Comments on: Ship Disaster http://mahmood.tv/2006/03/31/ship-disaster/ An Arab man's attempt at bridging the cultural gap and trying to make a difference. Failing a lot. Succeeding once in a while. Thu, 24 May 2012 09:01:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Global Voices Online » Blog Archive » The Week That Was in Bahrain http://mahmood.tv/2006/03/31/ship-disaster/comment-page-1/#comment-20072 Global Voices Online » Blog Archive » The Week That Was in Bahrain Mon, 10 Apr 2006 10:29:38 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/?p=2339#comment-20072 [...] Mahmood Al Yousif too reports on the incident, calling for an investigation into its causes and for bringing those responsible for it to justice. “(I)…fervently hope that government agencies in charge of regulating the tourism, safety and security industries put in sterner laws to protect visitors and residents alike, and mount an honest and transparent investigation of this disaster in order to learn from it and save future lives. “People who were directly responsible for flouting safety laws should be punished, and this business should undergo an immediate investigation into their operation, training and certification of their staff and their safety measures,” he writes. [...] [...] Mahmood Al Yousif too reports on the incident, calling for an investigation into its causes and for bringing those responsible for it to justice. “(I)…fervently hope that government agencies in charge of regulating the tourism, safety and security industries put in sterner laws to protect visitors and residents alike, and mount an honest and transparent investigation of this disaster in order to learn from it and save future lives. “People who were directly responsible for flouting safety laws should be punished, and this business should undergo an immediate investigation into their operation, training and certification of their staff and their safety measures,” he writes. [...]

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]]> By: B Lady http://mahmood.tv/2006/03/31/ship-disaster/comment-page-1/#comment-19731 B Lady Tue, 04 Apr 2006 14:52:49 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/?p=2339#comment-19731 The sad part of all of this is that most probably nothing will change. Consider what happened when a certain 15 year old boy was speeding recently, jumped a red light and hit another car, killing himself? Do we see any increase in enforcement of traffic laws? Do we see any education for drivers eg that jumping a red light endangers life and not necessarily only your own? Do we see any attempt to improve the standard of driving instruction (and that is certainly needed)? No. I suspect there will be a cover up of the real villain/s (especially if they are wealthy and connected) and the poor Indian man (we know now that he was not a "Captain") will be made a scapegoat. The sad part of all of this is that most probably nothing will change. Consider what happened when a certain 15 year old boy was speeding recently, jumped a red light and hit another car, killing himself? Do we see any increase in enforcement of traffic laws? Do we see any education for drivers eg that jumping a red light endangers life and not necessarily only your own? Do we see any attempt to improve the standard of driving instruction (and that is certainly needed)? No.
I suspect there will be a cover up of the real villain/s (especially if they are wealthy and connected) and the poor Indian man (we know now that he was not a “Captain”) will be made a scapegoat.

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]]> By: Joker http://mahmood.tv/2006/03/31/ship-disaster/comment-page-1/#comment-19662 Joker Sun, 02 Apr 2006 14:25:06 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/?p=2339#comment-19662 When Katrina happened.. americans blamed their government for not doing enough which got george dubya off his butt. In Bahrain, this stupid official that regulates newspapers, the internet, tv, radio, and boats obviously, not only supported this boat as above-mentioned, he even took it for a spin! When the guy was boasting that it can carry 180 people, why didn't the official interrupt him? knowing that.. he was a sea captain before he moved to the website-shutting business.. so yes he deserves some blame When Katrina happened.. americans blamed their government for not doing enough which got george dubya off his butt.

In Bahrain, this stupid official that regulates newspapers, the internet, tv, radio, and boats obviously, not only supported this boat as above-mentioned, he even took it for a spin! When the guy was boasting that it can carry 180 people, why didn’t the official interrupt him? knowing that.. he was a sea captain before he moved to the website-shutting business.. so yes he deserves some blame

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]]> By: Anonymous http://mahmood.tv/2006/03/31/ship-disaster/comment-page-1/#comment-19656 Anonymous Sun, 02 Apr 2006 08:18:25 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/?p=2339#comment-19656 Allah hav mercy on the rest of us .nobody knows when v'l fall victims to some ignorant high officials' mistakes.thye dhow accident was just a sample. Allah hav mercy on the rest of us .nobody knows when v’l fall victims to some ignorant high officials’ mistakes.thye dhow accident was just a sample.

