Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed opens new pond park at Al Barsha

30th Plantation Week launched

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed opens new pond park at Al Barsha

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council on Sunday launched the 30th Plantation Week activities by opening the newly built Pond Park at Al Barsha. The Plantation Week activities will last until 11th March.

The opening ceremony was also attended by Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airlines and President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Lt. Col. Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Chief of Dubai Police, Obeid Bin Essa Ahmed, CEO, Municipalities Affairs Office in the Ministry of Environment and Water, Eng. Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality and many senior officials of Dubai Municipality and the UAE Municipalities Federation.

Eng. Salah Amiri, Assistant Director General of Dubai Municipality for Environment and Public Health Services Sector said the Municipality has organized a series of exciting events on the occasion of the 30th Plantation Week, including the opening of eight public parks throughout the next few days.

"Four of these parks are pond parks, a first of its kind public parks, which have been implemented by Dubai Municipality in the Emirate of Dubai. Dubai Municipality has set up pond parks at Al Nahda, Al Barsha, Al Quoz and Al Qusais-3," said Amiri, adding that other four parks will be residential parks or neighbourhood parks.

Two of these pond parks, Al Nahda and Al Quoz will be inaugurated today (Monday) by Lt. Col. Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Chief of Dubai Police and Mohammed AbdulKarim Julfar, Assistant Director General of Dubai Municipality for Corporate Support Services respectively.

On Tuesday, two other parks, Al Qusais-3 Pond Park and New Garhoud Park will be inaugurated by Abdullah Rafea, Assistant Director General of Dubai Municipality for General Support Services Sector and Obaid Al Shamsi, Assistant Director General for International Affairs and Partnerships respectively.

Wednesday will see the inauguration of two parks. Qusais Residential Park will be inaugurated by Essa Al Maidour, Assistant Director General of Dubai Municipality for Engineering and Planning Sector and Al Wuheida School Park will be opened by Salem Bin Mesmar, Assistant Director General for Health, Safety and Environment Monitoring Sector.

Ahmed AbdulKarim, Director of Public Parks and Horticulture Department said the Barsha Pond Park is considered to be one of the entertainment projects of technical excellence which has been carried out according to the global best practices in the establishment of public parks.

He said the park is built at a cost of Dhs22 million at a total area of about 5.25 hectares.

"The park is characterized with a large water area as the total area of the pond stretches to 84,150 square metres (4.8 hectares), which represents 33% of the total area of the park," said AbdulKarim.

Photo: Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum launches the activities of the 30th Plantation Week by opening the newly built Pond Park at Al Barsha on Sunday.

Dubai RTA: Speech of H.E. Mattar Al Tayer

Speech of H.E. Mattar Al Tayer;
Marking the 2nd Anniversary of the Appointment of:

HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum;
as Dubai Crown Prince

And
HH Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum;
as Deputy Ruler of Dubai

H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) extended best greetings and wishes to HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, marking the first anniversary of issuing the Decree appointing HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum as Dubai Crown Prince, and HH Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum as Deputy Ruler of Dubai. Al Tayer wished their highnesses continued success and prosperity.

In a speech marking this occasion Al Tayer said:

HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is very much involved in following-up development & implementation of business & departmental plans to ensure that projects are delivered according to the timetable set by Dubai Executive Council. HH also oversees the business of the sectoral commissions of Dubai Government, and personally gets involved in the work progress of local government departments, be it through reviewing periodical reports submitted to the Executive Council, or making field visits followed by decisions to boost performance levels.

HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed has all the characteristics of the visionary leader which he derived from his father and mentor HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Besides shouldering the responsibility of Dubai Crown Prince Office and the chairmanship of Dubai Executive Council, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed also presides over Dubai Sports Council and Dubai Autism Center. Such a portfolio clearly demonstrates the multiple humanitarian concerns of HH.

HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed learned from his father, HH Sheikh Mohammed, the spirit of poem and arts. He was fond of equestrian early on and emulated the sports achievements of his father. It was no strange that HH clinched the title of several coveted championships; such as the Gold Medal in the Endurance Riding Event of the Asian Games (Doha 2006) and landed the first position in the King of Bahrain Endurance Cup, 120 km, 2008.

HH Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and the 1st Vice-Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, is in touch with all local, regional and global issues, and exerts ceaseless efforts to safeguard the interest of the nation. HH has a mindset aspiring to social & economic aspects and a disposition of young leader qualities coupled with an insight & vision inherited from his father. Besides that, HH has several humanitarian & social contributions such as demonstrated in assuming the chairmanship of Dubai Cares campaign. Besides discharging the tasks of Deputy Ruler of Dubai, HH Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed is also the 1st Vice-Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, the Chairman of Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone Authority since 2002, and the incumbent Chairman of Dubai Media Incorporated. Such portfolio underscores the concern shown by HH to the economic, media, cultural and humanitarian aspects.

May Allah Almighty bless the efforts of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and HH Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, and endow them with good health. We pray that the second year for their highnesses in their respective offices be marked with realization of more ambitions & aspirations, to raise the profile of the emirate of Dubai even higher worldwide.

Dubai Crown Prince loads DCL progress and employees' skills

Dubai Crown Prince loads DCL progress and employees' skills

Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum loaded the progress achieve by Dubai Central Laboratory (DCL) during the past years and the skills accomplished by its employees that match international standards.

He expressed his satisfaction on the lab's international glory, which has come through international recognitions on its professional and technical capabilities, the certificates it issues, its credibility, the skills of its employees and the advanced equipments it uses.

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum was speaking after a visit to the DCL, which was part of his visits to the different departments, establishments and authorities in the emirate of Dubai to get a brief on their work progress.

Eng. Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality, the director and employees of the Central Lab received Sheikh Hamdan, who was visiting the lab for the first time.

The Crown Prince listened to a presentation on Dubai Central Laboratory Department by its director Eng. Hawa Bastaki, who explained the vision, mission and strategies of the department as well as the tasks undertaken by its employees and the international recognitions received by the lab for its credibility in conducting tests in different fields.

She said that the strategic map for 2007-2011 aims at enhancing the customer loyalty towards the central lab, strengthening financial competency and effectiveness, development and diversification of services to the customers as well as its role in serving the society and preservation of environment, public health and safety by sticking to the rules and regulations and achieving legal and transparent environment.

It also include cooperation with the partners and suppliers, outstanding performance in the field of corporate excellence, e-transformation, applying international specifications and best practices, developing urban plan features as regards encouraging human resources and its development.
The number of employees in the Central Laboratory Department has reached 300 and the nationals constitute 49% among them. The DCL, which consists of Food & Environment, Engineering Materials, Consumer Materials and Calibration & Standardization labs, provides 94% of its services online.

She said the vision of DCL is to become the top product confidence vendor in the world and the mission is to evaluate products and carry out tests and studies, develop specifications and verify standards through the expertise of the DCL staff for the purpose of contributing towards protecting the consumers and achieving customer satisfaction.

Photo: Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum visits different sections of DCL.