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QP cover-up
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Never Ceased To Be Amazed



Joined: 22 Oct 2004
Posts: 3500
Location: Shhh...don't talk to me...I'm playin' dead...

PostPosted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 5:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

With all the drama going on here, might I suggest the OP direct a horror movie and call it "The Gulag".

It would be about a bunch of guys hired by an evil oil company in a nation known mostly for its natural gas reserves.

And, then, they suddenly start to disappear...one by one...

NCTBA Shocked Laughing Shocked ...
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johnslat



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

PostPosted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 5:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dear NCTBA,

"And Then There Were None."

Ten EFL teachers went out to dine; One choked at the goat grab and then there were Nine.
Nine EFL teachers, all overweight; One overstuffed himself and then there were Eight.
Eight EFL teachers thinking about Devon ; One said he'd go there and then there were Seven.
Seven EFL teachers who liked to play tricks; One got tricked himself and then there were Six.
Six EFL teachers out on a desert drive; A camel spider bit one and then there were Five.
Five EFL teachers rotten to the core; One got into trouble and then there were Four.
Four EFL teachers going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were Three.
Three EFL teachers standing in a queue; A camel stepped on one and then there were Two.
Two EFL teachers were out in the sun; One got all frizzled up and then there was One.
One EFL teacher left all alone; He went out and hanged himself and then there were None.


Regards,
John
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Manuel Geere



Joined: 19 Apr 2004
Posts: 28
Location: Lost in the mists of time

PostPosted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 10:51 pm    Post subject: Wilberforce Reply with quote

My "attack" on Wilberforce, if that is what it was, has nothing to do with his nationality. I merely used the fact that NO American has been employed at QP as contractor for 10 years, as claimed by Wilberforce, to cast doubt on the veracity of his claims about management motives for the recent sackings of many contract staff at QP. My earlier post referred to a post by Manumany, which I believe gives the facts about this situation. QP is not renowned for its forward planning, and with a new Director of Administration in place, the over-running of the Griffith and Imtiaz contract was a natural target for a "new broom" to show that he was more capable than his predecessor at protecting QP's financial interests.

This does not excuse the way that QP handled the sackings at such short notice, but since when has the Gulf been known for its compassion for any of the foreign workers who build and manage there?

VS - you say that Wilberforce's reports and comments show a knowledge of Qatar and that he was even-handed. From reading your posts, I do not recall that you have ever worked in Qatar, so I wonder how you know that his reporting was fair? I see that many of his posts are simply copy and paste from local newspapers, but since when has the press in the Gulf been objective? Not in my day, and I doubt that it was when you were in this region.

I don't intend this to become another flame war or attack ad hominem, but my main purpose in my original post was to draw attention to the accuracy of the posts by Wilberforce regarding the reasons QP told the contractor to terminate the contracts of their employees. If Wilberforce is who I think he is, then he is prone to a good old Egyptian conspiracy theory, rather than looking at the reality of a situation. After all, a drama is more interesting than boring economics.
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lollaerd



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 337

PostPosted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 9:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It seems you have been disinformed, check with the Filipina secretary.
There was an American contract teacher (Boris? Bryce? Bruce? Brendan? -something like that) hired a over a year ago and he was chucked with the last batch of teachers last month, August 2009.

Quote:
I merely used the fact that NO American has been employed at QP as contractor for 10 years, as claimed by Wilberforce, to cast doubt on the veracity of his claims about management motives for the recent sackings of many contract staff at QP.


It seems that from most of his posts old Wilbur was just speculating. He usually stated it was a rumor of some sort that he was reporting. It seems pretty clear he was writing about the information flying around the Gulag which was mainly guesswork. And since when did HR or QP or Imtiaz ever tell Gulagers the whole truth and nothing but the truth. As any Gulager knows, there has always been a lot of shuffling and muffling.


