As we celebrate 14 years since unity:Tough decisions ahead for president [Archives:2004/739/Viewpoint]

As we are now celebrating fourteen years since unification of former north and south, the President has expressed his desire to stay and celebrate the anniversary rather than going for the Arab summit to be held in Tunis on May 22.
It is important to see this in the perspective of giving priority to local issues and reforms, especially as the time is quite critical for the Yemeni economy and overall conditions.
The President's move to concentrate on local reforms and developments is also an encouragement for us as Yemeni citizens to assist in presenting ideas, initiatives, and other means of exploring potential cooperation with the government and bodies concerned with the country's future.
Today, Yemen is at the bottom of the Arab list in terms of income, literacy level, market share, employment, and other aspects. What we need to do right now is to stop further deterioration, and work on providing the atmosphere for growth again and development.
We need to focus on how to use the available resources -human and natural- in a wise fashion to ensure that Yemen will go on the right track and achieve growth anticipated by all Yemenis in Yemen and abroad.
When looking into the priorities that Yemen should tackle starting from today, we would find basically five elements:
1-Humans: Indeed, the development of humans in education, health, skills, dignity, and freedom are essential for the progress of any nation. Humans for a developed country are like the bricks of a strong building.
2-Security and law and order: The country needs to be stable, secure and conditions in the country need to arrive to the status where an influential tribal sheikh will be equal with any street sweeper in front of the law. All laws need to apply to all citizens regardless of their social or political status.
3-Institutionalizing government: The government must undergo reforms in institutionalizing their structures and systems. We must focus on the need to establish a transparent, clean, uncorrupted, and efficient governmental system.
4-Building a strong infrastructure: This is needed to establish international businesses and markets. It also includes the forming of a stock exchange, of reforming the commercial courts, and applying drastic measures in preparing the ground for a true revolution in the market.
5-Encouragement of investors: This is one of the pillars of any developmental process. Investors need to find it not only suitable, but attractive to use their capitals to invest and invest heavily in Yemen. They must find all the facilities in tax and customs exemption, in less bureaucracy, in friendly treatment by the state, in security, etc.
Such steps need to be applied quickly for Yemen to join the league of countries committed for development by word and action. There may be tough decisions to sack certain corrupt officials, to separate judicial and executive bodies, to move military zones out of cities, and many other issues that need courage and commitment, which I hope our president will have in order to achieve a prosperous Yemen.
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