is our money being wasted?

How many times has anyone seen the restructuring of Muttrah Corniche area in the last 30 years?

How many times have the public authorities changed and changed and changed the lighting style of the highway?

Those are but a few questions of what this topic aims to raise awareness to.

You will have noticed that of late there has been an increase of 'special' taxes that perhaps no one in Oman knows about except those who go and visit 5-star establishments and tourist spots. The 12% tax that comes down to many other taxes of which part of it is for the Muncipality, another is for tourism purposes and lastly just plain business tax.

It may not come down as much on the final consumer of the product/service.

But let's look at it from another perspective.

This tax money that accumilates over the months and years rises up to a huge amount that is used by the many establishments that caretake these funds from these companies. And when you find out that a certain organization - like Muscat Muncipality, here - you start to question their methods of spending their money even though that the cash that you helped maked is a measely amount compared to the money raised by official govermental organizations.

The point that I am attempting to get to is this: if I am indirectly spending money into the economy's drive for restructuring such as the two examples given at the beginning of this topic, shouldn't I at least be notified of such projects to see how I would approve of it or not?

I may be just one individual who feels like this. But if every one individual felt like this, would you treat us all the same way?

Disclaimer: This topic is by no means meant to point fingers at anyone but is here to make an example of how the writer feels that there should be more transparency in the modern world we now live in.