Job Discussion Forums

[veiledsentiments]

Honestly Carnac, I think you are overstating it a bit. In all of the Gulf one must be careful of what one says in public, while normally in a private discussion with locals that you know, one can speak quite freely. I would have felt completely comfortable posting what you have said so far. Of course, keeping my mouth shut was never my strong suit.

While the English news is still only covering the latest news of birthday greeting messages and pharmacy openings I hear, the newspapers seem to be covering the story quite freely. Though of course, things do skew to the positive.

There was coverage of the price gouging on one of the articles that I read, but it does seem to be holding to a dull roar. And one thing about Oman, they will enforce the law and punish the extreme offenders that are caught... even if they are Omanis. I don't know of any country where the prices of petrol and food supplies don't rise, often astronomically, if there is even a hint of shortages. There need only be a threat of a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico to watch the US price jump .20 a gallon 3000 miles away. A threat of snow in Washington DC will cause the price of milk, eggs, and bread to double before a flake ever falls. It's the free market in action...

I await your photos and a report on Muttrah and the Al Bustan - not to mention the situation with roads to get there and back. I assume that the Chedi will fix things back up, but I do hope that 5 star hotels are not the priority. Construction supplies will also be in short supply and I hope that they are passed out based on need - and that the citizens can get their windows and doors replaced first.

VS

[otislil]

I've been told by an Omani who works at Al Bustan that it's ok - damaged and damp but not too dreadful. It was still shut for refurbishment, I think, so they'll probably have to start again.

He also said that Muttrah souk was flooded and is thick with mud, but again, more cosmetic than structural. I hope the merchants' houses down there are ok. Parts of the Corniche road are badly damaged and have been washed away, the same at Qurum Beach, but nothing that can't be replaced in time.
I guess it'll be a while before Qurum shopping area is up and running again.

The Chedi website simply says it's closed due to water damage, but then I guess they wouldn't want to be more specific.

Has anyone heard anything about Shatti al Qurum?

[Zola6666]

I received, via my cell phone, info that Omantel - the country's telephone service - is not going to charge people from stricken areas for the calls made during the cyclone.

Hayak distributes phone cards and will distribute about 20,000 (20,000 x $2.60 - bit more than US $50,000) worth of cards free.

I had received cyclone warming messages on my cell phone too. First they come in Arabic, then English.

In Arabic, there were messages from the Ministry of Education about exams for the schools. Pretty good use of the telephone service!

[kuberkat]

Yes, both Omanmobile and Nawras have come to the assistance of afflicted people with huge donations and call charge write-offs. Not only very charitable of them, but also brillliant PR.

VS, there are several websites and online interest groups with regular new posts and photos from people "on the ground". Many Muscat teens on holiday have been especially active on the Gonu interest groups. A quick Google should hook you up.

[omanized]

Things are still progressing well I would say for the infrastructure damage - traffic is terrible in many places but that is to be expected.

Regarding the link attached to my previous post - it is not mine ! Apparantly my computer or maybe dave's system has got a gremlin - I will be interested to see if it appears again at the end of this post - please don't try to open it, it is likely a virus waiting for your interest....

and Carnac, I will repeat, give your head a shake and get out of your Len Deighton world of conspiracy and state crackdowns - I have been in the region for almost 10 years and in Oman for 5 - can you please elaborate on your suspicions? I am sure we would all be interested - if you can't explain the reasons behind your insinuations of censorship and police state cover-ups, then keep it to yourself and your bar-stool theorists.

The papers are showing as much as can be expected, warts and all - services are coming back more or less when the various spokesmen on the radio and tv are telling us, the phone companies and banks are doing things you would never expect, and as was mentioned above, gaining promotion points as well - can you imagine a bank in your home country returning your loan payment this month to ease your financial burden ?

omzd

edit for ridiculous viral attachment

[veiledsentiments]

The same close family/tribal structure that can make the Gulf seem like a small rural town where everyone IS watching you is the same source of the actions of businesses as part of the family. The use of the modern technology is quite impressive

I have googled around Kuber and seen lots of pictures, but I hadn't located anything on Mattrah souq. Glad to hear from otislol that it sounds like it is just a mess. I hope most of the shopkeepers were able to remove their merchandise beforehand.

Omanized... I expect that you are the one with the little friend on your computer giving that link. If it were Dave's, we would all have it. But, do check your profile and see if it has attached itself to your signature line.

VS