Faceless Fujairah Candidate Vows to be the Loudest Voice at FNC

The campaign billboards are currently on every main street in Fujairah depicting the names of the candidate and their photos but there is one board that stands out because it does not show a face.

One of three female candidates standing for election to represent Fujairah at the Federal National Council (FNC), Mouza Saeed Nowaylah told The National, “We can’t even put up our pictures on posters like the rest of the candidates because they will frown upon it.”

Rym Ghazal, journalist at The National, wrote in an article entitled, ‘Feminine Voices Speak Up in Fujairah’ that the women candidates are not only competing against the men but “against centuries of tradition where women play a subordinate role in a largely conservative emirate.”

Some women have posted their photos on their campaign boards but the frowns may increase in accordance with the youthfulness of the candidate. At 24 years of age, Mouza Saeed Nowaylah is the youngest candidate running this year. She is also single which maybe another reason why some might disapprove of a photo.

How much of a disadvantage is it not to have the candidate’s photo on the billboard? Do people vote according to the way the candidate looks? For some youthfulness may be a plus, signifying fresh talent and a representative of change, whereby others may vote for the look of maturity and experience.

If most candidates didn’t think it was an advantage to have their face appearing with their name they wouldn’t have posted a photo on their billboard. The face is as crucial to a candidate’s identity as their name.

To the discerning voter the contribution the representative makes in the council is the ultimate issue not how well they look or appear at the meetings. Mouza Saeed Nowaylah promised, “I will be the voice most heard at the FNC meetings.”

The challenge in this last week of campaigning is for all voters to examine the significance of the policies of each candidate, explore their track record in getting things done and evaluate how best each might represent their constituency and work to achieve the vision of the entire country.

Geoff Pound

More Fujairah news, info, resources and photos are posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Image: “But there is one board that stands out because it does not show a face.”

Al Koptan Café Sets Up Business in Growth Area of Fujairah

Location

Al Koptan (the Captain) has recently started to brew and serve coffee on the ground floor of an apartment tower on Kuwait Road.

This is the by-pass road that runs down to the Beach Motel.

The new café is across the road from the HCT Women’s College and down a few buildings.

The business is likely to thrive as this commercial district grows and it will take off when Al Hilal city is truly humming.

The café is comprised of a ground floor with the counter, preparation area and several tables and an upstairs room that is decked out with tables under umbrellas to create a nautical atmosphere.

Televisions on both levels were set to some sports channels but surely can broadcast a range of stations.

Menu

On the menu are 12 varieties of coffee, 5 of tea, a host of cold drinks (soft and fruit) and 17 of the ‘mix and shake’ variety (milk shakes, smoothies and tropical mix).

A selection of cakes is available.

Contact

The phone number for Al Koptan Café is (09) 223 7996.

Opening Hours

At present the café opens at 1.00pm and it closes at 1.00am. Unfortunately breakfast and morning coffee drinkers will not be able to get their fix from Al Koptan.

Verdict

Only tried one drink at this new café and the coffee (Americano) was excellent!

Take a Look

Some photos of Al Koptan Café are posted in this photo album.

Download the Menu

Have a look at the range and prices on the menu by clicking on this download link.

N.B. The range of items offered and the prices are accurate as at the opening in August 2011. They will surely change in the months and years to come.

Geoff Pound

More Fujairah news, info, resources and photos are posted in the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Lulu Mall May Be the First of Many Fujairah Malls

Not everyone is pleased about the Malling of Fujairah but in 12-24 months Fujairah will go from being mall-less to possessing these four malls:

+ Fujairah Mall (part of the Fujairah Commercial Complex opposite the Toyota Roundabout)

+ Fujairah City Centre (at the first set of lights when arriving from Dubai)

+ Lulu Mall (the extension of the Lulu Hypermarket)

+ Century Mall (formerly called Al Safeer Mall, near the Beach Motel)

A further mall, ready in 2015, is planned for Fujairah’s Al Hilal city and looks to be located on the left of the traffic lights on the road to Khor Fakkan, when one reaches the intersection of the Fujairah Port and the Fujairah Freezone.