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]]> By: mahmood http://mahmood.tv/2006/03/31/ship-disaster/comment-page-1/#comment-19655 mahmood Sun, 02 Apr 2006 05:59:10 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/?p=2339#comment-19655 Joker, you're spot on: <div style="direction:rtl;text-align:right;font-size:larger;"><blockquote>بكلفة 125 ألف دينار, المحمود يفتتح بانوش الدانة السياحي فتتح وكيل وزارة الإعلام محمود المحمود بانوش الدانة السياحي بحضور عدد من ممثلي القطاع السياحي والإعلاميين. وخلال الجولة البحرية للمركب السياحي العائم قدم رئيس مجموعة الكبيسي التجارية (الجهة المالكة للمركب) عبدالله الكبيسي إيجازاً عن فكرة هذا المشروع السياحي وأهدافه، إذ قال إن «فكرة المشروع قد تبلورت بعد دراسات وأبحاث أجرتها المجموعة عن المواقع السياحية التي تفتقدها المملكة والتي تشكل مطلباً لكل سائح ومقيم ينشد الترفيه والمتعة في أجواء عائلية تعكس طابع كرم الوفادة والترحيب الذي تمتاز به البيئة البحرينية». وأشار إلى أن «المشروع بلغت كلفته 125 ألف دينار، <b>وتصل طاقته الاستيعابية إلى نحو 180 شخصاً»</b>، لافتاً إلى أنه <b>«لولا الدعم والمساندة اللذان حظي بهما المشروع من جانب وزارة الإعلام لما كان له أن يرى النور»</b>. من جهته، أشاد وكيل وزارة الإعلام بالمبادرات التي يتخذها القطاع الخاص لدعم السياحة في المملكة وفق التوجهات المنشودة، مثمناً إقدام مجموعة الكبيسي على تنفيذ مشروع المركب السياحي العائم وفق مواصفات تعكس خصوصية البيئة البحرينية الأصيلة، مؤكداً في السياق نفسه دعم وتشجيع وزارة الإعلام لجميع المستثمرين في القطاع السياحي، وتوفير جميع التسهيلات لهم بما يخدم هذا القطاع الحيوي <small><a href="http://www.alwasatnews.com/topic.asp?tID=87514&mydate=3-10-2006" rel="nofollow">Al-Wasat :: 10 Mar '06</a></small></blockquote></div> Joker, you’re spot on:

بكلفة 125 ألف دينار, المحمود يفتتح بانوش الدانة السياحي

فتتح وكيل وزارة الإعلام محمود المحمود بانوش الدانة السياحي بحضور عدد من ممثلي القطاع السياحي والإعلاميين.

وخلال الجولة البحرية للمركب السياحي العائم قدم رئيس مجموعة الكبيسي التجارية (الجهة المالكة للمركب) عبدالله الكبيسي إيجازاً عن فكرة هذا المشروع السياحي وأهدافه، إذ قال إن «فكرة المشروع قد تبلورت بعد دراسات وأبحاث أجرتها المجموعة عن المواقع السياحية التي تفتقدها المملكة والتي تشكل مطلباً لكل سائح ومقيم ينشد الترفيه والمتعة في أجواء عائلية تعكس طابع كرم الوفادة والترحيب الذي تمتاز به البيئة البحرينية».

وأشار إلى أن «المشروع بلغت كلفته 125 ألف دينار، وتصل طاقته الاستيعابية إلى نحو 180 شخصاً»، لافتاً إلى أنه «لولا الدعم والمساندة اللذان حظي بهما المشروع من جانب وزارة الإعلام لما كان له أن يرى النور».

من جهته، أشاد وكيل وزارة الإعلام بالمبادرات التي يتخذها القطاع الخاص لدعم السياحة في المملكة وفق التوجهات المنشودة، مثمناً إقدام مجموعة الكبيسي على تنفيذ مشروع المركب السياحي العائم وفق مواصفات تعكس خصوصية البيئة البحرينية الأصيلة، مؤكداً في السياق نفسه دعم وتشجيع وزارة الإعلام لجميع المستثمرين في القطاع السياحي، وتوفير جميع التسهيلات لهم بما يخدم هذا القطاع الحيوي
Al-Wasat :: 10 Mar ’06

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]]> By: The Joker http://mahmood.tv/2006/03/31/ship-disaster/comment-page-1/#comment-19654 The Joker Sun, 02 Apr 2006 05:28:28 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/?p=2339#comment-19654 Col Ghatam, thats really tough talk coming from the guy that needed 26 minutes to cross less than half a mile. The undersecertary, Al Mahmood, was a boat captain in Mina Salman sea port before he went to the MOI... so don't you think he had the slightest suspicion that this boat was going to take off one month before the incident? The guy was the VIP in the OFFICIAL INAUGURATION, in case you were wondering devils advocate... he can't wipe his fingerprints from this train wreck! I mean he must've saw those engines and diesel tanks or something. One more thing... I hope the MOI doesnt put the last nail in the tourism coffin. Col Ghatam, thats really tough talk coming from the guy that needed 26 minutes to cross less than half a mile. The undersecertary, Al Mahmood, was a boat captain in Mina Salman sea port before he went to the MOI… so don’t you think he had the slightest suspicion that this boat was going to take off one month before the incident? The guy was the VIP in the OFFICIAL INAUGURATION, in case you were wondering devils advocate… he can’t wipe his fingerprints from this train wreck! I mean he must’ve saw those engines and diesel tanks or something.

