Times of Oman - December 12, 2016

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MONDAY December 12, 2016 12 Rabi Al Awal 1438 AH

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HM SENDS GREETINGS

FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN

MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of congratulations to President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya on his country’s Independence Anniversary. In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan has wished him good health and happiness, and the people of Kenya further progress and prosperity. —ONA >See also A2

On the occasion of celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Arab League, 1995

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’ The Sultanate of Oman, since joining the Arab League on 29th September 1971, is acting in accordance with its wellknown, frank and plain convictions to support the efforts aimed at achieving a joint Arab action. It also confirms the importance of activating the role played by the various bodies of the Arab League in all fields in order to come up with positive results in the interests of all Arabs.

Founded 1975 . Volume 41 No. 241 | 24 Pages . Baisas 200 . Subscription OMR63 | ISO 9001:2008 Certified Company | Chairman/Editor-in-Chief: Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali | Printed & Published by Muscat Media Group

TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

Admit it...where were you yesterday?

OMAN

Temperature dips, fog, clouds in north

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People in northern areas of Oman are witnessing a dip in temperature with cloudy skies and foggy conditions. >A3

REGION

25 killed, 49 injured in Cairo bombing

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A bombing at Cairo’s largest Coptic cathedral killed at least 25 people and wounded 49. >A4

MARKET

MSM recovers on non-OPEC oil cut deal File photo

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Oman and other Gulf bourses recovered after non-OPEC exporters agreed to cut oil production.>B1

Offices were deserted as many people skipped work on Sunday to enjoy a longer break

Staff Reporters MUSCAT: Deserted roads and largely empty offices greeted those residents who went to work yesterday, as many opted for a long weekend and some companies gave employees Sunday off

MORNING MINUTE

instead of Monday. “Around 70 per cent of Omanis who work in the private sector stay far away from Muscat. They come to Muscat on Sunday mornings and leave on Thursday evenings. “Since the holiday fell on Monday, they decided to skip work

on Sunday,” Ahmed Al Hooti, an Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) member, said. Al Hooti added that it was difficult to expect people to return for one day’s work under such circumstances, after travelling hundreds of kilometres out of the city to be with extended family. He also suggested that holidays should be aligned with the weekend so that workflow is not affected. “If you give it today or tomorrow, what is the problem? We know our people. With these types of holidays, especially for

those who live in the interior, it is very difficult for them to come,” Al Hooti said. Tasleem Khan, chief executive officer and managing partner of Intelligent Parking and Elevator Company in Oman, agrees. “This is simply because the productivity of the people goes down and people are not willing to work for one day,” the CEO said. Fearing this, some offices gave Sunday off instead of Monday. “My company gave me the day off on Sunday but I will have to go back to work on Monday,” Sushil S, who works at a private com-

pany in Muscat, said. Rajeev KR, a senior official at an oil supply company, said that in the government sector, he witnessed low attendance. “I had some work at government offices today. Many seats were vacant. I couldn’t manage to get my work done today. It seems that they have bridged the leave,” Rajeev added. A sales representative working with a travel agency said it was a disappointing day as the majority of his clients were absent. “I couldn’t meet anyone today for payments,” the sales representative added. >A2

R A I S I N G AWA R E N E S S

National plan on children’s rights sought RAHUL DAS

2,169

rahuldas@timesofoman.com

Parks to close for Muscat Festival preparations

A3

MUSCAT: A national plan should be formulated by the government to raise awareness about children’s rights, the head of Oman’s Public Prosecution has told Majlis Al Shura members. Addressing the Shura on Saturday, Mohammed Al Marzouqi, head of the Public Prosecution, said teachers and children should be encouraged to report any signs of trauma or abuse. According to the Shura Council’s online report of the meeting, Al Marzouqi said some teachers were hesitant to report cases in-

crimes were committed by juveniles in Oman in the last five years, according to the ROP

volving children to social workers. “Who gave them the right to hide what can, if revealed, protect a child’s safety?” Al Marzouqi asked members, before urging authorities to formulate a national plan to increase awareness on the issue.

Victims of bullying or assault at schools should dial the free number 80077444 and report it, an official of the Royal Oman Police (ROP) said. Juveniles in Oman committed 2,169 crimes in the last five years, according to the ROP.

Some 35 per cent of those crimes were either theft or attempted robbery, the ROP official revealed during the Shura Council discussion. Further, approximately 18 per cent of the arrested juveniles are expatriates, it was reported. In 2015, 506 juvenile delinquents were arrested for a variety of offences, some of which are more commonly associated with adult, or career criminals. In 2014, 423 juveniles found themselves on the wrong side of the law, according to data from the Juvenile Affairs Department at the Ministry of Social Development. >A2

MINISTRY OF OIL AND GAS

Oman agrees to cut oil output by 45,000 barrels a day SYED HAITHAM HASAN

haitham@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Oman will slash its oil output as part of a production cut agreement hammered out by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) with independent producers in Vienna on Saturday. “Oman will cut oil production by 45,000 barrels a day, following an agreement reached by OPEC with independent producers outside the organisation,” a tweet by the Ministry of Oil and Gas read. The plan calls for a 4.5 per cent reduction in Oman’s total oil output, valued at almost OMR900 million, and will begin in January 2017. Oman’s oil production averaged one million barrels per day for the first time in history in 2016. According to the agreement, non-OPEC, or independent producers, will together cut output by 558,000 bpd, just short of OPEC’s expectations. OPEC had recently announced a production cut of 1.2 million barrels per day, and expected non-members to slash output by 600,000 bpd. Oil prices surged more than 15 per cent after OPEC’s November 30 announcement, and closed just below $55 per barrel last week. Experts predict the pact will push up oil prices.

Experts predict the agreement on cut in oil output will push up crude prices.

Kanaga Sundar, head of research at Gulf Baader Capital markets, believes that oil may rise to nearly $60. “We have already seen an increase in prices of oil since OPEC’s announcement, and with a deal between OPEC and non-OPEC we can see it rising close to $60 a barrel,” he said. All participating countries have agreed to cut their production by some four per cent of total output. Russia, which has pledged to slash production by 300,000 bpd, will account for the bulk of the output cut by independent producers. On the OPEC side, the largest cut, of nearly half a million bpd, will be by Saudi Arabia. Twelve non-OPEC members, including Azerbaijan, Bah-

rain, Bolivia, Brunei, Equatorial Guinea, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Sudan, and South Sudan, met with OPEC officials in Vienna on Saturday to complete the agreement. The agreement between the two sides was the first since 2001, in a bid to ease a global oil glut that has sent prices plunging from $100 per barrel in 2014, to below $30 in 2016, and threatened to push oil export-based economies into debt. According to Abdullah Al Mandhari, chief executive officer of Enhanced Oil Recovery Oman, the decision will allow Oman to add far more value to its oil and gas output and shift to more sophisticated extraction technologies at its oil fields. “Oman is blessed with many producing fields and we have a very experienced Minister of Oil and Gas. Reducing production in high production cost oil fields will easily be absorbed and, in fact, financially be more positive for the Sultanate when the income from low-production-cost oil fields is of higher margins due to this global agreement. “After all, it is not the number of barrels of oil that determines the Sultanate’s national income, but rather the overall difference in oil price against our oil production cost,” he said. >A2

SEAGULLS EYE FISHERMEN’S CATCH Hundreds of seagulls hover over the heads of fishermen on Sharqiya beach for their share of the prized catch. Having mercy on seagulls, the sailors have thrown a little fish to satiate their hunger. Photo-Henry Hilos


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