A LANDMARK coastal project in the Northern Governorate will kick start a new partnership between municipalities and the private sector, officials declared yesterday.
The Malkiya coast will be developed at a cost of around BD700,000 by Alba in co-ordination with the Northern Municipal Council and Northern Municipality.
Northern Municipality director-general Abdulkareem Hassan said he hoped the project would get the private sector further involved in the governorate's development.
Partnership
"To make corporate partnership successful, three parties have to work together in harmony," he said.
"The community, the government and the private sector, who should work as a team to make this partnership successful."
Mr Hassan was speaking at a Press conference held at the Alba Club, Riffa, yesterday.
He said that Alba had volunteered to finance the project as part of the council's scheme to seek support from the private sector for municipal projects.
"Alba's involvement in the project shows its commitment to serve the community," he said.
Mr Hassan urged all companies to follow in Alba's footsteps and get involved in projects that serve the community.
"This project is an open invitation to other companies to adopt such initiatives for the benefit of the country's development," he said.
Mr Hassan said that the Malkiya coast development was in line with Municipalities and Agriculture Minister Dr Juma Al Ka'abi's directives to upgrade areas and villages.
Alba chief operation officer Mohammed Mahmood stressed the company's commitment to projects that serve the community.
"We are proud to fund this project, which will serve residents in Malkiya," he said.
"It will be a pioneering landmark, as it clearly highlights what corporate partnership is all about."
He said that the designs were carried out following discussions with residents and societies in Malkiya.
Area Councillor Ali Mansoor said Malkiya residents had on many occasions expressed their excitement in the development of their coast. "They are already volunteering to assist in cleaning the coast and trying to help municipality representatives as well as contractors with anything they need," he said.
The foundation stone for the project, which covers an area of 15,000sqm, will be laid on December 5. It will feature a 300-metre-long walkway as well as two playgrounds for children and two football fields.
The coast will also have two surveillance towers, 50 resting areas, a restaurant and a number of kiosks. Twenty contractors, who work with Alba, volunteered to be involved in the project and hope to complete work in about eight months.
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