Awqaf minister opens pilgrimage exhibition
KUWAIT: Violations of Hajj and Umrah missions are very few, about five only, says Minister of Justice and Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Dr Abdullah Al-Maatouq on Tuesday during the inauguration of the first Mashaer Hajj and Umrah Exhibition at Al-Rayya Hall in Marriot Courtyard Hotel. Mashaer Hajj and Umrah Services Consortium (Mashaer) organized the exhibition for the first time this year with the participation of 12 Kuwaiti Hajj and Umra caravans and 12 companies specialized in providing various services to pilgrims. The exhibition is open for public viewing from Sept 18-20. Participants include Kuwait Public Transport Company (KPTC), Kuwait Airways Corporation (KAC), Ain Takaful Insurance Company (ATIC), First Investment Integration and Creativity (FIIC), Al-Manar Finance and Leasing Company (Al-Manar), Masaa Real Estate Company (MREC), A'ayan Leasing and Investment Company (A'ayan), Rawahel Holding Company (RHC), Integral European Structures (IES), Kuwait Market Complexes Company (KMMC) and Abdul-Samad Al-Qurashi Company (ASQC).
In statements upon opening the exhibition, Al-Maatouq said he is proud of the Kuwaiti Hajj and Umrah missions and specialized companies which compete among each other to perform and offer the best services, thus, reducing the number of violations. The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs is supervising companies and missions and there is cooperation between the two sides throughout the Hajj season, he pointed out. Any mission or party that makes a serious mistake or commits a serious violation is held accountable and is suspended for a year, he stressed. Aimed at finalizing 40 percent of the total number of Hajj deals in Kuwait, General Manager of Mashaer Thamer Al-Tamimi said a large number of caravans were gathered in one place through out the exhibition unlike in previous years when caravans were distributed in three locations -- Salmiya, Sulaibikhat and Fahaheel.
Disclosing that most of the caravans participating in the exhibition had secured record number of registrations even before the official opening of the event, Al-Tamimi added the exhibition includes a competition among caravans and Hajj and Umrah services companies to provide the best facilities such as accommodation, transportation, catering and food supply to the pilgrims. Indicating Mashaer offers a wide array of Hajj and Umrah services not found in any other companies in the world, Al-Tamimi said Mashaer provides transport services through its Rawahel Transportation Company (RTC), accommodation through another affiliate company - Al-Masaa Real Estate Investment Company (Al-Masaa), and will soon provide food services through a catering company that will established within a couple of days. Al-Tamimi revealed RTC recently purchased 200 buses, which will be used to transport pilgrims. Mashaer has also opened Meridian Hotel Towers in Makkah in cooperation with First Investment Company (FIC) and a Kuwaiti mission is now renting the whole building.
Meanwhile, Deputy General Manager for Finance and Administration Ehab Kamal said "this is the first exhibition organized by Mashaer but in the last two years the company participated in similar exhibitions that took place in Salmiya." Pointing out obtained ISO 9001:2000 certificate in 2004, Kamal said "our ISO certificate is renewed every year owing to the company's ability to offer new services to caravan owners and pilgrims." Kamal added Al-Manar Financing and Leasing Company (Al-Manar), one of the participants in the exhibition, offers financing services to pilgrims for the first time this year noting that the company has put in place the best financial package for this year's Hajj pilgrimage. Talking about the strategies of Mashaer for the future, Kamal clarified the company is currently operating in other Arab countries like Egypt, Jordan, Syria , Qatar and Dubai. "The next step is to penetrate the international market and attract other countries to come to Kuwait and help transform this exhibition into an international Hajj and Umrah services exhibition," Kamal disclosed. Kamal added the company has been operational for seven years now as the only Hajj and Umrah Services Shareholding Company listed at the Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) with a capital of KD 10 million.
By Abubakar A. Ibrahim
© Arab Times 2007
