HX Report
Irishman in the Middle East
Photo Story – 6 of 7
Qatar.
MB currently resides in Qatar. It is probably most famous at present for being selected to host the 2022 football (real football) World Cup. Doha is the capital city and already a huge amount of redevelopment and infrastructure is underway to ensure a timely completion ahead of the games. Although there are still seven years to go before the event takes place, the Qataris are taking the opportunity to rebuild their entire capital city and are also modernising much of their countries roads and transport system. The new Doha airport which opened last year, after a few years delay to the works, is as modern as exists anywhere in the world.
The award of the World Cup to Qatar has come in for much criticism, but MB wrote a recent post on the Qatar 2022 tournament, which he fully supports: https://michealdebarra.com/2015/06/05/qatar-2022-the-case-for/
Property rents are extremely high throughout Qatar and in Doha especially, compared to most places in the Middle East region, or even beyond. For decent rented accommodation one can expect to pay in the region of Euro 1,250 per month for a single room in a shared apartment, or in the region of Euro 2,250 per month for a single bedroom apartment. Consequently recent years have seen a vast amount of residential developments completed. Many more are either under construction or at architectural design stage.
The below pic was taken by MB a few nights back in the new Doha ‘des res’ area called ‘West Bay’
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A beautiful city. It is my greatest hope that the migrants who have been encouraged to come will be treated with dignity. I hate seeing people being beaten down to assist another in gaining assets. I understand this is how life works in many parts of the world, but what if, just once, someone could stand talk and mighty and proclaim that all men are comrades and that it takes a brotherhood of strangers to build a world of greatness.
I refuse to believe that my dream cannot be attained. We must each reach out and learn to trust one another. Build one another up in hopes of seeing a path toward peace comes by accepting the most rudimentary of goals. Every life holds purpose, dreams and hopes that their offspring will grow in union with all of mankind.
Beautiful picture, MK. I’m off to read your story.
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Thanks CG. There is now a hugely improving situation for workers. 3 very large public hospitals are presently under construction just for construction workers and manual labourers – which will have specialities for the medical problems that such workers typically encounter. Contract conditions on all projects now include strict obligations on employers. I saw a refusal of permission last week for a contractor to tender for a project due to his substandard labour accommodation which was discovered as part of the government’s new procedures to vet all contractors in the state. He must now upgrade all and he will then be allowed on the tender list. So the authorities are making a very large effort and sparing no expense to rectify the situation.
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I love hearing this! There’s hope. 🙂
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