ISO certifications for Widam Food

Meat provider Widam Food was recently recognised with ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) certification for meat processing and livestock trading.

Velosi Quality Management International delivered both the certificates - ISO 22000:2005 for Food Safety Management System and ISO 9001:2008 for Quality Management System.

The ISO certificates underline Widam Food’s quality and safety best practices as well as the company’s capacity to develop, lead and manage world-class food systems such as slaughterhouses, abattoirs and manufacturing units.

Sheikh Nayef bin Eid al-Thani, chairman, Widam Food, said: “This is undoubtedly Widam Food’s most illustrious milestone since 2009. The certificates we have just received culminate three years of steadfast commitment, hard work and effort to see a first-class slaughterhouse in the country, which abides by the strictest quality and food safety measures.”

Over the past three years, Widam Food built and strengthened key partnerships with internally recognised industry players especially from Australia, importing the finest livestock and meat products to Qatar. Animal welfare and care ranked high on the company’s agenda, putting Qatar on a par with the world’s leading countries on this front, such as Australia, New Zealand, Denmark and Holland.

Widam Food is gearing up to launch its refurbished slaughterhouse in Abu Hamour, a task that normally takes years to accomplish but which the company’s team has managed to complete in record time.

The facility includes equipment and systems that are patented to some of Widam Food’s management personnel, underlining the company’s role and innovations in quality technology.

ISO 9001:2008 sets out the criteria for total quality management. It is implemented by more than 1mn companies and organisations in over 170 countries. The standard is based on a number of quality management principles, including a strong customer focus, the motivation and implication of top management, the process approach and continual improvement.

ISO 22000:2005 specifies requirements for a food safety management system where an organisation in the food chain needs to demonstrate its ability to control food safety hazards in order to ensure that food is safe at the time of 
human consumption.

The certificate specifies requirements to enable an organisation to plan, implement, operate, maintain and update a food safety management system aimed at providing products that are safe for the consumer.

Tenders, bidding committee formed

The Cabinet has issued decision No. 18 for 2013 concerning the creation of a  tenders and bidding committee at the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning.

The decision is based on the recommendations of HE the Minister of Municipality and Urban Planning. The committee shall undertake the tasks of both the committees for central and local tenders stipulated by the law, regarding the tenders and bidding concerned with the ministry.

The committee shall comprise four representatives of the ministry, including the chairman and vice-chairman, a representative of the Ministry of Justice, a representative from the Central Tenders Committee, and a non-voting representative of the Audit Bureau as observer. 

Each entity shall select its representative at the committee. The chairman and vice-chairman shall be appointed through a decision of the Minister of Municipality. The committee shall also have a secretary, assisted by one or more employees of the ministry, assigned by the minister as well.

The duration of membership at the committee will be three years renewable for a similar period. The committee shall meet upon an invitation from its chairman whenever there is a need. The meetings shall be convened on other than official working hours. However, some meetings could be held during official working hours when necessary.

The committee’s decisions will not be deemed proper without the attendance of the majority of its members and chairman or the vice-chairman and representatives of the entities forming it.

Emir issues documents

HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani has issued the following documents:

1. A document approving the endorsement of an agreement between governments of Qatar and Ethiopia regulating the employment of Ethiopian workers in Qatar, signed in Doha on 4.12.2012.

2. A document approving the endorsement of a draft agreement on air services between governments of Qatar and Ecuador signed in Quito on 16.2. 2013.

3. A document approving the endorsement of a draft agreement on the avoidance of dual taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to income tax between governments of Qatar and Guernsey, signed in London on 22.2.2013.

Emiri decisions

HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani has endorsed the following Cabinet decisions:

1. No 17 of 2013 on the real estate expropriation for public interest.

2. No 19 of 2013 setting up a tenders and biddings committee at the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning. The two decisions are to go into effect from the date of issue. Page 12

Natural history group meeting

There will be a meeting of the Qatar Natural History Group on Wednesday, 17 April at 7pm at the Doha English Speaking School.

Award-winning photographer Dileep Kumar will show some of his wonderful images of birds, all taken in Qatar.

He will also discuss cameras and equipment, composition, use of natural light and advise on the best locations for wildlife photography. New members are welcome. 

Further details and a map of the venue can be found in the Monthly Talks section on www.qnhg.org

Pearl Awards selection process starting today

The selection process of films, artistes/technicians for Matrix Media Doha’s Pearl Awards 2013, to be given away in Doha on May 3, will be held for the three days starting from today.

The award ceremony, which will be attended by many film personalities from South Indian film industry is being held in association with the Kerala Film Producers Association.  The event will be held at the newly-built West End Park on the outskirts of the Industrial Area.

The selections for awards will be made by a jury headed by director Siby Malayil.

Of the 127 films released last year, 40 films have been shortlisted. Of which 30 will be chosen for honours in different sections, said director of media operations Manu Chandrasekhar.

There will be awards ranging from Rs25,000 to Rs200,000, according to the organisers. Tickets are priced at QR75, QR150, QR750 (for  two entries), QR 500, and QR1,000 respectively.

The event’s main attraction is a gala show commemorating 100 years of the Indian cinema, which will be directed by  Malayalam director T K Rajiv Kumar.

The organisers said the event would be the first of its kind, featuring so many south Indian film artistes to be held anywhere in the Gulf region. Gulf Times is the official media of the event.

Diabetes programme for elderly

The Qatar Diabetes Association  today organises a  programme for the elderly under the title: “Be kind, be healthy” in collaboration with the Qatar Foundation for Elderly People Care.

The programme aims to teach  the elderly  as well as educate care-providers and nursing staff.

“One of its goals is to reach out to the hearts and minds of the elderly through the participation of some children with diabetes who will be sharing their experience living with the disease during the programme,” an official said.