frank pr is a consumer public relations firm with offices in camden town , london , sydney , australia , and new york city , america .

frank pr was founded in september 2000 by ceo graham goodkind and joint mds nadia gabbie and andrew bloch .

in october 2007 , frank pr was acquired by photon group limited ( photon ) , a specialist marketing and communications services company that is listed on the australian securities exchange .

in march 2009 , the sydney office opened for business .

in august 2012 , the new york office opened for business .

frank is the 29th largest pr consultancy in the uk with a fee income of £ 6.829 m. in terms of revenue , frank is the 5th largest pr firm in the uk .

in an international context , with the 2 offices and us$ 10.8 m revenue , frank is ranked as the 84th largest consultancy globally and in 2010 was the 5th fastest growing pr company of the top 250 in the world .

frank specialises in providing consumer public relations services to leading brands and products , challenger brands , entrepreneurial organisations , social movements and multinationals .

as well as traditional consumer pr , frank also has specialist teams offering digital , experiential , celebrity , corporate social responsibility and product placement based campaigns .

clients in the uk ( as at may 2011 ) include alton towers , activision , beatbullying , blackberry , disney , fosters , grolsch , nestle , npower , ocado , sodastream and whitbread hotels & restaurants .

clients in australia ( as at the same date ) include blackberry , football federation australia , pernod ricard , reckitt benckiser and the singapore tourism board .

clients in new york ( as at september 2012 ) include amc networks , celebrity personalities bill and giuliana rancic , real estate search engine trulia , and phone case maker likemycase .

the agency won marketing ’s pr agency of the year in 2004 , 2005 and 2010 , making it the only agency to have received the award three times .

it has also won ; marketing magazine 's pr agency of the year in 2005 , 2006 and 2010 , pr week awards consumer campaign of the year 2004 , pr week awards campaign of the year gold award 2004 , pr week awards consumer campaign of the year 2005 , pr week awards consumer campaign of the year 2008 , pr week awards consumer campaign of the year 2010 .

frank pr was commended as marketing magazine ’s pr agency of the year in 2011 and 2012 .

the agency has however been criticised by a prominent london blogger for ignoring requests not to be contacted by the company .

