Muscat, Oman

Muscat is a port city wedged between the rugged Hajar Mountains and the Persian Gulf. Until 1970, it was nothing more than a small village. After the discovery of oil and the 1970 palace coup, development has sprawled westward onto the narrow coastal plain stretching the length of the Arabian peninsula.

Oman's early history, however, did have periods of stability. After defeating the Portuguese navy in 1649, they used the captured warships to build an empire throughout East Africa. The subsequent slave trade enticed many an Omani, usually the best and brightest, to the colonies of Zanzibar and Pemba.

Since 1646, the British East India Company has had, by treaty, a monopoly on Oman's trade. In 1800, another treaty granted a permanent position for a British political officer within the Royal government. The British influence on Oman's internal affairs continued to grow, culminating in the 1970 palace coup where Sultan Qaboos expelled his father.

The Al Bustan Hotel, left and below, was one of the Sultans first pet projects. It's beautiful and luxurious, the place where visiting dignitaries stay and a favorite amongst expats. It is said that an entire village was relocated to build the hotel.

Expatriates and Omanization

During the slave-trading days, many of the best and brightest Omani's emigrated to Zanzibar, others scattered around the Gulf. Those remaining lived as they had for generations; riches that made it back to Oman were spent on palaces and material consumption; the country stagnated. After exiling his father in 1970, Sultan Qaboos embarked upon an ambitious modernization program: paved roads, electricity, education, health care, etc. Omani's living abroad were encouraged to return and help build the country. (Swahili is a common language heard in Muscat, especially in the Shell-PDO office. In fact, the number-2 man, Abdullah Lamki, a member of "The Five Families", speaks no Arabic.) However, after occupying key positions within business and government, there were no skilled workers to do the actual work.

Ranjani, a Sri Lankan, lives with us in a separate maid's quarters, cleaning, cooking, and taking care of Maiya. She has been in Oman for 14 years, but we are her current sponsor (via Shell-PDO). Because she's been in Oman for so long, and she's very good at her job, she has a few Omani connections, where she can buy a Labor Card, if necessary.

To solve the problem, millions of Indians and Sri Lankans were imported (today, there are 2.2 million Omani's and 600,000 expats). The typical eastern expatriate laboror works a 6-1/2-day workweek, without holidays, for 2 years straight. After a 2 week vacation back home, they return for another 2 years. Throughout Oman, one sees gangs of Indians dressed in the standard green or blue coveralls, laboring in the hot sun for minimum wage (about $100/month). The right to work is granted by the Labor Card, which the employer, or sponsor, obtains from the government. An employee cannot work for another company unless the current sponsor grants a No-Objection-Certificate (NOC). This gives the sponsor (all businesses must have majority Omani ownership) unlimited power to abuse these poor, illiterate laborers: many don't get paid for months, fall into debt for room and board, cannot afford a ticket home, and cannot seek other work without the NOC.

The presence of so many expats and the entrance of so many baby-boomers into the work force has created a dilemma for the government. There is an official program of "Omanization" whereby Omani's are to replace expat workers by 2007 (originally it was 2000). There has been slow progress, but mainly in the service sector; I've seen no Omani's doing back-breaking labor in the hot sun. Around the Shell-PDO camp, it's common to see expat teams trimming trees or cleaning streets while two Omani's sleep in the shade.

Western expats (mainly Europeans and North Americans) are also to be Omanized. But finding qualified engineers, geologists, doctors, etc, amongst the Omani's is next to impossible: Maiya was delivered by a Swedish doctor, the midwife was British, her pediatrician is Norwegian, many Oman Air pilots are Norwegian, most Shell expats are Dutch or British. In Shell-PDO there are many young recent graduates, some educated at the new Sultan Qaboos University, others in the UK or USA. They are inexperienced but eager and many have potential. However, because it's impossible to fire an Omani, there is little incentive to excel. There are some 250 engineers and geologists, including expats, in the company, but over 500 people in the Human Resources department, virtually all Omani. Many Omani's see their friends in HR working fewer hours, under less pressure, and advancing faster. Most expats and some highly-placed Omani's understand Omanization is a recipe for disaster, especially given the current economic climate, but it remains to be seen how far the government will go.

Oil has replaced the once-important trade routes, but Muttrah today remains a bustling marketplace (below).

Company-owned housing is basic but adequate. There are newer houses without views, but we chose this older house because of the huge patio and great sunsets.

The golf course (notice the "browns"), cricket and soccer fields, and just offshore, tankers moored to offloading buoys.

There is a weekly "Fun Run" with 2, 4, and 6km courses. Maiya also runs with me, which makes the hills not-so-fun.