Lee and Molten, you guys are actually attesting to the fact that here in Qatar, connection counts more than qualification. Meaning that there is discrimination in the job market. Job seekers are constantly favored and disfavored because of skin color, where they hail from, religion etc. I have absolutely no problem with a qualified person creating a strong network or connection around him/her. In fact, that is a wisest thing to do if you are unemployed or eyeing a better opportunity.
However, the power of connection has been abused seriously by the government and private sector. Lots of ill-qualified people work in this country while some qualified people are jobless or underpaid. Few blacks will compare salaries with fellow whites, same as few Asians will compare salaries with Americans and Britons. Qatar is one of the most multicultural countries in the world but it irks me why many company administrators cannot sustain a conversation in English or worse still cannot speak English at all. It's sickening. I wonder if this is good for a developing country with such great ambitions.