Lulu Mall in 9/12

The Lulu Mall may be the first mall in Fujairah to be opened. The General Manager of Lulu in Fujairah city, Mr. Asif Moidu Ahmed, reported this week that the first phase of the new construction should be ready for business in September 2012.

The first phase represents 75% of the total area. The second phase, to be completed six months later involves the task of joining the existing building with the new construction.

“Every care will be taken,” Ahmed said, “so there is the least disruption to business and customer service as possible.”

Lulu Facilities

* The total built up area will be 41,000 square metres in a Basement, Ground and First Floor construction.

* 76 retail shops are planned for the Lulu Mall with three cinemas, a food court and an amusement area for children.

* Plenty of new parking spaces will be available for cars underneath the new building.

* The existing supermarket will be extended and the shelving and all other facilities will be completely new.

Stores in the Lulu Mall

The specific shops in the new Lulu mall are yet to be determined. Leasing arrangements are due to commence by the end of September 2011.

Mr. Asif Moidu Ahmed said that the composition of the RAK Mall, where the Lulu Hypermarket is the flagship and anchor store, might give a good idea of the type of outlets that will be in Fujairah’s Lulu Mall.

Take a Look

Some photos taken in September 2011 of the progress of Fujairah’s Lulu Mall are posted in this photo album.

Related

Fujairah’s Lulu Hypermarket Developing into Shopping Mall, FIF, 15 June 2010.

UAE Malls: Shopping the Emirates, ETE, 8 April 2007.

Shopping is Super, Hyper and Going Ultra in the UAE, ETE, 11 April 2007.

Geoff Pound

More Fujairah news, resources, info and photos are posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Saj Panino Restaurant in Fujairah

The Saj Panino restaurant has opened its doors on the southern side of the Al Jassim Building in the Fujairah suburb of Faseel, off King Faysal Rd.

The offerings on the menu are an Italian/Lebanese blend which include panino appetizers, panino salad, mish pizza, panino plates, side orders, modern saj dishes, saj omelettes and a long list of fruit cocktails to wash the food down.

The specialty is cooking the bread and food on the saj (صاج) which is a round domed grill, like an upside down wok, that is often used in the Middle East, particularly in Lebanon.

The saj is used to make markouk, the delicious light, thin bread which in this restaurant is used for many of the items, including the shawarma panino and the panino salad.

The food is reasonably priced, the restaurant has been tastefully decorated and a delivery service is available.

Contact Details

Al Jassim Building, Faseel, Fujairah.

Phone: (09) 223 7772

Hours

The Saj Panino opens at 8am and closes at 1am.

Saj Cooking

See how bread is prepared and cooked on the saj.

Check Out the Menu

Have a look at the new menu by clicking on this link.

N.B. Over time the menu items and prices change so the original menu may well be out of date by the time you download it.

Motto

The motto of the restaurant promises much: ‘Come hungry; Leave Happy.”

Take a Look

Some photos of the Saj Panino restaurant are posted in this photo album.

Geoff Pound

More Fujairah news, information, resources and photos are posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Bull Butting in Fujairah Getting Safer and Slightly Up Market

Renovations

Regulars at Fujairah’s Friday afternoon bull butting extravaganza will have noticed that in recent months there have been some renovations.

Thankfully they haven’t made huge changes to bring it into the 21^st century with Disney-style organization. There’s still a rustic feel to the experience and a sense that things are muddling along as they have done for the last few hundred years.

Earlier bulls were tied up to trees but now there are lines of poles to hitch up your beast.

Formerly, there weren’t any fences around the arena. The crowd that gathered formed the boundary line as well as their vehicles. Sometimes when a bull went on the loose the crowd scattered and this was one of the things that held your attention and got your adrenalin pumping. Now there are fences against which people can lean but there’s still the opportunity for the hardy to go inside the fence to stand or sit.

