In a development revealing the ongoing problems in managing the vital oil sector, multiple messages received by Zaman al-Wasl from within the Syrian Petroleum Company (SPC) have revealed widespread frustration among employees. This frustration stems from the return of individuals previously implicated in corruption networks to influential positions under the guise of "experience," amidst the systematic marginalization of honest and competent individuals.
Recycling Faces... and Experience as a Cover
According to the messages, signed by employees whose names are being withheld by Zaman al-Wasl, the company, established after the liberation of Syria, is now reproducing the same corrupt practices that plagued the sector for decades. This is being done by bringing in individuals who previously acted as brokers for companies accused of plundering oil wealth, such as the Qaterji and Maham companies, the Iranian Kamka companies, Russian companies, and sanctioned companies like al-Radawi.
In their message to the company's chairman, Youssef Qablawi, published by Zaman al-Wasl, the employees state: "We have no problem with specific individuals, but we do have a problem with a system that recycles known corrupt individuals under the guise of experience."
They add: "The work distribution mechanism reveals the extent of the disaster. Managers rely on mostly corrupt department heads who monopolize work, divide it according to their whims, and funnel it into committees to prevent qualified staff from receiving it."
Rewards without standards and the marginalization of the honest
The messages indicate that the reward system, which is mostly comprised of committee bonuses, has become a tool for corruption, a means of buying loyalty, and a way to perpetuate the old nepotism in a new guise. Unjustified rewards are given to specific individuals without clear criteria, while the truly qualified staff who work quietly are marginalized.
The messages describe what is happening as "a reproduction of the same corrupt individuals," adding: "After we removed the outer layers of the old system, the real gems—the honest and competent individuals—remain buried, while the corrupt are being recycled and rebranded."
A Legislative Vacuum Protecting Corruption
The correspondence reveals a deeper problem: the absence of any legal protection for whistleblowers. This is why the letter wasn't delivered directly to Qablawi. Employees say, "If I want to report corruption, what protects me? The bitter truth: nothing. There's no law protecting whistleblowers, no clear reporting mechanism, and no independent central committee."
Demands for a Central Committee and Whistleblower Protection
The employees called on Qablawi to personally intervene to rectify the situation, demanding:
1. The formation of a transparent and independent central committee to review the professional background of each employee, comprised of independent experts, and the issuance of periodic reports.
2. The establishment of a legal mechanism to protect whistleblowers, with secure communication channels and deterrent penalties for those who abuse their influence.
3. The adoption of objective criteria for evaluation, appointment, and salaries, to be made publicly available.
4. Monitoring the distribution of work, preventing monopolies, and holding accountable anyone found to be monopolizing tasks.
5. The launch of a genuine training program to transfer expertise to young and honest staff. 6. Hold regular meetings with staff members, separate from department heads.
The employees concluded their letter: "The opportunity to save the institution still exists, but it requires your personal intervention to stop the recycling of corrupt individuals and give a genuine chance to the honest staff who have remained outside the circle of corruption for decades."
Zaman Al Wasl
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