PARENTS URGED TO MONITOR CHILDREN AT SALALAH TOURISM FESTIVAL VENUES

The ROP has urged parents and guardians to keep an eye on their children at the Salalah Tourism Festival which is under way.

There are systems in place to reunite lost children with their parents as quickly as possible. “There is a strong ROP presence at the Salalah Tourism Festival. Our officers escort lost children to a designated area in the festival grounds, or guide parents there if they are looking for their child. A public address (PA) system is also in place to get the message across,” said an ROP official.

“We urge parents to keep their children close to them all the time. We regularly remind festival-goers this via our PA systems. Parents, festival-goers and children are welcome to ask the municipality staff too, who all carry badges, to guide them to the designated locations in these situations.”

The official said parents and guardians are required to show their identity cards/resident cards before taking possession of the lost child.

Hundreds of ROP officers from different branches are participating as the Support Force in the Salalah Tourism Festival.

The Support Force consists of officers, non-commissioned officers and members of the different branches of the ROP and the Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulances.

Yousuf Khan, who has visited Salalah Tourism Festival said that he was very happy with the arrangements. “I saw two children crying after they got separated from their families in the crowd,” he said.

Khan took the children to the nearest ROP booth meant to report lost cases. “The personnel made announcement through their PA system. Though it took about half an hour, both the children were reunited with their family members.”

Bushra al Raisi, who took her two daughters too was satisfied with the arrangements. “I make it a point not to leave the hands of my children at any point,” she said. “People should be careful and monitor the movement of children in crowded places to completely avoid a situation of panic.”

Salalah Tourism Festival ends on August 31.