Oman Moves July 23 Holiday For Private Sector

Sources: Oman News Agency (ONA) and Oman public holidays (qppstudio.net). On the occasion of the July 23rd Blessed Renaissance Day, a decision issued yesterday by Sayyid Ali bin Hamoud Al Busaidi, minister of the Diwan of Royal Court and chairman of the Civil Service Council, made Wednesday, July 23, 2008, an official public holiday for the civil service (employees at ministries, public authorities and other departments of the state’s administrative apparatus). Combined with Oman's civil service Thursday/Friday weekly days off, this means that the civil service will be off for 3 consecutive days.

A corresponding decision, also issued yesterday, by Dr Jumah bin Ali bin Juma, minister of manpower, made Thursday, July 24, 2008, an official public holiday for employees of the private sector, in lieu of July 23, presumably to afford the private sector an extended 2-day weekend (the private sector in Oman only has 1 weekly day off, Fridays).