Observer & Busness 5 May 2012 - Oman Daily Observer

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Stewart Cink shares Quail Hollow lead Page 17 Hussey feels Indian heat KOLKATA — Rubbish- NEW DELHI — Veteran Australian batsman Michael Hussey, newly arrived in the Indian Premier League (IPL) to play for the defending champions, admitted yesterday that he was struggling with the heat and humidity. The middle-order batsman, who turns 37 later this month, was run out for 18 in his first match on Monday after arriving to play for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) following a Test series for Australia in the West Indies. "I do struggle in the heat and humidity. That is a lot. It's very, very tough," Hussey, nicknamed 'Mr Cricket', told NDTV ahead of yesterday's match between Chennai and the Deccan Chargers. Hussey, representing CSK since the IPL's inaugural season in 2008, said it was 'fantastic' to be back playing for Chennai. "It's good to catch up with the other players," Hussey said, adding he loved the hot and spicy food in the industrial southern port city, where the temperature was 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) yesterday. Hussey conceded it was a big challenge playing against the Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday after a long flight from the Caribbean. "It was a dream actually. I was not sure what was going on. It was a bit of a battle getting on the field. Quite a big jetlag," said Hussey. Hussey has scored 5,708 runs in 73 Tests and 5,262 runs in 181 one-dayers since making his international debut in 2004. The 76-match IPL tournament has nine teams playing each other on a home-andaway basis before the top- four sides qualify for the playoffs. The final will be on May 27. — AFP SATURDAY, MAY 5, 2012 ‘KKR is only team to play for Kolkata pride’ ing speculation that Kolkata Knight Riders' home match at the Eden Gardens today may become a virtually away game due to crowd support for rivals Pune Warriors led by local hero Saurav Ganguly, KKR captain Gautam Gambhir said only his team belongs to Kolkata. Refusing to bill the game as one between Ganguly and the Knights, Gambhir said: "Saurav is an individual, we will play against Pune Warriors. We don't play against Saurav Ganguly." Gambhir said irrespective of whether the Kolkata crowd supported his team today, the Knight Riders would play for the city's pride. "Whoever Kolkata wants to supports they can support. But I want to say that KKR is the only team that belongs to Kolkata and there is no other team that belongs to Kolkata. I have always maintained that we only play for the pride of Kolkata we will always do that, whether we get the support or we don't get the support." A majority of Kolkatans — from celebrities to the man on the street — seem to be gearing up emotionally to back their eternal favourite 'Dada' Saurav Ganguly, who will lead the Pune Warriors out on the historic ground. The much awaited IPL clash, which many are saying would be a 'home' tie for Pune, has already generated tremendous interest. The entire quota of tickets set aside for online booking have been sold and black marketers are said to be making a killing. The match is being variously touted as Dada vs SRK (Knight Riders co-owner Shah Rukh Khan) and as a derby, with Ganguly set to use for the first time ever the visiting team dressing room and dug out on a ground where he honed his cricketing skills from a young age. Steyn helps Bulls overcome Rebels Page 18 Super Kings edge past Chargers CHENNAI — Champions Chennai Super Kings, after suffering two consecutive defeats, bounced back to beat cellar dwellers Deccan Chargers by 10 runs to move up to fourth spot on the leaderboard in the Indian Premier League at the Chepauk Stadium here yesterday. Batting first on winning the toss, the Super Kings scrambled to 160 for six, thanks in the main to some big hitting in the last over by Dwayne Bravo (12 off four balls) and then restricted the Chargers to 150 for five with Cameron White, dropped off the first ball he faced, making 77 off 53 balls. The fifth win took the Super Kings tally to 11 points from as many matches while the Chargers, crashing to their seventh defeat in 10 matches, remain at the bottom with five points. The Chargers had their chances after their bowlers kept the Super Kings batsmen on a leash, but the hosts boasting of great depth, put sufficient runs on the board through opener Francois du Plessis (42), Suresh Raina (32) and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (34) before Bravo’s blitz in the last over. The chase was never really on after the early dismissal of opener Parthiv Patel (1) in the second over by Albie Morkel. White and Shikhar Dhawan (36) put on 68 runs for the second wicket, but the Chargers suffered a double blow, losing two wickets in 10 balls. Dhawan was run out backing up as White’s firm drive struck bowler Bravo and deflected on to the stumps. In CHENNAI Super Kings Murali Vijay (right) and Faf du Plessis celebrate during the IPL match against Deccan Chargers in Chennai yesterday. — AFP the next over, Raina removed Kumar Sangakkara accepting a sharp return catch diving to his right in a brilliant effort. White, in the company of Daniel Christian, continued unfazed and after a few quiet overs, unleashed a barrage of shots, as Chargers fought back, taking 18 off the 18th over bowled by Jadeja. With 29 runs need off the last two overs, the Chargers were under pressure and the decisive moment came when White was run out attempting a second run and the visitors slumped to 135 for four, still requiring another 26 off nine deliveries. Brief scores: Chennai Super Kings 160 for 6 in 20 overs (Francois du Plessis 42, M S Dhoni 34, S Raina 32; V P Singh 2/35) bt Deccan Chargers 150 for 5 in 20 overs (C White 77, S Dhawan 36, D Christian 28 n.o., B Hilfenhaus 1/31, A Morkel 1/16). Today’s fixtures: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Pune Warriors, Kings XI Punjab vs Rajasthan Royals.