Some shelters have been created from date palms to give shade from the afternoon sun. These are in keeping with the traditional feel of the experience. The grandstand seats are where people sit on the roofs of their cars to obtain a higher vantage point.

Revamped Organization

There have been some changes in how the bull butting bouts proceed but not enough to turn it into an event with military precision. This Fujairah experience is still veiled with a high level of mystery. Who knows what is going on and which bull is winning?

The caller (MC/DJ) has a microphone and amplification. He gives the welcome and offers an excited commentary in Arabic. An amplified siren after 2-3 minutes indicates that each butting round is over.

Plenty of Bull

Two trainers, each with ropes, lead their bull near the middle of the arena. As in a rugby scrum, there is a moment when the bulls engage and their primal instincts take over. The butting is not severe although sometimes the bulls return to their posts with the odd spike of blood on their heads. The winning bull appears to be the one that has pushed the other further back from the starting position but even as the bulls ebb and flow, the length of the push is never measured as players do in lawn bowls.

When the siren sounds the trainers move to their bulls to pick up the ropes and draw their beasts apart. If their attempts are unsuccessful, tow teams of half a dozen guys in their dishdashas will move to each bull and pull on the ropes like a tug ‘o war. Once the bulls are separated they usually seem happy enough to take a breather under their tree.

There doesn’t seem to be any clear declaration of winners or an award ceremony.

The bull butting and the competition are not the only purposes of the afternoon. The farmers are keen to show off their bulls, which they feed on milk and butter to increase their bulk and give shine to their coats. This is partly a beauty parade for the bulls, again without a contest.

Central to the weekly event is the chance for farmers to get together, exchange their salaams and rewarm their relationships—the sort of thing that happens in rural communities around the world where farmers get together at the sale yards.

So What?

For the many expat workers who live in the emirate, the bull butting activities provide some free entertainment to enliven their days.

For the UAE expats and tourists who attend, the bull butting is something of a novelty and an opportunity to take some photos with which to remember their time in Fujairah.

The bull butting tradition is a regular reminder that Fujairah is essentially a rural town where growing crops and keeping livestock have been foundational to life in these parts for centuries. The new fences, microphones and shelters are small innovations to a unique practice that has brought people together and nurtured the community for hundreds of years.

Getting There

Go down Fujairah’s main street as far as you can go (beyond the incense burner roundabout) and when you hit the Corniche Rd you have to turn right. After a kilometer or so and just beyond a horse farm and a coffee shop, you will see lots of cars parked on the road. The arena is set in a hundred metres from the road.

Times

The bull butting event starts around 4.30pm on Friday afternoons. Sometimes if there is a bereavement in the community the show is cancelled without people being given adequate notice.

Bull butting takes place all through the year but the number of people attending increases noticeably in the cooler months.

Take a Look

Some photos of bull butting in Fujairah have been posted in this photo album.

Geoff Pound

More Fujairah news, resources, information and photos are posted in the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Fujairah Municipality Congratulates Children with Environmental Theme

To mark the beginning of the new academic year, representatives from the Fujairah Municipality’s Department of Environmental Protection, General Services Administration and the Division of Awareness and Environmental Media visited a number of kindergartens and schools.

They were accompanied by Morjan, the Municipality’s environmental cartoon character, who congratulated the students on starting a new academic year and wished them every success.

To strike a festive note the visiting teams distributed sweets, balloons, stamps and posters and the children enjoyed ample opportunities to have their photograph taken with Morjan.

Ms. Fatima Al Kindi of the Media Department said that this programme helped to spread among the children an environmental awareness in a fun and enjoyable manner.

The children were easily engaged and absorbed in the activities and at each school the teachers and their students expressed their happiness and appreciation for this initiative from the Fujairah Municipality.

The programme included a visit to various institutions including kindergartens at Al Anfal and Al Duhaa and the primary schools: Braa’m Al Liman, Al Qarya, Al Ma’arefa and Al Etqan.

