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(MENAFN - Arab News) Saudis and expatriates have welcomed the Ministry of Health's decision to close down a private hospital in Dammam for 15 days for having committed professional mistakes.

The ministry did not identify the hospital. However, Arab News readers identified it as Tadawi General Hospital in the city's Mazroueia district. A visit to the hospital on Wednesday by the newspaper's photographer confirmed this. A Ministry of Health note specifying the 15-day closure was pasted on all three entrances to the hospital.

According to sources in the Health Ministry, the decision to close the hospital temporarily stemmed from the ministry's keenness to ensure the safety and welfare of Saudis and expatriates.

The closure is aimed at encouraging the hospital to take remedial measures, the sources said, adding the decision was based solely on maintaining high health care standards in the Kingdom.

The ministry's decision was welcomed by members of the Saudi and expatriate community.

Journalist Hasan Al-Harthy described it as a step in the right direction. "We need such bold actions because some private hospitals have been making money at the expense of our health," he told Arab News. "They are playing with our lives and they need to be stopped."

He said some hospitals have become purely commercial ventures and money-spinners. "They look at everything in terms of profit, and in such a situation the health of the citizens and expatriates is always the casualty," he said. "Whoever commits such a mistake should be penalized."

"This reinforces our trust in the Ministry of Health," said Indian expatriate Shuja Mohammed Sheriff. "This will act as a deterrent and will compel all hospitals to meet mandatory safety regulations."

Sheriff said he was reassured by the regular checks conducted by the Health Ministry. "There has to be some of kind of accountability, and what the ministry is essentially underlining is that patient safety should come first," he said. "Private hospitals should not be allowed to cut corners and I, therefore, welcome and applaud the Health Ministry."

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Saudis, expats welcome decision to close erring hospital

THE NSW Government shouldn't do business with banks that sack local workers, Opposition Leader John Robertson says.

ANZ Banking Group announced last week it was shedding 1000 jobs from its national workforce, while Westpac Banking Corporation is axing 410 jobs and sending another 150 offshore.

"(Premier) Barry O'Farrell needs to take a stand and declare the NSW Government won't do business with banks that sack NSW workers and send local jobs offshore," Mr Robertson said in a statement today.

"The Premier should pick up the phone to the big banks today and tell them he will review their NSW government contracts if they sack NSW workers and send local jobs offshore."

Mr Robertson said Westpac holds a number of NSW government contracts, including transaction banking and credit card accounts.

The bank posted a $1.5 billion first-quarter cash profit today.

The Finance Sector Union said in January that National Australia Bank, ANZ, Westpac and Commonwealth Bank collectively made 3309 roles redundant in 2011.

The union expects further job losses in 2012.

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Dump banks that sack staff, NSW government urged

Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc. announced that Nicholas L. Swyka has been appointed to its Board of Directors (the "Board"), effective February 14, 2012. In connection with Mr. Swyka's appointment, the size of the Board was increased from eight to nine members.

Mr. Swyka, 67, has over 30 years of energy related investment banking experience. From September 1999 until his retirement in June 2011, he served as Vice Chairman of Simmons and Company International ("Simmons"), one of the largest investment banks providing services exclusively to the energy industry. During this time, Mr. Swyka also served on Simmons' Executive Management, Compensation and Underwriting Committees. From January 1987 until September 1999, he served as Managing Director and Co-Head of Investment Banking for Simmons. During that time, he functioned as senior team leader advising the Boards of Directors of both public and private energy companies on a significant number of transactions, including mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, as well as capital market transactions. Mr. Swyka continues to serve as an Advisory Director pursuant to a consulting agreement with Simmons. Mr. Swyka also currently serves as an Advisory Director to the University of Texas Marine Science Institute and the National Ocean Industry Association ("NOIA").

Todd Hornbeck, Chairman, President and CEO, commented, "We are very pleased that Mr. Swyka has joined our board. Nick brings to our Board significant industry experience, critical insights into the issues facing the global oil and gas industry, a proven track record of providing financial advisory services to the growing energy service sector and a personal knowledge of the history and the accomplishments of our Company."

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Hornbeck Offshore Appoints New Board Member

COVINGTON, La., Feb. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc. (NYSE: HOS - News) (the "Company") announced today that Nicholas L. Swyka has been appointed to its Board of Directors (the "Board"), effective February 14, 2012.  In connection with Mr. Swyka's appointment, the size of the Board was increased from eight to nine members.    

Mr. Swyka, 67, has over 30 years of energy related investment banking experience.  From September 1999 until his retirement in June 2011, he served as Vice Chairman of Simmons and Company International ("Simmons"), one of the largest investment banks providing services exclusively to the energy industry.  During this time, Mr. Swyka also served on Simmons' Executive Management, Compensation and Underwriting Committees.  From January 1987 until September 1999, he served as Managing Director and Co-Head of Investment Banking for Simmons.  During that time, he functioned as senior team leader advising the Boards of Directors of both public and private energy companies on a significant number of transactions, including mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, as well as capital market transactions.  Mr. Swyka continues to serve as an Advisory Director pursuant to a consulting agreement with Simmons.  Mr. Swyka also currently serves as an Advisory Director to the University of Texas Marine Science Institute and the National Ocean Industry Association ("NOIA"). 

Todd Hornbeck, Chairman, President and CEO, commented, "We are very pleased that Mr. Swyka has joined our board.  Nick brings to our Board significant industry experience, critical insights into the issues facing the global oil and gas industry, a proven track record of providing financial advisory services to the growing energy service sector and a personal knowledge of the history and the accomplishments of our Company."

Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc. is a leading provider of technologically advanced, new generation offshore supply vessels in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and  Latin America, and is a leading short-haul transporter of petroleum products through its coastwise fleet of ocean-going tugs and tank barges in the northeastern U.S. and the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.  Hornbeck Offshore currently owns a fleet of 80 vessels primarily serving the energy industry.

Contacts

Jim Harp, CFO

Hornbeck Offshore Services

985-727-6802

Ken Dennard, Managing Partner

DRG&L / 713-529-6600

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Hornbeck Offshore Announces Appointment of New Director

The EU said Wednesday it will double its investment in supercomputers, high-performance machines the size of a mansion that can cost more than 100 million euros ($130 million) each to build.

The European Commission said it will raise its investment from 630 million euros to 1.2 billion by 2020.

"High Performance Computing (HPC) is a crucial enabler for European industry and for more jobs in Europe," said Neelie Kroes, the Dutch European Union commissioner responsible for fostering the digital economy.

"It's investments like HPC that deliver innovations improving daily life," she added.

As large as 1,000 square metres (10,800 square feet), supercomputers are used by governments to run forensics or health service systems, as well as in the private sector, for example in the automotive and aviation industries.

Hospitals in Germany use HPC to avoid last-minute decisions during childbirth or diagnose disease.

The Commission says use of HPC has saved the European car industry up to 40 billion euros by cutting development time.

The world's largest super computers are more powerful than 130,000 laptops combined, needing spaces the size of entire office floors to act as vast chillers, and maintenance on them can cost another 20 million euros per year.

Europe's biggest are a French system known as Curie and a German known as Hermes.

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EU to double investment in mansion-sized supercomputers