OPAZ engages with local community via ‘Tajawob' platform
MUSCAT, JUNE 2
The Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) engaged with several suggestions, complaints, reports and inquiries submitted via the national platform 'Tajawob' until the end of May. A total of 44 requests were received, including 12 suggestions, 10 complaints, 20 inquiries and 2 reports, reflecting a growing interaction aimed at enhancing public participation tools.
Dr Ahmed bin Saif al Mamari, Acting Director of Customer Services Department at OPAZ, confirmed that all requests received via the platform have been given due attention since its launch in late February. Complaints were handled within record timeframes, with the shortest response time recorded at under 10 minutes and the longest at two days. Most inquiries focused on investment procedures, company registration and investor visas. Complaints, meanwhile, were referred to the relevant departments for resolution.
He stated that the received suggestions were diverse, including the development of incubators in industrial cities, enhancement of the tourism front in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm (SEZAD), and the renaming of certain industrial cities under the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (Madayn). All suggestions have been referred to the relevant departments within the Authority and the zones it supervises for study and evaluation.
Al Mamari also mentioned that some of the submissions received via the platform included innovative proposals, reflecting the level of public engagement with global technological and scientific advancements. One notable suggestion involved utilising the advancements in drone technology for the transport sector, which was referred to a specialised consultancy, while technical experts in the zone provided their input directly to the proposer.
The Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones affirmed that the national platform for suggestions, complaints, reports and inquiries, will contribute to strengthening community partnership and effective communication, as well as improving the business environment through continuous engagement, high transparency and prompt responsiveness.
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