Fifa World Cup Notebook - Day 9
A well-illuminated billboard at the Doha Metro.
What you need to know:
- A Kenyan who has lived in Qatar for eight years says that, in that period, he has never experienced any power outage
What are power blackouts? They do not occur here
*****
Yours truly has been in Qatar since November 19 and in that period has not experienced a single power blackout, whether at the hotel, media centre, stadium or any building. Yes, no blackout, nada, zilch, zero. A Kenyan who has lived in Qatar for eight years says that, in that period, he has never experienced any power outage.
That power supply is constant and uninterrupted every day of every week. That is incredible to the mind of a visiting Kenyan used to daily power disappearances, without warning and without apology from the supplier of this important product. Doha is lit beautifully at night.
Host Media Centre can accommodate 1,200 journalists at once
*****
Away from the Fifa Main Media Centre at the Qatar International Convention Centre, which is being used by international journalists, there is also the Host Country Media Centre (HCMC), located in the heart of Msheireb Downtown Doha, next to the iconic street market Souq Waqif, serving home scribes. It is big enough to accommodate up to 1,200 media representatives at any given moment.
A spacious media working area on the first floor is equipped with comfortable desks and chairs. Wired Internet connection and high-speed Wi-Fi is available for free. Provision of excellent media facilities is something Football Kenya Federation should learn as they strive to improve the country’s football.
Health and welfare of the people paid by government
*****
While the government of Kenya is still grappling with the thorny issue of healthcare provision and how to fund it, residents of Qatar sit pretty knowing the State has got their back. Healthcare and medical services are provided free of charge to all residents through government funded programmes.
The government also funds recreational and cultural clubs and facilities for young people as part of an extensive campaign dubbed “youth welfare”. Here it is not just about saying what you will do for the youth, but actually doing it. Pity, the Qatari population is small, otherwise they would have been a world sporting superpower.