frank pr

glassdoor gives you an inside look at what it ' s like to work at frank pr , including salaries , reviews , office photos , and more . this is the frank pr company profile . all content is posted anonymously by employees working at frank pr .
wherever they turn next , there’s no doubting frank pr is moving in the right direction and creating a great deal of talkability within the pr industry .
congratulations to new academy member lina plath ! one of frank pr ' s fearless leaders . so proud .
beatbullying , the national charity , has launched a ' big march ' campaign with consumer specialists agency frank pr .
i applied online . the process took a week . i interviewed at frank pr ( london , england ) .
graham goodkind , co - founder of urltoken and former managing director of lynne franks pr , has taken a step back from the urltoken start - up world and launched himself back into pr with a new agency called frank pr .
the world ' s biggest pr awards programme , dedicated to benchmarking the best pr work from across the globe .
bloch is group managing director and co - founder of frank pr , a public relations consultancy based in camden , london . founded at the turn of the millennium , frank has grown from success to success .
new york - - frank pr , one of the uk ' s most successful consumer pr firms , is to launch its first us office in new york at the end of this month .
after 5 years at frank uk , polly headed down under to bring more frank - ness to frank oz . polly has represented a host of top fmcg brands and led the award winning launches for activision ' s call of duty .
frank pr founder and md andrew bloch said : ' the big march is an online first and i’m proud to have all the mini marchers coming across frank’s website on the day of launch . it’s a great cause . '
frank pr is no stranger to marketing ' s pr agency of the year award , winning in 2010 and being commended last year . this year , it was a close runner - up with unity .
frank pr ' s newest and shiniest office opened in january 2015 and is located in the heart of glasgow . headed up by former ultimo head of pr , claire morrison , mcfrank is just like frank london , but with a distinctly scottish accent . mcfrank is perfectly placed to handle both local and national campaigns , offering frank clients on the ground representation and expertise north of the border . och aye the new ! email scotland @ mc _ frank _
frank pr was born in london in 2000 and has gone on to become one of the uk ' s leading consumer pr agencies . the agency has a reputation for providing creative solutions for some of the nation ' s best - known brands ( click to client page ) . frank pr has won or been highly commended at the pr week awards for best consumer pr campaign for 9 out of the last 10 years – a record unsurpassed by any other pr agency . we ' re very proud of this ! email london @ andrewbloch @ goodkind
goodkind added that frank would be announcing new clients and hires in the coming weeks .
those morals have shaped the company’s foundations , the name frank pr reflecting these . ‘the name was a play on words . we wanted our clients to be frank with us and we wanted to be frank with them in return . it also played on the heritage of lynne franks ; we wanted to keep the best bits of that alive’ .
the government once said that people with a drug problem should talk to frank . i would now add that clients wanting decent pr should avoid talking to frankpr .
now frank has established itself within the uk a decision was needed on the next step . in 2007 bloch helped oversee the sale of frank to australian media conglomerate , the enero group .
talkability® is at the heart of what we’re about . and we liked it so much , it’s been a registered trademark of frank pr since the day we started .
frank pr is part of the network one – a custom - built international agency network of the very best consumer pr agencies across the globe . faster , more flexible , more creative , and and more cost effective than boring traditional networks ,
find the latest global pr and communications jobs from the holmes report . from internships to account executives or directors . see all our pr jobs here .
like frank london , but with added northern soul . cut from the same award - winning cloth , it shares the same dna - a manchester based genetic clone of its london counterpart . so what makes manc frank different ? well essentially nothing - it was bred to achieve perfection . perfectly placed for the new media city , it means all frank clients can have on - the - ground representation and expertise . manc frank : bridging the north / south divide since 2012 . email manchester @ manc _ frank
he added :
we ' re called frank pr as our approach to public relations is frank , honest , open , down - to - earth and no bullshit - a bit of a departure from the norm in this industry . given our backgrounds , we also aim to take the ' best bits ' from the lynne franks pr days into the ' noughties ' .
with the sale of frank pr , bloch felt logically that sydney would be ideal for their first international office ( opened in october 2009 ) . it was important to frank that it wasn’t a case of just having ‘the name above the door’ but continuing the standard of work of the london office .
this down - to - earth , open and honest approach along with creativity and passion has created a recipe that within five years carried frank to being named as marketing magazine’s pr agency of the year in 2005 . frank went on to win agency of the year two more times in 2006 and 2010 and have been commended every single year , a record unsurpassed by any other pr agency .
the foundation of the london office and the growing success of frank in australia saw more room for expansion , this time in new york . they followed this up with the launch of an office in manchester – manc frank .
frank co - founder and chairman graham goodkind said he had never proactively looked at selling the agency , despite having received ‘several offers’ over the past year . he insisted the deal ‘will not affect frank’s culture and approach one iota’ .
from brand marketing to conscious consumerism , coverage of key marketing and pr trends worldwide .
bringing together in - house comms leaders with pr firms to discuss critical global issues .
marketing consultancy branded has taken a strategic investment in frank pr , which is already working on pr strategy for telegram teddies - an online teddy bear shop - urltoken and amstrad . mr goodkind said he expected to launch a new media division dedicated to these clients once the agency had found its feet .
our coverage of key technology pr trends and challenges from around the world of digital communications .
in - depth annual research into the pr industry ' s efforts to raise creative standards .
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pr agency specializing in film , tv , general entertainment and lifestyle in new york city .
bloch’s success in the uk is represented by the awards frank have won , as well as his own individual accolades . one of the most notable being named by tweetlevel as the most influential pr person on twitter , a huge position to hold with twitter being so important to so many media and pr people .
consumer agency frank pr was sold for around £17m to the photon group earlier this week . and it is understood tech agency hotwire has followed suit – possibly for an even bigger fee given its greater staff and turnover .
frank is a boutique pr agency that loves getting a reaction . we believe that the best campaigns are those that have that special ingredient - the ones which kickstart word - of - mouth , or what we call talkability®
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the key global benchmark of pr agency rankings , industry size and trends , from 2016 onwards .
campaigns like this one helped really lift frank off and their client base seven years later ranges from lord sugar to disney to innocent .
our guest authors are what make pr place such a vibrant hub of information , exploration and learning .
mr goodkind is now focusing full time on frank pr , although he remains a director of web email firm another . com , and says he is
in and out of there every week , but not in any executive capacity
.
being part of the network one means frank pr can deliver the same standard of award - winning work across 160 countries . we can offer a unique combination of know - how and know - who to create public reactions on a global stage .
photon has spent the past three months in talks with frank , whose clients include budweiser , pizza express , channel 4 , harrods and thelondonpaper .
long - form journalism that analyzes the issues , challenges and opportunities facing the business and practice of pr .
dedicated to exploring the new frontiers of pr as it dives deeper into social media , content and analytics .
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amy has over 10 years of pr experience working with consumer brands . starting out in - house at l ' oréal , she ' s joined frank after several years working across a diverse portfolio of brands from planes and destinations to music channels to national awards .
andrew spent his formative years at lynne franks pr , followed by several years at ketchum , heading up the sports and entertainment division . he hooked up with graham to found frank in 2000 . he loves nothing more than taking a crazy idea and making it a reality .
when ketchum bought lynne franks pr in 1998 andrew stayed on as associate director heading up the sport and entertainment division .
frank ' s us launch plans date back to 2010 , but were put on hold because of financial difficulties at parent company enero , then known as photon .
and when it comes to making ideas happen , we ' re ruthless in delivery . . . and evaluation , too . we ' re frank with our clients and they ' re frank with us . the result is an ultra - effective , down - to - earth , open and honest approach to pr . that ' s why we ' re one of the industry ' s most decorated agencies , responsible for some of its most famous campaigns .
one of the uk ' s most successful consumer pr firms has hired a senior golinharris executive to launch its us presence .
