New labour law under process: Official
Dec 7: The new labour law is under process with the authorities concerned, said Salim Nasser al Hadhrami, Director-General, Planning & Development, Ministry of Manpower.
Speaking at workshop on ‘Labour Market Efficiency’ on Wednesday, he said “promotion is an issue in the private sector” and that may be a reason for low productivity. The workshop, held to discuss issues such as globalisation, shifts in demographics, skills, talent, education and training, was organised by Ithraa, Oman’s inward investment and export development agency.
The discussion was moderated by broadcaster Moosa al Farei. The panelists, besides Al Hadhrami, included HH Sayyid Dr Adham Turki al Said, Assistant Professor at Sultan Qaboos University; and Dr Amer Awadh al Rawas, CEO, Tsneea Oil & Gas Technology.
Al Hadhrami said while the foreign manpower grew 9.5 per cent, that of Omanis just 1.5 per cent. a “Cheap foreign labour is competing with nationals for many positions. Productivity determines wages. Let that be the standard.”
He said though there are 56,000 expatriate workers in the government sector, it has become “impossible to apply Omanisation” in some service sectors. “We need this mixture (both Omanis and expats) to enrich work,” he added. Al Rawas felt the focus was on infrastucture in the last fifth year plan. “We didn’t pay much attention to productivity fundamentals. Hence the low efficiency in the market.”
He spoke about the dependence on cheap manpower in construction, the most profitable and widespread activity in the Sultanate, which has “increased clandestine trade”. “New technology and state-of-the-art tools will help replace foreign labour with nationals and reduce the number of job-seekers,” felt Al Rawas.
Al Said said that “knowledge is not enough” for degree-holders who start their own businesses. “They must adapt themselves to the market’s variability.” While asserting that “underestimating fresh graduates with no experience may pose a problem”, he said they “need to be given a chance to prove themselves”.
It’s important to “believe in their talent and ability before importing external expertise”, he said, while suggesting in-house training to hone the skills of fresh graduates.
Al Said said SMEs account for 20 per cent of jobs. “SMEs depend on expats instead of nationals because they cannot afford the wages specified by the Ministry of Manpower.”
Azzan al Busaidi, Ithraa’s DirectorGeneral of Planning & Studies, said: “People and their participation in the workforce are at the heart of our economy. It’s imperative we build the skilled labour that Oman needs to succeed in today’s highly competitive global marketplace.” Dec 7: “Oman has a unique style. One notices it immediately when one arrives in Muscat,” says Dr Hamdoun Toure, who received the Sultan Qaboos Order for Science, Culture and Arts from HH Sayyid Haitham bin Tareq al Said, Minister of Heritage and Culture.
“The country has preserved the Arabic architecture and the Arab way of life while the nation continues to develop. A nation can lose its identity when it develops, but Oman has been very elegant in keeping its character,” described Dr Toure.
Dr Toure, former Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), said: “I can see the progress and advancement of ICT in the country. The nation is awarding innovation. When I think of Oman, I think of innovation.”
Dr Toure said Oman is one of ITU’s seven regional cyber security centres in the world that has established itself as an integral part of security in the Arab region.
Oman is ranked third in the world for cyber security.
“To establish cyber security centre, a nation has to believe in the power of ICT. You have to believe in the need for protecting it and it naturally comes with connectivity because if you do not have it, it is not worth it. You need to build the confidence and trust in the use of ICT,” said Dr Toure.
The Executive Director of Smart Africa is also the founder of the Global Cyber Security Agenda. When asked about the current status of cyber security, Dr Toure said, “Security is constantly evolving. We need to constantly build awareness for all users, we need the governments to play their role, we need to put the right regulatory framework in place and we also need to make sure people are educated in the field.
He said Oman has placed itself at the centre stage of international cooperation in this arena and is at the ‘point of no return’ and that the structure of Oman CERT and the capacity building are examples of it.