Visiting the past helps us understand the road ahead, its obstacles, and appreciate previous accomplishments. Infrastructure has always been the primary goal of moving Oman into the 20th century. Since the early days of the Renaissance, the country’s leadership has taken infrastructure development in Salalah and Muscat as part of its heart and mind strategy.
I discovered excerpts from a book shared with me about Oman's early development. It is a treasure trove of knowledge and narratives offered by construction company employees operating in Oman in the early 1970s.
Oman was never a British colony, but the close relationship has been well grounded in treaties of peace and friendship dating back to 1891. Other treaties have been signed subsequently, but for the time being, this article is about uplifting stories of challenges.
Expatriate manpower from Britain and other parts of Europe was coming in hundreds to construct buildings, roads, harbour, and other engineering projects. That was the time when the foundation for the construction of the Royal summer palace in Seeb was laid, and development projects throughout northern Oman were running fast. That was also when a music school building was planned, first in Muscat and then in Salalah. That was the start of the formation of military bands in the country.
According to excerpts, until the 1970s, music, singing, and dancing were prohibited, as were Western dress styles, cigarettes, newspapers, flashlights, umbrellas, and sunglasses!
Those wishing to ride bicycles had to obtain a permit, and those travelling abroad needed special permission. The city gates were ordered to close at sundown. What a long way we have come!
To think that not many decades ago, only one flight per week would come to Muscat, and that was from Bahrain when a Fokker F27 would land on an airstrip in Ruwi between two mountains and be considered one of the most interesting places to land.
The contractors' staff quarters were at the far end of the Ruwi airfield; they were not allowed to reside in Muscat. Companies would have offices and lodgings for their supervisors, while other employees would be housed in tents. It was a granted privilege for general managers to be allowed to live in Muscat.
Each foreign company operating in Oman was permitted to have only one of its expatriate employees accompanied by the wife. At that time, one dozen European spouses were residing in the contractors’ camp in Ruwi. Years later, some companies were permitted to have their staff in a block of flats in Mutrrah, overlooking the old Portuguese forts.
Companies were allowed one car and only Land Rovers. Travelling between Muscat, Mutrrah, and Ruwi required special clearance. That was also the time when donkey stations in Muscat were filled with piles of alfalfa for the donkeys, as they were the usual way of transport.
And yes, Spinneys has been in Oman for a long time. The Mutrrah Cold Store was the only place selling European food. Mutrrah already had a thriving souk of barasti-covered stalls selling fruits, vegetables, fishing, clothing, and gold. In those days, the US dollar was based on the gold standard at a rate of $35 per ounce of gold.
Communication was one of the most difficult aspects of doing business in Oman. Morse code was the means of contact between Muscat and Salalah. The technology was eventually upgraded to a telex machine that could not communicate with the outside world. The best time and, with a bit of luck, brief connections for messages to be transmitted were in the evening, depending on atmospheric conditions.
My treasure box is overflowing with notes, photographs, and old maps. Oman is full of amazing stories. It is a delight to review people’s narratives and share their interesting memories with you.
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