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Question: I would like to know how sarooj was mined and the baking process, what was added (crushed shells? gravel? binding agents?) and how sarooj production varied over time.

Answer:
It has taken me quite a while to trace some information in English.

I found it ultimately in a book by Maria Biancifiori, written in Italian originally. She finished the book in dedication to her brother Giuseppe, who worked on the restoration of Omani monuments from 1985 until he died in 1991. The title of the book is 'Works of Architectural Restoration in Oman.'

It is now out of print and only comes on to the second hand market rarely. You could try looking for it at www.abebooks.com although theoretically, you ought to be able to contact the Ministry of (National) Heritage and Culture for the information. I do not know whether the ministry would have the information available in English.

This extract comes from page 24 of the chapter on Materials and Techniques. The writer noted that it had been essential to speak to older members of the community who were the only ones who remembered the technique.

"The Ministry of National Heritage and Culture in Oman took care of the production of about 50% of the sarooj necessary for the projects described.

The raw material is the clayey earth taken from a date palm plantation, usually not far from the site of the building to be restored; in fact, the use of local earth is necessary in order to obtain in the restoration a structure and colour as similar as possible to the original.

This salt-free earth is mixed with water and made into flat cakes.

'Making sarooj is quite a procedure, but one which everyone enjoys - almost like children making mud pies.'

The cakes are put in the sun to dry and then carefully stacked, separated by wadi pebbles, on an enormous, carefully constructed pyre of date palm trunks. The whole structure is then covered with earth to form an airtight seal and the pyre is lit. The firing process lasts about a week. When the fire has died down, the mound is left for a few days to cool. The external layer of earth is then removed and all the residue, including the ashes, is ground to a powder which, when mixed with water, becomes sarooj.

When dry, sarooj takes on various tones of yellow ochre according to the zone of production.

Chemically, sarooj is similar to a hydraulic cement."

Sarooj with higher silicate content is a much better product for restoration. Early efforts to use cement plaster were very unsatisfactory, so cement is not a substitute for sarooj.

There is no indication of the exact chemical composition of clays used as the basis for sarooj, and neither is there a description of the temperatures required for baking the sarooj bricks, nor the amounts of water and ground sarooj needed to make the plaster.

Question

I noticed the Sultan of Oman has given amnesty to 95 Omani inmates for Eid and 405 inmates for Ramadan. Are you aware of a source to obtain a list of names for those released?

Answer

Sadly, no. It would have been nice to see statistics for the type of previous conviction, and also the nationality of all those released, although I note that you quote Omani inmates. Were any expatriates released and were they deported subsequently, for example? But it's nice to see an amnesty.

I would imagine that foreign diplomatic officers in Muscat might have a good idea.

Question

How is it in Salalah in dec. january???

Answer

Here are the average weather figures for Salalah for December and January from Yahoo Weather.

December	29.0° C	19.0° C	0.00 cm rain
January	28.0° C	18.0° C	0.00 cm rain

Note that the Muscat Festival runs from January to February. The Khareef Festival in Salalah runs from mid-July to end August. The festival websites are usually in Arabic.

This is the BBC page showing average weather conditions for Muscat.

MSN weather pages have a lot of information. This is the weather and climate for Salalah.

Question

I am looking for certain info regarding Oman.

Primary and secondary research on the property development market in Muscat covering:

Number and scope of developments by category, type ,location, scope, value and delivery date

An overview of the impact of the above on the Bandar Jissah project strategy, target market/scope and timing of delivery

A study of the existing residential, commercial and retail stock against planned projects and the impact on market pricing and take up projections over the next 5 years.

An overview of the logistical and strategic impact of planned developments on primary and secondary infrastructure, human resources and delivery mechanisms

Answer

The short answer is that I don't know if this research exists.

If anyone out there does know, please leave a comment, or contact me.

All Royal Decrees are published in Arabic, in the Legal Gazette, by the Ministry of Legal Affairs:

Ministry of Legal Affairs
P. O. Box 578
Ruwi
PC 113

Tel: +968 24605802 / +968 24605697

There is also an index, presumably also obtainable from the Ministry, but I'm not sure if it lists the decrees in English as well.

The Arabic version of a Royal Decree always takes precedence over any translation.

I checked all this with a legal firm in Muscat. The company does not know if there is an online version, but I would doubt it.

This could change if government plans to offer services digitally go through. There is no forecast date for this.

The law firm suggested that if anyone wanted a translation of a Royal Decree, it could recommend a translator.

-----Original Message-----

Can you tell me if the RDs you post here are published in the Gazette and if so where I could access the Gazette online?