the holmes report ' s annual selections for pr agencies of the year , across all of the world ' s major markets .
frank ceo and founder graham goodkind told the holmes report that there is a
bit of a gap in the us market for an agency with our type of approach .
we all need a sensible , measured , calm - in - a - crisis sidekick to work alongside , and at frank we ' ve got ours . we call him francis .
get your aimin ' hand ready and steady . . . then shoot five logos in the fewest shots possible and in the shortest time to win a special frank virtual goldfish ! *
since launching in 2000 , frank has grown to almost £7m in fee income and has won numerous awards for its client work , becoming one of the largest specialist firms in the uk ' s fiercely competitive consumer pr industry . in addition to its 65 staff in london , the agency operates a smaller office in australia .
coverage of global corporate reputation and communications news and trends , from the leading online corporate pr news website the holmes report . subscribe today !
the biggest pr conference of the year , a high - level forum designed for senior practitioners to address the critical issues that matter most .
avoid them at all costs . there are plenty of much better pr agencies who know how to do a decent job for you to choose from .
bloch and goodkind had decided from the start that frank’s success would be measured by reputation . this began to follow swiftly with a certain campaign andrew regards as ‘the one that put us on the map’ .
judges praised it for being a forward - thinking agency that has ' great brand interaction with campaigns that used traditional pr , digital and social platforms ' .
two of the uk ' s best - performing pr agencies have been bought up by one of australia ' s largest and fastest - growing communications companies .
sports pr news , diversity & inclusion trends , views and analysis from the holmes report . subscribe today for the very latest in the world of sports communications .
very relaxed , informal chat in armchairs about main motivations and capabilities for being successful in pr with one board director and one account director . be prepared to sell yourself .
every day there ' s a big winner , a piece of genius pr that makes its way across the papers , radio , tv and online . here at the pr hall of fame i flag this bit of coverage up - so that you can get into work at 9am and already know one aspect of the media agenda for the day .
“i have always known and respected frank from afar and felt that its creative , high energy , results - focused approach to pr would play out really well in the us market ,
said dowd .
when the opportunity arose to spearhead the launch and get on board , i didn’t need any convincing . the proposition we are offering clients will be refreshing , easy to execute and will offer immediate roi . ”
like dressing up ? want to be in our frank family album ? maybe even get the chance to meet smell doctors , kevin mccloud , natasha oakley and jarryd hayne ? you might be just who we ' re looking for . . . so visit our jobs page !
a lot of uk firms have launched with brits that have gone over - i wanted someone who is an expert in the market on the ground , very well - connected in the new york scene , but also has that frank joie de vivre ,
said goodkind .
hp sauce had tried traditional pr before and felt that a new angle was required . they were looking to make an emotional connection with their public and wanted the ‘britishness’ of the product to be emphasised . frank identified snooker as a way of exploiting this and approached the world - renowned snooker player jimmy white with a deal which would see him change his name to jimmy brown for the world snooker championships that year ( where hp were also the first ever brand to sponsor a ball…the brown ball ) .
frank follows in the footsteps of leading uk firms such as freud and red consultancy , which entered new york before eventually exiting the market . the us operations of uk shops exposure , splendid and cake have met with more success , but goodkind admitted that
a bit of humility is important .
even worse , this particular pr agency has not only taken to sending useless unwanted junk to my email box , they also now add events to my events guide — even after i have asked them repeatedly to go away .
i’m confident that our offer and approach to pr will do pretty well in america ,
he added .
there is no arrogance there and a lot of humility - we have to learn our way around .
among all the many pr companies that contact me , some are very good , some very bad , and most are average — in fact , just like every industry out there , a mix of good , bad and average .
the results are in for the uk pr week 2008 awards now . again , they’re pretty hard to find online – here’s a link to the ‘book of the night’ and i’ll be putting them up on here soon , too .
we ' ve won or been shortlisted for the pr week award for best consumer campaign nine times in the last ten years ( more than any other agency ) . here ' s some of the campaigns that did the business .
bloch said they had looked at expanding in other sectors : finance , corporate and healthcare were discussed . but they came to the decision that consumer pr is what they were about , what they enjoyed and what they wanted to continue to do .
with an emphasis on an open and honest approach to public relations , the company has flourished over the last decade . it is now a top five consumer pr consultancy with four offices , over a hundred staff , and is the most decorated agency in the industry .
mr goodkind has teamed up with two associate directors of ketchum life , the company formed after lynne franks pr was merged with ketchum in 1998 , to set up the business . he becomes chairman of the company , with andrew bloch and nadia gabbie named joint managing directors .
our approach to pr is geared to coming up with ideas that create a reaction and get people talking , tweeting , and sharing . and because we believe that on most occasions this buzz need to be nurtured , we’ve developed a detailed approach and methodology for doing this .
graham learnt his trade at legendary agency lynne franks pr , where he worked his way up through the ranks from trainee to md . he is passionate about ideas and creativity , and provides wise client counsel given the fact he ' s been about for so bloody long .
francis is our corporate division , offering best - in - class crisis support and a full range of corporate , trade and b2b pr services – all with a creative twist . and if you don ' t believe us , here ' s a word from lord sugar , a client of 13 years standing…
after university he was originally aiming for a career in advertising . however on being advised he would enjoy public relations this is the route he decided on . he gained his first break when lynne franks pr offered him an unpaid work placement . he spent his formative years there and enjoyed success from the start .
explaining his reasons for the move , he added :
pr is my first love . i ' d always wanted to go back into it and , as i ' m naturally quite an all - or - nothing person , i can only throw myself in to it 100 % to make it a success .
however , there is one thing that annoys most people , and that is when you ask a sender to stop contacting you , and they ignore your request .
more emails about banal trivia arrive — more requests to stop sending the banal trivia , and a few weeks later , another email arrives from someone else at the same company .
so i shall do something that i don’t actually like doing — and that is naming and shaming . i don’t like writing bad things . frankly , it gives me an upset stomach . i like to write nice things . things that i enjoy .
in february , nikki told me about a dating for single people event on the london eye . i expressed a lack of interest .
in march , jude told me about a “calorie neutral pop - up restaurant” . i replied explaining that such things were of no relevance to this blog .
in june , millie and i had a conversation about some new fashionable fitness routine at a gym . she assumed that an event listing about historic statues of athletes meant i write about fitness . she is so wrong .
later in june , chloe wrote to tell me about a fitness class for lunchtime workouts . it was the same thing i had already told millie i wasn’t going to write about .
later in august , aine wanted to tell me about a ski show in london . she also uploaded the details to my events guide , as did sophie a few days later .
in september , francesca wanted to me to look at some kitchen equipment , and a fortnight later , greg contacted me about the same thing .
and this morning , nikki is back in contact to tell me about taxi hire apps .
update 12th nov : sadie wrote to tell me some important news about teddy bears based on one direction and gary barlow . yes , really .
update 16th dec : gabriella wanted to tell me about some santa’s grottos in shopping centres .
each and every time i have told these people that i am not interested in their press releases . anyone reading my blog would see that i am not an ideal target for the sort of emails they are sending out .
so many replies to them asking them to stop being ignored is not just one person having an off day , it’s a systemic failure across an entire company that evidently treats bloggers as some sort of cheap outlet for trashy crap simply so they can tick a box on a client form saying “yes , they reached out to x number of websites” .
i am surprised you take that much notice of them . i treat them as spam . usually the subject line is enough of an indication .
haha… britain’s naughtiest dog . how naughty ? love the post , and have been to some of your events over the last year . definitely have helped me out of a rut a few times . keep it up ian .
ian , i’m surprised you’re giving frankpr a followed link as this will only help their search engine rankings .
it will only boost search engine rankings for phrases they are unlikely to want to rank highly for .
definitely sharing this with my colleagues . we’ve been doing some very cautious blogger outreach this year and it’ll help reinforce the warnings i’ve been giving them !
actually , i would say that all the things in your post ( and your comment here about “cautious blogger outreach” ) should be reclassified as “how to talk to the media” .
