Do business, but don’t forget to learn local culture
Saleh Al Shaibany - saleh_shaibany@yahoo.com - Iarrived late at a business management seminar. The room was bejewelled with the cream of top business people in the country. I felt small when I...
Boost to Suhar from new Qatar Airways operations
Suhar Airport, considered as the third hub after Muscat and Salalah, is expected to revitalise the business prospects of the Al Batinah Governorate after Qatar Airways announced it would launch...
When women feel trapped in maternal role...
My wife and I exchanged smiles when a pregnant young woman said she was expecting a son instead of a daughter. It was her third child and the previous two were both girls. Her eyes betrayed her own...
Sultanate still a haven for expatriate workers
SALEH AL SHAIBANY - saleh_shaibani@yahoo.com - The Sultanate of Oman is still a desirable place to work for expatriates. The Sultanate is still among the cheapest countries in the world, certainly in...
A shoulder to cry on in times of need
Saleh Al Shaibany - saleh_shaibany@yahoo.com - The moment I got out of my car, I heard a faint sound of classical music. The house, though in the middle of a smart neighbourhood, badly needed...
Oman controls expenditure as revenues increase
SALEH AL SHAIBANY - saleh_shaibani@yahoo.com - Oman has turned around the economy in 2017 by increasing revenues by 19 per cent in the first four months of this year compared to the same period in...
More young people afford their own homes now
SALEH AL SHAIBANY - saleh_shaibani@yahoo.com - As more Omani graduates find jobs, young people find it easy to own properties than in the last 30 years. Official statistics show that 43 per cent of...
Omani working mothers have better careers now
SALEH AL SHAIBANY - saleh_shaibani@yahoo.com - There is a leap of faith with both employers in the private and government sectors as more Omani mothers get jobs in the last 30 years. Women are not...
Don’t just get carried away this Ramadhan
Saleh Al Shaibany - saleh_shaibany@yahoo.com - It was not until the car made a U-turn that I saw the driver was an old friend. He slowed down to wave at me and then sped down the residential road....
Duqm to be the main pillar of Oman’s economy
SALEH AL SHAIBANY - saleh_shaibani@yahoo.com - The now sprawling town of Duqm is spearheading the diversification of the Omani economy away from the reliance of oil revenues with new multi-million...
Do you care enough for the needy this Ramadhan?
Perhaps it is time to reflect on our achievements during Ramadhan, now that the holy month has just begun. Do we care enough to reach for the needy or we just go through the ritual of staying hungry...
Dry seasons hit farmers hard in the Sultanate
SALEH AL SHAIBANY - saleh_shaibani@yahoo.com - With current temperatures touching 50 degree Celsius, Omani farmers pray hard for rainwater as the natural water springs are fast drying up. The ancient...
We thought we did her a favour. We were wrong
By Saleh al Shaibany — When my wife and I decided to visit an old relative in Dubai, we never gave much thought to it except that we would not be there more than 15 minutes. It did not occur to us...
Show compassion, welcome them into your world
By Saleh al Shaibany — Giving and taking come under many forms. Some people are pushy and they take what they want regardless of what others feel. Some poor souls, they just give to be accepted....
It is time we take pride in ‘Made in Oman’ label
By Saleh al Shaibany — When you opt for a foreign-made label and ignore the Omani brand, it is as good as admitting that you are ashamed of locally-produced products. We may not be a manufacturing...
Why should killers on the roads get away lightly?
By Saleh al Shaibany — I might have dozed off on the sofa when I heard the terrible crashing sound. It came from the street. I parted the blind and looked outside at the road. There was a small...
Privatisation to give the economy a shot in the arm
Saleh Al shaibany - saleh_shaibany@yahoo.com - Oman was the first country in the region to start privatisation process in 1993 when it announced plans to privatise power plants for the generation...
When my moment of magic slipped away
By Saleh al Shaibany — When I asked my students to talk about their moments of magic, it was then I realised I already blew up the best thing that happened to me in a long time. As they innocently...
It’s time we did something to combat local poverty
By Saleh al Shaibany — I was standing in a queue waiting to pay in a busy grocery shop when a little girl pushed her way to the front. The cashier stopped what he was doing to attend to her. She...
A grave realisation: It’s a parallel world
By Saleh al Shaibany — Last week, I was determined to cancel an engagement or two, so I could spend a few quiet minutes with my father at his graveside. Was I feeling guilty for not doing so...