Gouna Owners Club and Gouna Management Meeting Notes

Notes on GOC Committee Meeting with Management
Held on Sunday 16th Dec 2018 at 10.00 am in GM’s Office.

(Readers who wish to join the GOC are requested to email Mr. Maher El Faham at melfaham@aol.com)

Present:
El Gouna Management: Mahmoud El Baroudi (GM), Nahawet Ali (Customer Services Director)
GOC Committee: Maher El Faham, Diana Perry, Mark Pigden, Maureen Mateer, Samia Baladi.

• Land and Property registration
  Some properties in Old Nubia, Upper Nubia, Phase 4 and elsewhere can be registered, if owners wish.  For other properties, Orascom has still to pay the final instalments and related fees to the Tourist Development Agency for land registration.
  ACTION
  Nahawet to issue a list of all the properties which can be registered now, followed by regular updates
• New law banning sales transfer fees
  Orascom’s Legal Department has advised that this ban relates to government fees, not to fees imposed by developers.  GOC Committee has received different advice from lawyers.
  ACTION
  Mahmoud to clarify this issue with lawyers.
• Recent serious incident involving a pet dog
  The dog was removed from El Gouna.
  All issues relating to dogs are now the responsibility of the Security Department.
  Orascom is planning to impose regulations on dangerous breeds (mastiffs, rotweilers, pitbulls) which are already in El Gouna and to prevent additional dogs of these breeds being brought into El Gouna.
  Other plans include a dog park near Dubieland, where dog owners can take their dogs to run freely.
  RECOMMENDED
  All dog owners should be required to register their dog. This registration to include the owners’ arrangements for ensuring their dog cannot roam free beyond the confines of the owners’ property eg invisible electronic containment systems.
  ACTION
  GOC Committee to make an appointment to meet with the Head of Security, Mohamed Ayoub.
  
• Recent serious incident involving outdoor electric lighting
  Mahmoud said that El Gouna’s outdoor lighting complies with Egyptian codes and Orascom has sought advice from a third party company.
  ACTION
  Electrical Department staff to ensure wires are securely covered and bulbs are inserted inside their holders.
  Orascom Management to review the maintenance of outdoor electrical equipment.
  
• Change of Management in El Gouna
  Mahmoud will be leaving on 1 April 2019 for a post with Orascom in Oman.
  The new GM will take over before Mahmoud leaves.  Additionally, a CEO, Tarek Kamel, has been appointed to take up his post on 1 January 2019.  He will spend 80% of his time in El Gouna and have responsibility for marketing, real estate and hotels.
  ACTION
  Mahmoud to arrange for the GOC Committee to meet Mr Tarek Kamel and the new GM as soonas possible.
  
• Developments in El Gouna
  Real Estate projects are published by Orascom Marketing and Real Estate offices. Infrastructure building projects are publicised by Customer Service upon completion.
  AGREED
  Orascom Management to seek ways to improve communications with owners and residents about planned works.
  
• Road planning, car parking and traffic issues
  There is a shortage of parking in Down Town and Abu Tig.
  The road behind Ebeid Supermarket in Down Town is dangerous because of the blind bends and the lack of road markings, making it appear to be a pedestrian zone.
  The large tourist buses which drop passengers off beside HSBC in Abu Tig Marina are a danger, especially to pedestrians and cyclists.
  Dangerous driving is still an issue.  A Deputy Security Manager has very recently been appointed with responsibility for the enforcement of traffic rules. The electronic gates are now limited to certain areas where traffic is low eg The Hill, South Marina.
  GOC Committee suggested that a road planning officer should be appointed.
  ACTION
  Owners and residents to report bad driving to Security on the following numbers (which are not for emergencies only):
  16650 – can be dialled from mobiles or landlines
  012 00000 911 – can be dialled from mobiles only.
  When acting upon complaints, security staff should not identify the complainant to the culprit.
  GOC Committee to arrange a meeting with the Deputy Security Manager re the enforcement of traffic rules.
  
• Repainting of owned properties
  Apartment owners are still not receiving advance notice and cost estimates for the repainting of their block.  Nevertheless, Nahawet asserted that this is not the case.  GOC Committee gave two recent specific cases where the cost was not advised until after completion of the works.
  ACTION
  Nahawet to investigate these two cases to identify where the system is failing. Owners to report to the Customer Services Director all cases where advance notice and costs are not given before the work commences.
• Continuing complaints about excessive noise
  ACTION
  GOC Committee to make an appointment to meet with the Head of Security, Mohamed Ayoub.
  
• Stray dogs
  The number and size of packs of stray dogs has increased and walkers, runners and cyclists avoid certain areas of El Gouna because of them.
  The Security Department is now responsible for catching stray dogs and working with El Gouna Stars on the Trap, Neuter, Release programme.
  ACTION
  GOC Committee to discuss this with the Head of Security, Mohamed Ayoub.
  
• Customer Services Department
  Additional staff are being appointed to Customer Services.Owners complain about a lack of response when they report matters to Customer Services.
  RECOMMENDED
  Orascom to consider whether some items (eg permissions to bring materials into El Gouna) could be more effectively managed by owners going direct to the department concerned, rather than through Customer Services.
  ACTION
  Customer Services to respond and give feedback on action taken.  All Customer Services staff should be able to give updates on progress with complaints. In order to encourage owners to report infringements of El Gouna Rules, Customer Services staff to avoid identifying complainants to those who have broken the rules.
  
• Communal Pools
  GOC raised the issue of the dress code for communal pools and the lack of signage and enforcement.
  According to contracts, communal pool maintenance is included in the general maintenance charge.  Two years ago, a separate charge was introduced.  A notice has recently been sent out that this charge will be raised by 10% for 2019.
  ACTION
  Mahmoud to investigate and correct this.
  
• Lettings
  Some brokers rent out one- and two-bedroom properties to large numbers of guests, well over the capacity of the accommodation. 
  ACTION
  Owners to report such incidents to Security, who will deal with any illegal brokers involved.
  
• Maintenance Department Quotations
  Quotations for works still take a long time, often resulting in owners abandoning their plans for improvements to their homes.  This represents a loss of revenue to Orascom and increases owners’ objections to Orascom’s monopoly on such works.
  RECOMMENDED
  Orascom Management to monitor the time taken in providing quotations and the number of quotations which are accepted and the reasons for acceptance or rejection of quotations.
• The meeting finished at 12.15