i find it very odd when a blogger is treated differently from any other writer / journalist / content person .
i’ve had a similar issue with a magazine called french entree who keeps emailing me despite me asking them several times to stop contacting me buy phone and stop the emails too .
my passion is creating , getting things up and running and giving them energy . having taken funmail to another . com , getting 1m - plus registered users and raising $ 10m ( £m ) last year , i reckon i ' d done my bit .
urltoken is now being run on a day - to - day basis by troels henriksen and steve bowbrick .
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the agency , which is owned by australian holding group enero , has hired former golinharris svp jim dowd as us managing director .
dowd arrives after 18 months at golinharris . he previously led his own agency , the dowd agency , which he sold to middleberg communications in 2009 . prior to that he was director of publicity for nbc universal .
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in the past financial year its income has grown by 32 % , smashing its target of 15 % . profit margin was also strong at 28 % , against an industry average of 14 % .
in the past 12 months , unity has added a range of high - profile consumer brands to its roster , including aquafresh , ribena , marks & spencer , cnn , total greek yoghurt and weight watchers . significantly , the agency won places on three major uk rosters - unilever , marks & spencer and glaxo - smithkline . it has a high pitch - conversion rate , winning six out of its past seven pitches . it also retained clients netmums , direct line and cancer research uk .
despite this success , the agency stayed true to its motto , ' do the right thing ' , and continued to work with cause - related and charity clients adding shelter , the british council , fifteen and vinspired .
unity ' s campaigns have delivered , on average , a 25 % uplift in sales for its brand campaigns in the past year .
particularly noteworthy is its ' shwopping ' campaign for marks & spencer , which encouraged customers to recycle clothing when they bought a new item in stores . some 36 , 000 items were handed in during the first week . this figure is now 1 . 4m .
judges praised unity ' s use of social media and its campaigns that generated ' excellent consumer awareness for worthwhile causes ' . they added : ' unity ' s strong business development and growth with motivational schemes for its staff really stood out . '
in the past 12 months , the agency has maintained an impressive new - business growth rate , receiving 250 enquiries between january and october this year . more than 90 % of these approached the agency as a result of its reputation , profile or recom - mendation . it continues to win about 75 % of the pitches it enters .
in the past 12 months , the agency ' s new clients include rspb , chrysler super bowl , volvic , mastercard - uefa champions league , disney and tia maria .
this year , the agency opened an office in new york as well as an office in the heart of media city in salford . in the first few months , its new york clients already include nbc , amc networks and trulia .
the year ' s work highlights include running a google + hangout for ocado , which was watched by 175 , 000 people on youtube , and launching digital tv service youview with lord sugar .
the launch received more than 400 pieces of coverage and at its peak , there was a tweet about youview every 12 seconds .
also shortlisted were blue rubicon , cake , pretty green and the red consultancy .
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* well done to friends at o2 for being highly commended – love the photo .
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the deal involves an up - front cash payment and loan notes , plus deferred payments tied to performance targets . leading figures in the industry have estimated the total deal is worth a minimum of £16m over the next four years .
goodkind also said that he had no plans to leave the agency . ‘we have been going for seven years and have only scratched the surface of what we can achieve . we want to grow the agency to get up to lexis and red’s level , ’ he said .
goodkind is the majority shareholder , with md and co - founder andrew bloch a major shareholder . other staff members also hold share options .
hotwire declined to comment on any deal with photon and any official statement will be limited by photon’s presence on the australian stock exchange .
hotwire was established in september 2000 by former weber shandwick employees kristin syltevik and anthony wilson . its clients include nec uk and blackberry .
the group has a total of 30 independent specialist businesses . photon’s executive chairman tim hughes said the group intends to buy more companies in the uk , particularly in the research , public relations and field marketing sectors .
the campaign will see animated characters including celebrities and members of the public ‘march’ across supporting websites including google , youtube , facebook and aol on 15 november .
the march aims to deliver a petition to the government to create a bullying commission for the protection of children and young people from bullying and harassment .
celebrity marchers include aston from boy band jls , girl group the saturdays and michael parkinson .
members of the public can sign up online and create their own big march avatars to join the march against bullying .
andrew bloch’s impressive rise through the public relations industry is a reflection of the work ethic and creative talent required in a constantly demanding industry .
born and raised in north london , bloch attended the haberdashers’ aske’s school for boys ( 1981 – 1992 ) before studying bsc management science at the university of manchester .
then his former lynne franks colleague and friend graham goodkind approached him to discuss starting their own consultancy . andrew admits he didn’t take much convincing : ‘the idea of having control over the quality of work produced was a massive incentive . i knew we both shared similar morals and views and it seemed like a great opportunity and time for a new challenge’ .
the press coverage was massive and continued when jimmy white said he would not speak to the media and ‘sit and sulk’ if any bbc commentator referred to him as jimmy white , not jimmy brown .
the bbc decided they would not refer to him by either name and refer to him only as ‘the whirlwind’ , as that’s how he is known to millions . this only further fueled the media coverage .
graham white , managing director of hp sauce commented : ‘not only does it capture the slightly quirky british humour that so typifies snooker lovers and hp sauce users alike , but it also shows an honesty and unpretentiousness by sponsoring those unsponsorable great moments in everyday british life . ’
build your professional confidence with a public relations qualification . there are a range of courses depending on your specialism and level of study .
this is what we do . read all about it - or just watch the video !
we work with some great clients , from household name brands to small entrepreneurial start - ups . if you own a tv , or a computer , or read newspapers and magazines , chances are you ' ve seen our work without realising it .
we create the kind of word - of - mouth buzz that takes over and does a client ' s best marketing . we call this talkability® , and for our clients it means their names on the lips of the nations ' mouths , and the happy chimes of new sales .
we ' re still as hungry as ever for great publicity . not just creating but hijacking the news agenda . we call this stuff agendaneering® and its one of our favourite pastimes .
raising eyebrows with the launch of the 2012 brow , made perfect by eyebrow stylist to the stars of hollywood , tonya crooks , and veet ' s high precision facial wax .
took to the outdoors to protect aussies in sydney , melbourne and brisbane from mozzie attacks on australia day with our aerogard ' mozzie guard ' activation .
we launched a pop - up gallery of images from iconic astronaut buzz aldrin ' s life to celebrate ubank ' s ' since today ' campaign .
got aussies buzzing with the launch of jack daniel ' s tennessee honey by engaging sydney ' s rock - star chefs .
helped transform air pacific back to fiji airways with the arrival of their new a330 aircraft .
sent the styles for the season ahead for aussie women for client blow dry bar .
creating the world ' s first and biggest online archive of sneakers for footlocker . . .
jimmy white changes his surname to brown to commemorate hp sauce ' s sponsorship of the brown ball at the masters . . .
nickleodeon searches for a uk family to become immortalised in a cartoon . . .
turning camden town from crisis to credit with a celebrity - curated app that brought fashion , food and music lovers back to nw1 . . .
npower unveils the uk ' s best lightbulb jokes to promote energy efficiency . . .
we also run a dedicated internship program . get in touch to broaden your experience . experience @ urltoken
in london ? or fancy working for us in the uk . drop us a line at jobsinlondon @ urltoken
* comes in virtual bowl . virtual fish food extra . if you miss a target your fish may be at risk .
here ' s a round up of the campaigns that got people ( including us ) talking this week . . . now that ' s what i call talkability®
a marketing and public relations agency that specializes in film , television , entertainment and lifestyle in new york city .
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the eye of an artist . the skill of a technician . the heart of a friend .
the vision of a director . the eye of a photographer . the delivery of a storyteller .
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cooking channel ' s carnival kings premieres with the first of eight half - hour episodes on thursday , july 12 .
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cooking channel ' s carnival kings premieres with the first of eight half - hour episodes on thursday , july 12 .
the film , which follows the state champion bridgehampton basketball team , counts shaquille o ' neal among its producers .


