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ಪ್ರಕಟಿಸಿದ ದಿನಾಂಕ : 2010-02-04 Worker paid Dh5m by mistake hands it back February 3. AJMAN // When Hashim Mohammed went to withdraw half of his monthly salary from his local branch of the Arab Union Bank on Monday, to say he was in for a shock is to put it mildly. Sitting in the Ajman Municipality worker’s account was not the Dh5,000 he earns every month. Instead, on the screen before him, another figure stared back – Dh5,196,000 (US$1.4 million). Rather than taking the money and running, Mr Mohammed, 55, from Sudan, immediately reported the error, even though his family could do with a windfall. As a token of thanks for his honesty, Mr Mohammed was presented with an extra month’s salary and a certificate of appreciation yesterday, at a ceremony presided over by Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid al Nuaimi, the chairman of the civic body. Mr Mohammed, 55, an inspector for the public health department, said he had intended to withdraw Dh2,500. “At first, I laughed because I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “I inserted my ATM card again and inquired about the balance. It was Dh5,196,000. I immediately called the office HR and then the bank. “I am a God-fearing person, I want to remain honest and have my family benefiting from only lawful income.” The bank froze Mr Mohammed’s account for about a day to clear the excess money. It turned out that he had been paid 1,000 times his monthly salary. Mr Mohammed’s honesty in returning the fortune was particularly admirable given that he could not afford to pay university fees for his two sons in Sudan, which meant that they had to drop out of higher education. The money put into his account would have been enough to keep both sons at university for more than 32 years. One had studied at Ajman University of Technology but had to drop out after one year because Mr Mohammed, who has lived in the UAE for 20 years, could not continue paying the tuition. His second son had been a medical student in Poland but was forced to return to Sudan because of money problems. He transferred to Khartoum’s New College of Medical Sciences for a year but dropped out of there for the same reason. A spokesman for the municipality said the pay error was not its fault. “We are very proud to have such honest people like Hashim working with us,” the spokesman added. Abdul Razak Saleh, a lawyer in Ajman, said it was wrong for the bank to close Mr Mohammed’s account for a day after learning of the mistake. The proper procedure would have been for the bank to file a lawsuit against the owner of the account and get approval from the Central Bank to close it. “Hashim was entitled to sue the bank and ask for compensation for all this inconvenience, but, being a good person, he chose to take it easy,” he said. Arab Union Bank declined to comment. Rents in central business districts to stabilise in Q1 Lease rates in Dubai's central business districts are likely to stabilise during the first quarter, according to a real estate consultancy. "There is unlikely to be any change in leasing rates for office spaces in central business districts in the first quarter," Mohammed Faheem, Research Analyst, CB Richard Ellis, Middle East, told Emirates Business. However, in secondary locations, landlords are likely to offer more "incentives" to a tenant rather than changing office leasing rates. In its fourth-quarter report on the Dubai property market, CBRE said vacancy rates in CBD areas are likely to remain unchanged as no new supply is expected during the first quarter. "In secondary locations, however, new stock is likely to increase vacancy rates, which currently is about 30 per cent," said Faheem. He added leasing an office space was becoming a concern as tenants with a larger office space requirement were having to deal with multiple owners. "This is not positive from a tenant's point of view," he said. "The new supply entering freehold areas in Dubai is having to deal with multiple owners, which is a concern in terms of leasing. Tenants with larger space requirement have to deal with multiple owners to acquire a space which is not a positive aspect for tenants." According to CBRE, the available office space in Dubai currently outstrips demand as new completions are adding further pressure to the existing vacant stock. Faheem said current occupancies are coming from new as well as existing companies. "The drop in lease rates over the past one year has seen existing companies relocating / upgrading their office space to newer locations and quality accommodation." Newer areas experiencing high vacancy rates are likely to see rates dip further as competition for tenants continue to lead landlords towards greater incentive packages," the report said. Office spaces in the central business district (CBD) areas of Dubai are faring better than secondary and tertiary locations. While the vacancy rate in the CBD area of Dubai is in single digits, vacancy rates in secondary and tertiary areas of the emirate is about 30 per cent, it said. "A substantial upturn in demand will now be required to slow rising vacancy rates in 2010," said the report. Sliding lease and occupancy rates continue to incentivise landlords to offer rent-free periods, inclusion of service charges and multiple cheques. The report said landlords were willing to contribute to fit-out costs. However, this was apparent only for longer lease terms of five years and more, as well as