Who knows what the real reason is for the mass chuckings; as all Gulagers (and exGulagers like me know) there have been changes going on in HR for awhile; a lot of shifting of personnel and revamping of departments, all in preparation for the new offices probably. Wilbur was basically regurgitating the stories and specs that were flying around QP and will probably continue to fly around until the Imtiaz/Griffith contract issue is settled/finalized - whichever they decide to do. Last rumor I heard was that Imtiaz might even stay. Is this true? Probably they don't even know. I've heard there have been some negotiations but whether QP will renew Imtiaz or not is not public for now. All the Imtiaz people left are worried for their future and who can blame them? Anyway, Wilbur has gone off to start a new phase of his life like all of us do once we get away from QP. It's probably time to give this whole business a rest and see what happens when whoever is left of the teachers return from leave. Let's wait and see what happens then.

maybe the Gulagers who are still around can apply to the new community colleges which are supposed to open sometime next year. If not, time to go to the UAE.
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zeke0606



Joined: 22 Oct 2007
Posts: 185
Location: East Outer Mongolia

PostPosted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 11:03 am    Post subject: What? Reply with quote

I am not on anyone's side! I was in the QP teaching staff with the OP, John - way back when....

I would like to know if these fellows named Safa and Haroon are still there. They were a sort of chiefs at the Gulag at Rasababut (sorry - it has been some time ago and I forgot how to spell the name correctly). I liked both men and worked mostly with Haroon at the 'bakery' down south. And that was a great gig down there!

Zeke
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jdl



Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 632
Location: cyberspace

PostPosted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 1:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pretty quiet on the 'Gulag battlements'. All seems well. I guess the 'shift change' has had a positive effect upon the work culture there?
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

QP - through a subcontractor - was one of the worst jobs I have ever had. And I have been at this game since 1968.
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mesquite



Joined: 04 Jan 2009
Posts: 80

PostPosted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 5:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good luck all you QP guys I met at the Sheraton pub. I hope you all find jobs.
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lollaerd



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 337

PostPosted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 2:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

QP has been messing IMTIAZ around and haven't paid them their dues.
As a result, the treasure chest is bare and IMTIAZ doesn't have money to pay the contract teachers. Everybody is in the red. QP is not playing fair. They owe IMTIAZ funds and should pay up, a lot of people, contract teachers and IMTIAZ staff haven't been paid their full November salaries (and even October so they say!!!).
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lollaerd



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 337

PostPosted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 10:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

johnslat wrote:
Dear NCTBA,

"And Then There Were None."

Ten EFL teachers went out to dine; One choked at the goat grab and then there were Nine.
Nine EFL teachers, all overweight; One overstuffed himself and then there were Eight.
Eight EFL teachers thinking about Devon ; One said he'd go there and then there were Seven.
Seven EFL teachers who liked to play tricks; One got tricked himself and then there were Six.
Six EFL teachers out on a desert drive; A camel spider bit one and then there were Five.
Five EFL teachers rotten to the core; One got into trouble and then there were Four.
Four EFL teachers going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were Three.
Three EFL teachers standing in a queue; A camel stepped on one and then there were Two.
Two EFL teachers were out in the sun; One got all frizzled up and then there was One.
One EFL teacher left all alone; He went out and hanged himself and then there were None.


Regards,
John


Well that looks like the scenario John!! There are less than 30 contract teachers left and a handful of direct hires and moderators. The DH people are back in the classroom and may stay there if they don't get more staff.

Imtiaz has had to move people out of their accomodation in one day as they couldn't pay the rent on the apartments. They shifted them to a grim windowless building (no windows in the living room - depressing)
which they allegedly own. This place is the pits. Literally. No parking, people urinating against walls, dark dirty corridors and small dark apartments. No wonder everyone is depressed. This is almost as bad as the smoke belcher down near Mecure that they used to dump people in. At least the neighborhood there was lively, a quick walk to dozens of cheapo restaurants or the Mercure for a quick lager. This neighbourhood is a construction zone and not much going for it in the way of local amenities.

I don't know how much more the poor beleaguered Gulagers can take,
mass firings, eviction, unpaid salaries, job security zilch. Some of these teachers are super; they don't deserve this!
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