Book Two – Goodbye; Between Us Only!

The Second Final Book!

The End of My Columns!

No More – Between Us Only!

Goodbye; Between Us Only! My New Book!

http://www.createspace.com/5154908

 

 

About The Book!

I        PREFACE

This book is the 11^th book in The Series – Between Us Only! And my 21st book so far.

It is recommended that this book be read together with this book: –

Writing: My Passion! – www.createspace.com/5085322

* Also – Goodbye; Between Us Only! – www.createspace.com/5139836

There were some articles missed out in the above * book after the end and the collapse of my column articles in November 2013 – more than a year ago!

What is of paramount importance is to get all my articles Post last Between Us Only1 series – Wipe My Tears! The book was published in June 2013 – all intended to put all my books in one place for further references and for record purposes!

I have also included all those articles after end of my columns mainly based on ‘a Technicality’ that was designed to stop and to end my columns.

I was keeping to myself and trying to avoid conflict – but still people were after me! So I decided to accept the challenge – and write and record this book as last of my columns writings for future records and references.

No one can kill the spirit, soul and heart of a Writer – because so long as a Writer will live he will not stop writing!

As Jules Renard had said – No one considers a Writer as ridiculous – even if he does not make any money! So there! Besides, I had posted this in all The Social Media – November 13, 2014

***

• One – Do you watch the News? – myownmajid.com – www.majidall.com and www.majidwrite.com – Speak The Truth Always! 

This book is the 11^th book in The Series – Between Us Only! And my 21 book so far. 

In order to expedite the book publishing process, minimal images are going to be inserted.

Paramount importance is to get all my articles Post last Between Us Only1 series – Wipe My Tears! The book was published in June 2013 – all intended to put all my books in one place for further references and for record purposes!

I have also included all those articles after end of my columns mainly based on ‘a Technicality’ designed to stop and to end my columns.

I was keeping to myself and trying to avoid conflict – but still people were after me! So I decided to accept the challenge – and write and record this book as the last of my columns writings for future records and references.

No one can kill the spirit, soul and heart of a Writer – because so long as a Writer will live he will not stop writing!

As Jules Renard had said – No one considers a Writer as ridiculous – even if he does not make any money! So there! Besides, I had posted this in all The Social Media – November 13, 2014

Why are we so set against each other? We will support The Foreigner and The Expatriate but not esteem and value our own! We do not have trust and confidence on our own! It is part of this great CURSE Jealousy, Envy and Bad Hearts within us! Bad unfeeling uncaring hearts inside some of us only! Pure evil-like just as is ISIL!

• It takes only one person to destroy the works that took so many others so many years to build – and we never learn until it is too late!
• Do Not Cry It Is Over! Be Happy That It Has Happened!

Take Care!

By Majid Al Suleimany

December 5th 2014.

 

Driving In The Rain? Please Read It!

Driving In The Rain? Please Read It!

Oman Motorists – Please Read This Now!

It Might Save Your Life!

By Fahad Al Ghadani – Times of Oman – 2.4.2014

 

*** The Times of Oman Article –

http://www.timesofoman.com/News/Article-31925.aspx#

 

Some More Articles – More You Can Google Search!

http://www.savannahhyundai.com/blogs/458/savannah-hyundai-dealership-news/how-to-drive-in-a-flood/

http://www.smartdriving.co.uk/Driving/Driving_emergencies/Floods.htm

More you can Google Search. Many articles here – Driving in the rain!

 

*** The Times of Oman article –

Muscat: If the headline sounds familiar, it should. Times of Oman last Wednesday urged drivers to slow down during the rain and avoid the overflowing wadis. That very night, despite his brother’s pleadings, Salim Al Kalbani, 28, tragically risked crossing a wadi despite the downpour, a decision that claimed his life and could have killed his younger sibling, Hamad Al Kalbani, 26, too. So today, with more rain forecast in parts of the Sultanate, we say don’t listen to us, listen to the words of a grieving Hamad, who survived narrowly after their car was swept away by the turbulent waters of Wadi Kabir in the wilayat of Ibri.

“I tried to convince him to wait till the water flow comes down. However, he believed in his vehicle’s power to cross the wadi,” said Hamad, an Ibri resident. “I decided to jump from the window as many citizens and civil defence force personnel were trying to help us after the wadi flow started sending the vehicle adrift. “I tried to help my brother but he got trapped inside the vehicle and couldn’t survive,” said Hamad, who had a narrow escape, thanks to the help from citizens and civil defence force personnel.

“I lost my brother and I feel really bad that I couldn’t stop him from crossing the wadi at first and couldn’t rescue him when the wadi washed away the car. If I can go back in time, I would stop my brother from crossing the wadi even if I had to use force,” said Hamad. The Royal Oman Police and the Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulance (PACDA) frequently try to prevent such tragedies by sending out weather warnings, but these are often ignored by young men in their 20s. But it’s not just men driving into trouble. Each incident risks the lives not only of those unwitting or foolhardy enough to risk the weather, but also endangers those who go to their rescue.