One more thing… I hope the MOI doesnt put the last nail in the tourism coffin.

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]]> By: Khalid http://mahmood.tv/2006/03/31/ship-disaster/comment-page-1/#comment-19653 Khalid Sun, 02 Apr 2006 00:32:40 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/?p=2339#comment-19653 Just to spice things up, the dhow was illegal: A dhow which capsized off Bahrain, killing at least 57 people, was not licensed to sail, it was revealed last night. The Al Dana was licensed only as a first-class floating restaurant, which should never have left the jetty, said Coastguard director Colonel Yousif Al Ghatam. He said the owner registered the vessel with the Coastguard on December 25 last year, but was told to fulfil certain criteria for it to be authorised to sail, none of which was done. "These included insuring the boat, getting its structure certified to international standards and acquiring a Commercial Registration," said Col Al Ghatam. "The owner repeatedly promised to fulfil these requirements, but did not. "This is not a tour ship, it is a floating first-class restaurant, which is registered to anchor at the jetty. "Even Information Ministry Under-Secretary Mahmood Al Mahmood, who opened it last month, didn't know it was allowed to sail." Col Al Ghatam said that had a Coastguard patrol seen the boat sailing, it would have been stopped. "We didn't see the dhow that night, or else we would have stopped it, because its departure was unofficial," he said. Officials revealed on Friday that the dhow's Indian "captain" was not licensed to be at the helm. Just to spice things up, the dhow was illegal:

A dhow which capsized off Bahrain, killing at least 57 people, was not licensed to sail, it was revealed last night.

The Al Dana was licensed only as a first-class floating restaurant, which should never have left the jetty, said Coastguard director Colonel Yousif Al Ghatam.

He said the owner registered the vessel with the Coastguard on December 25 last year, but was told to fulfil certain criteria for it to be authorised to sail, none of which was done.

“These included insuring the boat, getting its structure certified to international standards and acquiring a Commercial Registration,” said Col Al Ghatam.

“The owner repeatedly promised to fulfil these requirements, but did not.

“This is not a tour ship, it is a floating first-class restaurant, which is registered to anchor at the jetty.

“Even Information Ministry Under-Secretary Mahmood Al Mahmood, who opened it last month, didn’t know it was allowed to sail.”

Col Al Ghatam said that had a Coastguard patrol seen the boat sailing, it would have been stopped.

“We didn’t see the dhow that night, or else we would have stopped it, because its departure was unofficial,” he said.

Officials revealed on Friday that the dhow’s Indian “captain” was not licensed to be at the helm.

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]]> By: bahraini4eva http://mahmood.tv/2006/03/31/ship-disaster/comment-page-1/#comment-19651 bahraini4eva Sat, 01 Apr 2006 17:21:43 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/?p=2339#comment-19651 Had the government divested itself of hugely corrupt ministries and what they oversee and given those tasks to private industry which is well regulated and held to account, incidents like this would happen less but if and when they do happen, those responsible will be punished. - Exactly Mahmood. Had the government divested itself of hugely corrupt ministries and what they oversee and given those tasks to private industry which is well regulated and held to account, incidents like this would happen less but if and when they do happen, those responsible will be punished.
- Exactly Mahmood.

