Bin Shamlan: Yemen’s economic situation not promising [Archives:2006/968/Front Page]
By: Yemen Times Staff
ADEN, July 30 ) At a July 27 symposium in Aden organized by the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP), Faisal Bin Shamlan stated that Yemen's economic situation is aggravating and the state's future is not promising.
“The living standard and economic situation in Yemen is an omen about a real catastrophe, unless it's perceived. Yemen's destiny won't be promising if rapid development isn't made and corruption isn't fought,” he noted.
Bin Shamlan warned that the economic situation is subject to danger and that the coming days aren't promising because the state's economy isn't strong, especially given that oil and gas comprise 30-32 percent of local production and are subject to being drained. “The ruling party could've come up with an alternative to this economy, which is dependent upon revenues from oil, which is exhaustible,” he added.
In this regard, he criticized the way oil revenues are exploited, requesting the ruling party use such revenues not to feed corruption but to make a strong economy. “It's not sensible to ask citizens today to withstand additional burdens. They know well that additional income the country receives goes into particular pockets and toward excessive lavishness, which doesn't serve the economy or the country's progress.”
Bin Shamlan, who is the JMP presidential candidate, added that Yemen needs an economy with a strong base that can achieve self-sufficiency and exportation, both of which require safe investment. He affirmed that corruption can be fought only if society enjoys full freedoms, state institutions are monitored and Parliament and the judiciary exercise their extensive monitoring tasks.
Concluding his speech, Bin Shamlan wished that presidential and local elections scheduled for September 20 will be fair.
For his part, Sana'a University political science professor Mohammed Al-Motawakel stressed the importance of political reform, which he said is “the gate to inclusive reform” and without which “development, stability and peace can't exist.” He described the current situation as bad because it lacks a strong and active administration, while peace, fair judiciary and a constitutional state are absent.
Al-Motawakel further criticized those who praise the ruling party, describing them as individuals who actually “verbally insult it (the ruling party).” Pointing out that the current regime couldn't build a constitutional state over the past 28 years, he wondered how it would do so in the next seven.
Organized in Aden governorate to discuss the JMP's political reform agenda, symposium participants presented papers on the agenda and discussed the country's economic and social situation.
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