larger office space. New office space continued to emerge from existing as well as new office districts. "The market downturn has forced a number of companies into downsizing to cut costs. This, in turn, has increased the availability of discounted fitted-out space as tenants look to reduce liability to leases taken during the market boom. Generally we have found occupiers offering space at 35 per cent to 45 per cent lower than their actual lease interest," the report said. During the course of 2009, a total of 0.58 million square metres of new office accommodation entered the Dubai market from both freehold and non-freehold locations. Majority of this space (approximately 54 per cent), were in freehold locations of Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), Dubai Silicon Oasis, Jumeirah Lakes Towers and Tecom C. The remainder – 46 per cent – was from non-freehold locations. The ratio of strata to single ownership buildings will shift significantly during 2010, as the vast majority of expected new office supply has been pre-sold on strata basis. The report said the most notable office space development area likely to enter the market in 2010 is Business Bay. Five or six commercial office towers are either completed and awaiting handover or are in their final stages of completion. The real estate market remained sluggish during the final quarter of 2009, with few signs to suggest any imminent upturn in fortunes. According to the Land Department in Dubai, there was a total of 520 transactions in the fourth quarter of 2009, marking a drop of 17.7 per cent compared to the fourth quarter of 2008. In terms of value, the total land transacted equated to Dh3.43 billion, compared to Dh5.09bn in 2008. Although construction activities for real estate projects have slowed down considerably, infrastructure and transportation projects have continued to show exceptional progress. Office rentals in prime business areas, excluding DIFC, ranged between Dh1,950 and Dh2,400 per sq m per annum during the quarter, with little change from the third quarter. This is around 57 per cent lower as a year-on-year comparison reflecting the negative impact felt in the emirate in past four quarters. Residential supply in the coming year will have the highest effect on villas. Villa developments expected to be handed over in 2010 include Jumeirah Village, The Villa and Al Waha Villas. Apartment rates may experience a small drop in rates in 2010 but these are unlikely to compare with the declines in 2009. Emirates tops airline service quality poll Emirates has narrowly edged its way to the number one spot in a service quality benchmarking report, that saw the Dubai-based carrier compete with six other airlines globally. Emirates topped the charts with a 92.3 per cent overall performance, reveals Ethos Consultancy's International Airline Benchmarking Study. Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways comes in a close second, at 91.5 per cent, while the Doha-based Qatar Airways – the only other Middle Eastern carrier – came in last with an overall customer satisfaction rating of only 71.5 per cent. The Dubai-based customer service consultancy firm analysed a flight experience – from flight booking all the way through to the baggage claim over a two-month busy Christmas period. "Both Emirates and Etihad have performed very well and should be content with their service quality performance during a very busy period, however their reports were far from perfect. There is certainly room for improvement and consistency moving forward," said Barry Judge, Director of Marketing at Ethos Consultancy. Rounding up the top three was Swiss Air, with 86.6 per cent. Other airlines making the cut included British Airways in fourth place with 84.3 per cent. The United Kingdom's Virgin Atlantic came in fifth with 79.8 per cent, followed by Air France at 72.3 per cent. Performance benchmark The criteria for the study looked into bookings, check-in, baggage drop, boarding, plane conditions, in-flight services such as food and beverage, entertainment and shopping, right through to disembarkation and final baggage claim. Judge told Emirates Business: "We opted for airlines that departed from either Dubai or Abu Dhabi, flew long-haul for minimum six hours, through economy class. We looked at all customer touch points, that is every time a customer interacts with the airline commencing with booking right through to disembarkation and baggage reclaim." He explained the study was conducted across 14 flight experiences over the busy Christmas and New Year period to accurately assess how airlines perform under pressure. "It is a time when airlines are stretched because of increased footfall. I think this is a relatively accurate assessment of how these airlines will fare in terms of service quality in 2010, with the exception being British Airways. "The uncertainty in December as a result of British Airways cabin crew voting for a 12-day strike caused a loss of confidence, which l think is reflected in this benchmarking study," he said. When contacted, a British Airways spokesperson said: "Customer service is a priority in all that we do at British Airways. We have invested in premium cabin crew training to ensure that we can deliver service standards to match those in the finest hotels and restaurants, and we continue to introduce new products and services despite the economic downturn, to ensure that we maintain our position as a global premium airline. "Obviously, we