High marks for Gulf states but real tests still lie ahead



Ed Koch, the colourful and often controversial former mayor of New York City, made it a practice as he walked the streets of his city to stop and ask average citizens: "How am I doing?" It was an effort to learn how they viewed the performance of his administration and its delivery of services. In the aftermath of the global financial crisis, the obvious performance-related question in the Gulf is how countries weathered the storm. The recent Zogby International survey of business executives in Arab Gulf countries provides some of the answers, with data that back up common assumptions and some additional insights as well. And, as in any case when questions are asked and the answer is carefully listened to, sometimes the results can be surprising.

The survey found that optimism has returned to the business community in the Gulf, a sign that the region may have turned the corner following the economic downturn of 2008-2009. Overall, six in 10 executives say that business conditions have improved in their countries, with more than eight in 10 expressing confidence that conditions will improve even further in the next two years. These are but a few of the findings from the survey of chief executives in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar. Zogby International conducted the study on behalf of Oliver Wyman, an international management consulting firm with a strong presence in the Middle East. It is the second in an ongoing series of semi-annual measurements of business confidence in the Gulf region.

The mood was positive in all three countries covered in the survey, with the most notable changes occurring in the UAE. Business leaders here were especially hard hit by what one prominent Emirati businessman referred to as the "bursting of Dubai's utopic bubble". In our October 2009 survey, 57 per cent of respondents in the UAE reported that the economy was in decline; today that figure has dropped to just 39 per cent. In October, only 45 per cent of business leaders here anticipated an improvement in business conditions in the country over the next two years. Now 74 per cent are optimistic.

Most executives expressed satisfaction with their governments' response to the 2008-2009 crisis. Those in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi indicated strong confidence in their governments' performance; in Dubai there was a somewhat negative mood with more than 50 per cent of respondents reporting that their attitude towards government had been undermined by the handling of the crisis. When asked to identify the areas where GCC countries could most improve competitiveness, almost one-half of the business leaders pointed to countries' need to diversify their economies.

Four times as many executives identified greater opportunities in deepening ties with the emerging economies of China and India than with their traditional partners in the developed West. Some said that they saw China's dramatic growth and the perceived ease of doing business in that country as obvious attractions, especially in the face of the uncertainties now facing Europe. In the recent survey, as in our earlier October effort, labour and education reform were identified as the greatest challenges to the region's competitiveness. Especially noted in Dubai and Saudi Arabia's eastern province, executives urged greater transparency, while reducing bureaucracy was a major concern in Abu Dhabi.

In all three countries, executives highlighted the difficulty of starting new businesses in terms of excessive regulations and problems obtaining loans at reasonable rates. This survey, and others of its sort, serve a two-fold purpose. On the one hand, business leaders have an unofficial sounding board where they can voice their concerns. On the other hand, just like Mr Koch's downtown walks, governments get a baseline sense of the mood and needs of a critical sector of society that will drive future growth and development.

And so getting back to the New York mayor's question, in the Gulf the performance review would be "quite good". The bottom line is that business confidence is up, and significantly so when compared to many other regions of the world, including the US. And no wonder. The region weathered a difficult worldwide downturn with governments wisely using reserves both to insure stability and promote growth.

Nevertheless, concerns remain in important areas. Singled out for attention were the region's dependence on foreign labour; the challenge of modernising the educational system (especially in the areas of primary education, basic maths and science skills and technical training); and easing the way for entrepreneurs to start new businesses, which is key to needed job creation. These are issues that the business leaders say must be addressed to ensure continued prosperity and future competitiveness. James Zogby is the president of the Arab American Institute.

The biog

Name: Gul Raziq

From: Charsadda, Pakistan

Family: Wife and six children

Favourite holes at Al Ghazal: 15 and 8

Golf Handicap: 6

Childhood sport: cricket 

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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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No more lice

Defining head lice

Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.

Identifying lice

Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.

Treating lice at home

Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.

Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

England ODI squad

Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

T20 World Cup Qualifier fixtures

Tuesday, October 29

Qualifier one, 2.10pm – Netherlands v UAE

Qualifier two, 7.30pm – Namibia v Oman

Wednesday, October 30

Qualifier three, 2.10pm – Scotland v loser of qualifier one

Qualifier four, 7.30pm – Hong Kong v loser of qualifier two

Thursday, October 31

Fifth-place playoff, 2.10pm – winner of qualifier three v winner of qualifier four

Friday, November 1

Semi-final one, 2.10pm – Ireland v winner of qualifier one

Semi-final two, 7.30pm – PNG v winner of qualifier two

Saturday, November 2

Third-place playoff, 2.10pm

Final, 7.30pm

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Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage

Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid 

Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani

Rating: 4/5

How to get there

Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
 

The%20Roundup
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Sunday's games

Liverpool v West Ham United, 4.30pm (UAE)
Southampton v Burnley, 4.30pm
Arsenal v Manchester City, 7pm

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Business Insights
  • Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
  • The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
  • US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Power: 268bhp / 536bhp
Torque: 343Nm / 686Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
On sale: Later this year
Results
  • Brock Lesnar retained the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns
  • Braun Strowman and Nicolas won the Raw Tag Team titles against Sheamus and Cesaro
  • AJ Styles retained the WWE World Heavyweight title against Shinsuke Nakamura
  • Nia Jax won the Raw Women’s title against Alexa Bliss
  • Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon beat Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
  • The Undertaker beat John Cena
  • The Bludgeon Brothers won the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos and New Day
  • Ronda Rousey and Kurt Angle beat Triple H and Stephanie McMahon
  • Jinder Mahal won the United States title against Randy Orton, Rusev and Bobby Roode
  • Charlotte retained the SmackDown Women’s title against Asuka
  • Seth Rollins won the Intercontinental title against The Miz and Finn Balor
  • Naomi won the first WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal
  • Cedric Alexander won the vacant Cruiserweight title against Mustafa Ali
  • Matt Hardy won the Andre the Giant Battle Royal
Monday's results
  • UAE beat Bahrain by 51 runs
  • Qatar beat Maldives by 44 runs
  • Saudi Arabia beat Kuwait by seven wickets
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SOUTH%20KOREA%20SQUAD
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The specs

Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo

Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed

Power: 271 and 409 horsepower

Torque: 385 and 650Nm

Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000

Results
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EVIL%20DEAD%20RISE
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Tips for job-seekers
  • Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
  • Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.

David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East

If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Ticket prices
  • Golden circle - Dh995
  • Floor Standing - Dh495
  • Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
  • Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
  • Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
  • Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
  • Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
  • Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now