April 8, 2005

MEET-THE-PEOPLE TOUR: AN EXAMPLE WORTH EMULATING. THE TOURS OF THE WILAYATS AND REGIONS HAVE SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE AS THEY FORM PART OF SULTAN QABOOS'S CONTINUOUS EFFORTS TO ENSURE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESS FOR THE CITIZENS AND THEIR HOMELAND IN VARIOUS FIELDS. SULTAN QABOOS: WE AS GOVERNMENT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OFFERING SUCH OPPORTUNITIES TO ENABLE THE YOUTH TO FIND WORK FROM WHICH THEY CAN GAIN THEIR LIVING. THE FAMILY UNDERTAKES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF DEVELOPING ITS SONS, WHEN THE FAMILY INCLUDES A REASONABLE NUMBER OF MEMBERS, IT COULD CARRY OUT ITS DUTY IN A BETTER WAY. HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IS UNDOUBTEDLY OUR RESPONSIBILITY AND DEMAND TO PROVIDE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY WITH GOOD OPPORTUNITIES IN VARIOUS FIELDS. Every year Sultan Qaboos bin Said embarks on a unique exercise to meet his beloved subjects. The Sultan embarks on this "meet-the-people" tour to learn about his people's welfare and to join the citizens in their celebrations and other joyous occasions. In his annual tour the Sultan is being accompanied by a large number of ministers and advisors who follow up the results of national development. The Omani citizen has always been the target of the national development drive and his welfare remains the focus of attention for Sultan Qaboos. And whenever Sultan Qaboos embarks on this tour the nation, especially the areas where he visits explodes in joy and celebration. Celebrations mark the presence of Sultan Qaboos in every wilayats that he visits. The citizens who throng the streets to meet Sultan Qaboos include the young and old, children and women. Thunderous receptions meet the Sultan wherever he goes. Citizens expressed overwhelming joy on his arrival and gave their oath of allegiance to their great leader. The citizens wholeheartedly embrace the presence of Sultan Qaboos with warm salutations and sincerely express their loyalty and gratitude to Sultan Qaboos. The citizens always wish Sultan Qaboos long life and happiness and pray to the Almighty to always bless his steps and achievements for the welfare of his people. Sultan Qaboos has been very keen, from the start of the modern Oman Renaissance, on making direct contacts with his people in every part of the Sultanate, through innovative and unique ways such as this meet-the-people tours. The tours of the wilayats and regions have special significance as they form part of Sultan Qaboos's continuous efforts to ensure national development and progress for the citizens and their homeland in various fields. The tour, which takes several weeks, provides a platform for interaction between the leader and the citizens, with Sultan Qaboos listening with much attention to the citizens, of their needs and requirements, and issuing orders for addressing them within the context of national priorities and development plans. The annual tour, is a continuation of the wise tradition set by Sultan Qaboos himself. During the tours, Sultan Qaboos outlines a number of features that enrich the lives of the Omani citizen. These features contribute to the fulfilment of the citizens' and the nation's interest. This is carried out within the strong base of Omani tradition and within the priorities of the development process, and the society moves forward towards a better future. Education is indeed the key for development and its effective tool. Sultan Qaboos spends nearly two months on these prolonged tours of the Sultanate's villages and towns during which the citizens welcome the royal motorcade and express loyalty, love and gratitude to him for his continuous and dedicated efforts exerted for their sake. In Saih Al Salhat (Shinas) Sultan Qaboos bin Said has said the third national manpower employment seminar, whose first stage was held at the royal camp here recently, and the two seminars which preceded it came in translation of his personal concern and the attention accorded by the government and the Majlis Al Shura to human development in the Sultanate as well as the endeavour to provide the youth with job opportunities to earn their livelihood. Sultan Qaboos made this remark at a meeting with members of the Council of State and Majlis Al Shura, walis, judges, sheikhs and dignitaries of the wilayats of Al Batinah region and Musandam governorate. The meeting was held at the royal camp. Sultan Qaboos said: "Any creature on this earth has a mission of earning his living and every family undoubtedly endeavours to gain its living and we as government are responsible for offering such opportunities to enable the youth to find work from which they can gain their living". Sultan Qaboos added: "The youth have to commit to work when they get it and they should give an example on how to behave gently at work. They should not skip here and there as commitment to work is a duty and if work is available today it may not be so tomorrow, thus, they have to commit to work whether inside the country or abroad". Sultan Qaboos said the family undertakes the responsibility of developing its sons' feelings and behaviour, adding when the family includes a reasonable number of members, it could carry out its duty in a better way as such reasonable number of family members would find more job opportunities, noting that if the family is expanded