Wednesday, February 12, 2025 | Sha'ban 12, 1446 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Opening the books speaks volumes...

This report, its revelations of past practices incompatible with national objectives, its criticisms of leading administrators and office holders, its implications for future compliance and its own clarity of purpose have proven a revelation
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The government, the public and the media rarely think alike, so it has been heartening to see the positive reaction to the recent State Audit Institution Report across the entire diversity of the Sultanate of Oman's commercial sector.


I must admit, that when I arrived in Oman during 2009, for a time subsequently, while understanding the cultural sensitivities of Oman, and absolutely engaging with the passive and pleasant nature of the people around me, and particularly my students, I was frequently disappointed with the lack of openness I encountered. I understood it wasn’t personal, but always felt that the authorities needed to be more open, more transparent, and trust their people to respond responsibly.


On so many levels, this report, its revelations of past practices incompatible with national objectives, its criticisms of leading administrators and office holders, its implications for future compliance and its own clarity of purpose have proven a revelation.


Always, the Omani people have proven loyal, trusting and understanding, and within this report and its revelations is the top seal of approval, and its wisdom. The intangible honesty of the report, has, in a single stroke, proven that Oman, its leadership and governance, has evolved, transformed, morphed, into an incredibly mature over-arching entity, which will see the local commercial and finance sectors, not only applauded for their transparency, but also become an ethically responsible avenue for international investment.


In finance, it is an old adage that transparency is what maintains and achieves integrity. This despite generations of civil servants around the world prioritising secrecy, the fact is that transparency is the only thing that ensures oversight on behalf of the populace, because without it, the checks and balances of governance are virtually meaningless. Civil servants do like to create their ‘mini kingdoms'. Clearly though, in Oman, those days are over.


It’s clear too, that honest governance doesn’t leave those ‘empty’ spaces, or dark places, depending on how you look at them, that enable the corrupt, the idle and the incompetent, to flourish, so the state inspired audit report has shone a spotlight that, now, those who have sought to ‘make hay while the sun shines,’ or to ‘do little or nothing,’ will be wary of.


Though several state-owned and sponsored entities have been identified, there are many, many, more who may have sailed close to the wind, for whom this is a salutary message. “Get your house in order, or we are coming for you!” This may well be the message between the lines, spelled out loud and clear by a brave and inspirational leadership, unafraid to remove the imperfections, to demonstrate unequivocally to its people that their rights take precedence.


The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) was established in 1960 to work with governments, policy makers and citizens, to establish evidence-based international standards and to seek solutions within those standards, to achieve equality and diversity within the social, economic and environmental challenges of its day. OECD Secretary-General, Angel Gurria, marking International Anti-Corruption Day, said: “Integrity, transparency, and the fight against corruption have to be part of the (financial) culture. They have to be thought of as fundamental values.”


What this report shows is that Oman, more than any other global entity today, has embraced the needs and wishes of its people in not shirking from requiring those fundamental values. It has assumed the responsibilities all governments and leaderships should have done, or be doing. Ironically, of all people, Edward Snowden, the whistleblower, has said: “There can be no faith in government if the highest offices are not held to account.”


In holding these few entities to account, the faith the Omani people have in their hierarchy must surely now be underlined by trust and virtue, and they must be so excited for the future... their future.


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