DOHA • The General Secretariat for Development Planning (GSDP) has issued a statement denying media reports claiming that it has ratified a strategy aimed at reducing the percentage of expatriates in Qatar by 2025.
The Secretary General of the new agency, Dr Ibrahim Al Ibrahim, said that the GSDP has done no such thing and that the Permanent Population Committee referred to in the media reports is not even part of the GSDP.
"The work of the Permanent Population Committee was assigned to the former Planning Council, but the Emiri Decree for the establishment of the GSDP makes no provision for the committee," he says.
“My understanding is that the Committee has put together a full report which has been sent to the Council of Ministers for consideration. Any decisions about the future of the Committee or the status of its report are still to be made.
“I also understand that the views being published in newspapers are those of freelance experts who produced background reports for the committee back in 2004. These reports do not reflect the official view of the committee and they are not considered for the formulation of the population policy.
“So quite apart from being based on very dated 2004 information, the newspaper reports are simply wrong. It is very poor journalism that no-one has actually even checked with my office to verify these stories. I am also disappointed that other media have just carried the stories as if they are true without checking the facts,” he says.
"The GSDP will be considering issues to do with the social and economic development of Qatar, but as of now we have not considered, recommended or ratified anything in relation to the Permanent Population Committee's work," says Dr Ibrahim.
Reporting directly to the Heir Apparent, the GSDP is responsible for developing the national vision for Qatar and for setting five-year strategic plans.
DOHA • The General Secretariat for Development Planning (GSDP) has issued a statement denying media reports claiming that it has ratified a strategy aimed at reducing the percentage of expatriates in Qatar by 2025.
The Secretary General of the new agency, Dr Ibrahim Al Ibrahim, said that the GSDP has done no such thing and that the Permanent Population Committee referred to in the media reports is not even part of the GSDP.
"The work of the Permanent Population Committee was assigned to the former Planning Council, but the Emiri Decree for the establishment of the GSDP makes no provision for the committee," he says.
“My understanding is that the Committee has put together a full report which has been sent to the Council of Ministers for consideration. Any decisions about the future of the Committee or the status of its report are still to be made.
“I also understand that the views being published in newspapers are those of freelance experts who produced background reports for the committee back in 2004. These reports do not reflect the official view of the committee and they are not considered for the formulation of the population policy.
“So quite apart from being based on very dated 2004 information, the newspaper reports are simply wrong. It is very poor journalism that no-one has actually even checked with my office to verify these stories. I am also disappointed that other media have just carried the stories as if they are true without checking the facts,” he says.
"The GSDP will be considering issues to do with the social and economic development of Qatar, but as of now we have not considered, recommended or ratified anything in relation to the Permanent Population Committee's work," says Dr Ibrahim.
Reporting directly to the Heir Apparent, the GSDP is responsible for developing the national vision for Qatar and for setting five-year strategic plans.
Source: http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&mon...