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Panel to review medical errors - Oman Daily Observer

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PEOPLE’S<br />

PLATFORM<br />

THE different types of <strong>Oman</strong>i<br />

folklore for various occasions is<br />

beautifully exhibited in the ongoing<br />

Muscat Festival. Some of the most<br />

famous and popular folklore are Al Taymoona,<br />

Al Wayilia, Al Sanawa, Al Tanjeela,<br />

Al Zaffa, Al Shubaniya, Al Tanboura,<br />

Al Rabouba, Al Sirwan, Al Hamboura,<br />

Al Sha’abaniyya, Al a’yalla, Al Razfa<br />

Al Badwiya, Al Bara’a, Al Wahbiya,<br />

Taqroud Al Boosh and Al M’ghaydha.<br />

Al Razha is a dance performed by men<br />

only, by throwing swords high in the air.<br />

Al Hoboot is a famous dance in Dhofar<br />

Governorate expressing horsemanship,<br />

bravery and dignity.<br />

Traditional <strong>Oman</strong>i folk songs and<br />

dance has continued <strong>to</strong> be a favourite in<br />

the festival. <strong>Oman</strong>is are admired for their<br />

rich reper<strong>to</strong>ire of folk dances and songs.<br />

It is an important part of the Sultanate’s<br />

traditional arts.<br />

Enthusiasts watching live performances<br />

of these folk dances and songs say<br />

that they stand out because of the robust<br />

rhythm. The folk dances <strong>to</strong>gether with<br />

music, movements, bright costumes and<br />

public applause enliven the festivities.<br />

Scintillating dances and songs at Al<br />

Amerat and Naseem Park are among the<br />

major highlights. <strong>Oman</strong>i men and women<br />

performing spectacular folklore have<br />

added sparkle <strong>to</strong> the festivities, say visi<strong>to</strong>rs<br />

