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The
Coalition for Accountability and Integrity- AMAN received the decision
of the Palestinian Council of Ministers to limit use of all government
vehicles with great pleasure and enthusiasm. The decision entails that
government vehicles are to be used for work purposes and during work
hours only. The decision is applicable to all officials with the
exception of the Ministers and Deputy Ministers. The number of vehicles
granted to government officials at the various levels is estimated at
6200 vehicles.
Several
reasons brought about the Council’s decision. One important reason was
the request submitted by AMAN to the Prime Minister, Dr. Salam Fayyad,
to stop this phenomenon, which consumes the public treasury and projects
a negative image of PNA officials entrusted with public funds. The
request was put forth following a full fledge campaign carried out by
AMAN, November-December of 2009, to support the Ministry of
Transportation’s initiative which called for citizens monitoring and
reporting on government vehicles used after working hours. The campaign
lasted for several months and included many activities such as awareness
raising workshops, radio spots, billboards, newspaper ads, meetings and
symposiums. More importantly, AMAN made available its Advocacy and
Legal Advice Center hotline to facilitate citizens reporting of
violation of vehicles uses.
The second
incentive was to put a
stop to
those who abuse their privileges and use these vehicles for personal
purposes hence violating the law as well as ethical social norms. A
third reason is to save the Palestinian National Authority (PNA)
millions of shekels monthly spent on maintenance, fuel, registration
fees and insurance. In fact, the amount spent on fuel and maintenance
alone for 2009 reached a total of 90 million shekels; money, which the
PNA could have utilized to enhance the education and health sectors, for
example.
While we highly value reform steps taken that aim to guide and correctly
channel spending of public funds within PNA institutions, hence drying
up sources of corruption, we call upon the government to take decisions
and put forth instructions and procedures that will stop “special”
appointments and promotions in addition to what has become known as the
“ ghost” employee. It is worth noting that AMAN, during its annual
conference, reported that there are 15,000 employees who receive monthly
salaries from the PNA’s treasury estimated at tens of millions of
shekels, who do not work or they live abroad.
In
conclusion, while AMAN would like to reiterate its readiness and
willingness to continue its support and cooperation with all parties,
especially with the Ministry of Transportation, it would like to
emphasize the following. First, to ensure the implementation of the
Government’s decision justly and equally and without discrimination.
Secondly and more importantly, to point out that the success of reform
efforts requires joint efforts of all authorities, institutions, and
civil society organizations as well as media and responsible citizens.
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