February 9, 2007

SULTAN QABOOS STARTS HIS ANNUAL TOUR OF THE REGIONS. THE ANNUAL TOURS AIMS AT MEETING THE PEOPLE TO INSPECT THEIR CONDITION, LISTEN TO THEIR NEEDS AND FULFIL THEIR REQUIREMENTS. Sultan Qaboos Bin Said began the Royal annual Meet-the-People Tour of the wilayats from Seeb Palace. Sultan Qaboos' tour this time will cover the Dhakhiliyah and Sharqiyah regions. The loyal subjects, who lined up the street on which Sultan Qaboos' motorcade passed, expressed their joy and reiterated their love and allegiance to the builder of Oman and leader of its modern renaissance. During the tour, the Sultan will meet his subjects to inspect their condition, listen to their needs and fulfil their requirements and acquaint himself with the fruits of the prosperous era. Sultan Qaboos will also follow-up implementation of the ambitious plans which aim to ensure the welfare of Omani citizens all over the Sultanate. Citizens look forward to Sultan Qaboos' annual tours which embody the close relations between the leader and his loyal people who are eager to reiterate their loyalty and gratitude to the Sultan. Before the Royal motorcade started from Seeb Palace, Sultan Qaboos met ministers and advisers who accompany him during the tour and issued directives to follow-up the implementation of all developmental projects and plans. Citizens lined up the streets, cheering the Sultan and raising his portrait as they chanted the National Anthem and patriotic songs. They showered the motorcade of Sultan Qaboos with roses. The Sultan waved back thanking them for their sincere feelings and loyalty. The Sultan is accompanied by Sayyid Ali bin Hamoud al Busaidy, Minister of the Diwan of the Royal Court; Gen Ali bin Majid al Maamari, Minister of the Royal Office; Dr Yahya bin Mahfoudh al Mantheri, Chairman of the Majlis Addawla; Sayyid Badr bin Saud al Busaidy, Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs; Maj Gen Sultan bin Mohammed al Numani, Secretary-General of the Royal Court Affairs; Sayyid Saud bin Ibrahim al Busaidy, Minister of Interior; Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdullah al Hinai, Minister of Justice; Ahmed bin Abdulnabi Macki, Minister of National Economy and Supervisor of the Finance Ministry; Dr Mubarak bin Saleh al Khadhouri, Personal Adviser of the Sultan, Abdulaziz bin Mohammed al Rowas, the Sultan's Adviser for Cultural Affairs; Sayyid Al Mutassim bin Hamoud al Busaidy, Minister of State and Governor of Muscat; Shaikh Mohammed bin Ali al Qatabi, Minister of State and Governor of Dhofar; Dr Ali bin Mohammed bin Moosa, Minister of Health; and Dr Khamis bin Mubarak al Alawi, Minister of Housing, Electricity and Water. Thousands of people of the Wilayats of Samayil, Bid Bid and Izki staged a procession to express admiration, loyalty and gratitude while rejoicing the presence of Sultan Qaboos in the Wilayat of Samayil. The procession was led by Sayyid Saud bin Ibrahim al Busaidy, Minister of Interior, Sayyid Badr bin Saud al Busaidy, Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs, Shaikh Mohammed bin Ali al Qatabi, Minister of State and Governor of Dhofar, Dr Khamis bin Mubarak al Alawi, Minister of Housing, Electricity and Water, members of Majlis Addawla and Majlis Ash'shura and Walis of Samayil, Bid Bid and Izki as well as shaikhs and dignitaries of the interior region. The procession started from Seeh Al Rasiyat and moved on for over 1.5 kilometres to reach the Royal Camp flanked by horsemen and Royal Army of Oman music band as well as folk troupes renewing allegiance to the builder of Oman's victorious Renaissance. Sultan Qaboos has issued directives to hold a symposium on sustainable agricultural development. The three-day symposium is scheduled to be held at the Royal Camp at Seeh Al Rasiyat in Wilayat Samayil. Speaking about the topics of the symposium, Sultan Qaboos stressed the importance of preserving arable land for agricultural purposes, rationalising water resources, protecting soil against overuse or abuse by chemical fertilizers. He also cautioned against unwise sale of arable land. The Sultan made the remarks during a meeting with shaikhs and dignitaries of the Dakhiliyah and Al Wusta regions. Sultan Qaboos said: "We have given our directives for the holding of the symposium in this beautiful area and to us it is of great significance to focus on agriculture and farmers' concerns." The Sultan added, "We here are not talking about an expansion in agriculture area, but rather about preserving what we have, about proper productivity, rationalisation of water resources and the need to avoid damaging the soil by excessive usage of chemical fertilizers and other practices which could help yield large amounts of crops for a short period after which the soil would be damaged." The Sultan noted that many people who possess