beyond limits this would have no benefit at all. Sultan Qaboos said human development is undoubtedly our responsibility and demand to provide citizens of this country with good opportunities in various fields, noting that such opportunities have become greater than ever. Sultan Qaboos pointed out that the private sector has a huge responsibility and mission, saying the national manpower employment seminars have witnessed integration between the government, private sector and employees, as the speakers who addressed those seminars were from the private sector, saying there is follow-up from time to time to monitor any gaps or shortcomings to avoid them in the future. Sultan Qaboos called on all to support the private sector and Omani products, saying "if there are any products whether they are produced by a specific factory or agricultural or livestock ones or others, we have to give priority to them when we enter the market to purchase, because competition at the market is now open and the market is liberal". Sultan Qaboos said: "We have to be aware about the importance of according priority to the national product, noting that we cannot prevent other products from entering the country as the market is open and trade liberal, but we have to always accord priority to the Omani product". Sultan Qaboos stressed the need to acquaint oneself with the origin of a product when buying it from the market, saying if one finds the Omani product at a little more value, one should give it priority, "as some spend such a price difference on useless things". Sultan Qaboos said on buying the national product one supports oneself as with the expansion of such national industries and establishments more job opportunities are created to employ more national manpower. On Sohar port and its associated industrial projects, Sultan Qaboos said the port would soon start to serve the purpose it was built for. Sultan Qaboos said there were important industries around the port and other vital spin-off industries, which would all provide opportunities for job-seekers. Sultan Qaboos expressed surprise at the use of the word "unemployment" to describe job-seekers and said it was important to choose the word that conveys the accurate meaning and serve the purpose. Sultan Qaboos said "unemployment" is an odd word and people would understand nothing from it. Sultan Qaboos suggested the use of the phrase job-seekers instead. After delivering the speech, Sultan Qaboos listened to queries and requests from citizens on development issues of concern to their wilayats and issued directives on them to the ministers who attended the meeting. Members of the Council of State and Majlis Al Shura, sheikhs and dignitaries of the wilayats of the Batinah region and Musandam governorate said in their speeches that they were honoured by their meeting with Sultan Qaboos and expressed thanks to Sultan Qaboos for his continuous gestures. They renewed loyalty to Sultan Qaboos and pledged sincerity in performing his wise directives. Sultan Qaboos listened to poems, which praised the achievements of the Sultanate during his prosperous era. Earlier in the day, Sultan Qaboos received at the royal camp, honourable members of Council of State and Majlis Al Shura, walis, sheikhs and presidents of courts in the wilayats of Batinah region and Musandam governorate. During the tour Sultan Qaboos bin Said has given royal directives during his meet-the-people tour for the implementation of a number of service and development projects in Al Batinah region and Musandam governorate at a cost of RO26 million. The projects would include building 657km of internal roads, lighting 293km of internal roads, and constructing 105 housing units, in addition to building new wings in Khasab hospital. "These projects would be implemented this year as an addition to 2005 budget," a source said, confirming that Sultan Qaboos is always keen on knowing for himself the needs and requests of his people during his field visits to various wilayats and villages. Also, the Diwan of Royal Court announced that Sultan Qaboos bin Said has given instructions to the Royal Court to construct 100 social houses in the wilayat of Shinas and 50 social houses in the wilayat of Liwa at the personal expense of Sultan Qaboos. As per the directives, the Diwan of Royal Court would supervise the execution and distribution of the houses to those eligible in the two wilayats. "The Royal Court wishes good health and long life to the Sultan," a statement said. On February 15, 2005 Sultan Qaboos bin Said arrived at Seih Al Masarrat in the wilayat of Ibri in the Dhahirah region coming from Seih Al Salehat in the wilayat of Shinas in the Batinah region. Citizens of the Dhahirah region lined the two sides of the road on which Sultan Qaboos's motorcade passed welcoming Sultan Qaboos, expressing their gratitude and renewing allegiance to the builder of modern Oman. Citizens of the wilayat of Shinas and its adjacent wilayats in the Batinah region rushed to Seih Al Salehat which hosted the royal camp to express their gratitude and allegiance to the Sultan for the achievements of the blessed renaissance which covered all parts of the country. Sultan Qaboos waved his hands to greet his loyal subjects. The Sultan has issued his royal directives during the annual meet-the-people tour to implement several services and developmental projects in the Batinah region and Musandam governorate at