are very happy that BA scored highly across several categories, and we are committed to improving our service in all areas, including investing £100 million (Dh582.7) in a new first class cabin, which will unveil early this year." Other services included providing the first mid-air e-mail and text services on UK-US flights, along with investing in a new fleet for its London City operations. The new aircraft will be in service by June. The spokesperson added: "We are taking delivery of three new Boeing 777s this year, and three more over the next two years, and we continue to invest in new routes. "We continue to look at every aspect of our business in our quest for improvement. While we try to consider all available studies that involve customer feedback, we must also consider the criteria relied upon in each study, survey or report." The winning stake When quizzed over the choice in airlines, Ethos' Judge said: "We are regularly asked how customer service in the UAE compares internationally by clients or the media and this is a difficult question to answer because there isn't just one answer. It depends on the industry in question and how mature this industry is within a global context. "The airline industry is fast-moving, dynamic and extremely competitive. And at the forefront are two UAE-based airlines. We wanted to see how these airlines compared to some of the large international airlines that have either Dubai or Abu Dhabi based routes." There were clear winners in each of the categories, with Eithad scoring 100 per cent in check-in/bag drop services, while Emirates scored less than British Airways (89 per cent) and Virgin Atlantic (85 per cent), coming in fourth at 80 per cent. Emirates scored low once again in its baggage pick-up service, coming in at 75 per cent, while Etihad had a perfect score in that category at 100 per cent. However, Etihad's loss was in the plane condition, scoring only 78 per cent, while Emirates raced ahead by 16 per cent. Other categories that the UAE's national carrier lost out to Emirates included the in-flight services host/hostess and food and beverage, scoring 81 per cent and 88 per cent, respectively to Emirates' 100 per cent in both categories. Qatar Airways scored low in baggage drop and pick up services, earning only 55 per cent and 50 per cent in both categories, respectively. Other services Qatar Airways scored low in included Boarding (63 per cent), in-flight entertainment and food and beverage (both 75 per cent), and its overall service quality (60 per cent). Service is key This is the first such study by Ethos, which Judge says is an important market indicator in such economic times. "In a recession, customer retention is even more vital. Studies indicate it costs between five and six times more to attract a new customer than to keep an existing customer and Accenture research in 2009 shows increasing customer retention by two per cent has the same effect on profits as cutting costs by 10 per cent," he said. "Customer service cannot be comprised upon within the aviation industry. It's a linear process...high service quality levels lead to customer satisfaction, which in turn leads to customer retention, which is the driving force behind customer loyalty. Customer loyalty is what every airline should be striving to achieve." Seeming confident that the outlook should change by the end of the year. Judge said: "Change is inevitable and airlines operate on the precipice of uncertainty. But one thing that need not change is their attitude towards delivering superior customer service. If airlines continue to strive for excellence the outlook will only get better." Dewa offers relief to working mothers Last Updated: February 03. 2010 11:06PM UAE / February 3. 2010 7:06PM GMT For three years, the working mother from Jordan has paid a private nursery Dh1,350 (US$370) a month to care for her three-year-old son, Mustafa, while she works at Dewa’s head office in Garhoud. Now that Mustafa is one of 32 children attending the newly completed centre, which was inaugurated yesterday, her childcare costs will drop to Dh500 a month. “Childcare is very expensive,” she said. “It was very good at the nursery we used. He learnt things there. But I am happier knowing he is near to my job.” Dewa is the latest government organisation to open a nursery in response to a 2006 Cabinet decision that requires all departments with more than 50 female employees, or a female staff with more than 20 children below the age of four combined, to open such a centre on its premises. Despite the 2006 decision, fewer than 20 government entities have established a nursery or are in the process of doing so. Fatima Deemas, senior manager of the organisation’s employee relations department, said the Dewa centre might expand to enrol more children, depending on demand. The crèche is the first of several planned for other Dewa branches over the next two years. Saeed al Tayer, managing director and chief executive of Dewa, said the centres were an important part of helping women to balance careers with motherhood. “The main objective of the nursery is to provide a positive work environment to support working mothers and help them to achieve a balance between their professional and family life,” he said. Ms Deemas said there were already several expectant mothers who had registered their unborn children on a waiting list for the centre. Mothers are not allowed to visit their children during working hours, except in an emergency, but