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]]> By: IDoCare http://mahmood.tv/2006/03/31/ship-disaster/comment-page-1/#comment-19649 IDoCare Sat, 01 Apr 2006 14:42:07 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/?p=2339#comment-19649 May Allah grant peace to the victims's souls & give their famillies/friends courage & strength to endure this pain. It is such a pity that something as disastrous as this ferry accident has to remind us to obey the law & respect other's safety.OK...it was noones fault in particular.Call it illfate.But there were so many people who could have avoided such a terrible thing from happening if they knew what their responsibilitywas.This was clear betrayal of the trust of all the guests when they boarded the ship.The company/owner of the ship could have given the organisers a straight figure about the ships' capacity so they could have rented another ferry to accomodate all their guests.The recruitment process that employed the captain could have been "fool-proof" so that the candidate had all necessary qualifications & experience-so on this day v dont hav a whole country trying to blame that 1 guy for the loss of so many lives.The organisers could have taken the captains' advice when he feared an accident on seeing more people on board the ship than it can accomodate.We shouldnt forget that there was a lot of heavy equipment for catering/entertainment/furniture etc onboard the ship apart from the guests & other members of staff.Lastly, the guests could have paid more attention to the announcements the staff made when the Dj got in2 action-apparently a lot of people rushed on2 the upper deck for a dance-causing turbulence & imbalance & a waiteress had adviced them not to get overcrowded on the upper deck. having said that....i dont mean the rest of us are free of crime. The lawers, The system of law & justice that exists in this country merely as a mirage,The company that owns the ship( that is likely to blame it all on the captain) and the Government & its "officials" that possibly sat back all the while & overlooked this & similar loop-holes in the system that is supposed 2 ensure safety to the public.All had a part to play in this terrible accident.And God alone knows for how long innocent people will have to pay for the mistakes commited bythe society as a whole. Tomorrow will probably be just another day for the rest of us & v'll watch the end of this episode of tragedy & pointless accusations with a grand finale of some big-shot-guy offering a letter of condolences 2 the victims' famillies/friends.(May b some money as compensation...but thats being too unrealistic when u observe the events carefully...& OH YEA!! V r talking abt a lot of asian expats!!). Everyones probably thinking "ITS TIME FOR SOME ACTION";anticipating some reform in the way the government/its people work hereafter.May be if someone infuencial enough thought over this & decides to do something beneficial for the common man & ensure safety to the public in general, v may have a better tomorrow when the law will speak out 4 the common man. But my guess is that tomorrow we shall watch the world get back to work & function the same way it did b4 this accident, like noone needs to feel guilty or even feel the need to owe an explanation for what happened. May Allah grant peace to the victims’s souls & give their famillies/friends courage & strength to endure this pain.
It is such a pity that something as disastrous as this ferry accident has to remind us to obey the law & respect other’s safety.OK…it was noones fault in particular.Call it illfate.But there were so many people who could have avoided such a terrible thing from happening if they knew what their responsibilitywas.This was clear betrayal of the trust of all the guests when they boarded the ship.The company/owner of the ship could have given the organisers a straight figure about the ships’ capacity so they could have rented another ferry to accomodate all their guests.The recruitment process that employed the captain could have been “fool-proof” so that the candidate had all necessary qualifications & experience-so on this day v dont hav a whole country trying to blame that 1 guy for the loss of so many lives.The organisers could have taken the captains’ advice when he feared an accident on seeing more people on board the ship than it can accomodate.We shouldnt forget that there was a lot of heavy equipment for catering/entertainment/furniture etc onboard the ship apart from the guests & other members of staff.Lastly, the guests could have paid more attention to the announcements the staff made when the Dj got in2 action-apparently a lot of people rushed on2 the upper deck for a dance-causing turbulence & imbalance & a waiteress had adviced them not to get overcrowded on the upper deck.
having said that….i dont mean the rest of us are free of crime. The lawers, The system of law & justice that exists in this country merely as a mirage,The company that owns the ship( that is likely to blame it all on the captain) and the Government & its “officials” that possibly sat back all the while & overlooked this & similar loop-holes in the system that is supposed 2 ensure safety to the public.All had a part to play in this terrible accident.And God alone knows for how long innocent people will have to pay for the mistakes commited bythe society as a whole. Tomorrow will probably be just another day for the rest of us & v’ll watch the end of this episode of tragedy & pointless accusations with a grand finale of some big-shot-guy offering a letter of condolences 2 the victims’ famillies/friends.(May b some money as compensation…but thats being too unrealistic when u observe the events carefully…& OH YEA!! V r talking abt a lot of asian expats!!).
Everyones probably thinking “ITS TIME FOR SOME ACTION”;anticipating some reform in the way the government/its people work hereafter.May be if someone infuencial enough thought over this & decides to do something beneficial for the common man & ensure safety to the public in general, v may have a better tomorrow when the law will speak out 4 the common man.
But my guess is that tomorrow we shall watch the world get back to work & function the same way it did b4 this accident, like noone needs to feel guilty or even feel the need to owe an explanation for what happened.

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]]> By: Anonymous http://mahmood.tv/2006/03/31/ship-disaster/comment-page-1/#comment-19648 Anonymous Sat, 01 Apr 2006 13:51:03 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/?p=2339#comment-19648 Heartfelt condolences to the families & friends of all the vistims.May Allah give all of us enough courage to endure this loss & grant peace to the souls. Heartfelt condolences to the families & friends of all the vistims.May Allah give all of us enough courage to endure this loss & grant peace to the souls.

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