from Nizwa.<br />

— Salman<br />

Edi<strong>to</strong>r: Folk dances and music give<br />

ISS Eco Club participates<br />

in mangrove planting<br />

THE Eco Club of Indian<br />

School Salalah<br />

along with the support<br />

of Ministry of Environment<br />

and Climatic Affairs, Dhofar<br />

Governorate organised activities<br />

<strong>to</strong> create awareness on environmental<br />

care.<br />

Students numbering 54<br />

of class VIII and two teachers<br />

participated in this programme.<br />

The team visited<br />

the government ministry’s<br />

permanent nursery at Awqad,<br />

Salalah. After a warm welcome<br />

by the Programme<br />

Manager Esam Al Busi, Dr<br />

Ahmed al Saidi, Direc<strong>to</strong>r of<br />

Marine Conservation, explained<br />

about the mangrove<br />

tree planting project and its<br />

importance. He said that, this<br />

project has two phases. The<br />

first phase is <strong>to</strong> collect the<br />

mangrove seeds from the forest<br />

and the initial process is<br />

<strong>to</strong> plant it in the plastic bags.<br />

The second phase begins<br />

by transplanting the grown<br />

plants from the nursery <strong>to</strong> the<br />

an insight in<strong>to</strong> the cultural legacy of a<br />

country. Each region has distinct folklore<br />

traditions, portraying the cultural milieu<br />

of that area.<br />

Jobs are basic rights<br />

MORE than 40,000 young <strong>Oman</strong>i<br />

jobseekers enter the market<br />

every year. It is the duty of the private<br />

sec<strong>to</strong>r <strong>to</strong> accept them and offer training<br />

opportunities. Many of these jobseekers<br />

are well-trained and can very well adapt<br />

26 LETTERS TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013<br />

<strong>Oman</strong>i folklore at Muscat Festival adds sparkle<br />

<strong>to</strong> the demands of offices. They are hard<br />

working and obedient.<br />

Developing programmes <strong>to</strong> raise staff potential<br />

By Susan Bagyura<br />

ONE important role of a<br />

successful leader is <strong>to</strong><br />

be on the look out for<br />

potential future leaders. It’s<br />

more effective and cost efficient<br />

<strong>to</strong> develop people within the<br />

company rather than instituting<br />

an external search.<br />

Depending on the size of<br />

your company, you may want<br />

<strong>to</strong> implement leadership development<br />

programmes for high<br />

potential staff <strong>to</strong> develop their<br />

skills and give them a broader<br />

view of the company.<br />

High potential staff typically<br />

are conscientious, ambitious,<br />

swampy areas of the Dhofar<br />

coast.<br />

Indian School Students<br />

<strong>to</strong>ok part in the first phase<br />

guided by Badr al Balushi,<br />

Head of Wetlands. In this<br />

stage soaked seeds of mangrove<br />

trees (kept six hours<br />

in water) were planted in the<br />

plastic bags filled with soil by<br />

the nursery.<br />

Since these types of<br />

mangrove trees (Avicennia<br />

Marina) provide shelter for<br />

certain species of migra<strong>to</strong>ry<br />

birds like Flamingos, Western<br />

Reef Heron, Garganey, European<br />

Teal etc, the organisers<br />

have arranged for special bird<br />

watching telescopes and binoculars<br />

<strong>to</strong> watch these species.<br />

Salinity test was conducted<br />

and shown <strong>to</strong> the students.<br />

Eco caps were distributed<br />

<strong>to</strong> the students. The President<br />

of the school management<br />

committee Cyril Samuel and<br />

the Principal TR Brown appreciated<br />

the effort of the Eco<br />

club.<br />

LEADERSHIP CORNER<br />

Leadership is lifting a<br />

person’s vision <strong>to</strong> high<br />

sights, the raising of a<br />

person’s performance<br />

<strong>to</strong> a higher standard,<br />

the building of a<br />

personality beyond its<br />

normal limitations.<br />

— Peter Drucker<br />

committed and invested in the<br />

vision of the company. They<br />

go well beyond expectations<br />

in their pursuit of completing a<br />

task or project. To retain these<br />

types of individuals, it’s essential<br />

<strong>to</strong> have a programme that<br />

challenges and rewards them<br />

for their efforts.<br />

Here are seven tips of how<br />

you can groom your high potential<br />

employees for success:<br />

1) Create an individual development<br />

plan. Work with<br />

your employees <strong>to</strong> create a<br />

plan that harmonises with their<br />

strengths, desires, interests and<br />

experience. The plan should<br />

include miles<strong>to</strong>nes, training<br />

requirements, resources and<br />

deadlines.<br />

2) Give them opportunities<br />

<strong>to</strong> move in<strong>to</strong> different roles<br />

and positions throughout the<br />

company <strong>to</strong> gain new expertise<br />

and perceptions. In meetings<br />

with them, find out what their<br />

viewpoints and recommendations<br />

are <strong>to</strong> determine if they<br />

are in alignment with your understanding.<br />

3) Stretch them by giving<br />

growth-oriented tasks that include<br />

some risk. Push them past<br />

their comfort zone and skill<br />

level. Provide an environment<br />

where failure is valued as a positive<br />