a total cost of RO26 million. The authorities concerned will implement these projects which were endorsed in the 2005 budget this year. Sultan Qaboos has also issued his royal orders to the Diwan of Royal Court to construct 100 social houses in the wilayat of Shinas and 50 social houses in the wilayat of Liwa in the Batinah region at Sultan Qaboos's personal expense. In implementation of Sultan Qaboos bin Said's directives and within the context of Sultan Qaboos's concern about human development, the second stage of the national manpower employment forum commenced at the royal camp in Seih Al Masarrat in the wilayat of Ibri. The opening of the forum's second stage, which run for three days, was under the auspices of Sayyid Saud bin Ibrahim Al Busaidi, minister of interior. The forum constitutes the starting point for forging a framework of national manpower employment and development strategy in harmony with the Omani economy future vision plan and based on economic diversification for the creation of training and employment opportunities for national manpower and realising the government's objective of comprehensive and sustainable development. The third forum of national manpower employment aims at assessing recommendations on visions and plans and stating what has been achieved with respect to the first and second forums in the field of developing and employing national manpower and supporting individual initiatives on establishing self-employment businesses. The forum also shed light on achievements in training linked with employment at the sectoral level regarding Omanisation in companies and establishments and seeking an effective mechanism for employment of expatriate labour in accordance with the actual requirements of the labour market and in a way that supports the economic performance and enhances its productivity and competitive potentials. The forum discussed in its second stage a number of papers on the sectors of electricity, water, automobiles, engineering consultancy offices, transport, maritime transport and private education at schools, training institutes, colleges and universities. As part of the forum programme, evening workshops were held for making recommendations on these papers which will be discussed in the morning sessions. The programme included presentation of experiences of youth working in various activities, including in self-employment job and running individual initiatives being supported by the Sanad Programme or employed in private sector establishments. The first stage of the current forum on national manpower employment concluded at the royal camp at Seih Al Salehat in the wilayat of Shinas on February 2. It discussed papers presented by the Omanisation joint sectoral committees, a paper on Sanad Programme and other papers on sectors of sale and distribution, information technology, professions, accounting, travel and tourism, oil and gas, contracting and communications. The automobiles sector has ample scope for job opportunities, said Yahya bin Saud Al Sulaimi, minister of education. The minister was taking part in a discussion on a paper presented in the second session of the national manpower employment forum. In implementation of Sultan Qaboos bin Said's directives, the second stage of the third national manpower employment forum opened at the royal camp in Seih Al Massarat in the wilayat of Ibri under the auspices of Sayyid Saud bin Ibrahim Al Busaidi, minister of interior. The automobile sector, which includes agencies and other establishments selling and distributing vehicles and providing repair and maintenance services, required skilled workers in management, marketing, accounting, engineering, mechanical, electrical and other related jobs, he stressed, presiding over the second session of the national manpower employment forum. The minister said technological innovations and new products in the sector required developing instruction and training to produce relevant necessary skills. The sector is important for creating work in its existing establishments and also has potential to allow Omani entrepreneurs to establish their own vehicle repair businesses, he pointed out. The minister said the working paper assessed performance of the Omanisation plan in the automobile sector over the last two years as recommended by the national manpower employment forum. The paper also tackled the challenges to private companies and their proposals on developing and employing Omanis in the sector and shed light on relevant experiments of some young Omanis. The three-day event is held under the theme 'Towards a national manpower development and employment strategy'. Addressing the opening session, Sayyid Saud said's directives on organising the forum was a practical translation and true expression of the Sultan's care about human development in the Sultanate. The minister said in the first stage of the forum a number of papers covering various economic sectors and activities were discussed, which was followed by organising workshops which produced practical procedures to go ahead and implement Omanisation plans in the future and also identify a framework for a strategy on national manpower development and employment. Sayyid Saud said the convening of the forums on national manpower employment was distinguished by the presence of the government officials, members of the State Council and Majlis Al Shura, officials of the private sector