Iryani’s Government: WHO IS SPEAKING OF CHANGE? [Archives:1998/20/Front Page]

An ambassador of a leading industrialist country popped up the question. Where will it go? He was referring to the choice of Prime Minister.
There are 2 competing camps. The camp of the Old Guards, whose most vital qualifications are that they play the game without making waves, that they satisfy the power-balance game, and that they don’t threaten the “interests” of the power centers of Yemen. Then there is the camp of the Cleaners or Future-oriented whose most important qualifications are good governance based on efficiency, integrity and cleanliness.
The President wants to please the 2 camps, somehow. At the end, however, he sided with the Camp of Old Guards. Yet, he insisted on an efficient candidate. Indeed, Dr. Abdul-Karim Al-Iryani, the ‘new’ prime minister, is among the most efficient in that camp.
But in terms of change, there is hardly any. Most of the cabinet stayed intact, though a few rotated positions. (Check the list of ‘new’ government on page 5). The reaction among the general public was as expected. There is frustration and disappointment all-around!
Presidential Law number 72 for 1998, which formed the new government, brought no change. There were 3 additions to the government. Abdulaziz Al-Kumaim, Mutahhar Al-Saeedi and Faisal Mahmood Hassan Ali joined the cabinet for the first time. Other changes include rotation in places of several ministers which involved Abdul-Qader Ba-Jammal, Ahmed Mohammed Soufan, Ahmed Ali Al-Bishari, and Abdul-Rahman Mohammed Ali Othman.
All members of the government are members of the People’s General Congress. This is normal as the PGC has a solid majority in parliament. Even then, there are a lot of PGC people who have more pesonal integrity and a cleaner record than those in the present government.
It looks like the clique of inter-locking interests have carried the day. But that day, however long it is, will ultimately come to an end.
  Name Position Abdul-Karim Al-Iryani
Abdul-Qader Ba-Jammal
Mohammed Ahmed Al-Junaid
Mohammed Al-Khadim Al-Wajih
Abdullah Ahmed Ghanim
Ismail Ahmed Al-Wazeer
Mohammed Abdullah Al-Batani
Ahmed Mohammed Al-Anisi
Sadiq Amin Abu Ras
Alawi Saleh Al-Sallami
Ahmed Mussa’id Hussain
Abdul-Malik Al-Sayyani
Hussain Mohammed Arab
Abdul-Rahman M. Ali Othman
Abdul-Rahman Al-Akwa’
Abdul-Wahab Rawah
Ali Hameed Sharaf
Ahmed Salim Al-Jabaly
Ahmed Mohammed Soufan
Abdul-Malik Mansour
Abdullah Hussain Al-Dafee
Mohammed Dhaifallah Mohammed
Mohammed Mohammed Al-Tayyib
Ahmed Mohammed Al-Shami
Abdullah Abdul-Wali Nasher
Yahia Mohammed Al-Shu’aibi
Ahmed Ali Al-Bishari
Abdulaziz Al-Kumaim
Mutahhar Al-Saeedi
Faisal Mahmood Hassan Ali Prime Minister
Deputy PM Foreign Minister
Minister of Civil Service
Minister of Oil & Mineral Res.
Minister of Legal Affairs
Minister of Justice
Minister of Social Affairs
Minister of Communications
Minister of Local Administration
Minister of Finance
Minister of Fisheries
Minister of Transportation
Minister of Interior
Minister of Industry
Minister of Information
Minister of Youth & Sports
Minister of Electricity & Water
Minister of Agriculture
Minister of Planning & Development
Minister of Culture & Tourism
Minister of Construction & Housing
Minister of Defence
Minister of Labor & Tech. Training
Minister of Endowments
Minister of Health
Minister of Education
Minister of Immigrant Affairs
Minister of Trade & Supply
Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs
Minister of State  

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