Asian shares fall as weak data disappoints Page 24 Oil spill response exercise held THE Sohar Industrial Port Company (SIPC) in co-operation with Oman PESCO LLC, which is specialised in environmental protection and oil spill response services, conducted a live oil spill response exercise in order to test the emergency preparedness and response capabilities of the Port. Page 22 Saturday, May 5, 2012 Bid bonds for railway design tender extended to July 5 By Conrad Prabhu MUSCAT — International companies competing for a keenly awaited, but muchdelayed, contract for the Design & Supervision of Oman’s National Rail Project have been asked to extend their bid bonds to July 5, 2012, fuelling expectations that an award is likely in the coming months. Five consortiums, each led by leading names in the global rail engineering and construction industry, are bidding for a four-year contract to undertake the detailed engineering design of the proposed 1,000kilometre-long rail network. Last month, the Tender Board faxed letters to the bidders’ representatives in the Sultanate directing them to extend their bid bonds by 90 days to July 5, in the latest of a series of extensions that have characterised this long overdue contract award. All five bidders are understood to have since complied. Bid bonds, which are guarantees that the winning bidder will undertake the contract under the terms at which they bid, are typically valid for not more than 90 days, and are routinely renewed at the client’s behest. According to officials, the delay in the announcement of an award for the Design & Supervision package is an inevitable outcome of the project’s transfer last year from the Supreme Committee for Town Planning to the Ministry of Transport & Communications. As the move did not include any of the staff who had handled the rail project from its inception, the Ministry was compelled to build a dedicated Rail Team from scratch, thus resulting in an unavoidable lapse of time. UK faces its worst property recession LONDON — UK commercial property is suffering its deepest downturn since records began after uncertainty surrounding the euro zone crisis pushed values down for the second consecutive quarter and more pain looms on the horizon, data showed. Investment Property Databank (IPD) said the value of shops, offices and warehouses fell 0.7 per cent during the first quarter of 2012, following a 0.1 per cent decline in the previous period and were 31 per cent below the last peak in September 2007. The slump is twice as severe as during the previous recession of the late 1980s when values recovered to 15 per cent below their pre-crash levels within five years and is the worst downturn since the UK’s benchmark index began in 1971. “The UK has fallen back into technical recession largely due to a lack of business demand and a construction slump. As property values continue to decline, investors are unlikely to want to develop, which will lead to further pain,” IPD’s director of research Malcolm Frodsham said. The UK fell into its second recession since the financial crisis at the start of 2012, hit by headwinds from the euro zone sovereign debt crisis, public spending cuts and high inflation which have curbed the country’s efforts to boost economic output. The only area where values are above 2007 levels is retail property in the West End district of London, where shoppers from emerging markets like Russia and China are spending money in the stores of Oxford Street and Bond Street and helped cause a 4 per cent rise in values. Values in the next best sector of West End offices, the world’s second most expensive office market after Hong Kong, were 16 per cent below the 2007 peak. The worst performing area was North West offices, which was 46 per cent lower. It reflects the growing polarisaration between the rest of the UK and London, which has been buoyed by strong safe haven demand from international investors, particularly for residential property, which is not included in the IPD figures. — AFP Significantly, the Ministry has also appointed internationally reputed consultants to assist its staff in undertaking a review of various aspects of the complex project — an exercise that is ongoing, an official said. “This project is part of a Gulf-wide rail network, and the Ministry is carefully evaluating it in terms of how to proceed. As it is part of a bigger effort between the GCC and Oman, the Ministry is taking the project very seriously and according it priority attention,” the official added. The line-up of contenders for the key Design & Supervision contract is as follows: (i). AECOM, a US-headquartered global provider of professional technical and management support services, along Cowi & Partners, the well-known international consulting group, and DBI, an affiliate of the German government-owned railway organisation DB; (ii) Partnership of French-based international rail consultants Systra and US-based Parsons, one of the world’s largest engineering and construction organizations, along with Atkins of the UK; (iii) Consortium headed by Mott MacDonald, a leading global management, engineering and development consultancy, and including Italferr SpA, a reputed Italian rail infrastructure company, and WorleyParsons, a wellknown international provider of professional services to the resources and energy sectors; (iv) Partnership of eight Korean firms led by Korea Rail, a major player in South Korea’s rail sector; and (v) Consortium led by Prointec