learning experience.<br />

4) Get them pared up with<br />

a suitable men<strong>to</strong>r. Ensure there<br />

are guidelines so both sides are<br />

well prepared. Initially the new<br />

‘partners’ should get <strong>to</strong> know<br />

each other and set the ground<br />

rules for their relationship,<br />

spelling out how often they<br />

will meet, how long the meetings<br />

will be and how they will<br />

communicate outside of those<br />

meetings. It’s beneficial for<br />

each of them <strong>to</strong> understand the<br />

other’s personality, style and<br />

background.<br />

5) Do regular assessments<br />

on the progress of the high potential<br />

candidates <strong>to</strong> verify that<br />

they are growing and stretching<br />

with adequate support. See that<br />

they receive regular feedback.<br />

Address any problems as they<br />

arise.<br />

6) Provide outside coaching<br />

and assessments. Allow the opportunity<br />

for these candidates <strong>to</strong><br />

freely discuss the challenges or<br />

say things that they may not say<br />

<strong>to</strong> an internal men<strong>to</strong>r.<br />

7) Understand that not every<br />

high potential candidate will<br />

have what it takes or the desire<br />

<strong>to</strong> become a leader. Continually<br />

be on the outlook for new candidates<br />

inside and outside of the<br />

company.<br />

As people go through the<br />

process, be willing <strong>to</strong> withdraw<br />

people from the programme<br />

when it becomes apparent that<br />

although they are good employees,<br />

they do not fit your future<br />

leadership requirements.<br />

Leaders must be able <strong>to</strong> deal<br />

with conflict and uncertainty.<br />

Use the above methods <strong>to</strong> see<br />

how your high potential candidates<br />

develop through the process.<br />

They will need an experimental<br />

mindset because some<br />

The government has been working<br />

hard <strong>to</strong> generate employment opportunities<br />

(106,000 jobs for <strong>Oman</strong>is over the<br />

course of 2012 and 2013). The private<br />

sec<strong>to</strong>r, which enjoys huge government<br />

projects and support, must complement<br />

the <strong>Oman</strong>isation programmes. The multinationl<br />

giants operating here need <strong>to</strong><br />

consider the gain they get from the government<br />

in terms of billions of rials worth<br />

of projects and incentives need <strong>to</strong> share<br />

the wealth and give some of it back <strong>to</strong> the<br />

community.<br />

— Ahmed<br />

Edi<strong>to</strong>r: <strong>Oman</strong>i graduates need jobs<br />

which is their basic right. They also need<br />

skills and incentives <strong>to</strong> build their own<br />

micro and small enterprises. The multinational<br />

companies need <strong>to</strong> share their<br />

wealth.<br />

New road projects<br />

IN the news item ‘Timeframe for<br />

project’ you have reported the<br />

implementation of the directives of His<br />

Majesty by the Muscat Municipality<br />

which will begin paving and constructing<br />

new internal roads in the Muscat<br />

decisions will work out and others<br />

won’t. Some projects will<br />

be successful and others won’t<br />

be. However, every decision<br />

and project should teach them<br />

something and it’s important <strong>to</strong><br />

know what they’ve learned and<br />

how they will serve the company.<br />

— Susan Bagyura is a leadership<br />

coach and business consultant.<br />

She works with aspiring<br />

entrepreneurs in the essentials<br />

of starting a business and developing<br />

the business mindset. Go<br />

<strong>to</strong> http://www.bizsuccesstraining.com/audios<br />

<strong>to</strong> hear the audio<br />

of this article in English.<br />

Governorate <strong>to</strong>talling 1,000 kilometres<br />

in the next few days. The project will be<br />

carried out within the timeframe set for<br />

the current Five-Year Plan which ends on<br />

2015. The Royal directives point <strong>to</strong> the<br />

paving of 533 kilometres <strong>to</strong> be added <strong>to</strong><br />

the already planned 467 kilometres, with<br />

the <strong>to</strong>tal number of new internal roads<br />

rising <strong>to</strong> 1,000.<br />

This year’s programme provides for<br />

the paving of 420 kilometres, with 160<br />

km in Seeb, 65 in Bausher, 20 in Muttrah,<br />

105 in Al Amerat and 70 in Qurayat.<br />

Next year’s programme provides 125<br />

km in Seeb, 38 km in Bausher, 20 km<br />

in Muttrah, 102 in Al Amerat and 35 in<br />

Qurayat.<br />

The implementation of these projects<br />

will usher in a great degree of flexibility<br />

in managing the rising volume of traffic.<br />

— Abdullah<br />

Edi<strong>to</strong>r: Road networks are a key<br />

part of the country’s infrastructure for<br />

progress. <strong>Oman</strong> has been spending considerable<br />

time and funds on roads which<br />

is good for the overall development of the<br />

country.<br />

Do you have a word of appreciation for any services you received? Or suggestions for improvement? <strong>Observer</strong> is giving you an opportunity <strong>to</strong> rant or rave<br />

about anything and everything around you: Please write <strong>to</strong>:<br />