Heroic rescue

In a heroic incident, also last Wednesday, a young man, who heard screams of a woman and her children coming from a vehicle that was being swept away by a wadi in Nizwa, decided to risk his life and tried to prevent the vehicle from drifting away in the wadi. The man was able to save the entire family from what seemed certain death. However, residents of Nizwa urged the government to find a solution to the wadis flowing in the Souq area as they always suffer damages and casualties. The Al Dakhiliyah region witnesses heavy rains that lead to a lot of wadis overflowing and converging in front of the Souq area, causing massive flow of water that makes it difficult to cross the main road there. In response, the Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulance in Nizwa is trying to find a way to avoid damages like the ones that occurred due to the wadi flow in Nizwa Souq area when it had rained last. Plan afoot to curb flooding dangers

A reliable source at the Public Authority Civil Defence and Ambulance told Times of Oman that the authority is open to several solutions, including building a dam or finding a way to change the route of the wadi’s flow. “The Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulance in Nizwa believes that the new road project connecting Farq to Tanouf will help avoid damages suffered during rains,” the source explained. He added that the project is ongoing and expected that once finished, it would result in smooth flow of traffic during rain and help normalise life.

The PACDA is still investigating a case in which a man went missing after his car fell off a cliff overlooking a wadi in the Wilayat of Dima Wa Al Tayeen. The Wilayat of Dima Wa Al Tayeen received heavy rainfall on Saturday night. Though it is not known whether the accident was connected to heavy rains witnessed in the area, onlookers speculated the weather conditions could have led to the mishap. Residents of the wilayat told Times of Oman that it is not the first time they had witnessed such an incident.

They apprehended that the wadi flow swept away the body towards Dhaiqah Wadi where all the wadis of Tayeen meet. A reliable source at PACDA told Times of Oman that the search operation is ongoing. He added that the search would cover the Dhaiqah Dam after finishing search operations in all the wadis of the Wilayat of Dima Wa Al Tayeen. Cloud development over the Governorate of Musandam and Al Batinah is expected to bring light rain to the area in the next 48 hours, according to Directorate General of Meteorology and Air Navigation forecast.

 

Images – For Demonstration Purposes Only!

 

Images – For Demonstration Purposes Only!

 

Images – For Demonstration Purposes Only!

More Road Safety Articles Here  At My – http://www.bethesafedriver.com

My Road Safety Awareness Books –

 

More details here – http://www.myownmajid.com and http://www.myown-ebooks.com

Also http://www.bethesafedriver.com

Take Care! Drive Carefully!

Best Wishes and Regards,

Majid Al Suleimany

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paak Ghaya!

http://thehrprofessional.wordpress.com/2010/10/03/paak-ghaya/

 Extracted from my http://www.thehrprofessional.wordpress.com  

Paak Ghaya!

 

Images Rotten(Overripe)  Fruit – For Demonstration Purposes Only!

For those who do not know what it means, I know you are dying to let me tell you what it means, but have patience with me Dear Reader; because it is going to be clear in the next few sentences! I can assure you that it is Hindi, just in case you are wondering what it all means! And why not? After all, I have a great following in this group too!

You know those of us so-called Human Resources Professionals always say this thing – it is not the reasons given to you by a Staff who is leaving the establishment (mad house! Or one flew over the cuckoo’s nest!) That is valid and being more important but actually what was it that had prompted that person to start to look for another job in the first instance that is more important! Does not make any sense, or is the gist lost in its meanings? Let me explain.

In normal what they refer in Human Resources as an Exit Interview (let us ask you why you are leaving interview), the Staff may give a number of reasons why. For example the salary is higher being received in the new place. Perhaps and or fringe benefits and perks, or a higher more senior job even if sometimes there maybe no visible financial advantages per se (in some cases even losing out financially – but then you may be right in thinking that no ‘one is mad enough’ to do such a thing! You may be right too, but do not forget that there is a mad house out there too, and peoples are capable of doing the least and when expected syndromes too!). But then it is easy for us to judge as ‘outsiders’ and unless these things have happened to you or are happening to you now! Trust my word on it, I know I have been there too, in many times and too close for comfort either!

What I am trying to say here is this – as an establishment you need to find out what was it that had prompted that staff to apply outside in the first instance! It could be a small thing to the boss in charge and or to the establishment, but could be a major issue and or catastrophe to the Staff. For example when a Boss shouts and screams to a subordinate in front of his own peers and his own subordinates, what does this Boss expect? What do we have big rooms for Managers and Supervisors for? It is to use for privacy and discuss sensitive issues in the privacies of those rooms. Like a sceptic friend of mine would have remarked – The big rooms surely not for decoration, but for usage. He would go on to say – God gave you brains to use, and this too not for decorations! 

It isn’t the 100th blow that knocks a good man down. It’s the 99 that went before: This is why people leave organizations – Azim Premji. – WHY EMPLOYEES LEAVE ORGANISATIONS? – (much of this article is based from that article) unquote.

The article goes on – Every company normally faces one common problem of high employee turnout ratio. People are leaving the company for better pay, better profile or simply for just one reason’ pak gaya ! 

Why do experienced, professional and talented employees leave despite a top salary?

The answer lies in one of the largest studies undertaken by the Gallup Organization. The study surveyed over a million employees and 80,000 managers and was published in a book called First Break All the Rules.

It came up with this surprising finding: If you’re losing good people, look to their immediate supervisor. More than any other single reason, he is the reason people stay and thrive in an organization.  And he’s the reason why they quit, taking their knowledge, experience and contacts with them. Often, straight to the competition.

