Oman tops UN list as 'Most Improved Country'

Hey, congrats Oman. The UN just listed The Sultanate as the world's most improved country over the past 40 years. Just in time for the 40 year celebration too.

Oman most-improved nation in last 40 years, UN index says.
The country that has made the most strides in the past 40 years, particularly education, is a small Middle Eastern nation of just three million people: Oman. This is followed by China, Nepal, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.

This isn't a surprise: 40 years ago, Oman was still effectively in the dark ages, with no infrastructure and a country locked into a life of subsistence fishing and goat herding. Most people were extremely improverished.

Then HM took over, and Oman's renaissance began.

So, well done HM.


Meanwhile, I see we are keeping up our policy of population control via the fatal accident rate.

4 more killed 
in Oman 
road accident

5 November 2010 MUSCAT — It was another day of tragedy on Oman’s roads on Wednesday with four people killed in a terrible accident in the wilayat of Barka.

The mishap, that also seriously injured six others, occurred when the driver of a speeding three-tonne pick-up heading to Muscat from the Batinah region lost control of the vehicle after one of its tyres burst, police said.

It turned over and landed on the other side of the dual carriageway, colliding with four cars coming from the opposite direction. The four deceased were travelling in the cars; two of them died instantly, while the other two victims succumbed to their injuries later.

The incident, which happened around 7pm, held up traffic on the highway for several hours.

On Tuesday, three youngsters riding motorcycles, died in two separate accidents in Amerat in the capital and Sohar in the Batinah region. The victims in Amerat were two teenagers, aged 15 and 19. They were killed when their bike was hit by a vehicle, one of them dying on the spot and the other in hospital.

In the Sohar incident, the victim, a 21-year-old man, was killed when his motorcycle collided with another vehicle.

Happy Renaissance Day!

Yes, today represents 38 years of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos running Oman.

Congratulations Oman. You continue to have come a long way since the time when there were only 11km of paved road in the entire country and to walk in old Muscat at night required one to carry a lantern.

Benign Dictatorship is widely acknowledged as the best form of Government around, as long as you have the right Dictator. Oman is very, very, lucky that they have in HM a man of true public service, filled with a deep sense of duty to Oman's people. A man who right from the start has had a clear vision of where he wanrted to lead Oman during his reign. Overall, so far, so good.

Unfortunately, not everyone around him can meet the same high standards of duty and performance, but his Government continues to improve, especially as the younger generation of properly educated Omani technocrats make their way up the ranks.

I don't think its an accident that HM doesn't have an heir (I don't believe the rumours of the 'secret son' in England). In fact, I predict HM intends to leave this country not with the current dictatorial system but with a solid constitutional Monarcy and an elected lower house with real legislative powers.

So, congrats Oman. May HM continue to live a long healthy life to ensure the country continues to make its way in the world as a stable, prosperous and friendly country.