MUSCAT // Anti-corruption protesters gathered in front of an Omani government building yesterday demanding an end to what they claimed were misuse of lucrative state contracts.
In the latest incident in four weeks of protests, about 100 demonstrators staged a sit-in at the headquarters of the state's Tender Board in Muscat.
The participants alleged that top officials of the contracting agency regularly receive kickbacks from the billions of rials in contracts awarded every year. "It is easy to get rich when you work at the Tender Board. We want a clear and transparent strategy established to make sure that this does not happen," Awadh Khalaf, a protester, said.
Last year, Oman awarded construction contracts worth 3.5 billion rials (Dh30.1bn), including a 706 million rial deal for the construction of a new terminal building at Muscat International Airport.
Demonstrations in Oman turned violent in the north-eastern town of Sohar on February 27, with one protester being killed there by security forces.
About 50 people continue to sleep in tents at the Globe Roundabout in Sohar, and some are also camped at the Shura Council headquarters in Muscat.
Oman's leader, Sultan Qaboos, moved to ease tensions two weeks ago by promising 50,000 new jobs and unemployment benefits amounting to 150 rials each month.
Sultan Qaboos also said a study would be conducted on widening the power of the Shura Council.
He also sacked 12 ministers, after increased pressure from protesters to tackle corruption.
salshaibany@thenational.ae
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Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com
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Top Hundred overseas picks
London Spirit: Kieron Pollard, Riley Meredith
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Manchester Originals: Andre Russell, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sean Abbott
Northern Superchargers: Dwayne Bravo, Wahab Riaz
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Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Company profile
Company name: Nestrom
Started: 2017
Co-founders: Yousef Wadi, Kanaan Manasrah and Shadi Shalabi
Based: Jordan
Sector: Technology
Initial investment: Close to $100,000
Investors: Propeller, 500 Startups, Wamda Capital, Agrimatico, Techstars and some angel investors
Key developments in maritime dispute
2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.
2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus
2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.
2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.
2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