The visits took place between Sunday 11 September and Tuesday 13 September 2011.

Well done to the Fujairah Municipality for taking this positive initiative!

Geoff Pound

Images: These pictures were taken at various kindergartens and schools visited in the environmental awareness programme conducted by the Fujairah Municipality this week.

More Fujairah news, resources, information and photos are posted in the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

French Day in Fujairah is Magnifique!

French business people and investors have been invited to a special day in Fujairah on 30 September 2011.

Engineer Mohammed Saif Al Afkham, the Director of the Fujairah Municipality, said that the one-day Fujairah-French rendezvous would give local business leaders the opportunity to showcase the emirate.

French business leaders will be invited to set up business in the eastern emirate of the UAE and it is hoped that investors will see the potential and be attracted to avail themselves of this new opportunity.

The one-day Fujairah showcasing to the French will be held on 30 September, commencing at 10.30am.

It will be located at the Concorde Hotel in Fujairah, under the patronage of the Crown Prince, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi.

Mohammed Al-Afkham said he was eager to hear from people with creative ideas about cultivating the French-Fujairah relationship, especially but not only at the commercial level.

Related

Fujairah Seeks an Ambitious Future in Tourism Says Patrick Antaki, FIF, 3 October 2011.

Fujairah Welcomes the French Highlighting Emirate’s Strategic Location, FIF, 2 October 2011.

French Business Council Has Firm Ambitions to Invest in Fujairah, FIF, 1 October 2011.

Crown Prince Seeking to Attract More French Companies to Fujairah, FIF, 30 September 2011.

Fujairah Forum Welcomes the French, FIF, 27 September 2011.

Geoff Pound

More Fujairah news, resources, information and photos are posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Tanqia Purifying Fujairah’s Wastewater

Where does the water go when we pull the plug in the sink or bath?

What happens to the waste when we flush the toilets in Fujairah?

Until recently, the water went into septic tanks or was dumped in the desert and wastelands of the emirate.

Since 2008, about 80% of the homes and industries of the city of Fujairah and the towns of Mirbah and Qidfa have been connected to the new Wastewater Treatment System which is constructed and operated by Tanqia. Our waste travels through a 300 kilometer pipeline network by gravity and with the assistance of 30 pumping stations to reach the treatment plant, 11 kms north of Fujairah and 4 kms south of Qidfa.

What’s in a Name?

The name Tanqia means purify. Since 2004 the Fujairah Government has granted Tanqia the exclusive rights for 33 years to design, construct, finance, own, expand and operate a wastewater treatment plant that treats the wastewater in the city and recycles it for further uses.

Operations

The treatment plant south of Qidfa consists of a modern computerized building equipped with a laboratory, workshop and a number of tanks where the wastewater undergoes screening and several stages in the purification process.

The odor is surprisingly minimal and confined to a small area on the property. The buildings are surrounded by beautiful gardens and trees that include several palm trees donated by His Highness, Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, the Ruler of Fujairah.

Reaching Capacity

About 16,000 cubic metres of wastewater travel to the treatment plant each day. Due to Fujairah’s rapid growth a duplicate set of treatment tanks is now on the drawing board and soon to be constructed and put into operation.

Challenges

While some of the purified water is currently recycled and used for landscaping, most of it goes into the sea near Qidfa.

The treated water can be used to irrigate landscapes, tree farms and industrial usage such as district cooling, dust abatement in quarries or even the washing of ships. However, the fundamental step missing is a new network that can take the 16,000 cubic metres of recycled water daily to fulfill other uses.

There is a small amount of sludge that results from the water treatment process but this too needs further processes before it is safe and clean to be sold to the public for fertilizing gardens and farms.

The wastewater treatment plant does not currently treat industrial water, nor can it treat storm water. Somewhere on the list of government priorities will be the need to create a system for collecting and processing storm water from roads after rain and flooding.

Public Awareness

One of the keys to the successful transition and acceptance of the new wastewater system has been the many training seminars and visits to schools and homes by Tanqia’s Manager of Public Relations, Ms. Khadijah Al Hindi.