“People leave Managers not Companies,” write the authors Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman. “So much money has been thrown at  the challenge of keeping good people – in the form of better pay, better  perks and better training – when, in the end, turnover is mostly  Manager  issue.”

If you have a turnover problem, look first to your Managers.   Are they driving people away?

Beyond a point, an employee’s primary need has less to do with money, and more to do with how he’s treated and how valued he feels. Much of this depends directly on the immediate manager. And yet, bad bosses seem to happen to good people everywhere..

A Fortune magazine survey some years ago found that nearly 75 per cent of employees have suffered at the hands of difficult superiors. You can leave one job to find – you guessed   it, another wolf in a pin-stripe suit in the next one.

Of all the workplace stressors, a bad boss is possibly the worst, directly impacting the emotional health and productivity of employees. HR Experts say that of all the abuses, employees find public humiliation the most intolerable. The first time, an employee may not leave, but a Thought has been planted…

The second time that thought gets strengthened.  The third time, he starts looking for another job.  When people cannot retort openly in anger, they do so by passive aggression. By digging their heels in and slowing down. By doing only what they are told to do and NO MORE. This is done by omitting to give the boss crucial and very essential information.

That could impact and seriously jeopardize an organization. Have you seen this in real life? A new staff joins and is highly keen and motivated. He seriously and genuinely cares and feels for the organization. At the risk of his own job (remember probation and can be terminated in a week’s notice at the least?) he speaks his mind in order to try to rectify, remedy and correct a situation. His peers look up at him in disdain, cynicism and even bordering contempt – in their hearts they say we have seen and heard these all over before (so what else is new?). In the end another (new) frustrated, de motivated, dehumanized Staff hits the dust! Another casualty figure to contend!

That is Paak Ghaya, or in Hindi – over ripe fruit, cannot be eaten anymore! 

It is said – “If you work for a jerk, you basically want to get him into trouble.  (The sooner the better!) You don’t have your heart and soul in the job”. The day he leaves, there is a BIG CELEBRATION party the villain has gone, no more trouble, no more pain, no more suffering. Until the new Manager has come in ‘with a new broom sweeping better’ – unless and until that is he starts to behave like his old peer again (Remember Animal Farm?).

Different Managers can stress out employees in different ways – by being too controlling, too suspicious, too pushy, too critical, too manipulative (divide and conquer syndrome, even if it is the establishment that eventually suffers!) – but they forget that workers are not fixed assets, they are free agents. When this goes on too long, an employee will quit – often over seemingly trivial issue.

It isn’t the 100th blow that knocks a good man down. It’s the 99 that went before. And while it’s true that people leave jobs for all kinds of reasons- for better opportunities or for circumstantial reasons, many who leave would have stayed – had it not been for one man constantly telling them, as Arun’s boss did: “You are dispensable. I can find dozens like you.”

While it seems like there are plenty of other fish especially in today’s waters, consider for a moment the cost of losing a talented employee. There’s the cost of finding a replacement.

The cost of training the replacement. The cost of not having someone to do the job in the meantime. The loss of clients and contacts the person had with the industry. The loss of morale in co-workers. The loss of trade secrets this person may now share with others.

Plus, of course, the loss of the company’s reputation. Every person who leaves a   corporation then becomes its ambassador, for better or for worse.

We all know of large IT companies that people would love to join and large television companies few want to go near. In both cases, former employees have left to tell their tales. “Any company trying to compete must figure out a way to engage the mind of every employee,

Jack Welch of GE once said.   Much of a company’s value lies “between the ears of its employees”.  If it’s bleeding talent, it’s bleeding value.

Unfortunately, many senior executives busy traveling the world, signing new deals and developing a vision for the company, have little idea of what may be going on at home. That deep within an organization that otherwise does all the right things, one man could be driving its best people away.

Next time you as the Manager or Supervisor feel like screaming and shouting at that Staff of yours – THINK AGAIN. As I said before – God gave you brains to use, and this too not for decorations!

 

         

Images Rotten(Overripe)  Fruit – For Demonstration Purposes Only!

By: 

Majid Said Nasser Al Suleimany

 

28 Up South Africa (07-28) – South Africa!

28 Up South Africa (07-28) – South Africa!

Review by: Jane Rackham

Watch it in full here – Al Jazeera TV –

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/south-africa-up-series/

Or here –

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EMsFD5BrW4 –

 

http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/dec/05/28-up-south-africa–

 

Recommend that you spend some time on this – something to be learnt by everyone! Especially in a multi-ethnic society – and what people want – and need!

In 1992, when South Africa was still segregated by apartheid, the cameras started following a group of seven-year-olds who had a nationality in common but little else. Now 28, they have led starkly different lives and yet interestingly many express similar views on the problems South Africa faces.

“Apartheid still lives,” says Luyanda, who lives in a shack next to the hostel in the notorious township where he was brought up and where his girlfriend was stabbed to death. Olwethu has a more positive outlook, but when her pastor husband was threatened by a mob, the family had to flee the rural community where they lived. “I’ve given up. I’m done,” she says tearfully. And Katlego, who had a privileged upbringing (thanks to his wealthy footballer father) and has a comfortable lifestyle, is aware that “We have a very long way to go.”

