MUSCAT: The working team of the public and private partnership, Sharakah, organised at Al Wahat Club in Muscat on Tuesday a session titled ‘Enhancement of Spending Efficiency in the Sultanate: Better Achievement at Lower Cost,’ as part of the sessions organised by the team under the theme ‘Strengthening the Business Environment in the Sultanate.’ Nasser bin Khamis al Jashmi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Finance stressed the importance of this session due to its expertise and experience through reviewing Oman Telecommunications Company (Omantel) experience in reducing spending, or what is termed ‘better achievements at a lower cost.’ He pointed out that this case should be followed by institutions, whether in the public or private sectors to achieve more efficiency and effectiveness.
Al Jashmi said in a statement to ONA: “We need to listen to the experience of others to start where others have ended, to learn about what has been achieved and what were the failures to take advantage of the lessons, so that other institutions can avoid the negatives”. He highlighted the importance of constant review of spending, as well as reviewing the performance of institutions to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. Dr Ali bin Qassim bin Jawad, Studies and Research Adviser, at the Diwan of Royal Court who opened the session pointed out that Sharakah team has focused on a range of initiatives and working sessions that aim at enhancing the business environment in the Sultanate, both Government and private sectors.
The session included the experience of Omantel in the field of enhancing the efficiency of spending, which aimed to come up with proposals and recommendations that can be applied in the Sultanate and contribute to enhancing the efficiency of spending in the state-owned companies. Talal bin Said al Maamari, CEO of Omantel, gave a presentation on the efficiency programme, which was applied by the company and achieved positive results on the level of rationalisation of expenditure and revenue raise. The CEO of Omantel stressed in a statement to ONA the importance of organising such sessions, workshops and initiatives undertaken by Sharakah to share experience between the public and private sectors.
He pointed out that the partnership is necessary to come up with new mechanisms that modernise the operational processes, which fall under rationalisation, upgrading efficiency, as well as improving operational aspects related to the provision of service to the community, whether governmental or private service. The meeting concluded with a workshop that reviewed practical aspects of taking advantage of the possibility of such an experience in various sectors in the Sultanate. The session was attended by undersecretaries concerned with the business environment and members of the Boards of Directors of Government companies, in addition to CEOs of Government and private companies, members of Sharakah Team, as well as international experts and specialists in this field. — ONA
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