WASTA: Vitamin W, Oman's Hidden Force

Are you tired of standing in line at the ROP office to get your housemaid's visa renewed? Do you want to receive a humongous salary without doing any work? How about getting your lazy son a job at one of the country's most prestigious organisations without so much as a job interview? You can have all of the above. It's easy, trust me. All you need is one tool wasta.

;

I don't think there is one person in Oman regardless of their nationality who isn't familiar with the word. Also nicknamed Vitamin W, wasta can have several meanings, but I think the easiest way to define the term is 'using someone’s influence to achieve certain objectives.' This can include anything from expediting official paperwork to passing your exams.

.

It is arguably the most valuable form of currency in much of the Arab world, far more effective than bribes, and sometimes more effective than laws and rules. For many it is more important than anything you can put down in your CV. It has become so effective that most people now feel that getting anything done smoothly and quickly requires wasta. In Salalah, everyone seems to have wasta. The reason for this, I'm sure, is that tribal connections are stronger here in the South.

.

I've been trying to write about wasta since I first started this column in 2009. Due to the sensitivity of the issue, I decided to spare my mother the worry and avoid the subject. However, now that there are protests all over Oman demanding an end to wasta and financial corruption, I'm guessing it's safe to briefly highlight the issue.

l

It's embarrassing to think that one of the first words non-Arabs pick up when they get to Oman is 'wasta.' It all starts with getting your apartment, car, driver’s license, labour card, phone number, etc.

;

You may even start convincing yourself that it's harmless. Don't be fooled. It may be useful sometimes, but have you thought about the damage it can do to those who don't have it? An example of such damage would be a straight A student from a poor family in the interior whose well deserved government funded scholarship to the UK was taken by some rich kid with the right connections.

;

I went through a brief stint in recruitment a few years ago , and I absolutely hated the job. For example, we would interview five qualified young men for a job, and one of them would outshine the others completely. Naturally, the recruitment team would immediately recommend that person for the position. However, things would change overnight, and a sixth name would mysteriously appear on the list.

;

After doing a little research, we'd discover that he's the son of the boss' cousin's friend. No, he's not qualified, and yes, he gets the job. That's how wasta works. I don't think I can ever go back to the field of recruitment in Oman, simply because I cannot stand to see another bright candidate get turned away yet again because he doesn't have the right connections.

;

Not only is it unfair to all the job-seeking qualified candidates out there, but it also creates an incompetent workforce. In a competitive world, wasta should no longer be relevant, but sadly it still is.

'

Each one of us has, at one time or the other, needed help to get something done quickly. Some forms of wasta are mostly harmless, like arranging for a private hospital room for your mother or getting a cool license plate number for your car. That happens all over the world. However, the minute it begins to control big things like whether you get a job or skip your jail sentence, it becomes unfair.
;

Wasta is an ingrained phenomenon in our society that will take generations of hard work to eradicate. However, I choose to remain optimistic. With the recent movement for change in Oman, I'm sure many wasta-related cases will be brought to light.

;

In the meantime, I encourage you to get rid of wasta in your own personal dealings. Stand up to people who believe that their family name entitles them to concessions, and have a little faith in rules and procedures. I'm willing to sign a pledge to give up wasta for good. Who will join me?

.

Published - Muscat Daily - 10/05/2011

Protests in Salalah: What do we want?

Published Monday February 28th, 2011
.

On most days my office windows look out onto beautiful mountains, palm trees, pretty government buildings, and quiet Salalah traffic. This week, however, the view is a little more interesting. It includes protesters, banners, tents and police vehicles.

.

 A few weeks ago I would have laughed off the mere thought of an uprising in Oman, let alone the peaceful town where I live. Nonetheless, on Friday hundreds of protesters marched from the Grand Mosque in Salalah to the central area of town where most government offices are.

.

Banners with clear demands were plastered to the gates of the Minister of State's headquarters and the protesters set up camp for the night opposite the gates. It has been four days already and from what I can see it doesn't look like they're going anywhere soon. Not only have they increased in numbers, but they've actually set up one of the most organized protest camps I have ever seen. The quiet collection of donations and the distribution system for food and water is something to be admired. When I drove by last night, the protesters were sitting in groups, talking quietly.

.

So what is it that they want? Well, some of the demands seem perfectly realistic and feasible to me, whereas others may seem a little ambitious for the time being (canceling all personal and housing loans?). First and foremost, protesters are demanding an end to administrative and financial corruption in the government and private sector. Believe it or not, Omanis finally want to crack down on wasta (influence). I never thought I'd see the day.

.

 Other major demands include the need for more jobs, higher wages, and lower prices for basic commodities such as water and electricity. Do I blame them? No. I live a comfortable life but all around me I see people who live from paycheque to paycheque. Most people I know are in debt, and by the end of the month many of them don't have money to even buy petrol or groceries. Countless young people I know with university degrees are unable to find employment anywhere. Other demands include better healthcare and a complete revamp of the public schooling system. The list has been posted on every local internet forum and is being sent around in the form of emails and SMS.

..

Before getting all excited about the protest drama, I find it's extremely important to make a clear distinction between the situation in Oman and recent events that have taken the Middle East by storm. We cannot in any way compare ourselves to the people of Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. It's completely irrelevant. Omanis have much to be thankful for. We live in peaceful country which has come a long way since His Majesty took over 40 years ago and we are truly blessed. With these current protests, Omanis are simply demanding changes to a few government policies.

.

 The exaggeration I've seen in the international media regarding the protests in Oman is uncalled for. Simply put, Omanis are peaceful people who have recently discovered that protests actually work. Does that mean our protesters should become violent? No. Should we drop everything and go out into the streets? Absolutely not!

.

I'm a young Omani woman with very little experience in politics or anything of the sort, but I do know one thing; if we establish clear goals and collectively work towards them, they can be achieved. I'm hoping Oman can become a shining example of how protests should end up; in a win-win situation. We can't demand an end to government corruption unless we as individuals stop depending on wasta ourselves on a much smaller scale. We cannot demand more jobs unless we prove that we are willing to really go out and work. There are definitely jobs out there but in many cases Omanis are too proud to go out and become shopkeepers or join other occupations which they consider to be beneath them. The age of comfortable office jobs for everyone is over.

.

Oman is not a huge country with an overwhelming population. With less than two million citizens, it's definitely possible to work together in order to make positive changes. If we have the right attitude, change can happen. It'll be interesting to see how the situation unfolds, but deep inside me I hope Omanis realize that by being proactive, lots can be achieved. Fingers crossed.