maldives airways was an airline based in malé , maldives .

it was operational between 1984 and 1986 , offering scheduled passenger flights using a fleet of two douglas dc-8 aircraft .

the usage of american-made airplanes was quite impressive , considering that air maldives , the state airline , was operating only one short skyvan at that time .

maldives airways

trans maldivian airways sea plane terminal , ibrahim nasir international airport , male ' , republic of maldives ( 9 , 403 . 48 mi ) maale , maale , maldives
maldives airways was owned and operated by the plo . this airline was one of the many companies which also functioned as a screen for the secret activities of the plo at that time and maldives airways planes were engaged in smuggling weapons or drugs for the palestinian authority
sadly , british airways also flies back from the maldives . you will have to leave eventually – at least until your next holiday .
book your flights to the maldives with etihad airways and get ready to explore the 26 islands that form the ‘necklace of the indian ocean’ .
in the summer months british airways flies to the maldives vis doha , using our partner airline , qatar airways . from november to march , you can book a direct flight from london to malé , the capital of the islands .
you can fly to the maldives every day of the year with our partner airline , qatar airways , from london , manchester and edinburgh . if you are flying with qatar airways , your journey will include a stop in doha . between november and march you can also fly direct to the maldives with british airways . in both cases , you’ll fly into malé , the capital .
hummingbird island airways was a regional airline based at male international ( mle ) [ trans maldivian airways was founded as hummingbird island helicopters in 1989 & commenced services on 30jun1989 using a fleet of helicopters . started fixed wing operations in 1997 when it was renamed to hummingbird island airways . renamed again in 2001 to trans maldivian airways . had maldivian air taxi merge in in 2001
today , trans maldivian airways ( pilot ken simkins ) ferries visitors to more than 100 resorts .
read our baggage guide to answer your specific queries about luggage allowances when you fly with british airways .
no further information at this time [ hummingbird island airways was a regional airline based at male international ( mle ) [ trans maldivian airways was founded as hummingbird island helicopters in 1989 & commenced services on 30jun1989 using a fleet of helicopters . started fixed wing operations in 1997 when it was renamed to hummingbird island airways . renamed again in 2001 to trans maldivian airways . had maldivian air taxi merge in in 2001 ]
maldivian air taxi was founded in 1993 & started operations on 04nov1993 ( tourist and sightseeing airline based at male international airport ) merged into trans maldivian airways ( tourist and sightseeing airline based at male international airport ) hummingbird island airways was a regional airline based at male international ( mle ) [ trans maldivian airways was founded as hummingbird island helicopters in 1989 & commenced services on 30jun1989 using a fleet of helicopters . started fixed wing operations in 1997 when it was renamed to hummingbird island airways . renamed again in 2001 to trans maldivian airways . had maldivian air taxi merge in in 2001 ]
trans maldivian airways is your getaway to the stunning maldives . with the world ' s largest seaplane fleet , trans maldivian airways takes you from velana international airport in malé to your island holiday destination . life is about the journey , and this will likely be the most scenic one in your life . read more . . .
curious about the scale of our operation ? take a sneak peek behind the scenes of trans maldivian airways… read more . . .
british airways’ seasonal direct flights depart three times a week from london gatwick , on sunday , wednesday and friday . flights will land the following day at malé . direct flights back from the maldives to london depart on mondays , thursdays and saturdays .
from the air , the atolls of the maldives look like turquoise constellations . as you approach land , they’re more like emeralds set in white - beach bezels : nothing short of exquisitely beautiful . jetting off to the maldives is a bucket list cliché for a reason – beloved by celebrities , remembered by all who visit , these islands really could be the most beautiful place on earth . fly to the maldives with british airways for your best holiday yet .
pilot rob mcintyre spent two years in the maldives . “i have great memories , ” he says .
with a fleet of more than 40 de havilland twin otters , trans maldivian airways operates the largest seaplane operation in the world . read more . . .
november to march is peak season in the maldives . the weather is lovely as the dry season rolls around and people flock to escape the winter months – plus you can fly direct with british airways . however , because it’s such a popular time , flight prices can rise accordingly – especially around christmas and new year . throughout the rest of the year you can generally find more inexpensive , indirect flights with our partner airline , qatar airways . look out for cheap flights to maldives after may , in the low season .
air maldives was founded on 01oct1974 & started operations on 09oct1974 . it declared bankruptcy and stopped all operations in 2000
discover the best fares at etihad airways to our top destinations . our special prices offer you the opportunity to experience etihad’s outstanding service for less . book now before seats fill .
the main tourist season runs from december to march when people in northern climates escape their winters for a little fun in the sun . if you are travelling during this time it is highly recommended that you book your tickets to the maldives well in advance . the rest of the year can be considered the monsoon season , but the rainfall varies quite a bit . from april to november the rains are more intense , but it is a great time to find cheap hotels in the maldives . flight deals to the maldives are easy to find with etihad airways .
tourism in the maldives began in 1972 with just two resorts . today , ibrahim nasir international airport handles two million passengers annually .
find out more about the maldives and keep up - to - date with information about your tma flight ! read more . . .
it’s not a silly question . officially , the maldives all runs on one time zone : five hours ahead of gmt . however , some resorts have unofficial time zones so that guests can enjoy longer evenings . resorts might be 30 minutes , an hour or an hour and a half ahead of maldives time ( mht ) . check with your resort . malé , the capital , sticks with maldives time .
mega maldives was established in 2010 . it received an aoc on 22dec2010 , and its first domestic flight was from malé to gan on 28dec2010 . mega maldives air has officially announced it suspended all commercial flight operations with effect from 02may2017 . it has now decided to close down completely
the success of trans maldivian airways has been through the efforts of our team . today , we employ more than eight hundred dedicated team members representing twenty nationalities . we aim for the highest standards of professional and personal competence to provide the visitors to the maldives with an incredible experience . if you feel you could contribute . . . read more . . .
you can fly direct from gatwick airport ( lgw ) to velana international airport ( mle – also known as malé international airport ) in around ten hours . if you’re flying with qatar airways , you will change planes at doha .
you don’t want to start your holiday stressed . follow these little tips and see if they can’t help you arrive refreshed and ready to relax in the maldives .
after two years in the maldives , mcintyre flew charters in wheel - equipped twin otters in angola , which offered him longer home leave and was closer to his canadian home—and his family , who tired of life in the maldives . he’s now a production test pilot on the new dhc6 series 400 twin otter . mcintyre says his maldives experience helped him in angola , where he might take off on a paved runway but land on a soccer field or in six inches of mud .
our generous baggage allowances allow you to take everything you need for a longer break in the maldives . when you book a package holiday or fly standard economy you can check in one piece of luggage weighing up to 23kg . if you’re travelling premium economy ( world traveller plus ) , you can take two bags weighing 23kg each . business ( club world ) travellers can take two bags of up to 32kg . that’s a lot of flip flops ! our partner airline , qatar airways , offers up to 30kg of luggage in economy ( world traveller ) , extending to 40kg in business ( club world ) . please refer to the qatar airways codeshare page for more information .
the maldives might be small and remote , but your resort will have plenty of activities on hand , from whale shark spotting to sunset cruises and desert island exploration . read up on the best things to do in the maldives . then slip on your snorkel mask , slap on a kaftan or sink into a spa day : the choice is yours .
there are two seasons in the maldives – the popular dry season runs from december to march , and the so - called wet season runs from may to november . both seasons are great for visitors , as the maldives have a tropical climate and an average temperature of a perfect 26 - 30°c all year round . generally , early may and early november see more unsettled weather .
the official currency of the maldives is the maldivian rufiyaa , but you won’t need to use it if you’re staying on resort . resorts accept dollars , as well as credit and debit cards .
in india , there’s a lot of talk about twin otters : they are proposed for an air service that will link the beaches of the country’s west coast ; they provide transportation around sri lanka or india’s andaman islands , and to the north , the chinese knockoffs known as twin pandas ply the mountains of nepal . the maldivian service , however , has the biggest twin otter fleet in the world . run by trans maldivian airways , the 44 - aircraft service links resorts spread across the atolls and supports the maldives’ most profitable industry : tourism . as the service has grown , it has become the template for other seaplane operators worldwide , and among a globe - trotting breed of twin otter pilots , landing a flying job in the maldives is a point of pride . many pilots who want to try open - ocean flying come to the maldives , and some stay for years .