Khadijah is proud of the new facilities and is passionate about teaching people to care for their environment.

Caring for Our Environment

While we as householders send waste down the drains there are important ways we can cooperate to ensure that the wastewater system works effectively. These include the following:

* Not constructing buildings over manholes and wastewater lines and refraining from making illegal connections to the system.

* Ensuring that trees are planted some distance from the wastewater lines to avoid roots infiltrating the pipes and disrupting the flow.

* Householders and restaurateurs refraining from pouring down the drains cooking oil, grease and fat.

* Ensuring that personal hygiene materials, paper towels and diapers (nappies) are not flushed down the toilets to enter the system.

* Abstaining from lifting manholes and throwing into the system items like dishware, garbage, concrete materials and chemicals.

* Desisting from putting storm water through the lines as this affects the bacteria that are essential to the effective biological treatment.

Mabrook! Congratulations!

The Government and the people of Fujairah can be proud of Tanqia and the wastewater treatment system that is being currently operated. It is a major contribution to the environment wellbeing of the city of Fujairah.

The development and success achieved thus far should be a boost to taking the extra steps that will ensure that the purified water is put to further significant uses.

Further Info and Contact Details

There are many safety and environmental tips on the attractive Tanqia web site as well as comprehensive information and photos that describe how this system works and who might help you with your questions.

Tanqia web site.

Take a Look

Some pictures of the Tanqia wastewater treatment plant in Fujairah can be seen in this photo album.

Geoff Pound

More Fujairah news, information, resources and photos are posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Image: A scene from Fujairah’s Tanqia, “the only privately owned wastewater collection and treatment system in the UAE and the Middle East.” (Photo courtesy of Tanqia)

Asking for a Discount in Fujairah and the UAE

Asking for Discounts

You may not get a positive response at your local hypermarket but a large number of people ask for discount on a wide range of purchases in Fujairah and get it.

Asking for a discount is a long established tradition. It may be more common in the rural emirates like Fujairah than in the more commercially sophisticated emirates of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

It is so much part of commerce in Fujairah that many vendors build a discount amount into their product when they are setting the price.

Shop at a hardware shop and if you ask for a discount you might get Dh10-15 knocked off the price of a rake or spade. Ditto for buying a car, paying a hotel bill or settling your school fees.

A Fujairah taxi driver who landed a Dh300 speeding fine, went to the Police Department and asked for a discount. He said he spun a good story because he ended up only paying Dh100.

Advertising Discounts

Starting from today (11 September 2011), the Dubai Police department is advertising a whopping 30% discount on the payment of traffic fines.

This discount may not relate to Fujairah motorists but it could certainly serve as leverage when paying a fine to the Fujairah Police. Ask for a 35% discount on the basis that Dubai is offering a 30% discount (over the next 3 months).

Feeling Miserly?

Asking for a discount doesn’t come easy to people of some cultures and personalities. It can make you feel stingy, something of a cheapskate or a dirham-pincher.

On the other side of the ledger, in this culture asking for a discount, like bartering at the Friday Markets, is something that is expected.

It can give to the vendor an opportunity to demonstrate generosity so that both parties end up happy when the transaction is complete.

Related

On a related matter, discover more on the purpose and practice of bartering in:

Friday Market: Why Markets are Hard to Beat in the UAE, Experiencing the Emirates, 18 April 2007.

Geoff Pound

More Fujairah news, resources and photos are posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Image: This Fujairah farmer was asking for a discount on a purchase of wheat at one of the agricultural shops in the city.

Conserving Fujairah’s Natural Resources as the Emirate Develops

Engineer Mohammed Saif Al Afkham, said on Thursday (8 September 2011) that the Fujairah Municipality is deliberate and intentional about new development in the emirate emerging in harmony with the wellbeing of the environment.

