United Arab Emirates Archives - Jean-Jacques Cornish

I am betting the Kuwaitis won’t change their working week

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 17:13:24 +0000

It is said other Arabic countries will follow the United Arab Emirates in adopting a Western working week.

From this year, the UAE has observed Saturday and Sunday as holiday instead of Friday and Saturday as is the case in most Islamic countries.

If there are further changes, my money is that Kuwait will not lead the field.

Certainly a Western week would be more efficient, as the UAE maintains.

No doubt the army of expatriates who do the menial work in Kuwait would welcome it.

On Sunday night, these expats gather after church and literally fill public spaces.

If it were to happen, it would mean the working week for Kuwaitis would expand from three-and-a-half to five days.

I was invited to Kuwait to observe elections in the nineties.

“What do you think of our democracy?” a reporter asked me.

“Well you still have no women voting,” I replied. “So there is some way to go.”

The oil-rich Kuwaitis, who had just been liberated from a brief Iraqi occupation when I visited, are the most pampered people I have encountered.

The oil which is the source of their wellbeing snd obviates the need for any Kuwaiti to pay tax doe not require pumping.

Most of irises from natural pressure to the wells above sea level.

It is then piped by gravity down to the terminals for shipping abroad

Kuwaitis have free education and, when it comes to tertiary learning, they get bursaries to study abroad if the course they chose is not offered at Kuwaitis universities.

Equally they have free health care with treatment abroad paid for by the state if it is unavailable at home.

A married couple is given a house and generous allowances for each child born.

It was well nigh impossible to arrange interviews with officials when I was there. They were never in their offices.

The Kuwaiti working week goes thus:

Monday is the start of the and there is no need to peak early. So go home at lunchtime.

Tuesday is the second working. Flexitime rules in Kuwait, so start at 10am and leave around 3pm.

Ditto Wednesday.

Thursday is the eve of the weekend, so prepare for it by going home at lunchtime.

Friday is the sabbath. No work.

Saturday is the second day of the weekend. No work.

Sunday, well the practically the rest of the world it not working on Sunday, so why buck the trend. No work.

Who would blame a Kuwaiti for saying if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

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UN deplores rebel attack on COVID 19 hospital in Tripoli

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Fri, 10 Apr 2020 22:00:00 +0000

The United Nations deplores a rebel attack on a hospital treating COVID 19 patients in Tripoli injuring six medical workers.

The world organization condemns what it calls the senseless damage of a most needed medical facility.

Libyan rebel leader Khalifa Haftar has broken the ceasefire he entered into to allow medical staff to fight the COVID 19 pandemic.

His forces shelled the Al Khadra General Hospital in Tripoli controlled by the UN-supported Government of National Accord.

UN Human Rights coordinator for Libya Yacoub El Hillo says the attack is a violation of international law.

Haftar, who has close ties with the United States intelligence community, is bent on seizing control of the capital. He has the support of Russia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

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Protestors cut ties with Sudan’s military council

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Sun, 21 Apr 2019 22:00:00 +0000

Pro democracy demonstrators in Sudan have cut ties with the military brass that overthrew President Omar Al Bashir earlier this month.

They accuse the transitional military councilor being remnants of the 30-year Bashir regime.

The disparate pro-democracy groups spearheaded by the Sudan Professionals Association had gathered outside military headquarters in Khartoum to hear a suggested list of people for a transitional government.

Instead they got the defiant statement from the groups urging them to escalate their protests.

It’s an indication that the demonstrators could not agree on personalities able to replace the military and a sign that there are tense and confusing times ahead for Sudan.

The generals, meanwhile have enjoyed financial support from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

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US calls for an end to fighting in Libya

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Sun, 07 Apr 2019 22:00:00 +0000

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has ordered Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar to end his advance on the capital Tripoli.

At least 21 people have died in four days of fighting that include an airstrike by the rebel Libyan National Army.

The tougher line from Washington follows a call for peace from United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres who was visiting Libya when rebels began their advance on Tripoli.

The dissidents are supported by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

However the tenuous government of Fayez Al Serraj, seeking to restore order in Libya that has been tearing itself apart since the 2011 fall of Muammar Gadaffi, is supported by the UN.

There are fears that its fall will drive Libya back into becoming a source of illegal immigration and an extremist hotspot on Europe’s southern flank

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Grave concern about increasing violence in Libya

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 22:00:00 +0000

There’s grave concern about escalating conflict in Libya where renegade general Khalifa Haftar has ordered his troops to march on the capital Tripoli.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has joined Western and Arab powers in calling for peace.

ends intro

UN boss Antonio Guterres was in Tripoli visiting the UN-backed Prime Minister Fayes Al Serraj when the so called Libyan National Army started its advance on Tripoli.

Guterres appealed for calm

“There is no military solution anywhere in the world and certainly not military solution in Libya,” he said.

His appeal was echoed by the United States, Britain, France, Italy and the United Arab Emirates.

Libya is virtually ungovernable because of violence following the 2011 fall of Muammar Gadaffi.

The UN-backed government in Tripoli is held hostage by the Benghazi-based rebels in east of the country

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Sudan says it’s in the middle of an international Muslim power play

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Thu, 27 Dec 2018 22:00:00 +0000

The Khartoum government says it’s experiencing growing domestic protests because it’s at the centre of an international Muslim power play.

It’s blaming Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for fomenting riots and violence that’s cost at least 37 lives.

Saudi Arabia and the the UAE want to exclude Turkey from the international Muslim community.

They offered Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir generous aid if he cut ties with Ankara.

They also made their aid to Sudan conditional on it turning its back on Iran and Qatar.

Al Bashir, who’s an Islamist, refused.

Highly placed advisers in in the ruling Sudanese National Congress say Saudi and UAE support for the protests against a tripling of the bread price and fuel and food shortages is designed to make Al Bashir reconsider.

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