de havilland canada discontinued production of the twin otter in 1988 after having exported them to 74 countries , but the dhc - 6 otter is still the ideal airplane for an environment like the maldives .
groth and alsford say they see some maldivian pilots starting to shift to land - based airlines , especially with the launch in 2012 of mega maldives , an airline with a fleet of 767s serving the maldives from china . “some more experienced guys are starting to say ‘hey , are we going to fly these floats the rest of our lives , or are we going to do something else ? ’ ”
landing at malé airport doesn’t have to mean the end of the bird’s eye views . step on board a charming twin otter seaplane to transfer to your resort and enjoy one more panorama before landing on the beach . most british airways maldives holiday packages include the price of your transfer , so you can have a smooth , stress - free journey into paradise – all paid for in advance . plus , our generous luggage allowance ensures you can take enough clothing to last a nice long stay – you deserve it .
over a thousand islands , hundreds of resorts , and an untold number of beaches : it ' s hard to know where to stay in the maldives . that ' s why we ' ve picked out the best maldives resorts for you . with their overwater villas , intimate island settings , and specialist diving centres , these places will help you get a lifetime of memories out of your trip of a lifetime .
accident to 8q - tma : the aircraft , operated by trans maldivian airways was maneuvering on the water near the floating platform , after landing in the lagoon near holiday island resort , when it struck another twin otter ( 8q - tmh ) that was parked against the floating platform . there were no passengers on either aircraft .
trans maldivian airways services include resort transfers , photo flights , private charter , excursions and medical evacuation flights . photo flights – the standard photo flight package starting and finishing at the airport includes a 15 - minute flyover . it is a very popular charter service and comes at a reasonable price resort transfers – transfer of guests to and . . . read more . . .
british nationals will be issued a visa on arrival in the maldives . your visa will cover up to 30 days’ holiday . you may need to show that you have a departure date booked , and sometimes that you have enough funds to cover your stay .
date and time : 19 february 2001 at 0810 hrs lt location : near holiday island resort operator : trans maldivian airways pvt . ltd . aircraft : de havilland dhc - 6 - 100 ( 8q - tma ) and dhc - 6 - 300 ( 8q - tmh ) number of persons in the aircraft : 3 injuries to persons : none damage to aircraft : both aircraft sustained substantial damage .
date and time : 17 may 2004 at 1101 hrs local time ( lt ) location : male ' international airport operator : trans maldivian airways pvt . ltd . aircraft : de havilland dhc - 6 - 300 ( floatplane ) number of persons in the aircraft : 17 injuries to persons : fatalities - 0 , serious injuries - 3 , minor injuries - 1 damage to aircraft : total write - off .
the maldives offers world - class scuba diving and the offshore reefs in the area are teeming with all kinds of colourful fish darting all over the stunning coral formations . most people will tell you that the maldives are simply a paradise for scuba so if you don’t dive already , be sure to get certified while you are here . you really cannot afford to miss out on the chance to experience the underwater world here . the best time to dive in these waters is in the months of april and november when the water is incredibly clear .
eight years ago , shareef went to florida to get his seaplane rating after maldivian air taxi agreed to match the $ 20 , 000 his father - in - law gave him for flight training . when he returned to the maldives , ken simkins trained him in twin otters .
a direct flight to the maldives takes around ten hours and some flights include a stopover . make sure you beat jetlag by living in your new time zone as soon as possible . use our jet lag advisor to find out when to rest and when to keep yourself awake during the journey .
in the hangar during my visit was an aircraft acquired from a seller in greenland , which after a tour in the maldives was being checked for saltwater corrosion , the air service’s “biggest problem , ” says rees . “all of our preventive maintenance and inspections are looking towards it , ” he adds .
still , flying in the maldives is something most twin otter devotees want on their résumés . “i’ve never met a seaplane pilot that hasn’t heard of the maldives , even if they don’t know where it is , ” says rob mcintyre , a former captain with maldivian air taxi . “it’s a legendary job , and i’m really proud that i’m part of that exclusive club . there’s no better feeling than putting an airplane down in water that you wouldn’t even want to be in a boat in , and the passengers don’t even notice until the plane has stopped and is bobbing up and down in the water . ”
for foreign pilots who don’t scuba dive , fish , or surf , the maldives might seem like an aquatic prison . local food is tasty but often too spicy for the average canadian palate , and good western food can be found only at resorts , which are geared more toward honeymooning couples than weary pilots .
thanks to imports , resorts in the maldives can provide guests with every cuisine under the sun . if you want a taste of the local produce , turn to fresh fish , coconuts , and curry . invite yourself to a seafood barbecue for blistered pink langoustine or track down a ‘mas riha’ ( tuna curry ) .
“just a bit of local showers . you can go around them if you like , ” nielsen told neil travers , a trainee copilot who , like nielsen , wore green cargo shorts and aviator sunglasses . both men work for tma , an island airline formed by joining trans maldivian airways with another carrier , maldivian air taxi . and both had jettisoned their flip - flops after boarding the floatplane and were flying with bare feet . “looks kind of picturesque though , ” nielsen said .
date and time : 18 october 1995 at 1055 hrs lt location : male ' international airport operator : air maldives ltd aircraft : dornier 228 number of persons in the aircraft : 8 injuries to persons : fatalities - 0 , serious injuries - 1 , minor injuries - 2 damage to aircraft : total write - off .
as i was leaving the maldives , i decided to lay over in colombo and fly with sri lankan air taxi ( slat ) , a fledgling service set up with the help of ken simkins and originally run by sri lanka’s national carrier using aircraft and crews from emirates airlines . at a dock rented from a buddhist temple on a bend in colombo’s kelani river , i boarded a twin otter painted in the technicolor tropical motifs of slat . the captain that day was another canadian , bruce gordon , who described himself as “a classic bush pilot . ” both gordon and his copilot had flown in the maldives , as had slat’s fleet of twin otters .
it’s not hard to see why this one of the most popular resorts in the maldives : lux * south ari atoll is a five - star beauty with lavish villas that feel like home . as one of the larger resorts , it has a range of restaurants to suit all tastes , plus it’s near one of the best places for whale shark sightings .
the maldives has shown that travel to even the remotest and unspoilt archipelagos on the planet is attainable . the islands’ striking beauty , combined with luxury resorts , would not be as accessible as they are if it wasn’t for a handful of daring people . they turned their passion into a service benefiting visitors , resorts and maldivians . . . read more . . .
that was an understatement . a remote island nation about 250 miles southwest of india in the laccadive sea , the republic of the maldives comprises nearly 1 , 200 islands , around 200 of which are inhabited . many of the rest , which make up 26 atolls spread out over 35 , 000 square miles , are nothing more than rings of sand surrounding tiffany - blue lagoons or bottle - green mini - jungles . the beauty of the maldives—along with their remoteness—has made the islands a vacation spot for the affluent—and tma a successful business . the reefs are among the most diverse marine habitats in the world , home to manta rays and giant turtles . and the skies are abuzz with twin otters , the floatplanes in the tma fleet .
the self - contained islands of the maldives are made for all inclusive holidays . find the best resort for you , whether you ' ve got your family in tow or it ' s just the two of you . these four carefully - selected hotels really have thought of everything , from cocktails to kayaking , to make your stay special – with no big bill at the end .
unlike western canada and alaska , where many of the maldives’ floatplane pilots ( and airplanes ) got their start , the maldives has no thick fog clinging to glassy water surfaces or mountains to navigate around—its highest elevation is only 26 feet . seaplane pilots fly according to visual flight rules . but open - ocean flying in a tourism - dependent resort nation has another set of challenges . when the monsoon is robust , pilots may have to land in heavy crosswinds with the floats straddling swells that can reach three feet . were a pilot to land into the wind , on the crest of a wave , the airplane , if unable to stop fast enough , could be pitched back into the air by the next wave , which could cause it to stall at a very low altitude .
the maldives was long a sultanate , first under dutch and then under british protection . it consists of1 , 190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls ( 200 inhabited islands , plus 80 islands with tourist resorts ) ; archipelago with strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in indian ocean . it became a republic in 1968 , three years after independence . tourism and fishing are being developed on the archipelago .
shareef remembers his father taking him to the airport when he was 10 to see the first charter condor air jumbo jet land in the maldives . “it was the biggest aircraft that had come here up till that point , ” shareef says . “a lot of people from malé came [ by ] dhoni and waited by the runway to see that flight land . from then , i wanted to be a pilot . ”
in the maldives i met ken simkins , who has been training twin otter pilots since 1983 and became the chief pilot for maldivian air taxi shortly after the airline began in 1993 . at that time , says simkins , most of the airplanes , pilots , and engineers were supplied by the calgary - based charter kenn borek air , which leases aircraft for polar scientific expeditions , u . n . missions , and oil exploration support .