and workers themselves, besides the active participation of sheikhs, dignitaries, Omanisation joint sectoral committees and Sanad committees in the wilayats. He said the first stage of the third forum was followed by directives from the Sultan during his meeting at Seih Al Salhat in the wilayat of Shinas last Tuesday with members of the State Council and Majlis Al Shura, walis, sheikhs and heads of courts in the wilayats of Al Batinah region and Musandam governorate. The minister urged all parties of production the government, businessmen and workers as well as families and the community to benefit from Sultan Qaboos's enlightened directives for building a promising future for the homeland and citizens. The minister opened an exhibition on training for employment held on the sidelines of the forum. A large number of private sector companies and establishments are taking part in the exhibition. During the first session a film, titled 'Facts and challenges', was screened. The film, produced by the Ministry of Manpower, was about training and employing Omanis during the year 2004. The first session of the forum was dedicated to the water and electricity sector. It was moderated by Dr Khamis bin Mubarak Al Alawi, minister of housing, electricity and water, who also addressed the session. He said the spread of development in the Sultanate led to an increase in the demand for water and electricity supplies for industrial, commercial, domestic, agricultural and tourism purposes. He said the rise in demand led in turn to an expansion in water and power production and distribution and enhanced the private businesses role in the sector. The minister of housing, water and electricity said the future vision plan of the Omani economy had emphasised provision of the necessary requirements for developing power production and water supplies to meet all the needs for growth and modern life. He said the assessment of electricity and water sector performance in implementing the sector's Omanisation plan in the period of the years 2003-2004 pointed to an increase in the number of Omani workers and a decrease in the number of expatriates in the sector's production, distribution and associated services activities. He said the partnership between the government and the private sector in the field of training-linked employment had contributed to producing the required vocationally qualified workers and ensuring the success of the Omanisation plan in the sector. He said the paper prepared by the joint sectoral committee for Omanisation in the water and electricity sector included an assessment of performance in the last two years and the potential for speeding up Omanisation in this sector. Eng. Ahmed bin Hamad Al Subhi, representative of the sectoral committee in electricity and water sector, delivered a paper on field experiments and what has been achieved regarding implementation of the sector's Omanisation plan approved during the second forum on national manpower employment held at Seih Al Yahmadi in the wilayat of Ibra in 2003. The paper explained the mechanism developed by the joint committee for the plan implementation. A team was formed for follow up and direct liaison with companies and present a project developed by the committee for establishing a small contracting company envisaged to operate in the context of Sanad programme. The company was to enter into contracts with the Ministry of Housing, Electricity and Water to execute residential connections and repair works. According to the report, a total of 27,00 employees, including 1,400 Omani nationals, were working in the electricity and water sector as at the end of 2002. The remaining 1,300 workers were expatriates and Omanis constituted 52 per cent of the workforce in the sector. The planned targets for Omanisation in the sector were 60 per cent in 2003, 67 per cent in 2004 and 90 per cent by the end of 2007. The plan envisaged Omanising around 1,100 jobs during its implementation period. The report indicated that the number of Omanis employed in the private sector increased in the two years of the plan from 1,400 workers in 2002 to 1,879 workers in 2004. That meant a total increase of 479 in the number of Omani employees in the two years and an annual average growth of 17 per cent. The report expected that if the increase in the number of the Omanis employed in the sector continued at the same rate, the net increase would reach 1,200 while the targeted figure was only 1,100. The number of expatriate workers occupying jobs in water and electricity sector decreased by 325 workers from 1,300 workers in 2002 to 975 during the same period. The report added that during the plan, some 479 Omani employees received on-the-job-training. The committee faced some problems during the plan implementation related to the nature of the agreements made with private plants, the remote locations of some plants, insufficient training budget and the lack of skilled workers willing to work in the sector. The report reviewed a proposed strategy for manpower development and employment during the period 2006 to 2020 and the prospects for expanding job opportunities in the water and electricity sector. The report included proposals on improving the levels of the national manpower supply, including improving work environment and the role of the government and companies in this respect and the means to further empowering the committee and expanding its