Political change resolution is the key to the future [Archives:2005/844/Opinion]

By Prof. Dr. Abdulaziz al-Tarb
The calls for reform repeatedly come from outside and from within. I believe that reform initiatives are not scary because reform is a continuous process on the cultural, economic and social levels. It is crucial to mobilize all resources for the sake of reform putting the supreme national interest on the top of the priority list. Reform can not be achieved over night and people are to enjoy or suffer consequences thereof.

Today, we are celebrating 14 years of the age of the Yemeni Reunification which came into existence on May 22, 1990. Soon we will celebrate 10 years since it was reinforced after the cessation war of 1994. Therefore, reforms are imperative and require political volition. The President declared on many an occasion that he would wage a war against corruption and stabilize the state of law and discipline in the modern Yemen. Indubitably, the people of Yemen will go along with him in this direction.

Priorities

Fighting corruption, unemployment and bribery should have the priority. We also have to take care of security, tourism, investment and exports. These are the principles of the reform program which should begin with courageous decisions that make lay some personalities retired after honoring them and referring corruption files to court to hold accountable every minister, governor, deputy, or chairman surely implicated in corruption.

The President should unmask the identity of law violators and those who stand against development and modernization. No doubt, it is known to every one that all keys are in the President's hand and is competent to perform his duties provided that he overcomes the conventional staff who do not translate his ambitions into actions.

There is still a chance for us to adopt policies based on objective foundations. To defend our rights and stop the general deterioration, they should deal with information and thoughts and define our orientation.

Hot files

The President has before him hot files. He should begin with the file of the Free Zone and set a managing board for it. One month should be devoted to every hot file full of meetings that consequently give birth to workshops. The year 2005 must be the year of modern management and changes. With this, the qualified people, businessmen as well as provinces would vie for improving the whole society.

Yemen has got great investment potentials in many sectors. It would not, however, have been able to exploit them if it lacks security and stability. There is of course public support for the President's reform initiatives. He has only to commence the battle against corruption fearlessly and achieve justice and shift from the people he confides in to the qualified ones.

The big challenge ahead of us is unemployment and its tremendous social, economic and political effects.

In order for efforts to complement each other in terms of alleviation of the problem of unemployment, it is necessary to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises so as to employ a larger portion of the workforce. Intensive efforts are to be directed towards the change of social concepts that prefer public posts which have led to an overloaded governmental system.

Therefore, I call on the President to help businessmen to open markets abroad for local products and services and provide operation incentives.

Where should the President begin?

This is the most important question: “Where should the President begin his program and when?”” First