Journalism here is a pretty tough job. Sure, thre is alleged freedom of the press but not so.
We have had reporters threatened with deportation for reporting on the sorry state of labor `camps', of course we are not allowed to mention the names of the big shots involved in the companies who have hired the workers living in the camps.
Our hotogs have had their cameras confiscated, film rolls taken out for taking a picture of a car accident, and no, no gruesome footage involved.
Ask a Ministry for any kind of information, you hit a brick wall. Sur they'll answer, but fax the questions to the ubiquitous PR departments of the said ministry, then find out they have lost the fax and then plase send it in Arabic. PR Depts at ministries here are meant to keep the press away and not help them.
Ask any expat oil exec about what's happening in the oil and gas sector, they'll keep mum and of course, have to get clearnace from houston or wherever first.
Ask a banker about the interest on a syndicated loan and hit a brick wall again. In fact, somone told me "If i tell, they'll kill me", whoever they are.
Now that would be a 200 point front-page headline in The Sun!
Journalism here is a pretty tough job. Sure, thre is alleged freedom of the press but not so.
We have had reporters threatened with deportation for reporting on the sorry state of labor `camps', of course we are not allowed to mention the names of the big shots involved in the companies who have hired the workers living in the camps.
Our hotogs have had their cameras confiscated, film rolls taken out for taking a picture of a car accident, and no, no gruesome footage involved.
Ask a Ministry for any kind of information, you hit a brick wall. Sur they'll answer, but fax the questions to the ubiquitous PR departments of the said ministry, then find out they have lost the fax and then plase send it in Arabic. PR Depts at ministries here are meant to keep the press away and not help them.
Ask any expat oil exec about what's happening in the oil and gas sector, they'll keep mum and of course, have to get clearnace from houston or wherever first.
Ask a banker about the interest on a syndicated loan and hit a brick wall again. In fact, somone told me "If i tell, they'll kill me", whoever they are.
Now that would be a 200 point front-page headline in The Sun!