scope of work to include all centres of production, distribution, repair and billing. In Ibri and in celebration of Sultan Qaboos bin Said's presence, a carnival was organised at the celebration square under the auspices of Sayyid Ali bin Hamoud Al Busaidi, minister of diwan of royal court, which was also attended by other ministers, members of the State Council and the Majlis Al Shura, walis, local government directors, dignitaries in Al Dahirah and citizens. The carnival, in which 340 people participated, consisted of speeches and folk dances and songs. Also, horse races were organised at the racetrack in Ibri under the auspices of Sayyid Mutassim bin Hamoud Al Busaidi, minister of state and governor of Muscat Ministers, the wali of Ibri, members of the State Council and the Majlis Al Shura and local dignitaries attended the function. Around 50 horses participated in the six races. Patron of the event distributed prizes and certificates to the winners. In Seih Al Masarrat, Ibri, the nation-building process in the Sultanate is an ongoing one and it will never stop, particularly when it relates to human development, said Sultan Qaboos bin Said. The Sultan said this progress will continue in the interest of all, particularly the youth and the coming generations. Sultan Qaboos said, during a meeting he held with the walis, members of the State Council and Majlis Al Shura, judges and dignitaries of the wilayats of the Dhahirah region at the Royal Camp at Seih Al Masarrat in the wilayat of Ibri, "the continuation of development is a noble goal which we always focus on and we direct our government and the Council of Oman, State Council and Majlis Al Shura to always shoulder their responsibilities in this respect. "The Council of Oman as a whole and the Majlis Al Shura shoulder the responsibility to explain to us and to our government matters which we have to think about and to advise us on what we have to do," Sultan Qaboos said. Sultan Qaboos spoke about the third national manpower employment symposium which began at the Royal Camp in Seih Al Salehat in the wilayat of Shinas and concluded at Seih Al Masarrat in the wilayat of Ibri, saying the symposium came out with good and practical recommendations and expressed hopes that those recommendations will prove applicable. Sultan Qaboos also said he was confident that those in charge will spare no effort in implementing those recommendations. Sultan Qaboos added the upcoming national manpower employment symposium will assess what has been achieved and look into what has not be achieved and the reasons behind that. Sultan Qaboos stressed the importance of his speech during a meeting he held with sheikhs and dignitaries of the Musandam governorate and the Batinah region in Seih Al Salehat in the wilayat of Shinas on February 8. During that meeting, Sultan Qaboos stressed the need that the youth should commit themselves to work and spoke about the family responsibility to instil the spirit of work in its sons. Sultan Qaboos also spoke during that meeting about the private sector's role in the human development field and the importance of according the national product a priority. Outlining his views on various issues of concern to the homeland and citizens, Sultan Qaboos said: "We do not look at these matters from the perspective of the present but we always look to the future. What is possible today must be done and what we have to consider for implementation in the future we must think about from today and lay down the foundations and plans which, God willing, will find the way for implementation later on because the march of building will continue and will never stop, especially process of human development". Sultan Qaboos affirmed it is necessary to always cope with changes and developments that occur at all social, economic and other levels. Sultan Qaboos said the objective is to keep the wheel of development rolling at all times until as much as possible of the set objectives are achieved for the benefit of the country and its people. After concluding the speech Sultan Qaboos listened to members of the State Council and the Majlis Al Shura, sheikhs and dignitaries on a number of development issues of concern to their wilayats and regions. Sultan Qaboos gave instructions to the ministers who attended the meeting on these issues. Sultan Qaboos received at the Royal Camp at Seih Al Masarrat in the wilayat of Ibri members of the State Council and the Majlis Al Shura, walis, sheikhs and heads of courts in the wilayats of the Dahirah region. In their conversation with the Sultan, members of the State Council, and the Majlis Al Shura, walis, sheikhs and dignitaries expressed their honour in meeting Sultan Qaboos and listening to his wise directives. They also expressed gratitude for Sultan Qaboos's continuous gestures and renewed their loyalty to Sultan Qaboos and commitment to implement with sincerity and dedication Sultan Qaboos's directives. They also expressed gratitude for the many service and development projects the Sultan had ordered to be implemented in the Dahirah region during his previous tours and direct meetings with sheikhs and dignitaries. They affirmed the citizens were delighted at provision of these services nearer to their homes. At the end of the meeting, the Sultan listened to poems expressing delight at meeting with the Sultan and in praise of the achievements for the Sultanate during Sultan Qaboos's reign.