Projects In View

WORLD
NEWS
Construction of world’s largest park due in 2017
Tanzania’s Magufuli orders seizure
of expatriate construction workers’
passports
Construction works for
Phase 1 of what is being
touted as the world’s largest
park will commence this
year in Dubai.
Dubai Holding and Dubai
Municipality recently
inked a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) to
develop the world’s largest
park, spanning 143
ha (1.43 million sqm), at
Dubailand.
The municipal agency aims
to achieve a density of 12.5
sqm of green space per
person at the park, which
is expected to increase
public space in Dubai by
17% upon completion.
Phase 1 works, spanning
318,000 sqm, will commence
“later this year”, and
comprise 4km of jogging
tracks, 7km of pedestrian
pathways, and a 2km cycling
track.
The partnership between
both entities reportedly
follows the UAE government’s
vision of “enhancing
the relationship between
the public and private sectors
through joint ventures
that will encourage investments
in Dubai”,
Tanzanian President John
Magufuli ordered the confiscation
on Friday of passports
belonging to foreign employees
of an Indian infrastructure
company managing a
water project that is running
late.
Magufuli, nicknamed “the
Bulldozer” for pushing
through his policies, has
been praised by Western donors
for an anti-corruption
drive and cutting wasteful
government spending since
he came to power in November
2015. Opponents, however,
accuse him of becoming
increasingly authoritarian,
undermining democracy by
curbing political activity and
cracking down on dissent.
“The president ... has ordered
that the passport of ...
Rajendra Kumar, should be
seized along with the travel
documents of his assistants
until they complete the water
project,” Magufuli’s office
said in a statement. The
statement described Kumar
as the representative of Overseas
Infrastructure Alliance
(India) Private Limited. The
Delhi-based infrastructure
company was not immediately
available for comment.
“Magufuli has warned that if
the project is not completed
within four months, he will
take more stringent measures
against those supervising
the construction work,” the
statement said.
The 29 billion shilling ($13
million) water project in
the southern town of Lindi
was expected to be finished
in March 2015 but remains
incomplete, the president’s
office said. It said Magufuli,
a former public works minister,
was angered by the lack
of progress on the project,
which he visited on Friday.
Some foreign investors have
expressed concern about
what they say are unpredictable
government policies
and actions, while some big
mining companies feel they
are being unfairly targeted by
Magufuli’s administration