GET YOUR PAWS OFF OUR DELMUNS!

THE claws are out for a showdown in the cat world after an international body granted registration to a new breed of feline called the 'Arabian Mau'... apparently including Bahrain's native Delmun in the classification.

The fur is flying as cat lovers in the kingdom fight to preserve the status of the mighty moggy they claim is unique to the kingdom and boast DNA evidence to back their case.

The Dubai-based Middle East Cat Society, however, has announced the acceptance of the Arabian Mau by the World Cat Federation, one of the premier cat-breeding governing bodies.

FURIOUS boat-owners defied a ban on entering the waters at Amwaj over the weekend to protest at what they claim is the island management's 'heavy handedness'.

Earlier this month, GulfWeekly exclusively revealed that residents of the waterside development had been presented with a fait accompli by Amwaj Islands Security which had decided to ban boats and other motorised vehicles, including jet-skis, from the calm waters inside the islands' breakwater.

The development's management said it was happy to listen to the residents' concerns although initially it said the ban was issued in the name of safety to protect swimmers from speedboats and jet-skis.

The islanders described the move as like 'taking a hammer to crack a walnut' and called for more sensible procedures to be put in place such as establishing a swimming area close to shore.

No compromise has been forthcoming and as a result last Saturday a dozen boats and several jet-skis took to the water to protest at what Amwaj residents see as an erosion of their rights without any consultation.

Water craft assembled at the boom, which has been strung across the entrance to the breakwater between buoys bearing the warning 'no boats', and initially the sailors stayed outside the restricted waters.

The plan was to sit there for around an hour simply to make the point but the vast expanse of calm water, with not a swimmer in sight, proved too much for the rebellious water-sports enthusiasts and boaters.

Before anyone knew what was happening first one, then another, craft had crossed the line, either going under or over the boom, and soon all the boats and jet-skis were inside the breakwater.

Staying well out from the shore, they raced through the waves with whoops of joy for the first time since the ban was imposed at the end of August.

Captain Hisham Noor, one of the organisers of the protest, said: "We just wanted to make the point that so many of us have moved here for the promise of access to the water. I only use my boat for wakeboarding and it is just too rough and dangerous to do that on the open sea with a small boat which is why Amwaj was ideal for us.

"Of course, I can fully appreciate that there is a need for safety measures, particularly as the development grows, but to just enforce a blanket ban on boats without even speaking to us - the residents and boat owners and users of the waterways - makes no sense.

"I fear that if this ban remains in place my property will lose value and I have friends who have bought more than one place in the intention of renting to boat users, they too are concerned that they will be unable to let their properties and will lose out which seems particularly unfair when we were sold this development on the basis of its proximity to the water.

"I have tried contacting the management company but it took several days for someone to call me back and even then they were not helpful in my opinion."

His wife Catherine, added: "We want to show them that we can all work together and be safe together enjoying the water which is what we all came here for."

One jet-skier, who wanted to be identified only as Jonathan, said: "It's absurd, this is part of the lifestyle and there's no good reason to seal the breakwater off. We haven't been informed officially; just suddenly this barrier has appeared here. It's within our rights to protest and we will continue to do so."

Jane and Dave Littlejohn joined the protest with their dog Dougal, who apparently also enjoys a jaunt on Amwaj's calm waters.

Jane said: "We've been here six months and we moved to Amwaj specifically for the boating, if someone had told us this was planned we would not have moved here. We feel very cheated."

Others added their voices and called the ban 'a joke' and 'ridiculous'.

Capt Noor added: "If the management is concerned with safety they should also think about the safety of their boat-owning residents. To take a small boat, like most of these, or a jet-ski out onto the open water can be unpleasant when the sea is rough, if not downright dangerous.

"There is also reclamation going on to one side of the development and there are always dredgers working and pipe-laying going on so we are stuck, we cannot use our boats inside the breakwater and it's too dangerous to go outside. This was not what any of us imagined when we came here."

As the boats returned to the lock to re-enter the development after the protest, it was discovered the boom had been broken and security staff were waiting to take boaters' details.

One resident was later called by the coastguard saying Amwaj Security had reported his boat for being in a 'designated swimming area'.

But the owner replied that the designation did not appear official, particularly since the area stretches several hundred metres from the shore.

He invited the coastguard to inspect inside the breakwater to establish whether it should be a swimming area and was told the matter should be resolved between the residents and Amwaj management.

The boater, who asked not to be named, said: "That's all we've ever wanted, some sensible discussion to sort out a situation which should be resolved easily and safely for everyone."

A spokesman for Amwaj Islands said: "The feedback on this issue to date is broadly supportive of some form of regulatory framework.

"Our aim throughout has been and remains to deal holistically and objectively with all matters concerning the functioning of the islands.

"With the above in mind we are looking closely at the feedback to identify the main themes of the suggestions and to assess their practicality, enforceability, fairness and the likelihood of them satisfying the principal requirements of safety and the tranquility of the islands over the longer term when the population density will be considerably greater."

She added that Amwaj 'welcomes feedback' from residents and they should email info@Amwaj-Islands.com or call 16033100 to put their points across.

However, residents say this is the same answer they have been getting for weeks and when asked if management would meet with the boat owners the spokesman reiterated that residents should make contact by email.