SmartCity board will 'face all hurdles'

Two weeks after the resignation of SmartCity CEO Claudio Grech, the project's board of directors stressed they "are prepared to face all the hurdles" that might crop up with a project of such magnitude.

Certain that the project would go ahead as planned, acting CEO Fareed Abdulrahman said the board was confident that SmartCity would be a success story. "We need to stress that we are prepared to face all the hurdles that accompany the development of a project of this magnitude."

Mr Abdulrahman stepped into the shoes of Mr Grech who, after months of rumours, publicly announced he was resigning from the project because of "diverging operating views".

Works were on schedule and were expected to be speeded up in the coming months, the board said. Vacancies for senior and middle management positions would be announced soon.

When launched officially in April 2007 it was said that the $300 million (€208 million) IT village would generate 5,600 jobs over eight years.

Another meeting of the board has been set for December to discuss progress and next year's budget.