Group to host international meet of Gulf Keralites

The UAE Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC) will host an international conference for non-resident Gulf Malayalees in Dubai in the third week of October.

Puthoor Rahman, President of KMCC, said the meeting will address issues concerning non-resident Keralites and foster coordination among organisations. Besides, it will draw up a common strategy and consolidate efforts to solve problems.

He said: "Selected representatives of non-resident Keralite organisations from all Gulf countries will attend to discuss issues and submit decisions to the Kerala and federal governments."

The issues include reducing unjustified airfare hikes on Gulf routes from Kerala, abolishing user's fee from Kerala airports and appointing Malayalee consular officers at the Indian Missions in the GCC countries considering that the majority of Indian expatriates are from Kerala.

Rahman said: "The organisations will also discuss the possibility of offering more air services from Kozhikode airport to various Gulf destinations and better treatment at the Immigration and Customs counters at Kerala airports.

"They will also discuss non-resident Keralites exercising their franchise and the constitutional amendment needed for this. Implementation of pensions to Non-Resident Keralites from the state and federal governments, reservation of quotas in educational and industrial ventures and providing security for investments of non-resident Keralites in Kerala will figure in talks.

"The Gulf International Meet of Non-Resident Keralites will be conducted in three sessions: representatives' conference, common discussion form and concluding ceremony."

Sheikhs from all over the UAE will be the chief guests. Prominent UAE citizens, in addition to representatives of political parties and prominent personalities from Kerala, are also expected to attend.

"Panakkad Sayyid Mohammed Al Shihab Thangal, President of the State Muslim League in Kerala and E. Ahmed and Abdulsamad Samadani, Members of the Indian Parliament, will also attend.

"P.K. Kunhalikkutty, Kerala Minister for Industries and IT, M.K. Muneer, Minister for Public Works, M.M. Hassan, Minister for Parliamentary and Norka Affairs, and Munawwar Ali Shihab Thangal will be guests of honour."