Thursday 28 / November / 2024
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Muscat: Al Shaima Al Raisi, a member of Muscat Municipal Council resigned on Tuesday in protest against not postponing the Muscat Festival 2016.
In her official resignation letter, Al Raisi said the Council had proposed delaying the festival for another year in order to enhance it and to exploit the budget allocated for the festival to fix water pipelines in Muscat and for attending to other "priorities."
She added that organising such festivals cost million of riyals while no returns being recorded in the latest reports submitted by official authorities and reviewed by the council.
Al Raisi also accused the organisers of going ahead with the Muscat Festival despite the fact that a decision had been "taken by majority of members" to postpone the Muscat Festival, adding that this proved that the organisers were not capable of fulfilling the citizens’ hopes and requirements.
"With that being said, I am sorry to say that there is no reason for me to represent the Council anymore, I am happy to quit," Al Raisi announced.
She shared her resignation letter on her Twitter account on Tuesday.
This year, the Muscat Festival will commence on January 14 and continue until February 13, 2016.
The venues include the Al Naseem and Al Amerat parks, the Al Hail Beach and Oman Automobiles Association.
Parks, such as Naseem Gardens and the Al Amerat Park have already been closed to the public from December 1 in lieu of preparations for Muscat Festival 2016.
These parks will be closed temporarily as they will be the main venues for the month-long extravaganza. During this time, temporary stalls and pavilions for the festival will be set up. Officials added that the organising committee needed time to get these venues ready for the festival.
“The venues will have amusement areas, fun rides, children’s shows and an education village.”
Most of the budget and tenders for the Muscat Festival 2016 have already been floated and awarded.
