H E Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani
DOHA: Where are Qatari international companies, the government asked yesterday, wondering why its efforts to bolster the private sector were not helping create big-time global players.
“We have always been longing to see strong Qatari companies that can compete not only locally but also regionally and internationally,” said H E Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, the Minister of Municipality and Urban Planning.
“(But we wonder) why we don’t have international Qatari companies,” he said.
The Minister said infrastructure projects being carried out by the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) were all open to participation by Qatari companies irrespective of their value.
“There is no ceiling. They can participate in any tender, of any value.” The aim is to help local companies grow and become stronger.
As for foreign companies, they are allowed to bid only for projects whose costs are QR200m and above so they don’t compete with local players in smaller projects.
This is another example of the incentives being offered to Qatari companies.
Asked about Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) in which Qataris have foreigners as partners (ownership ratio being 51:49 percent), the Minister said they could bid for projects valued at QR500m and above.
Sheikh Abdulrahman was speaking on the sidelines of Qatar Chamber’s Golden Jubilee celebrations here, reported Qatar News Agency (QNA).
Asked if state-run Qatari Diar would involve Qatari companies in its overseas projects, the Minister said the company had clear commercial goals and had not been set up to promote the private sector. “If Qatari companies so wish they are welcome to compete with Qatari Diar.”
He said there was close coordination between the government and the private sector on the matter of projects and tenders and legislations. He said his Ministry is open to suggestions from businessmen to improve its performance and solve the problems of the private sector. He said the fact that the Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani attended the event showed his support for the Qatari private sector.
Soon plots of land will be allotted to businessmen for small workshops and labour camps in the Industrial Area, he said.
Labour lodgings are a major issue that has been a subject of intense discussions. “The idea is to build labour townships to accommodate the large numbers of foreign workers who are descending here to work on development projects.” The Peninsula
