(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The election to the 17-member Board of Directors of Qatar Chamber (QC) was put off yesterday due to lack of quorum, and will now be held on May 28.
Out of 29,219 registered members of the Chamber who are eligible to vote, only 20 had turned up to take part in the annual general meeting (AGM) that would hold the poll. Another 33 members had nominated others to vote on their behalf. The 53 members turning up for the AGM was not even 1 percent of the total vote.
The quorum requirement was 50 percent. For the next AGM convened on May 28 the quorum requirement will not apply.
Interestingly, of the 17 board members to be elected, 16 have already been decided through mutual consent. Only one member of the services committee is to be elected on May 28. Three contestants are in fray for the services committee membership and they include Abdul Lateef Al Missned, a sitting board member and services committee representative, Abdul Rahman Al Najjar, and woman candidate, Suhaila Rabia Al Hareb.
Al Najjar told The Peninsula that it was due to his insistence that election to pick up the lone member of the services committee was being held. Had he not insisted all the 17 members of the board would have been decided through mutual consent and without holding an election, he said. "I am the upholder of the democratic tradition in the Chamber. It is because of my insistence that election is being held," Al Najjar said. "At least the lone member of the services committee of the Chamber who will be on the board, is going to be picked through the battle of ballots."
Al Najjar who is fighting the election for the first time, said it doesn't matter if he wins or doesn't. "Through this election I want to deliver a message that at least my seat is going to be decided through the democratic process."
He said he hoped that the candidate who is more deserving and qualified and efficient would be elected on May 28. Asked about his agenda, he said if he won he would fight for the inclusion of non-Qataris in the board since they have a fair representation in Qatar's trade and industry.
The woman challenger, Suhaila Rabia Al Hareb said if she won she would fight for adequate representation of women in the board.
Both Al Najjar and Al Hareb said they would like to make sure that the board is expanded and has more than 17 members.
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