About this programme

An update on the personal journeys of a group of young people born during the apartheid era. In 1992, when the participants first talked to the cameras at the age of seven, Nelson Mandela had only been out of prison for two years, but by the time they were 14, he had become their president. Chosen from separate communities, these six characters have had starkly contrasting life experiences. Luyanda and Andiswa are from a notorious area outside Cape Town, Katlego lives among the white hipsters of Johannesburg, and Lizette says her coal-mining town is the worst place on Earth. Meanwhile, Olwethu is trying to make the best of rural life with her husband, and farm boy Willem Alberts has become a household name, playing rugby for his country….

21-28 Up South Africa – Images For Demonstration Purposes Only

People Are Still Complaining! Quietly .. and Unseen!!

People Are Still Complaining! Quietly .. and Unseen!!

After Compliments;

Yesterday I attended a wedding celebration for two of my ‘grandchildren boys’ at the same function. It was fully attended and with some people having to sit outside the hall. It is understandable – because of the two girls’ families – and from the groom side of the two marrying boys. I personally think it was a good idea to marry off the brothers on the same day – though Muscat halls are still not equipped to handle more than one function at a time.

As usual that we are – and washing our hands after the nice meal – of biriyani rice and morsels of meat and boiled eggs – we like to complain – instead of offering grace and thanks to The Lord! What else is new?

But I was really taken back to see so many people approaching me with their ‘burning issues’ – ‘write about ..’ – ‘no one cares about us in …’ – ‘we need our rights in …`. These are all educated peoples and in good jobs too – many in the Oil and Gas sector!! The last part is shocking .. as there are grievances procedures – and Company Information Communication Systems between Management and Staff.

But people are still afraid to be seen and to be identified – and they prefer to complain quietly to people they can trust – quietly and unseen! I wonder aloud to myself – what else has changed? They have seen what have happened to people that complain openly .. or being outspoken and being vocal. Especially to their careers and future job prospects – when you are marked out!! So they prefer the ‘protective  meek and timid’ way of things – but the issues are still there – cinder fire burning underneath – and unseen from prying eyes. Till it unexpected erupts – as it usually does! It is really sad!

Image Cinder Fire Burning – deeply, heatedly and quietly! – For Demonstration Purposes Only!

Unfortunately, I did not have the nerve to tell them – my columns have ended – and I am no longer in a position to write my columns – now anymore. It is a pity anyway – with such situations – of so many people still not happy – but complaining on the sides ..quietly and unseen.

May The Good Lord Guide us all to the Right Path and Ways – Amin.

With Best Wishes and Regards,

Majid Al Suleimany – Saturday December 7th 2013

My Books Website – www.myownmajid.com and other writing website – www.majidall.com

Book Review – Wipe My Tears!

My New Website – www.majidwrite.com

And also at – www.majidall.com

For Wednesday – October 23rd 2013.

Between Us Only!

Book Review – New Book – Wipe My Tears!

 

• I cannot live without books – Thomas Jefferson
• I spend a lot of time reading – Bill Gates
• http://www.createspace.com/4304972 – For Direct Orders – Few copies with the Author

Wipe My Tears! has been adapted from Majid Al Suleimany’s successful newspaper columns in The Oman Daily Observer titled Between Us Only!. Utilizing the very best touching emotional based stories and articles from the columns that he has penned over the past four years, Al Suleimany touches on a wide variety of vital and riveting topics. The subject matter will be of interest to everyone from teenagers to grandparents – and from the clerks to the CEOs.

Wipe My Tears! focuses on the study of humanity, human needs, human interaction, society, and economics, as well as other areas. In fact, the author covers all socio-economic-political aspects of society, with an emphasis on working environments such as office space.

The book follows up on the success of the previous books and furthers the idea of private talks between friends on matters that many are too scared to touch! Often times delving into sensitive critical topics that aren’t always sweet, this enlightening book uses a clear and elegant prose to explore social evils in the society as well as their light hearted counterparts. Covering a variety of priceless topics, this wonderful collection of articles gives readers everywhere a glimpse into the issues that are prevalent in today’s society.

The author also addresses society as a whole, and the dire repercussions and consequences of bad ideas and thoughts that can be harmful to society in the broadest sense. Though many topics apply to Oman and GCC countries, the collection of columns organized by Al Suleimany offer a universal appeal because, in his view, society and family are quite similar.

• If you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead, either write things worth reading or do things worth the writing – Benjamin Franklin
• Whenever you read a good book, it is like the author is right there, talking to you – Jack Handy

According to the author, “We have the same needs, worries, concerns and fears—as well as what we like and do not like. This is because the human being is essentially the same—regardless of race, creed, religion, color, ancestry, and ethnicity!”

The book will encourage soul-searching, deep analysis, and a quest to make the world a better place. It has been penned directly from the heart of the author to the reader. It carries many emotional personal family stories and encounters – including work experiences as a highly-qualified human resources management consultant.

The book moves quickly, advancing without boundaries, and is careful never to get bogged down in politics. While critical, the writings are also realistic and practical, and stress the need in society for change in a way that will foster more patience, tolerance, and understanding.