Group, a Spanish based multidisciplinary engineering services provider, and including well-known Spanish-based engineering entities Idom, Eurostudies and ALG. The successful bidder will be required to prepare the preliminary design for all the elements of the railway project. Upon approval of the preliminary designs, the consultant will then proceed with the detailed design of the alignment and infrastructure; bridges, culverts and tunnels; railway stations and yards; rail track; and overhead electrical infrastructure, among other elements. Additionally, the consultant will develop specifications for rolling stock and other systems. Oman’s National Railway System is part of the proposed inter-GCC railway network that will run from Kuwait to Muscat, and onward to Salalah and possibly to Yemen. In the first phase, a 240 km section will be developed from the industrial hub of Sohar to Muscat, followed by a 486 km coastal rail network from Muscat to Duqm in the second phase. Given the gargantuan size of the project, there is some speculation that the Tender Board may select more than one bidder to undertake the Design & Supervision package. While the Muscat-Sohar- Khatmat Malaha-Al Ain network is likely to be awarded to one bidder, the Salalah-Duqm line may be hived off to another bidder, it is learnt. In later phases, an extension from Duqm to Salalah (696 km), and possibly from Duqm to Al Mazyounah Free Trade Zone close to Oman’s border with Yemen, are envisaged. A branch line linking Sohar with Al Ain on the UAE border is on the cards as well. Higher wages give retail a boost WITH pay rises across both the public and private sectors in Oman producing higher levels of consumer spending, some analysts are now revising their forecasts upwards for the Sultanate’s retail sector in favour of solid growth. Consumer demand in Oman was largely expected to stay flat. Page 23 BankMuscat hosts workshop on Islamic liquidity management MUSCAT — BankMuscat’s Meethaq Islamic Banking in association with International Islamic Financial Market (IIFM) is hosting a 2-day workshop on Islamic Liquidity Management and Capital Market beginning today (5 May 2012) at BankMuscat head office. His Excellency Hamoud bin Sangour al Zadjali, Executive President of the Central Bank of Oman, will preside at the opening ceremony of the workshop, in the presence of dignitaries, including His Excellency Abdullah Al Salmi, Executive President of Capital Market Authority, and Abdul- Razak Ali Issa, Chief Executive of BankMuscat. Aimed at knowledgesharing on the latest trends in Islamic finance, the workshop Toyota’s Managing Officer arrives MUSCAT — Nobuhiko Murakami, Managing Officer, Toyota Motor Corporation has arrived on his maiden visit to Oman. Murakami has had a very distinguished track record. He graduated from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Hitotsubashi in March 1982 and joined Toyota Motor Corporation in April, the same year. In 1991, Murakami was transferred to Toyota Motor Sales, USA and Toyota Motor Vietnam in 2006. After returning to TMC, Japan, he was appointed as the Project General Manager in the Global Planning Division in 2009 and as a General Manager in the Product Planning Division in 2010. He was named as a Managing Officer of TMC in April 2012, and assumed responsibilities of the Customer First Promotion Group and Customer Service. During his visit, Murakami will visit Toyota facilities in Oman — Body & Paint Centre, Parts Distribution Centre and the Corporate Centre Complex. The modern Body & Paint Centre located at Ghala is based on the Toyota production system and the spirit of Kaizen. It also incorporates the latest standards for highly efficient operations, safety, training and other parameters. The operations spread over 11,000 sqm offer comprehensive services at one roof. To top it all, it is an eco-friendly facility. Hamoud bin Sangour al Zadjali patronised by the Central Bank of Oman and Capital Market Authority will be attended by leading industry representatives and regulators. The main objective is to highlight the need for developing Islamic liquidity management tools, capital market, risk mitigation and credit enhancement. Sulaiman Al Harthy, Group General Manager, Islamic Banking, BankMuscat, will address the opening ceremony. The workshop assumes importance against the backdrop of the prevailing global financial crisis, reiterating the fact that a strong capital base is necessary for banking and financial institutions, but on its own is not a sufficient condition to ensure stability. A strong capital base must be supplemented by strong liquidity tools. The workshop is premised on this scenario to further support the growth of Oman’s Islamic finance system to be a resilient and sustainable system To page 23. The Parts Distribution Centre located at Al Amerat is a world-class set-up incorporating the latest standards for operations, storage and retrieval. It is spread over 55,000 sqm. Operations are completely paperless managed by computer systems networking with mobile wireless RF devices. The world-class Toyota Service facility at Wattayah has an integrated service facility extending over 30,000 sqm 4-level workshop with hi-tech diagnostic centre, a drive through air-conditioned receiving area with 8 express lanes and 24-hour service, round-the-year.
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Observer & Busness 5 May 2012 - Oman Daily Observer

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