Tel: 24649451, Fax: 24649469; e-mail: observerfeatures@gmail.com<br />

facebook.com/oman observer twitter.com/omanobserver<br />

Tanzania for <strong>Oman</strong>i investment in gas reserves<br />

By Hasan Kamoonpuri<br />

JOB Ndugai, Deputy<br />

Speaker of the Parliament<br />

of Tanzania, who recently<br />

visited <strong>Oman</strong> with a six-member<br />

delegation of parliamentarians,<br />

had “very positive and<br />

fruitful meetings with <strong>Oman</strong>i<br />

authorities” on developing relations<br />

between the two countries.<br />

After meetings with Shaikh<br />

Khalid bin Hilal al Maawali,<br />

Chairman, Majlis Ash’shura,<br />

Dr Yahya bin Mahfoudh al<br />

Mantheri, Chairman, Majlis<br />

Addawla, and other <strong>to</strong>p-ranking<br />

officials, Job Ndugai <strong>to</strong>ld<br />

the <strong>Observer</strong> that Tanzania<br />

holds great potential for investment<br />

in its oil and gas sec<strong>to</strong>r.<br />

The Tanzanian official said<br />

he was impressed by his visit<br />

<strong>to</strong> the Sultan Qaboos University<br />

library, Sultan Qaboos<br />

Grand Mosque and the newly<br />

built Majlis Ash’shura and<br />

Majlis Addawla. As many as<br />

60 per cent of the students at<br />

SQU are women and 15 women<br />

have been designated as<br />

member of Majlis Addawla, he<br />

said, adding that “the all round<br />

development and the use of oil<br />

revenues for building infrastructure<br />

under the leadership<br />

of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos<br />

are praiseworthy”.<br />

The Tanzanian guest said<br />

they could gain a lot from<br />

<strong>Oman</strong>’s experience in the oil<br />

and gas sec<strong>to</strong>r. Many African<br />

countries blessed with natural<br />

gas and oil resources are<br />

in chaotic conditions because<br />

of mismanagement. <strong>Oman</strong><br />

has managed <strong>to</strong> tap its natural<br />

resources for the good of the<br />

country, Ndugai added.<br />

<strong>Oman</strong>-Tanzania Business<br />

Council is <strong>to</strong> be formed in<br />

near future as a follow-up of a<br />

memorandum of understand-<br />

ing signed during the visit of<br />

Tanzanian President Jakaya<br />

Mrisho Kilwete <strong>to</strong> <strong>Oman</strong> last<br />

year.<br />

Job Ndugai said once the<br />

council is in place more investment<br />

opportunities could<br />

be explored for joint ventures<br />

in the two countries in addition<br />

<strong>to</strong> the Sultanate’s investment<br />

in the natural gas sec<strong>to</strong>r<br />

of Tanzania.<br />

Tanzania sits on recoverable<br />

natural gas reserves of<br />

over 33 trillion cubic feet (tcf).<br />

New discoveries are an indication<br />

that Tanzania is now becoming<br />

one of the natural gas<br />

hubs and a new frontier in oil<br />

and gas exploration in the east<br />

African region and the world<br />

at large, say experts.<br />

Tanzania hopes the gas<br />

finds would help <strong>to</strong> transform<br />

the country’s economy, which<br />

largely depends on farming,<br />

mining and <strong>to</strong>urism.<br />

He said Tanzania holds out<br />

great opportunities for investment<br />

in its lives<strong>to</strong>ck and fisheries<br />

sec<strong>to</strong>r, and farm production.<br />

Blessed with millions of<br />

hectares of fertile land, water<br />

and very suitable weather,<br />

Tanzania can be an ideal place<br />

for <strong>Oman</strong> <strong>to</strong> invest and grow<br />

its farm products <strong>to</strong> meet its<br />

requirements.<br />

Is winning,<br />

everything?<br />

Dr Rajan Philips<br />

rajanph@yahoo.co.uk<br />

THE other day I listened <strong>to</strong> a popular ABBA song,<br />

The Winner Takes it All. This single released in<br />

1980 from the group’s Super Trouper album won<br />

many awards and <strong>to</strong>pped the charts in several countries. I<br />

believe the context of the song was a broken relationship<br />

that ends in divorce.<br />

Bu the expression set me thinking in a different direction<br />

al<strong>to</strong>gether. My mind explored the notion ‘winner<br />

takes it all’ in relation <strong>to</strong> accomplishments in sports and<br />