Yet Between Us Only! Wipe My Tears! – is not without controversy. For readers who wish to study Arabic (and Islamic) approaches to the Middle East, the West, and other religions, the book makes excellent references relating to the post-September 11 world. The increases in religious fundamentalism and radicalization in society, and the fact that many youngsters are on board with these aspects, are also taken to task.

The author, through his writings, offers up a tome that is part prayer and part preaching, desperately hoping for a change in the world that will produce a new and more positive direction. “Live and let live in peace, harmony, and co-existence,” is Al Suleimany’s mantra.

States the author, “We have the same needs, worries, concerns and fears, as well as what we like and do not like. This is because the human being is the same regardless of race, creed, religion, color, ancestry, and ethnicity!”

The book will encourage soul-searching, analysis, and a quest to make the world a better place. The writings are realistic and practical, and stress the need in society for change in a way that will foster more patience, tolerance, and understanding—as well as how to live with others in the world.

Majid Al Suleimany is a writer and management consultant based in the Middle East.

C       About The Author 

The Author began his columns ten years ago with The Oman Daily Observer. This is the author’s seventh book in the Between Us Only! series.

Please visit www.myown-ebooks.com  and www.majidbooks.com  to learn more about his books.

He has worked for over twenty-five years as a human resources professional, mainly with Petroleum Development Oman, as well as having served a stint in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. He has also worked for over ten years as a management consultant, expert, and advisor. Al Suleimany holds an MBA in International Management, which he earned in the UK.

He started writing as a hobby when he was only fourteen years old, and his first project in writing, My Most Vivid Dream, won him an award outside Oman. He is married with three daughters and son (married). His first born daughters were twins (married with children). His youngest daughter is an Engineering Graduate in Electricity and Electronics – and the other children are in Marketing and Accountancy respectively. His wife is soon to retire as an executive secretary with Petroleum Development Oman.

By Majid Al Suleimany

Women In The Working Fields!

For Thursday – June 6^th 2013.

Between Us Only!

Women in the Working Field!

The other day I was very much touched and impressed – when this young University young girl graduate had confidently called me and wanted to find out some more details and research on a social increasing phenomena topic that I had written long time back on Increasing Alcohol Abuse! As an elderly Omani – I was very much impressed by the kind of searching probing inquisitive questions she had and on her insistence to have basic facts and information and research – and as to ‘how and why – and on what I had based my assertions’ that there was an ‘increase’ in the phenomena?

Images – Working Women – For Demonstration Purposes Only!

Unfortunately, I did not have the data and the information to back my assertions – but was based more on my ‘gut feelings’ and what I see and hear in the streets mainly – and I am still not ‘that good’ in concocting reference names and figures in just supporting on my assertion! However, if this is the new Omani in our young students now – the future looks very blossoming and rosy indeed – God be praised – Amin!

TImages – Working Women – For Demonstration Purposes Only!

hen just yesterday my son asked if he could send in something that was really eating and burning him intensely. So I agreed. I will reproduce the article below verbatim!

Quote – Women in the working field, anywhere. Recently I had a great conversation with three of my co-workers, two were men and one lady, the conversation started about any normal working environment; blaming others, however the conversation took a huge U-turn, one of the male co-worker  asked the female co-worker, “if your husband asked you today to quit your job and become a house-wife, will you do it?” she like any Omani women these days said “No, I love my job, I’m good at my job and I want to grow” I totally honor and respect her answer.

No matter what gender you are, you can always rise up the challenges in life and succeed, no matter what nationality or religion, hard work and dedication can take you anywhere, like a great quote “The harder I work, the luckier I get”. So you think that’s the end of the story, well if it was this would be the shortest ever “Between Us only” article ever and my father would ask me never to write again. Like father like son my father is a strong believer in Women working anywhere, why only yesterday he hugged my younger sister and “good-bye” kissed her forehead and said “I’m so proud of you”, you see my younger sister is going to an oil-field somewhere in Oman in which heat is one of the least of their worries, a MALE- Dominate place, where it’s all work no play, under the grouching sun of Oman, to be an electrical engineer.  My father and mother were almost in tears seeing her going to school for the first time, only to assure she will be in this position someday, being dominated in a place where it’s hard to dominate. Now again my parents are in tears, only happy tears

Yet my male co-workers came up with various religious quotes, old Omani sayings and other arguments that suggested that women Must be house wives, be at home to take care of the kids and of course feed the husband, while most of us do agree in these arguments, they must understand that these statements and situations were more suitable and more realistic during those days, when everything was small and simpler, where yes women stayed at home while the husband brings the goods, to teach the children and best of all, being the mother.

Images – Working Women – For Demonstration Purposes Only!

If we still lived in those era’s then yes I totally agree with my male co-workers, but we live in an era that even having a 2000 OMR salary might NOT be enough to live, an era that position, money, the car you drive, where you live is now a goal. Funny how things works and is moving these days, while you still see people having the worst of cars, living in small houses and other things that most of people take for granted, is planning and waiting for the day that he will leave that life to have a better one! We all do, but now is our mothers, our sisters and our daughters who have the same agenda and plans. Oprah Winfrey, Martha Steward and other amazing, strong women had made an example for all them today and for that I salute them.