agricultural lands and, for a small amount of money, concede the lands easily to others to use them in no matter what way they want. "This is an alarming, unhealthy and abnormal phenomenon that we neither accept nor be pleased with," he said. Sultan Qaboos pointed out that the symposium will address all these inputs over three days and will come up with results that will be beneficial to all. The Sultan added, "We hereby instruct the parties concerned to intensify observation and monitoring and make sure that what is agreed will prove beneficial and practical." The Sultan related his speech to remarks he had made in an earlier speech about the need to focus attention on dates and date palms. He reiterated the view that stress on quality has always been his concern unlike focus on quantity that does not count on long term benefits. The Sultan said, "The number of palm trees is well known in Oman and what is important is to preserve this figure. Benefit will be greater if we could still add to the number of existing date palms in the Sultanate." Expressing satisfaction with water conservation operations, Sultan Qaboos reaffirmed that the issue of grasses which had unfairly wasted water was properly handled and commented that newly discovered areas of water reservoirs are promising. Sultan Qaboos announced that a considerably large aquifer, situated between Al Wusta region and Dhofar Governorate, has been discovered. He explained that "We are not intending to use this water for any agriculture or other purpose at present. Our directives for the government is that this water must remain as reserve for Oman. Water wells shall be drilled and pipelines be extended from these wells and, whenever the need arises, the water shall be supplied to designated places. "Thanks to God, the current water situation in the country is not as it used to be years ago. It is stable and good, but we should preserve it," the Sultan said. He added that our thinking should be focused on the technique by which we would be able to follow proper methods of water use as quoted in the Holy Quran "From water We have made every living creature." the Sultan cautioned, "We will never tolerate any misuse of agricultural 'wealth' because it is not ours alone...it is the right of our grandchildren." In this context, he cited a sermon by Prophet Mohammed in which he said that even if one witnesses the start of Doomsday while holding a sapling to be planted, he/she should go ahead and plant that sapling. Speaking about the economic importance of farming and marketing, the Sultan said, "We have to realise that any product without a market will be of no use. We should focus on products need in the domestic market in the first place. Our agricultural products should also be competitive and cost-effective as the world has now become an open and free market. The Sultan also stressed the need to seek the advice of experts who are well-versed in agricultural matters. "Some farmers don't take such advice seriously, while others give away their farmland to people who really know nothing about agriculture," he said. Such people, who waste land and water, could be today's wealthy and tomorrow's destitute, the Sultan observed. Sultan Qaboos also spoke about the issue of training, expressing satisfaction with the achievements made in this regard. "Thank God, matters are moving in the right direction and will yield fruit," he said. In remarks about expansion of higher education, Sultan Qaboos reiterated the importance of "beneficial expansion" as directed by him in his speech before the Council of Oman. "Our children, males and females, should get their chance (in higher education) so that they could shoulder their responsibility in the government and private sectors. Ground reality has prompted the whole world to be armed with knowledge... knowledge, I stress, not just (science) learning or education." Sultan Qaboos observed that the difference between 'science' and 'knowledge' is like the distinction between theory and practice. It is something to learn something and it is another thing to know how to do it and to be capable of doing it, he said. Facts can be obtained from TV, radio, etc., but one should focus on applicable information that would qualify him/her to be productive. Sultan Qaboos also spoke about tourism and its contribution to the GDP. He noted that he had spoken about the issue before, but now that the Sultanate has become more open to tourists than ever before, our youths should take the jobs offered by the service sector. All work should be taken without disdain, "except those types of work which we all know and reject by norm and religion...our country looks beyond these works," the Sultan said. Culture was another issue of significance the Sultan raised during the meeting with shaikhs and dignitaries