in life.<br />

The excessive emphasis in sports on winning is a<br />

modern aberration. The statement “winning is the only<br />

thing that matters in sport” attributed <strong>to</strong> the American<br />

football coach Vince Lombardi, is gaining greater respectability.<br />

Coaches, players, managers and even some<br />

nations are prepared <strong>to</strong> take unethical path <strong>to</strong> glory and<br />

success. Athletes are prepared <strong>to</strong> go <strong>to</strong> any lengths. Unfair<br />

means like use of performance-enhancing drugs, or<br />

match fixing are common occurrences.<br />

Take a chance till you are caught seems <strong>to</strong> be the policy.<br />

Fair play and true sportsmanship takes a back seat.<br />

The reasons are obvious. The stakes are high — wealth,<br />

fame and power. Caution and scruples are thrown <strong>to</strong> the<br />

winds. The losers miss out on the rich spoils of the game.<br />

Contracts of players who do not deliver are not renewed.<br />

Coaches are summarily sacked for the below par performance<br />

of teams.<br />

However, such an attitude <strong>to</strong>wards the game does not<br />

augur well for sports in the long run. Winning by devious<br />

means must be recognised as an unacceptable hollow<br />

vic<strong>to</strong>ry.<br />

The disgraceful fall from the pinnacle of fame of<br />

super athletes like Ben Johnson, Lance Armstrong, Tiger<br />

Woods prove this beyond doubt. Yet, it is a pity that<br />

sports stars continue <strong>to</strong> chase instant success risking their<br />

careers and health.<br />

Sadly, the obsession with instant success has percolated<br />

every sphere of public and personal life of celebrities<br />

and common folk alike. Don’t we read regularly<br />

of unethical business practices, including recent spate of<br />

criminal tampering of expiry dates of essential commodities?<br />

Or of political leaders who rig elections <strong>to</strong> cling<br />

on <strong>to</strong> power?<br />

It is high time we redefine ‘success’. Winning and<br />

losing must be accepted as a natural element in the process<br />

of building our careers and character. Then we can<br />

draw valuable lessons from the very process of losing —<br />

lessons that spur us <strong>to</strong> grow in<strong>to</strong> better human beings.<br />

Unhealthy competition and rat race in academic, business<br />

and social realms must cease. Parents’ urge <strong>to</strong> goad<br />

their children <strong>to</strong> out shine their peers must be bridled.<br />

They must accept the reality of individual differences<br />

and aptitudes. They must support and encourage their<br />

wards <strong>to</strong> achieve their innate potential.<br />

In the endeavour <strong>to</strong> excel, the key question <strong>to</strong> ask is:<br />

‘As we move forward, are we better than we were before?<br />

Not: ‘Are we better than X, Y or Z’? If we can gain<br />

this balanced state of mind we are already winners.<br />

‘Everyone is a winner’ is the mot<strong>to</strong> of the Paralympics.<br />

Rightly so. Those valiant athletes triumph over incredible<br />

adversities <strong>to</strong> run the race of life with courage<br />

and confidence. They teach us that winning a medal isn’t<br />

everything and losing is not the end of the world.<br />

We must take a leaf out of the lives of such inspiring<br />

examples. That’s the way <strong>to</strong> escape our obsession for<br />

instant and unethical success and live a life of honest endeavour,<br />

contentment and joy.<br />

Quotes:<br />

Success is nothing more than doing what you can<br />

do, well.<br />

— HW Longfellow<br />

Try not <strong>to</strong> become just a man of success but a man<br />

of value.<br />

— Albert Einstein

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