Long time back someone asked me who’s my idols, my inspirations and people I look up to. A simple question but it takes a lot of time to understand and analysis, I told I have 5 people that I look up and I wish I have just 15% of their dedications, their motivations and their success, my father and my mother are one of them, two of my childhood idols FAB and SAA.

 

The last person is my wife! Weird because my wife is younger than me, didn’t experience life as much as I did, might not went through want I went through, yet she’s without a doubt the most intelligent, most charismatic and most of all the most humble young lady I’ve ever met, the best of these all that those were NOT the reason I’ve chose her to be my life partner. She’s simply strong in my definition, which makes it hard for any man to find, you see having a strong women in life means she will be there for you no matter what, because if you fail, she fails as well. And if you succeed; well she succeeded as well.

Happy Faces At Work!

So in closing, I’m a strong believer in Women power, if we can do it, she can, if we failed in it, well maybe if we give her a chance, and she might succeed in it. I leave you with a quote from Margaret Thatcher, who we all know was called “The Iron Lady” she quoted “Any woman who understands the problems of running a home will be nearer to understanding the problems of running a country.”

And ooh the female co-worker I was talking about, she joined the marketing department here not knowing a single thing, to basically running the entire marketing department today, a true example. – Take care – Unquote

As a person who was in HR, I know of many real life cases of young Omani girls – University graduates with good degrees and in specialisation – staying at home – whilst the husband – yet poorly paid – is the only bread winner! When I asked one of the girls I fought hard to recruit – What are you doing now – and the engineering graduate too – she said to me weirdly and cutely – bringing babies into the world – and cooking for my good husband!

Frankly, I feel that the youngsters can still really surprise and amaze us – and it is not always the ‘rebelling, rioting, misguided and unconventional things’ that we are used to see – always! But even if they do – in an interview with one ‘rioting Turkish youngster’ – he was being asked why he was protesting the new rules – if he was not the drinking type? And he retorted that ‘it was just the principle and the ethics of the thing’ – and that people should be ‘left to decide their own lives as they best want it run’ – and the business of no one else – even the state for that matter!

Take Care!

By Majid Al Suleimany

Oman has highest road accident death rate in GCC: WHO report

Muscat Daily – March 30^th 2013-03-30

Oman has highest road accident death rate in GCC: WHO report

 Muscat Daily Staff Writer

March 29, 2013

Muscat –

Oman has the highest death rate from road accidents in the GCC and third highest in the Eastern Mediterranean region, according to figures released by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Global Road Safety Report 2013 released by WHO recently shows that in 2010 Oman registered 30.4 deaths per 100,000 people. This figure put the sultanate third after Iran (34.1) and Iraq (31.5) in the Eastern Mediterranean region.

According to the WHO report, the Eastern Mediterranean region has the second highest road traffic deaths in the world after the African region. In GCC, Bahrain recorded the lowest rate of 10.5 per 100,000 people.

The report acts as a baseline for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020, declared by the UN General Assembly.

A WHO official told Muscat Daily that data collection for the report was carried out in 2011. As many as 182 countries, including 19 from the Eastern Mediterranean region, participated in the survey.

“The 182 countries that participated globally included 19 of the 22 countries of the Eastern Mediterranean region, representing 97 per cent of the region’s population,” the official said.

The report also states that high-income countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region have higher fatalities compared to other such nations in other parts of the world.

According to the report, an estimated 127,260 persons were killed in the Eastern Mediterranean region in 2010, constituting ten per cent of the world’s estimated deaths in road crashes (about 1.24mn) in the same year, with a regional fatality rate of 21.3 per a 100,000 population.

“This compares to a global rate of 18.03 per 100,000 population and means the Eastern Mediterranean region has the second highest road traffic fatality rate in the world, after the African region (at 24.1 per 100,000 population),” the official said, adding, “Moreover, some of its countries have the highest road traffic fatalities in the world.”

According to the report, 45 per cent of road accident deaths in the Eastern Mediterranean region were of vulnerable road users – pedestrians (28 per cent), motorcyclists (14 per cent) and cyclists (3 per cent).

“Between the first and second global status reports for road safety in 2009 and 2013, an increase of more than 8mn vehicles was reported in the [Eastern Mediterranean] region,” he said.

Seventy five per cent of those killed in the region were males, and 60 per cent of those were in the age group of 15 to 44 years, the figures show.

“Data from the Global Status Report on Road Safety 2013 shows the high burden of road traffic injuries and resultant disabilities and deaths in the region,” the official said. He added that WHO will be organising the second UN Global Road Safety Week from May 6-12.

Death rate in GCC states (per 100,000 in 2010)

Oman 30.4

Saudi Arabia 24.8

Kuwait 16.5

Qatar 14.0

UAE 12.7

Bahrain 10.5

Road accident death rates in Oman third highest in Eastern Mediterranean region

Eastern Mediterranean region has second highest road accident death rate in world after African region

75% of those killed are males

(Source: WHO)

Omanisation should start from top level: expert

The Oman Daily Observer

 

Thu, 15 November 2012

 

By Kabeer Yousuf –

MUSCAT — A paradigm shift at the top management level among the private companies can certainly induce a sense of commitment and bonding among the Omani employees resulting in the increased productivity reflecting on the company’s returns, according to a recognised Omani CEO.

