KHALEEJ TIMES – 30 years of excellence
30 years of excellence – KHALEEJ TIMES
30 April 2008
AT THIS moment in time and on this momentous occasion, the 31st year of our publication (1978-2008), we would especially like to thank our readers, our advertisers, our contributors and well-wishers… and also our critics, for the leading role they have played in the making of a leading newspaper. It is always a discerning readership that provides the vital impetus for a discerning newspaper.
And the fact that we have so well matched the aspirations of our readers is also a tribute to our editors, reporters, writers, photographers, commentators and many others in many other departments of the Khaleej Times who have contributed so much over the years.
As we look back with pride we can say with some professional justification that our achievements are also their achievements. Of course, we have changed and transformed rather dramatically over the past three decades as we encountered and absorbed the best of modern technology in print and mass media. But equally, there are certain core elements and characteristics that have remained the same: For instance, our belief and our commitment to quality journalism. And it is the pursuit of this belief in excellence in news coverage that has best tested and tempered us. Of course, our finest achievements must lie in the future… as we constantly try to innovate and adapt ourselves to changing times and their challenges and requirements. And we continue to react and respond to new technology and new thresholds of professional excellence, as always we must. However, it would be fallacious to assume that merely numbers can ever quantify excellence, especially in journalism, which is why our professional integrity is anchored in the substance we chose to offer in our coverage, rather than mere superficiality of style. And that this is of much value is borne out by the consistently rising graph of our readership.
We are also convinced that, even as we further improve and improvise on our print edition, we will also be adding a lot more value to our online edition and make it more interactive and more responsive. So do log on and tell us what more you expect of us. We value your suggestions and your promptings. Lastly, we would like to believe that even a newspaper, like any living organism, evolves best in a dynamic environment. And the dynamism and the vibrancy of a modern nation like the United Arab Emirates and its unique multi-cultural ethos have constantly spurred us to ensure we excel at what we do best — produce a newspaper of substance.
Email id can reveal your personality
Email id can reveal your personality
28 Apr 2008, 0412 hrs IST,PTI
LONDON: Think twice before you pick an email address — it can reveal your personality.
Researchers at the University of Leipzig in Germany have found that an email address may speak volumes about the character of the person who created the unique online identification.
According to lead researcher Mitja Back, even the thinnest slice of communication via the world wide web — the mere email address — contains valid information about the personality of its owner.
In their study, the researchers asked a panel of 100 students to guess the personalities of 600 young adults simply by looking at their email addresses.
The panel’s guesses agreed mostly with a personality survey the teenagers had completed when it came to qualities like openness, conscientiousness and narcissism, and diverged most on the trait of extroversion.
Addresses that gave away personality often contained full stops, numbers or a name that was obviously not genuine, the researchers found.
Level of accuracy was explained using lens model analyses — the students made broad use of perceivable email address features in their personality judgements, features were slightly valid and the observers were sensitive to subtle differences in validity between cues.
The study has been published in the latest edition of the Journal of Research in Personality.
Hydrocarbon sector’s share in Abu Dhabi GDP diminishing
Hydrocarbon sector’s share in Abu Dhabi GDP diminishing
By Haseeb Haider KHALEEJ TIMES 27 April 2008
ABU DHABI — With the diversification of Abu Dhabi’s economy, the dominant role of oil and gas sector is being diminished as in 2007 it contributed 65 per cent to the GDP from 66.3 per cent in 2006 and 66 per cent in 2005.
According to an Abu Dhabi Planning and Economy Department weekly status report on the emirate’s economy, share of the government sector to the GDP was estimated at 18.5, 16.7 and 16.1 per cent in 2005, 2006 and 2007 respectively.
Restructuring: The government is currently undertaking a wide-ranging restructuring programme to arrive at the best formula of governance which envisages sustainable constructive public-private partnership.
The restructuring programme has produced new public entities like the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority and Abu Dhabi Council for Economic Development that have specific and clear-cut targets and in which the private sector has a major role to play.
Other entities like Abu Dhabi Education Council and Abu Dhabi Health Authority were also created to upgrade health and educational services.
Private sector: The private sector’s contribution to GDP rose from 15.5 per cent in 2005 to 17 per cent in 2006 and 18.2 per cent in 2007.
The situation needs restructuring of the sector and creating a favourable working environment and removing obstacles hindering its progress and the development of its potential.
The public and private sectors should come together to adopt private-sector oriented economic policies given the strategic operational options under the economic openness adopted by the government.
Other goals include optimum utilisation of competitive edges of the private sector and forging strategic alliances based on mutual interests.
The future of economic development in Abu Dhabi hangs to a large extent on the nature of partnership between the public and private sectors.
Broadening the scope of this partnership and boosting its ability to act as the key driver in the emirate’s economy is the only option to address and tackle the economic challenge ahead, the report said.
However, the private sector is still suffering from drastic deficiencies and defects which invite formulation of proactive, effective restructuring policies from its foundation and motivate it to develop its own capabilities so as to compete in regional and international markets.
Policies seeking to enhance the efficiency of the private sector should based on the following factors :
* Giving the private sector a greater role in carrying out development projects and achieve socio-economic development which is based on diversification of income and economic base.
* Outsourcing more public utilities
* Stimulating research and development of competitive national products
Motivating economic cooperation to merge and create major private sector firms that focus on high value added capital-oriented sectors.
* Providing favourable business and regulatory environment conducive to increasing of productivity.
* Building more modern infrastructure and introducing incentive regimes.
* Offering financial and moral support and incentives to spur national plans to recruit Emiratis and transfer technology to the emirate.
* Facilitating adoption of modern efficient administrative systems at bar with those adopted in advanced economic nations.
* Streamlining issuance of commercial, industrial and professional licences as per economic feasibility studies and actual needs,
* Drawing industrial investment plan to encourage the private sector to play its role in industrial development.
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