People are being laid off everywhere -yes even here in Muscat where figures of authority have reiterated that nothing is wrong with the state of the economy. May be there isn't. Quite possibly there isn't - not just yet. Companies are doing what they have always done in times of 'recession' - use it to weed out the non-performers or people made redundant because a business line didn't quite pan out the way it was expected to. Towell Auto is supposed to have laid off in excess of 40 people - business is low as we know with all the auto companies. The Zubair group is not renewing contracts of well-fed staff, Oxy has laid off over 100. Oxy's story started with reports of 30 villas in Shatti coming up for rent and then, as it always does in Muscat, the news gathered momentum and 'substance'. How much of this is true? Some of it certainly - perhaps not all.

The question though that one really needs to ask these 'much-respected' companies is instead of giving away hundreds of thousands to the football players, since you are crying about a slowdown couldn't you have reinvested this cash in your lines of business? Then, may be, just may be, those guys you sent home would still have a job. Don't get me wrong - the football team deserves all it got and more possibly - but not from these people. Muriya gave away homes - and I am thrilled especially for Ali al Habsi - come on guys - how about delivering to the people who put in their hard-earned cash in to your project which is nothing but a few holes in the ground now?

The media is doing its job as brilliantly as ever - publish huge pictures and articles about such magnanimous gestures and faithfully carry press reports of how no on is in trouble. Well done - we know we can depend on you to present the facts!