“The Beetle is a Beauty in the Eyes of its Mother” and

“The Beetle is a Gazelle in the Eyes of its Mother.”

-Arab Proverb.

More Arab Proverbs

“The Dogs May Bark but…” FIF, 4 May 2011.

“In the Desert of Life the Wise Person Travels by…” FIF, 3 May 2011.

“To Understand a People Acquaint Yourself with…” FIF, 2 May 2011.

“Visit Rarely and You Will Be…” FIF, 1 May 2011.

“Look for the Exit Before You...” FIF, 30 April 2011.

“They Planted So We Ate and We Plant…” FIF, 28 April 2010.

“Marriage is Like a Fort…” FIF, 21 April 2011.

“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.

A Closer Look at Masdar the First Zero-Carbon City

John Vidal takes a look at Masdar City, an $18bn (£11bn) Norman Foster-designed project out from Abu Dhabi where just a few hundred people are guinea pigs in the world's most advanced laboratory for hi-tech environmental technology.

John Vidal, Masdar City—A Glimpse of the Future in the Desert, Guardian, 26 April 2011.

Masdar City—In Pictures, Guardian, 26 April 2011.

Geoff Pound

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

The Questions Fujairah Surveyors Will be Asking You in May 2011

Stage 3 Underway

The third and final stage of the Fujairah Updating 2011 got underway on 1 May 2011 and is progressing smoothly. Instead of the census being taken on one night (as happens in many countries) the third stage of the Fujairah census is being undertaken over a month but the answers usually relate to ‘how long’ or ‘how many’ as on 30 April 2011.

Verbal Responses

Instead of being given census forms to complete you will be asked a series of questions at your home in Fujairah. The answers will be entered into a PDA (pictured) which is a hand held computer.

‘The Head of the Home’

The surveyor will ask to speak to ‘the head of the home’ or ‘the head of the family’.

It doesn’t matter whether the woman of the home is the primary visa holder, the primary financial provider or the chief decision maker in your home for the purposes of the 2011 survey the man or father is the head of the home, in accordance with local culture.

If ‘the head of the home’ is not around the spouse will be quite acceptable in providing the answers.

All family members will be identified as to how they relate to ‘the head of the home’.

So what questions will you be asked (if they haven’t visited you already)?

How Many Families?

The first question you will be asked is: “How many families live in this residential unit?” Some residences have more than one family sharing the premises.

If there are several men (single or married) sharing a Fujairah residence they will be termed ‘bachelors’.

If an unmarried male and female happen to be sharing a Fujairah residence they will be termed ‘bachelors’.

Special Needs

You will be asked for the number of ‘Special Needs’ people that are part of your family.

In Relation to the Head

After the head of the family has given his details, information will be asked for each member of the family starting with ‘what is their relationship to the head’? e.g. wife son, daughter etc.

Domestic workers will be counted and there is provision for indicating that people like this have ‘no formal relationship’ with the ‘head of the family’.

Gender, Age, Birthplace

Details will be asked for each member of the family as to their gender, their age (as at 30 April 2011) and place of birth.

Place of Birth

If the person was born in the UAE they will be asked to state in which emirate they were born.

If they were born overseas the answer to indicate is ‘abroad’.

Religion

When you are asked to state your religion there are only three options given—Muslim, Christian and Other.

Nationality

In addition to Emirati there are a range of other options: Bedoon (those growing up in the UAE without citizenship and legal papers); Arab (with the ability to specify whether from Syria, Jordan etc.), America, Europe, Asia, Oceania etc.

Residence Duration

How many years have you resided in the UAE? This is not how many years you have lived in your current house or how many years you have been residing in Fujairah. Again this question must be asked as of 30 April 2011.

Education Status

If the age of a person is indicated as over 5 years of age questions will be asked about the educational level that they have attained by 30 April 2011.

Marital Status

If a family member is 15 years and over they will be asked to indicate their marital status—Single, Married, Divorced, Widowed.

Employment Status

Those 15 years and above will be asked about their employment status—employed, unemployed or retired.

If they are employed they will be asked to provide the name of the Company for which they work (only their primary job if they have more than one) and the employment sector in which they work—federal government, local government, private etc.

Privacy Concerns

Staff members at the Fujairah Statistics Center have stated at the various training workshops their commitment to matters of privacy.

The surveyors and the organizers of the Data Updating are bound by the strict Privacy Laws of the UAE. Their primary concern is to find out the number of buildings and people and this information will be used for statistical purposes in the emirate’s planning not as a resource for the police or legal authorities.

Related

Fujairah Surveyors Begin Knocking on Doors Tonight, FIF, 1 May 2011.

Data Collection in Fujairah is a Team Affair, FIF, 18 January 2011.

People Count in Fujairah, FIF, 16 January 2011.

Data Updating in Fujairah Conducted by Surveyors with PDAs, FIF, 29 December 2010.

Fujairah Ruler Orders Census in 2011, FIF, 26 December 2010.

Geoff Pound

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

Images: This is an example of a PDA and a stylus for entering the information. The surveyor’s hand held computers have unique software devised especially for the Fujairah Data Updating (census) in 2011.