Question
What are the telephone numbers or fax numbers of:

1) Royal Guard of Oman (RGO) Pension Fund
2) Public Authority for Social Insurance (PASI)
3) PDO Pension Fund (Petroluem Development Fund)
4) Ministry of Civil Service Pension Fund
5) Internal Security Services Pension Fund
6) Diwan of Royal Court Pension Fund

Answer
International dialling code: +968

Royal Guard of Oman Finance Department

Finance Department 24 623888; 24 623429
or 24 637333 for switchboard

--------------------

Public Authority For Social Insurance

Switchboard 24 7713757
The Executive Vice President 24 7713981
Director of Investment Dept 24 7713817

-------------

PDO Pension Fund
P.O. Box: 81
P/C. 113
Muscat
Sultanate of Oman

Fax: 968 24677162

-----------------

Civil Service Employees Pension Fund
Switchboard 24 696000; 24696035

Director General of Civil Service Employees Pension Fund 24 698484
Investment Expert 24 695121
Director of Administration & Finance Affairs 24 693624
Director of Pension Calculation Dept 24 695340
Director of Pension Dept 24 695010

-----------------

Internal Security Service
All offices in Muscat 24 600800

pension fund not specifically quoted

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Diwan Of Royal Court Pension Fund

Pension Fund 24 737240; 24 737239; 24 736929
Executive President 24 738245

---------------------

If in doubt, you could ask:

Ernst and Young
PO Box 1750
Ruwi
PC 112
Muscat

6th floor
Bank Dhofar Building
Muttrah Business District
Muscat

Phone: 24 703105
Fax: 24 702734
Email: muscat.om@ey.com
www.ey.com/me

The International Trade Centre publishes figures for imports of waste paper between 2000-2004. There are no figures for exports from Oman.

Contact details for a company that deals with waste paper in Al Amerat near Muscat:

Company:Khalfan Hamood Ahmed Trdg & Transport
Location: Al Amirat
Address: P.O. BOX 883, Postal Code: 111CPO
Contact: Tel: +968 24876747 / +968 24875720 /+968 99330658 Fax: +968 24875720
Email: zenath@omantel.net.om www: www.eta-ascon.com
Key Personnel: Said I Hussain - Manager
Business Hours: Sat - Thu 8-1 4-7

The website appears to be linked to a UAE group, and didn't work particularly well for me.

I rather like this Recycling website which enables buyers and sellers of waste paper to contact each other, but has no specific information about Oman.

In fact, there seem to be several companies that can help you find trade leads, if that is what you are looking for. Just search Google for "waste paper" Oman.

If it's information about waste paper generally that you want, you might find help from the Environment Society of Oman.

-----Original Message-----

Sent: 20 March 2006 12:37

we are a group of company would like to know the complete study of waste paper generated in Oman.

A ministerial decision is not the same as a Royal Decree, but is binding in law, providing it does not conflict with another Royal Decree. The Arabic version of such decrees always has precedence over any translation.

I don't know whether there was a Royal Decree that stipulated that " Regulations for the Discharge of Liquid Effluents to the Marine Environment" was specifically to be devised.

Here is a list of relevant Royal Decrees I don't think that it's a complete list, because it does not list earlier regulations of which I am aware, often because Royal Decrees often declare that any earlier legislation becomes invalid.

The government agency with responsibility for marine pollution is the Ministry of Regional Municipalities, Environment and Water Resources.

This is a list of their publications although I did not see any mention of ministerial regulations. It might be worthwhile trying to contact the directorate-general of the environment by email , or even by telephone +968 24693666 (main switchboard).

Should that avenue not be helpful, you could try contacting the Environment Society of Oman, since someone there might be able to help you.

Oman has been participating in ROPME, the Regional Organisation for Protection of the Marine Environment since 1978. See also this site from UNEP.

-----Original Message-----
22 February 2006 13:09

I have been doing research on a Ministerial De cree (MD159/2005), is this the same as a Royal Decree?

I would greatly appreciate it if you were able to point me in the right direction. The title is, "Regulations for the Discharge of Liquid Effluents to the Marine Environment".

Also see United Dates to supply raw material for India's first date-syrup plant

I found this on the web:

United Dates Factory Co LLC
PO Box 72
PC 116 Mina Al Fahal
Oman

Phone : 968 24596746
Fax : 968 24596763
Email : udfll@omantel.net.om

A news headline from the Times of Oman of 22nd April 2006 said that United Dates, owners of ‘Golden Dates’ had just launched two additions to its products — date ‘Fruitee’ and ‘Mocca’ (coffee) date.

B C Lincoln, marketing manager of the company, wrote on 22nd April to tell me that "Date Fruitee is a pack of assortment of 6 exotic flavors of Orange, pineapple,raspberry,mango,strawberry& pistachio mixed with the finest date puree and coated with milk chocolate Mocca date is coffee flavored date coated with milk chocolate"


hello,
I would like to know more details regarding United Dates Factory Company LLC.
How do I find information (even telephone number)?

Thanks in advance,
Inbal

I am recording the answers to questions that I have received and answered about Oman in this particular blog. The information may be helpful to others.

Contact me.