MUSCAT // The police chief of Oman was fired yesterday in the latest in a string of high-profile dismissals handed down by Sultan Qaboos.
The move came as demonstrations continued in the country, with protesters demanding reforms and an end to corruption.
Lieutenant General Hassan bin Mohsin Al Shraiqi was named to replace Lieutenant General Malik bin Suleiman Al Maamary as Inspector General of the Police and Customs, the Oman News Agency said.
General Maamary, previously the minister of communications and transport, was a personal bodyguard of the Sultan in the 1980s and a close aide. Many say his removal stems from a failure to contain police forces that fired live bullets into a stone-throwing crowd on February 27, killing one protester in the industrial city of Sohar.
Some protesters have also blamed General Maamary for years of cover-ups that protected allegedly corrupt officials.
Fadhil Al Hosni, a protester outside the Shura Council headquarters in Muscat, said: "He abused his position as police chief by turning a blind eye to top officials who committed corruption. He simply had to go if we are to have a credible police force."
The dismissal has been viewed as a concession to the protesters, but anti-government hardliners are urging the Sultan tomake further changes.
Khalfan Al Abri, another protester in Muscat, said: "Our demands are being met one by one and we have to give the Sultan the credit for it. Maamary is the latest on our list of incompetent and corrupt officials that must go."
The Sultan on Sunday ordered the 154-member Council of Oman to recommend changes in the country's constitution that would give it legislative powers. The Council of Oman consists of the Shura Council, a body of elected officials, and the State Council, which is appointed by the Sultan. Until now, only the Sultan and his cabinet have held lawmaking powers.
In recent days, the Sultan has also boosted retirees' pensions by 50 per cent and doubled social security allowances.
Additionally, 10 cabinet ministers were dismissed last week and replaced by five elected members of the Shura Council. The move was hailed by protesters as a first step towards an elected government.
Two days after the riots in Sohar, the Sultan granted monthly unemployment benefits of 150 rials (Dh1,450) and later removed the head of state security and the minister of diwan of the royal court.
salshaibany@thenational.ae
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Other ways to buy used products in the UAE
UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.
Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.
Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.
For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.
Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.
At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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THE SPECS
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Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Los Angeles, from Dh4,975 return, including taxes. The flight time is 16 hours. Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Aeromexico and Southwest all fly direct from Los Angeles to San Jose del Cabo from Dh1,243 return, including taxes. The flight time is two-and-a-half hours.
The trip
Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic’s eight-day Whales Wilderness itinerary costs from US$6,190 (Dh22,736) per person, twin share, including meals, accommodation and excursions, with departures in March and April 2018.