of the Dakhiliyah and Wusta regions. Sultan Qaboos observed that culture is renewable and that the culture that prevailed 50 years ago is no longer prevalent in the world of today. The world is changing and so is culture, but we should take what is beneficial and leave the rest, he said. Yet, Sultan Qaboos stressed the significance of being in contact with the rest of the world. In this respect, he quoted a verse of the Holy Quran which says that God has created mankind in different tribes and different peoples and that piety is the distinctive human quality that brings people closer to the Almighty. It is important to know what others have and benefit from their experiences, the Sultan said. Speaking about the speed of contact in today's world, Sultan Qaboos gave the example of GSM by which someone can speak with anyone and at any place in the world. Therefore, we should adapt ourselves to accept useful cultures and leave what is useless. The important thing is to open up for new cultures, the cultures of technology and knowledge for example, the Sultan said. At this point, Sultan Qaboos elaborated on the contact among civilisations, including the age-old contact of the Islamic religion with other religion. He said that interaction among civilisations should make people more open and more aware of the importance of knowledge. This concept made the pioneers of the Islamic civilisation in the forefront, but the latter generations did not follow suit and hence the Islamic civilisation began to retreat, while others advanced, the Sultan said. Sultan Qaboos said, principles are well known in all societies that have religious, moral and ethical fundamentals learnt and transferred from generation to another. Those fundamentals are known and exist in families and houses, however, this doesn't mean to be confined to oneself because it leads to depression and isolation from society and the rest of the world, eventually one would be left behind economically and knowledge-wise. The Sultan warned that the world has now changed rapidly and if we don't keep pace with such rapid change intellectually, mentally and understandingly, there will be no place for us. Sultan Qaboos Bin Said then listened to the needs of citizens with regard to the country and citizen's general interest. The Sultan stressed the continuation of the comprehensive development in the country and achieving welfare for the Omani people. Sultan Qaboos promised that there will be further projects that will be implemented across the Sultanate. Sultan Qaboos gave his Royal directives to the ministers to follow up citizens needs all in his field of specialisation. Sultan Qaboos also listened to a poem by a poet from the wilayat of Samayil in which he praised the achievements of the prosperous era of Sultan Qaboos. Earlier the Sultan received at the Royal Camp members of the Majlis Addawla and Majlis Ash'shura, walis, shaikhs and heads of magistrate courts in the wilayats of the Dakhiliyah and Al Wusta regions. The Wilayat of Samayil continued celebrations on the presence of Sultan Qaboos at Seeh al Rasiyat. At the same venue, the celebration committee in the wilayat, in collaboration with Samayil Club, organised a 14-km marathon. The marathon commenced from the Wali of Samayil"s office and end at Luzgh. The marathon was attended by ministers, advisers, members of the Majlis Addawla and Majlis Ash"shura, walis, shaikhs and dignitaries of the Wilayat of Samayil. The participants included Shaikh Is'haq bin Salim al Siyabi, Deputy Chairman of Majlis Ash"shura and representative of the wilayat, professional and amateur athletes. The event is aimed to express sentiments of happiness over the presence of the Sultan in the Wilayat of Samayil. It is also a way of reiterating allegiance and loyalty to the Sultan, architect of Oman"s modern renaissance. To celebrate the arrival of Sultan Qaboos bin Said to the wilayat of Sumail during his meet-the-people tour, the cultural wing of the main celebration committee organised a poetry evening at the Sumail Club ground. It was attended by Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Hinai, minister of justice; Abdul Aziz bin Mohammed Al Rowas, adviser of the Sultan for cultural affairs; Sheikha Aisha bint Khalfan bin Jumail Al Siyabiyah, chairperson of Public Authority for Craft Industries (PACI); Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Sarmi, undersecretary at the Ministry of Higher Education; members of the State Council and Majlis Al Shura in the Dhakhiliyah region besides walis and other dignitaries. A number of renowned poets took part in the event presenting their poems praising the achievements of the Renaissance and expressing their loyalty and love to the Sultan, the architect of modern Oman. 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.