Anvwar al Balushi, who has been ranked third among the Most Revolutionary CEOs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, said Omanising not only the middle management level but the senior management level can certainly have positive impacts on the organisations.

“Omanising the CEO level will influence the work culture, the work environment and productivity of the employees in the organisation. Hence, the authorities must consider stipulating the private companies to employ nationals to be the CEO’s”.

In comments to the Observer, Anvwar explained the reason behind such an opinion. “In most of the companies where expatriates are sitting at the top, the senior management is either reluctant or hesitant to delegate and assign tasks to Omani employees saying ‘I cannot assign any task to him; because he is an Omani’ and they are paid for being an Omani which is not right”.

“We have highly qualified graduates who can be moulded according to the company’s vision, mission and set goals. They can be equally or more efficient than many of their expatriate colleagues”, Anvwar, who is the Group CEO of the Majan Consolidated Company LLC, said.

“Some years ago, when it was instructed that the branch managers of banks should be Omanis, there were prejudices and reservations as to its feasibility was concerned. But see today, all the branches of leading banks are run by able national graduates running their show successfully while achieving the Omanisation levels to 90-95 per cent”.

He added that this present scenario has a chain effect where these expatriate CEO’s are paid big salaries. “Today, majority of the CEO positions are held by expatriates and they are paid hefty salaries and other perks. One can assume that a huge chunk of this money is pumped out of the economy which is supposed to be rotating inside the Omani economy.”

He said “An Omani CEO can better understand his colleagues and work for their prosperity than an expatriate CEO. In return, the employees will struggle towards the common goals set by his top management aiming to prove his ability and skills”.

Al Balushi was ranked the third among the revolutionary CEO’s of the region for his leadership qualities, HR skills and his company profile by Naseba, a French Business Information Group recently.

What do you think?? Views welcome!

My Arab Management Books (and Others!) at www.myown-ebooks.com and www.bethesafedriver.com

 