those who are breastfeeding would be called to do so during the day. Public sector benefits for private sector Emiratis 4 February 2010, The Ministry of Labour has drafted a bill granting private sector Emirati employees privileges similar to those extended by the public sector. They include Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) and Children Allowance, Labour Minister Saqr Gobash said. This is to attract more Emiratis to the private sector. “The proposed law has been submitted to the Emiratisation Council for consideration and issuance,” Gobash said in reply to a Khaleej Times question on his ministry’s efforts to plug the gap in incentives between the two sectors. “Acting on the Cabinet’s instructions to conduct a study on Emiratisation in the private sector, the ministry has finalised an integrated bill that will fill the existing gulf,” the minister said. He was speaking on the sidelines of the 15th annual conference of the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research on Education and the Requirements of the GCC Labour Market. Gobash said the situation had caused a drop in Emiratisation rate in private companies to 0.4 per cent. Job localistion rate is 20 per cent in Bahrain, 13.3 per cent in Saudi Arabia, 14.4 per cent in Oman and 0.6 per cent in Qatar. “UAE nationals prefer to join the public sector to get higher salary, favourable work environment, pension and other retirement benefits. This makes Emiratisation in the private sector one of daunting challenges we face,” he said. “The more privileges the private sector offers, the greater the chances of achieving a higher Emiratisation percentage,” the minister said. The evidence is that Emiratisation is higher at firms granting privileges similar to the government sector such the oil companies. Sectors with low salaries, like building and construction, have lowest percentage of national workforce, he said. The bill would boost Emiratisation drive by developing appropriate policies and striking a balance between curricula and development requirements. Parents Must Pick up Kids at Bus Stop 4 February 2010, Parent or guardians of kindergarten children must be present at the specified location when they are dropped off after school, according to the Dubai School Transport manual. But transport providers say many are still unaware of their responsibility. A spokesperson from the Roads and Transport Authority on Tuesday clarified that parents must be present at the bus stop. It’s up to parents to drop and pick up kids from bus stops, says the RTA. However, parents feel that with the extra money being paid, schools must ensure safety of the children.—KT photo by Juidin Bernarrd “The parents should take responsibility for receiving and seeing off their children,” the spokesperson said. Dubai Scholars School recently sent out a consent form to parents asking them to agree to be responsible for their children’s safety. Henz D’souza, in charge of school transport at the school, said the child’s safety on the bus is their responsibility, but after that the parent must take charge. “We do not allow them to cross the road alone and our attendant will not make them cross the road either,” he said. “It is a shared effort to ensure the child gets home safely and parents must cooperate with us.” In the absence of a parent at the pick-up point, transport providers take children who are in lower grades back to school and inform the parents. “Our attendant cannot accompany the student back home because if he leaves the bus there is no one to monitor the other students,” Henz, said. According to the RTA, bus supervisors do not have to help children cross the street. “Some schools choose to let supervisors help kids cross the road , but it is not their responsibility to do so,” the authority said. However, many parents feel that the transport provider must make sure the child reaches home safely. “We are paying for additional safety that they say they have introduced,” said Manoj Kumar, a parent. “They should make the children cross the road or drop them at the building.” Another parent, Santhosh M. said they he thought that the transport providers were asked to hire attendants who would help children cross the road. “After some of the accidents where school kids were killed, I though it was their duty,” he said. M. L. Augustine, managing director of the School Transport Service, a provider to 24 schools in Dubai, said that due to the large number of children that use school transport, strategic locations need to be identified to drop them off. “It would take long if we had to drop off all the children right at their doorsteps,” he said. He said the attendants, if imnformed, do accompany the child to his residence. “We support our parents and sometimes the attendants help the child across but according to our policy, in the absence of a guardian at the pick up point, we bring them back to school,” he said. Last year, the Ministry of Education made it compulsory for school transport providers to hire bus attendants to ensure student safety after several careless practices on part of the provider led to the death of young students. On Tuesday, Khaleej Times reported that Emirates Transport, the official transport provider for public schools is responsible for accompanying students right up to their homes, a service parents in Ras Al Khaimah said has put them at ease and confident that their children are safe.
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