Tunisia’s dramatic economic downturn since the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated social and financial woes facing the country, prompting the influential Tunisian General Labour Union, (UGTT) to call on the country’s president, Kais Saied for a National Dialogue to address mounting concern.
In November, the international ratings agency, Fitch, downgraded Tunisia's credit rating from 'stable' to 'negative,' reflecting the deteriorating outlook for a country saddled with millions in international debt.
Perhaps of more immediate concern to many within Tunisia is the joint study earlier this year by Tunisia's central bank and the UNDP predicting that unemployment, a long-time driver of social unrest, is expected to increase from 15 to 21.6 per cent by the year's end.
Though Tunisia's winter months are often witness to predominantly peaceful demonstrations, the combination of deteriorating social, health and economic resources have made the current round of protests especially significant.
Recent weeks have seen simmering unrest over unemployment and living conditions transform into vocal protest at the phosphate mines in the southern towns of Gafsa, Kairouan and across the country's neglected interior regions.
In the capital, the country's professional unions are on the march, with journalists’ and lawyers’ unions calling for improvements in the conditions of their members. Dwarfing all is the uncertain future of the country's national carrier, TunisAir, which, already struggling before the pandemic, now stands on the point of insolvency.
Tunisia has experienced three governments since inconclusive results in last year's legislative elections provided the country with a divided and fractious assembly.
In September, the expectation had been that incoming Head of Government, Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi, initially seen as a close ally of the President, would form a technocratic government. However, progress towards significant reform since parliament voted confidence in his proposed cabinet has been underwhelming.
Into this mix the Tunisian General Labour Union is now asserting itself. Boasting a membership equal to around half a million, (around five per cent of the country) and an ancestry reaching back to 1946, the union has proven itself more of a durable presence than many of the country's sometimes fleeting political parties.
With branch offices in nearly every Tunisian town, the UGTT draws its membership from across Tunisian society. In 2013, its influence was such that it was able to initiate a similar national dialogue that steered the country through one of its most significant crises since the 2011 revolution, later earning all four bodies the Nobel Peace prize.
Under the UGTT's proposals, a National Dialogue committee would be formed from figures outside the political sphere under the auspices of the President, establishing a model distinct from the legislature and closer to Kais Saied's own vision for a more direct democracy.
"I trust the UGTT more because it's closer to the people," Hazel Ezzadine, a 59 – year-old civil servant from the southern town of Tataouine told The National, "We had had the government taking the lead before the Revolution. Now, it's time to trust the sides that are closer to the people.
"The government may be serving foreign agendas," he added, referring to the government's obligations to the IMF and foreign lenders, "but the UGTT is ours."
Nevertheless, for observers such as Dr Elie Abouaoun, the Tunis-based director of the United States Institute for Peace's MENA programme, these latest proposals are principally driven by the need to underscore the union's legitimacy and recover some of its grass roots connections.
Recent protests in Tunisia's south, he said, indicated that "the UGTT does not enjoy the same influence in all the places at all times. So in some way, they need to maintain their posture as the main social actor."
While uncertain how the President would respond, Dr Abouaoun was clear of the value such a proposal would bring. "Irrespective of the model and the actors, I see the value of a genuine inclusive dialogue that will address all the outstanding economic and social issues," he said.
For the dialogue to succeed, it must reach beyond the capital Tunis and include figures from across the country, "Local community figures need to be engaged, develop understanding of the real issues and be part of the solution rather than just being recipients of help and advice," he said.
However, facing this are the expectations of most of the populace which, he cautioned, may be at odds with the resources of an economically straightened government heavily reliant upon international support. "Therefore, what is crucial now for the executive power in Tunisia is to think how to set the expectations at the right level and to stay away from the prevailing tendency to just provide promises as a response to social grievances.
"The Tunisians deserve being told the truth about what is possible and what is not. The reforms needed to kick-off Tunisia's economy are painful and require including a solid and reliable social safety net," he said, stressing the need for all involved to be clear in communicating the challenges Tunisia faces within a changing post-Covid environment, within North Africa and globally.
Nevertheless, he said, "The UGTT stands out as the most active and influential labour union in the MENA region. The absence of such active unions in other countries led to disastrous drifts that consolidated monopoly and unilateralism."
ABU%20DHABI'S%20KEY%20TOURISM%20GOALS%3A%20BY%20THE%20NUMBERS
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WTL%20SCHEDULE
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How it works
1) The liquid nanoclay is a mixture of water and clay that aims to convert desert land to fertile ground
2) Instead of water draining straight through the sand, it apparently helps the soil retain water
3) One application is said to last five years
4) The cost of treatment per hectare (2.4 acres) of desert varies from $7,000 to $10,000 per hectare
more from Janine di Giovanni
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
The%20specs
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Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
Ultra processed foods
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
BACK%20TO%20ALEXANDRIA
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Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
The five types of long-term residential visas
Obed Suhail of ServiceMarket, an online home services marketplace, outlines the five types of long-term residential visas:
Investors:
A 10-year residency visa can be obtained by investors who invest Dh10 million, out of which 60 per cent should not be in real estate. It can be a public investment through a deposit or in a business. Those who invest Dh5 million or more in property are eligible for a five-year residency visa. The invested amount should be completely owned by the investors, not loaned, and retained for at least three years.
Entrepreneurs:
A five-year multiple entry visa is available to entrepreneurs with a previous project worth Dh0.5m or those with the approval of an accredited business incubator in the UAE.
Specialists
Expats with specialised talents, including doctors, specialists, scientists, inventors, and creative individuals working in the field of culture and art are eligible for a 10-year visa, given that they have a valid employment contract in one of these fields in the country.
Outstanding students:
A five-year visa will be granted to outstanding students who have a grade of 95 per cent or higher in a secondary school, or those who graduate with a GPA of 3.75 from a university.
Retirees:
Expats who are at least 55 years old can obtain a five-year retirement visa if they invest Dh2m in property, have savings of Dh1m or more, or have a monthly income of at least Dh20,000.
The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
The specs: 2018 Infiniti QX80
Price: base / as tested: Dh335,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 400hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.1L / 100km
Ads on social media can 'normalise' drugs
A UK report on youth social media habits commissioned by advocacy group Volteface found a quarter of young people were exposed to illegal drug dealers on social media.
The poll of 2,006 people aged 16-24 assessed their exposure to drug dealers online in a nationally representative survey.
Of those admitting to seeing drugs for sale online, 56 per cent saw them advertised on Snapchat, 55 per cent on Instagram and 47 per cent on Facebook.
Cannabis was the drug most pushed by online dealers, with 63 per cent of survey respondents claiming to have seen adverts on social media for the drug, followed by cocaine (26 per cent) and MDMA/ecstasy, with 24 per cent of people.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.6-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 285bhp
Torque: 353Nm
Price: TBA
On sale: Q2, 2020
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MATCH INFO
Tottenham Hotspur 0 Everton 1 (Calvert-Lewin 55')
Man of the Match Allan (Everton)