In his roles as Director of the Fujairah Municipality and chairperson of the Fujairah Natural Resources committee, he said that this group meets regularly to oversee building and development plans to ensure their environmental compliance and to discuss special challenges that relate to the effective management of natural resources in the emirate.

Geoff Pound

More Fujairah news, resources and photos are posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Images: Photos of Fujairah’s Natural Resources Committee in session this last week with the Director of the Fujairah Municipality in the chair.

Friday is Brunch and Family Fun Day at the Fujairah Concorde Hotel

New Concept

The team at the Concorde has been listening to Fujairah people and together they have come up with a Friday brunch along the initial theme, “Daddy”, You eat. We Play.”

So keen for people to experience this brunch and fun idea that tomorrow, Friday 9 September 2011, the brunch and the fun are free, whether you bring children or not.

This invitation is to individuals and families. It does not apply to groups of people. If you wish to come and make a reservation for Friday please call the hotel on this phone number: +971 (09) 224 9000.

On future Fridays, see prices below.

Emerging Idea

The Concorde team wants to be attentive to how you find it and will be eager to listen to any idea that might improve the experience for all. General Manager, Mohamed Fekry, said today, “We want to be known in the UAE as a hotel that is ready to listen and accept feedback.”

Here’s how it will operate to begin with:

Brunch Hours

The brunch will be available between 11.30am and 4.00pm every Friday. People don’t have to come at 11.30am or stay until 4.00pm but the food and the fun will be happening during these hours.

Second Floor

After leaving your car in the ample parking spaces in the front, behind the hotel or underground, proceed through the main entrance doors and take the lift to the Second Floor where most of the action will happen.

Brunch is in the Samakino Restaurant. After you leave the lift you’ll be greeted by the staff at a Juice Stand where you can order the fruit and soft drinks of your choice.

In this spacious restaurant there are lots of tables and eating corners depending on how awake you are and how ready you are to engage with people.

If you simply want to curl up in a corner with your brunch and laptop, there is free Wi-Fi to connect you to the Friday newspapers from around the world.

International Brunch

One of the special things about the Friday Brunch Buffet will be the cooking stations where Asian food, Italian pasta and a shawarma will be cooked before you according to your wishes and taste.

So Much for Kids

When the children are fed and watered they can move to the Kid’s Corner (along from the Samakino on the second floor) where they will be cared for and supervised.

There are plenty of ideas being developed for the children but so far the activities include puzzles, drawing, colouring books, group games, basketball, stories and a clown.

Each Friday the Concorde team will come up with a different theme.

Later parents may take their children and go over the walkway to the building behind where on the top floor is a sun deck, swimming pools (with lifeguard) and a children’s playground.

Evolving Programme

Guest feedback will be crucial as to how the Friday fun brunch buffets develop but, Ayman, the coordinator of the Friday extravaganza, is already wondering about popcorn machines, sugar candy and chocolate fountains!

Regular Costs

N.B. Over the months and years these costs and the programme will inevitably change but here are the current options and prices:

Brunch Only: Dh110 per person; children 6-13 Dh55; children 0-5 free.

Brunch & Pool Use: Dh 135 per person; children 6-13 50%; children 0-6 free.

Brunch, Pool & Superior Room: Dh 375 (single or double)

These prices are inclusive of taxes.

Contact Details

Concorde Hotel Fujairah (N.B. It is no longer an Iberotel hotel)

P O Box 3588

Fujairah, UAE

Tel: +971 9 224 9000; Fax: +971 9 244 9990

Website: www.concordefujairah.com

Follow Concorde Fujairah

Join the Concorde Facebook Page for more news and information.

Here It Is!

View Concorde Hotel Fujairah in a larger map

Take a Look

Some photos of the Concorde Hotel Fujairah are posted in this photo album.

Further

Try our Wellness Centre at Concorde Hotel Fujairah, FIF, 22 December 2010.

Concorde Fujairah Opens Seafood Restaurant with a Splash, FIF, 1 October 2010.

Geoff Pound

More Fujairah News, Views, Resources and Photos are posted each day on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.