HM Speech before the Council of Oman

Tue, 13 November 2012   “In the name of the God, the Compassionate, the Merciful Praise be to the Almighty God Who guided us to the path of righteousness and prayers and peace be upon His Messenger who called for the application of Shura as an authentic system of governance, as well his honourable family and his virtuous companions, day and night. Honourable Members of the Council of Oman..Citizens. It is one of the bounties of the Almighty God that we are meeting you on this occasion and thanks to Him for the riches He has bestowed on us. We pray to the Almighty to bestow more bounties on Oman and to guide its people to the fulfilment of their aspirations and their progress. Thank the Almighty for His endless riches and He shall reward you with more bounties and blessings and protect you with His divine care. Honourable Members of the Council of Oman .. Citizens .. The experience of Shura in Oman, as we have always stressed, is a successful one and it has been closely in harmony with the stages of the Renaissance and compatible with the values of society and its principles, besides being in line with the concept of grooming enlightened individuals who are well aware of their rights and duties and are capable of expressing their opinions and their ideas in acceptable language, sensible logic and a prudent vision based on proper assessment of matters. Omanis have, throughout the past stage, proved that they command a good sense of awareness, culture, insight and understanding when dealing with various opinions, types of dialogue and discussions, which target the supreme interests of this country and its loyal citizens. We are confident that this awareness will increase and this culture will grow and take strong roots through the role assigned to you, Members of the Council of Oman, through the exchange of views and ideas, stemming from a wise tradition that became evident and shall continue to crystallise as you tackle different issues in a deep, elaborate manner of analysis and investigation .We hope that this great edifice, which we have opened in the name of God, will witness a constructive discussion of matters and a wise tackling of issues; a discussion through which it becomes clear to anyone who observes this experience, locally and abroad, that Omanis are highly capable of participating with their enlightened opinion and mature thought in making decisions to serve their country and promote it to a prominent place and a noble status. This is no challenge to the people of Oman, a country whose glorious past stands as witness and whose brilliant present serves as an incentive to look forward to wider horizons of progress and prosperity Honourable Members of the Council of Oman ..Dear Citizens .. You definitely know that Oman was once in great need of development in all fields and you understand that, in order to achieve the goal of human and social development in all areas of the Sultanate, it has been necessary to establish solid infrastructure on which the development plans and programmes will be based. This is particularly true in the fields of education, health, training and employment. Without infrastructure, human and social development would not have reached the population in cities, towns, villages, plains and mountains, and in the deep valleys and the vast deserts. The past plans of development, despite the widespread area of Oman and its harsh geographical terrain, have gone a long way, and this has led to the transformation of life in this country and facilitated the implementation of development programmes — both social and human. It has helped extend services of all types to citizens wherever they are. You know that the need for infrastructure will never cease to be a necessity because it is an ongoing process necessitated by urban expansion and social and economic development and reaffirmed by the people’s need for communication and aspirations for a better, happier life. Therefore, infrastructure development always gains attention in all stages of growth and nation building, and without exception. Infrastructure gains extreme importance and is accorded top priority in some of these stages due to special circumstances and specific considerations that call for such action. Therefore, what some people often deem as more emphasis on infrastructure than human or social development in the past stages of development is not accurate, as such a view ignores the truth, the conditions that prevailed at that time and the priorities made necessary by the situation there and then. That view also ignores the tremendous attention, which was similarly accorded to the areas of education, health, commerce, industry, agriculture, finance and the economy at large. So the attention accorded to these areas aim at the provision of a dignified life for the citizen, who, as we have always affirmed, is both the target of the comprehensive development and its effective tool. As we mentioned in our speech last year and, as the necessary basic infrastructure is about to be completed, we have instructed our government to focus, in its future plans, on social development, particularly its aspects related to the daily lives of citizens. This should be achieved by the creation of renewable employment opportunities and training programmes for citizens and promoting production capacity, as well as scientific, cultural and intellectual development. We will closely follow the steps taken in this field. This matter shall also be the focus of attention of the Supreme Council for Planning, which seeks to draft well-studied development plans that take into account the priorities of each stage and the balance between various aspects of development towards attaining the overall goal. It is pleasing and rewarding to see that Oman is progressing in balanced steps in the direction, which we regard as the right direction. We pray to the Almighty to bless us with more success for the sake of Oman and its loyal citizens. Honourable Members of the Council of Oman ..Dear Citizens .. The private sector is one of the basic pillars of development, both in the economic concept, which represents commerce, industry, agriculture, tourism, finance and the economy in general, as well as the social concept, which denotes human resources development, training, the upgrading of scientific and practical skills, the offering of new employment opportunities and incentives to take up jobs in the private sector. It is not acceptable that some citizens adopt the impression that the private sector relies on what the state offers to it, and that this sector does not contribute efficiently to the service of the society and support of its social institutions and programmes, or that the private sector seeks only to achieve profit or does not try to work more seriously in serving its society, environment and its country. Such an impression would harm, not only the future of the private sector, but would also have a negative impact, which will extend to the development plans in the country, particularly to the diversification of income. Therefore, the private sector is required to work harder to eliminate this impression and to take well-studied and efficient practical steps, through increasing its contribution to social development and to work in closer partnership with the government in implementing its policies, hand-in-hand with civil society institutions, which offer social and humanitarian services. Such a positive attitude is capable of enhancing the confidence of citizens and their appreciation of the private sector’s role. It will encourage Omani youth to work in this sector and to continue to keep their jobs and instil a spirit of belonging to the sector’s institutions. This will in turn reflect positively on the performance of youth, their commitment to the ethics of work and will contribute to productivity. Therefore, the private sector will be an authentic partner in employment and development plans that are prepared by government departments and from which the private sector itself benefits and which will be a strong impetus for the development of the private sector’s potential and release its great energy in the fields of local, regional and international competition. A word, which we wish to address to Omani youth on this occasion: Remember that work, as much as it is a right, it is a duty as well. Everyone who has completed their education or training has to take up any useful profession which fulfils their sense of being and through which they can strive to achieve their ambitions, rather than wait to get a government job. The state, with all its civil, security and military institutions, cannot continue to be the main source of employment, as this calls for a capacity beyond its reach and a mission that the state cannot sustain forever. The citizens have to understand that the private sector is the real source of employment in the long run. Hence they should not hesitate to join the private sector and must not desert their jobs therein. This, in turn, calls for a revision of the salary system of the private sector, particularly in low and medium-paid jobs. This has to be considered a national mission, which has to be accomplished in allegiance to this country; it should also be considered a service to citizens who place their confidence, their efforts and their mental ability in serving the sector. Honourable Members of the Council of Oman ..Dear Citizens .. It is well understood that education is the basis of development. In the various stages of education and through its diverse curricula, national manpower, which is necessary for domestic development and for the implementation of its programmes, is prepared. Therefore, it has been necessary, for the success of development plans and the execution of its programmes, to work to secure the quality of output of all types of educational establishments in accordance with the general policies of the state, to help attain the goals that we all aspire to achieve During the past period, various systems of education and curricula were implemented and different training programmes were executed, but the matter calls for greater attention to be accorded to linking the educational output to the requirements of the labour market. Hence one of the priorities of the current stage of development and the next stage, which we prepare for is to revise the educational policies, its plans and its programmes, which need to be developed to keep pace with the changes that the country is going through. More attention should be accorded to the requirements imposed by scientific and cultural development towards the evolution of a generation armed with awareness, knowledge and the abilities required for worthwhile work. The establishment of the Education Council seeks to promote this sector. Therefore, all departments in charge of education at all levels have to co-operate with this Council in total dedication and perseverance. We would also like to call upon the Council of Oman to present its opinion in this respect to the Education Council, and we are confident that joint efforts will lead to the desired results. Honourable Members of the Council of Oman ..Dear Citizens .. Our domestic policy, as you have always known it, is based on constructive work in serving the public interest, keeping pace with the developments of the age while at the same  time maintaining our identity, our principles and our values in which we take pride. As for our foreign policy, its essence is the call for peace, harmony and close co-operation with all nations, as well as commitment to the principles of righteousness, justice, fairness and non-interference in the internal affairs of others and the rejection of dispute through peaceful means to help safeguard for all mankind its security, stability, prosperity and progress. At the conclusion of this speech, we would like to address a word of appreciation and pride to all workers for the sake of Oman, for its growth in all civil, military and security sectors. May the Almighty grant us mercy and guide us to the right path”. END – From The Oman Daily Observer – November 13th 2012