you can’t say you’ve seen the maldives until you’ve seen what’s underwater . the snorkelling here is considered some of the best in the world . there are over 1 , 100 species of fish – that’s almost as many as there are maldivian islands – and many of them form part of the reef ecosystem . look out for parrotfish chewing on the coral , moody barracuda close to the surface , and tiny clownfish dipping in and out of anemones .
i was listening through a headset as the crew made a late loop , flying tourists to three luxury resorts—the vast majority of the maldives’ resorts are high - end—in alifu atoll , about 50 miles southwest of the ibrahim nasir international airport , which is little more than a runway on an island made of reclaimed sand adjacent to the capital island city of malé . with me were 13 passengers from russia , china , and europe , who sat with faces or cameras pressed against the otter’s windows .
the portuguese and dutch had settlements in the maldives before it became a british protectorate , in 1887 . in 1965 it gained independence from the united kingdom , which retained use of the base at gan in the southernmost seenu atoll . simkins , who served in the royal air force and the canadian air force from 1970 until he joined kba in 1993 , had visited gan in the mid - 1970s . recently , its airstrip was developed as another base for tourist flights , including flights in seaplanes .
simkins first met maldivian air taxi owner lars erik nielsen in the summer of 1993 , when nielsen was in vancouver looking to rent or buy a seaplane to bring to the maldives . “nielsen had come out here as a diver , and his thinking was : ‘people want to go to these islands , but after they’ve been traveling for 16 , 18 hours , they don’t want to do another three and a half hours [ in a boat ] in the open ocean , getting seasick . ’ he thought seaplanes might be the answer . when we started , there were maybe half a dozen resorts served by seaplanes ; now there are a hundred or so . ”
floatplane pilots , says nielsen , are a small , itinerant community . many in the maldives hail from other floatplane environments , where there are few roads but lakes and rivers abound . other twin otter pilots flew with wheels in australia , and some have flown with skis in antarctica . “everybody knows everybody , ” nielsen says . “it’s a very international group [ because ] floatplane flying is seasonal work . in the northern hemisphere , when it is winter and there are no jobs , they come here . then they go back home during the [ summer ] low season here . some are doing firefighting in north america , and they come here in the winter when there are no fires . it is a very natural rotation . ”
money permits him to influence states by moving around liquid assets . some $ 700 million was moved out of jordan in 1986 to protest king husayn ' s policies ; $ 200 million was once transferred into tunisia as a reward . nor are all investments apolitical . funds are on occasion loaned to allies in need , such as $ 12 million to the nicaraguan government in 1981 and $ 100 million to iraq in 1986 .
friendship
projects have included factories and farms in places like syria , guinea , the maldives , and poland . ' arafat also has the means to do the odd favor . in 1985 , he is said to have won the release of three soviet hostages held in beirut by paying $ 15 million to fundamentalist muslims .
in the nearly 25 years that the air taxi has been flying , malé has changed significantly . when ulrik nielsen arrived in the 1990s , the buildings were low - rise and the roads unpaved . “at that time it was around 60 , 000 people living there , ” he says . since then , the population has increased to more than 103 , 000 , and more land has been reclaimed to make room for more pastel - colored , 10 - story - plus buildings . the migration was abetted by the 2004 indian ocean tsunami , which caused extensive damage on many of the local islands , causing an exodus . ( the maldives were spared worse damage by the barrier reefs . the air service was lucky that most of its airplanes were in the air when the tsunami struck , but several airplanes in the hangar were damaged . )
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[ n . b . : the following reflects what the author submitted , and not exactly what was published . to obtain the precise text of what was printed , please check the original place of publication . ]
soon after kuwait disappeared into the iraqi maw on 2 august 1991 , the palestine liberation organization ( plo ) found itself bereft of its three largest sources of funds . angry at yasir ' arafat ' s enthusiastic endorsement of saddam husayn ' s aggression , the saudi and kuwaiti governments stopped paying $ 72 and $ 24 million a year , respectively . the united arab emirates , qatar , and egypt also followed suit . and the iraqis , who had been paying some $ 48 million annually , lacked the funds to continue paying
to make matters worse , kuwait was the palestinians ' el dorado , and their wealth in that country was almost completely lost . the numbers involved are large , even if they don ' t reach the wild estimates proffered by plo officials : $ 8 billion according to muhammad milham of the plo executive committee ; somewhere between $ 8 . 5 billion and $ 12 . 6 billion according to yasir ' arafat ; and $ 13 billion according to salim az - za ' nun , the plo ' s representative in kuwait . ( these obviously hyperbolic numbers have been picked up by reputable media ; jonathan c . randal reports the $ 10 billion figure with a straight face in the washington post . ) in addition , palestinians in the territories occupied by israel lost , again according to yasir ' arafat , $ 1 . 4 billion .
alienating contributors and losing capital has serious consequences for the plo . its income appears to be about half of what it was before 2 august and expenditures have fallen by 30 percent . according to a report in the jerusalem post , the organization ' s revenue fell by as much as 90 percent . plo employees , armed and not , have already experienced pay cuts and more reductions lie ahead . a reduction of pay to palestinian fighters in early 1991 provoked a mutiny in fat ' h in lebanon ; fat ' h responded by summarily executing the malcontents , apparently hoping this would prevent a collapse in the chain of command .
although it would be unwise ever to discount the plo , an organization that regularly rebounds from adversity , this blow can be expected severely to crimp its activities and its ambition to remain the dominant palestinian organization .
during the plo ' s heyday in lebanon , 1970 - 82 , when it ran a state - within - a - state , revenues derived mostly from a wide array of legal and illegal commercial activities . the result was a formidable war chest . abu musa , a one - time ally of ' arafat ' s , has stated that in 1982 the plo had $ 1 billion in lebanese banks alone .
on the legal side , the plo got involved in some surprising ventures . the popular front for the liberation of palestine , for example , ran the modern mechanical establishment , an iron and steel company south of sidon . the company made money by paying no taxes , using coercive sales methods , and engaging in predatory pricing . then , after forcing the competition to go out of business , it raised prices .
lebanon ' s anarchy offered unbounded opportunities for illegal activities : drug trafficking , protection rackets , robberies , hijackings , and the training of foreign terrorists . drug trafficking was by far the steadiest and most lucrative racket during the lebanon years ; during the late 1970s , when the plo ruled substantial portions of lebanon , drug - trafficking is said to have brought the plo $ 300 million a year . other activities also brought spectacular returns . the december 1975 capture of opec oil ministers reportedly netted the plo $ 20 million . a few months later , the plo participated in what the guinness book of world records calls the largest bank heist of all time ; robbing the beirut branch of the british bank of the middle east brought the plo one - third the loot , between $ 16 and $ 33 million .
the expulsion from beirut in 1982 ended this financial golden era . the plo has since re - established its operations in lebanon ; even today , james adams comments , it remains
a major economic influence in the country - or what ' s left of it .
but lebanon ' s economy has fallen apart since 1982 , so revenues from there are a fraction of what they were earlier .
also , while soviet - bloc aid used to amount to the equivalent of tens of millions of dollars annually , provided in cash , arms , training , and intelligence , eastern europe ' s liberation and the ravages of perestroika have caused this once - reliable source virtually to dry up .
deprived of these sources , the plo has in recent years become heavily dependent on handouts from arab presidents , kings , and emirs - a demeaning return to pre - 1970 circumstances . gone are those heady days when ' arafat had the leeway to act independently of his state sponsors . the plo has steadily received at least $ 100 million a year from the arab states since 1973 , but the amount has recently edged toward $ 250 - 300 million a year . arab states agreed to take up this slack in plo funding primarily for offensive reasons ( to gain influence ) or defensive ones ( to avoid retribution ) ; in some cases they may even have done so out of conviction .
nearly all of this income came from kuwait , saudi arabia , and the other states that have just cut the plo off . according to plo records made public in 1988 , the saudi authorities over the previous decade had donated $ 855 million . salim az - za ' nun , the plo ' s representative in kuwait , announced that the kuwaitis had provided his organization with $ 2 billion over 26 years . in fact , the total contribution was much more , for both governments funneled massive amounts to yasir ' arafat personally . abu musa , indirectly confirmed this point in 1983 :
saudi arabia gives him tens , hundreds of millions , to corrupt not to develop the revolution . it does not appear in the books . it is much more than the official contributions .
not all the money came from government coffers . palestinians living in arab countries are supposed to pay 3 to 7 . 5 percent of their salaries by way of tax to the plo . while it is unclear when and where these funds were actually collected and transmitted to the plo , it appears that kuwait , saudi arabia , and the uae were the only states to do so on a regular basis ; samir khalaf estimated that palestinians in kuwait alone sent $ 150 million a year to the west bank and gaza before the iraqi invasion . all this has come to an end since 2 august 1991 .
