Oman: Majlis A'Shura calls for review of SME hiring policy
The issue was raised in an urgent statement by Mohammed Nasser al Mahrouqi, representative of the wilayat of Sinaw, during a session chaired by H E Khalid bin Hilal al Maawali on Tuesday.
Mahrouqi said the directive caught many micro, small and medium-sized businesses by surprise, noting that the mandatory hiring requirement, coupled with a minimum monthly salary of RO325, poses a heavy financial burden particularly on firms in rural areas.
While expressing support for Omanisation, Mahrouqi called for a more comprehensive and evidence-based national employment strategy. He urged exemption for micro and small enterprises and phased implementation of the directive in medium-sized enterprises.
In another urgent statement, Mohammed Khamis al Husseini, representative from Samail, highlighted the poor performance of several food security projects despite significant state investment. He attributed the failure to flawed feasibility studies, bureaucratic inefficiencies and weak management.
Husseini called for a full review of government-supported food security initiatives and recommended restructuring, partnerships with strategic investors or liquidation of underperforming entities. He noted the increasing importance of domestic food production amid rising global supply constraints and export restrictions.
The session approved two key draft laws with amendments – the Arbitration Law in Civil and Commercial Disputes and the draft Real Estate Registry Law – both referred by the government.
Dr Ahmed Ali al Saadi, Chairman of the Legislative and Legal Committee, said the amendments to the arbitration law aim to streamline procedures, enhance fairness and align Oman's legal framework with international standards.
He added that the Real Estate Registry Law will modernise the sector by introducing electronic documentation and ownership systems to ensure transparency and efficiency, while integrating the sector with Oman's broader digital infrastructure.
The session also approved a report by the Public Services and Utilities Committee regarding a draft air transport agreement between Oman and the Kyrgyz Republic. Hamoud Ahmed al Yahyai, chairman of the committee, said the agreement would enhance civil aviation cooperation and support trade and tourism links.
Other draft laws reviewed included the National Spatial Data Law, Unified Industrial Regulation for GCC Countries and the draft Sports Bodies Law. The shura is scheduled to reconvene on Wednesday to review the draft Civil Society Institutions Law.
© Apex Press and Publishing Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
6 hours ago
- The National
Money & Me: ‘Starting a company helped me attain financial independence'
Deepika Nahata became an entrepreneur when she identified a pain point for many working households: doing the laundry. Partnering with a close relative, she launched WashOn Laundry as a family business in Dubai just before the Covid-19 pandemic. The company caters to individuals and businesses such as hotels, salons and gyms, and offers additional services such as shoe cleaning, bag restoration, cleaning of carpets, curtains and sofas. She credits running the business for five years with giving her financial independence and more autonomy in taking decisions on money matters. 'We initially thought we had taken the wrong decision, but consistency and attention to customers' requirements are the only secret to success,' says Ms Nahata, 36, who is from the north-eastern Indian state of Assam. WashOn, which is based in Dubai Investment Park, has now grown to 100 employees. Ms Nahata has been living in Dubai for the past 10 years and currently lives in Murooj Al Furjan with her husband, who is a software engineer, two sons aged 10 and 2, and her in-laws. She is a commerce graduate and holds a chartered accountant internship. Did wealth feature in your childhood? What did you learn from it? I was raised as a saver. Whenever I asked for pocket money, my mother would advise me to separate my needs from my wants. I didn't realise it then, but that simple lesson has changed the way I think about money. The habit of saving has helped me tide over emergencies. Saving and reinvesting our profits back into the laundry business have helped us to enhance our way of working by updating equipment and expanding our service offering. I only choose to spend on things that add value and offer me something in return. How did you first earn? The first income I earned was for my CA internship, making 5,000 Indian rupees ($57.8) per month in 2012. Following the internship, my employer shifted me to a full-time role on a monthly pay of 20,000 rupees. Any early financial jolts? I remember one time when I had started working in India and my parents travelled out of town. The washing machine in my house broke down and I had no money to pay the technician. I had to borrow money from my neighbour. That was a wake-up call because I had no savings and was spending all my income going out with friends. How do you grow your wealth? Through reinvesting profits back into my business. I am a smart spender and only invest in things that add value. I don't spend lavishly on parties or luxuries, instead I'm focused on doing things that add value to my working life. Have you been wise with money? Yes, it's been five years since we founded WashOn. The time, care and effort we have put into growing it are paying us back, not just in terms of revenue but also in terms of the experience and lessons from running the business. What has been your best investment? Building our business. We started the venture from scratch. But now we are able to provide employment to 100 people and sustain their livelihoods. That gives us pride and joy. Any cherished purchases? Only the new equipment that we have purchased to improve efficiencies and add value to our laundry business. Any financial advice for your younger self? Don't wait to be financially ready. Whenever you feel like starting a business or doing something on your own, start small but at least make a start. When my co-founder and I decided to start the business, we had a lot of doubts, but we didn't want to be financially dependent on someone else. There were many financial challenges as well and the prospect of taking risk. I am quite risk averse. But we decided to take the plunge. As it's a family business and we didn't want to take on loans, we tapped into family savings. We started with five to six employees and today we have more than 100 workers and there's been a huge increase in our business revenue. Any key financial milestones? Running the business has helped us gain financial independence and also given us decision-making powers. Earlier, we had to take our husbands' consent on important financial matters. Now, my co-founder and I are financially savvy and take crucial decisions ourselves. What luxuries are important to you? Spending quality time with family. What are your financial goals? I want to grow WashOn to a level where we can provide our services all over the UAE. Currently, we are focused on Dubai only.
The National
6 hours ago
- The National
Pictures of the week: From sunning carpets in Antalya to diving into the Euphrates
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East. 'Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,' she explains. 'Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer's discretion and require approval.' If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
The National
13 hours ago
- The National
New level of clarity on US trade tariffs
Doing business with the US now comes with a 15 per cent price tag for 40 countries
