A big Muscat Confidential thumbs up to HH Sayyid Tariq bin Shabib bin Taimur, Chairman of the National Hospitality Institute (a private training outfit for the hospitality industry in Oman), who was in the business section of today's Muscat Daily (they don't have a website, so I can't give you a link) pointing out how useless the Ministry of Manpower are. Despite having loads of training places available, lots of potential Omani trainees, and hundreds of potential jobs, the MoM just couldn't be arsed to assign the trainees or even pay their outstanding bills with NHI.
He even lists the things he's about the get action on via "... other Ministries concerned and authorities in Government" [read: Ministry of National Economy, MoF, and HM]. He is quoted as saying:
" NHI is...requesting the following solutions:
- pay NHI all outstanding debt immediately, for all work successfully completed;
- remove the conflict of interest [MoM run Oman Tourism College, a competitor];
- change the chronic processes for trainee allocation and payment; and
- quantify and confirm the scale of the [training] opportunity."
Nice one.
I do have a suggestion, Your Majesty**. How about appointing HH Sayyid as Minister of Manpower? He seems to have his shit together and the ability to apply common sense proposals based on a sensible appoach to achieve desired results, a fundamental ability we have all noted seems curiously missing from the skillset of the MoM incumbent...
HH is totally correct: there are a mountain of jobs in the local hospitality industry the new generation of Omanis could excel at, and that should pay a lot more than 300 rials a month too. The Ministry of Manpower instead of training Omanis for actual jobs we need and paying their bills, seem to want to focus on arresting and deporting poor down trodden part-time housemaids, construction labourers and gardeners, presumably to reinforce the natural monopolies of the industrial manpower giants like BEC and OHI. I wonder why?
HH also, demonstrably, has huge balls. I don't recall a member of the Royal Family taking on a Ministry before in a public press conference.
More please HH. So far, you've certainly made a fan of Undercover Dragon.
Promotion!!!
And in another exclusive promotion for our lucky readers, friend of Muscat Confidential and promising local blogger Mr Sythe of Muscat Mutterings has returned the favour* by offering a pair of free tickets to the upcoming comedy night on Thursday May 13th ("a ruckin good time" - getit?) in aid of the rugby players at Muscat Rugby Club.
Free tickets to Muscat Rugby Club's Comedy bash next Thursday night, 13th May!It sounds like a totally fun bash. Muscat needs as much comedy as it can get (and not the Ministry of Manpower kind).
The Muscat Rugby Team could also do with a few corporate sponsors too, btw, as the management of the rugby club don't seem to be financially able*** to fully support, er, the people who actually play rugby. Interested? Contact Mr Sythe at mrsythe(at)gmail(dot)com
Usual deal: Put your entry in the comments section or email me at undercover(dot)dragon(at)gmail(dot)com, along with a way to contact you. The draw will be held this Monday evening (that's 2 days away folks), so get in quick!
An update on the Jefferson Starship-esque 123 Orion band's Charity gig, held at Royal Flight over the weekend in aid of the Creative learning Center tomorrow, BTW... I heard it was pretty good.
* He won 2 free tickets to Tom Jones from here a while ago.
** I do fantasize about HM being a reader, must admit... if only...
*** post-posting edit/clarification at the request of Mr Sythe.