individual palestinians make contributions , especially at times of crisis , ranging from the very small ( the purchase of
arab liberation stamps
) to the very large . some contributions are voluntary , others extracted by threats .
the plo ' s operations and political prominence depend heavily on money , and so the sudden disappearance of half the organization ' s budget is causing many problems .
money gives yasir ' arafat control over some twenty thousand gunmen , consisting of both conventional and irregular forces . it permits diplomacy on a grand scale ; the plo has two more
embassies
than israel and ' arafat sometimes visits three or four capitals in his own plane on a single day . it furthers the plo ' s terrorist and military efforts . there ' s nothing like buying a small airline to penetrate the world of civil aviation , and this is what the plo has done , through one george khallaq , when it bought part equity in transportes aeros de guinea - bissau . on a smaller scale , the plo has shown a marked interest in leasing commercial space at airports .
money sways public opinion by allowing the plo to subsidize the media . in february 1986 , for example , a payment of some $ 150 , 000 to the pro - jordanian al - quds newspaper of jerusalem rapidly turned around that paper ' s editorial stance .
money reduces the chances that a rival palestinian organization will challenge ' arafat ' s leadership . half a year after the intifada erupted , the plo responded by offering $ 50 million to its leadership - a clear attempt to bring an unruly upstart under company control . hamas , the fundamentalist muslim group that has emerged as the plo ' s only serious rival , hopes to join the plo to tap its funds .
money makes it possible to provision social , welfare , economic , cultural , and educational services which win palestinian allegiance to the plo . when traveling in poor countries , ' arafat dispenses money freely .
finally , not to be overlooked is the opulent way of life - elegant villas in tunisia , first - class travel , and the other perquisites of power - that money bestows on the plo pashas . zuhayr muhsin , for example , acquired a pronounced taste for gambling on the côte d ' azur . others put aside impressive nest eggs . wadi haddad , the plo ' s explosive expert killed in 1978 , is said by his comrades - in - arms to have left his sister a bequest of $ 140 million .
notwithstanding the talk of ' arafat ' s abstemious ways , he too enjoys what one newspaper account terms
a billionaire ' s life ,
including private planes , government guest houses , and the like . those in the know also point to the fortune he has put aside . the saudi press noted that ' arafat
helps himself to the aid supplied to the plo and the palestinians .
mustafa tallas , the syrian defense minister , claims that yasir ' arafat owns $ 12 billion in his own name and is
one of the world ' s ten richest men .
tallas further claims ' arafat stole £1 . 7 billion from ar - rafidayn bank in beirut , which he deposited in his own name , not that of the plo .
while this is obviously hyperbole , ' arafat himself does not deny possessing
a great deal of money .
he alleges , however , that it comes entirely from the money he made as an engineer in the 1950s in kuwait ; from the plo , he claims to take not so much as a salary .
to maintain close control over plo finances , ' arafat personally makes deposits and signs large checks . while this highly centralized control leads to resentments and gross inefficiencies , it also makes ' arafat indispensable . as one jordanian official put it ,
they have to keep arafat because if he goes , no one will know where the money is .
wealth has become so central to the plo ' s presence and influence , it sometimes looms larger than military considerations .
money is [ ' arafat ' s ] only weapon at present ,
abu musa declared already in 1983 . thus , when the plo evacuated beirut in 1982 , james adams explains , its leaders
feared the israeli seizure of their assets more than they did a military defeat .
( not without reason ; that exodus is estimated to have cost them $ 400 million . ) confirming this attitude , a white house official recollects ,
we got these messages from the plo containing lists of bmws and mercedes ' that they wanted to get on to the ships . they were very concerned to get their fleets of cars on as well as their families .
heavy dependence on large amounts of money has taken its toll ; as an unnamed jordanian official once put it ,
the plo isn ' t a revolution . it ' s a corporation .
the size and sophistication of the plo financial apparatus makes it a key power center of the organization . one can go further : while foiling attacks and capturing foot soldiers remains important , the only way to hobble and finally put an end to plo terrorist operations is to hit it where it counts most - in the wallet .
every attempt until now to count out the plo has proven wrong ; no one can predict its demise with confidence . ( a bit prematurely , zbigniew brzezinski waved
bye bye , plo
in 1977 . ) but the current situation , described by foreign report as a
financial catastrophe ,
is likely to translate into a severe decline in the popularity of yasir ' arafat and the authority of the plo .
some may find this development unfortunate because it obstructs resolution of palestinian - israeli issues . but that grants the plo too much . it is actually today ' s representative of that radical palestinian tradition that , as abba eban put it , has never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity . far from serving as a force for peace , the plo has bludgeoned and suppressed more moderate elements willing to coexist with israel . for this reason , its financial predicament offers not just the likelihood of less violence in the middle east but also a rare opportunity for alternative palestinian voices to make themselves heard . let us hope that they take advantage of the moment .
mustafa tallas on yasir ' arafat :
he personally owns $ 12 billion , in his own name . that sum in enough to sustain the stone - throwing children for twelve years , but he withholds this money from them and keeps on begging in their name . he stole 1 . 7 billion pounds from the ar - rafidayn bank , which is a joint british - iraqi bank in beirut , and he plundered other beirut banks and deposited the money in his own name - not in the name of the plo .
the saudi media accused ' arafat of
helping himself to the aid supplied to the plo and the palestinians , thus increasing his wealth and that of those around him .
yasir ' arafat :
we have not received a single penny from any gulf country since may 1990 . . . . this is to punish the plo .
' abd al - ' aziz ' ali shahin , one of yasir ' arafat ' s earliest allies , wrote a secret report in mid - 1991 which accused ' arafat of being directly responsible for the deterioration of al - fat ' h to
inconceivable moral degradation .
in shahin ' s eyes , the guerilla fighter died long ago , replaced by a man interested in
the red carpet , the private plane of the president , free reign to spend money .
the good life has even changed the plo leadership ' s outlook , making it most interested
in preserving the status quo , that is to say the financial , administrative , military , political , and mental corruption .
salah khalaf :
our movement is bureaucratized . it lost in militancy what it gained in ' respectability ' : we acquired a taste for dealing with governments and powerful men . we take their opinions and their wishes into account . we let ourselves be entangled in the intrigues of inter - arab relations .
abu musa , the rebel fat ' h figure , once explained that
arafat turned the palestinian revolution into a bureaucracy so rotten that it is worse than the bureaucracy in any underdeveloped country . naturally this institution was not capable of fighting . so when war broke out , the leadership ran away , leaving the rank and file to pay the price .
editorial in al - fajr , an arabic newspaper published in jerusalem :
the ineptness of the plo leadership in dealing with world developments is almost legendary . . . and threatens the future of the palestinian people . . . . maybe it is time some new blood be introduced into the palestinian leadership .
followers of abu iyad formed the 14 january correction movement - fat ' h ( that being the date of abu iyad ' s murder ) and put out a leaflet in the west bank attacking yasir ' arafat for his marriage to suha at - tawil . the leaflet characterized him as a
scheming buffoon
and an
evil satan .
it also accused him of having killed abu iyad due to disagreements about iraq .
zaki razaq , a palestinian ex - banker from kuwait :
ninety - five percent of those [ palestinians ] who lived in kuwait don ' t like arafat . he only represents himself .
austerity moves connected to the financial crisis resulting from the kuwait crisis were felt far and wide . the plo closed its separate information bureau in amman in august 1991 [ mef2 ] , then soon after closed its offices in denmark , norway , and bolivia .
functionaries saw their salaries reduced and fighters lacked ammunition . the money problem got downright petty : not having paid its telephone bills , the tunisian telephone company cut the plo lines .
having been cut off from arab money , yasir ' arafat had to devise new financial strategies . in july 1991 , he announced a plan
to ask the europeans to increase their assistance to make up for the arabs ' shortcomings .
he personally always carries with him a suitcase bearing the information of his many bank accounts . after surviving a plane crash in the libyan desert in april 1992 , finding that suitcase in the sand was an urgent priority .
two men , hasib jiryus sabbagh and sa ' id khuri , occupy central decision - making positions . also , these individuals occasionally make public grants of money , for example to endow chairs at american universities .
yasir ' arafat holds no less than thirty - two titles within the plo , ranging from president of palestine to inspector - general of the al - ' asifa forces .
patrick seale reports that abu nidal had $ 120 million in 1980 , $ 400 by 1988 .
mu ' ammar al - qadhdhafi supplied $ 12 a year in cash , $ 50 in stores and equipment in the mid - 1970s .
in late 1991 , the saudis announced the resumption of funding for the plo , though the sum was a small one - $ 2 . 1 million . a few months later , the saudis reportedly agreed to permit the plo to collect the tax levied on palestinians resident in saudi arabia , a sum of about $ 5 . 5 million a month .
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