AMAN holds a session to discuss the study of "The Integrity System in the Joint Services Council for Solid Waste Management in Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate"
Consensus on the importance of demonstrating the legal nature of joint services councils
Ramallah - The Coalition for Integrity and Accountability - AMAN held a discussion session on a draft study entitled "Integrity System in the Joint Services Council for Solid Waste Management in Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate". The purpose of the discussion was to review the work environment of the joint services councils sector in its various aspects in general (legal, institutional, procedural, and policy), and on the structure of the work of the Joint Services Council for Solid Waste Management in Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate as a case study, in order to come up with practical recommendations that contribute to improving this service.
The study, prepared by researcher Raeda Qandil, relied on a set of indicators related to internal governance in the Council; that is, its main actors’ ability to adhere to the values of integrity, and the extent of their commitment to transparency principles such as public disclosure of its decisions and the obtainability of information, data and procedures, in addition to examining the effectiveness of both control and accountability systems.
Chairman of the Joint Services Council, “The study will be an important tool for development”
The Chairman of the Joint Services Council, Eng. Mohsen Abu Oun, praised the study issued by the AMAN Coalition, which he stressed is useful in developing the Council. He also recommended the preparation of a comprehensive study of the entire system of joint councils in Palestine because of its importance in providing and managing vital services to citizens.
Abu Oun also stressed that the lack of clarity about the nature of the joint councils is a result of factors that include the time span between the establishment of the Services Council in 2005 and the year 2016 in which a system was established for the Council. He explained that since 2017 until now, the ministry has been developing the system, including clarifying the legal nature of the Council.
Furthermore, he revealed a set of challenges, most notable of which is the inability to strategically plan the work of the Council as a result of the complex reality in Palestine that is constantly changing because of the Israeli occupation’s practices, as it has complete control over the establishment of garbage dumps in areas classified as C.
Abu Oun also explained the nature of the membership of local bodies in the Council, the decision-making mechanisms, the process of appointments and the challenges facing the Council in particular, noting that the study made recommendations that will be carefully considered.
Consensus on the importance of demonstrating the legal nature of joint services councils
The Director General of the Bureau of Financial and Administrative Control Jaffal Jaffal, stressed that there are problems in the legal nature of the joint councils, be those civil institutions, state institutions, or for-profit or non-profit organizations. These problems necessitate clarification of the legal nature of the Joint Services Board, since each of these groups has a different system of accountability. He stressed that a Joint Services Board devoid of a clear legal character basically indicates it has an equivocal accountability system.
In a related matter, the Advisor to the Board of Directors for Anti-Corruption at AMAN Coalition, Dr. Azmi Al-Shuaibi, pointed to the importance of cooperation in raising the awareness of council workers about integrity and anti-corruption, as well as their rights and duties, and the need to focus on the internal environment to disseminate the values of integrity in the Council in general.
Decreasing centralization in dealing with joint councils
The study presented a wide range of recommendations, including recommendations related to the need to strengthen the system of transparency and integrity in the work of the council, in terms of publishing work systems and plans, minutes of board meetings, budget, and bid announcements. The study also offered a recommendation for the development of a code of conduct for members and workers in the councils, and stressed the importance of strengthening the role of civil society institutions in keeping an eye on the accountability of the work of joint councils. Another recommendation was the development of a system for receiving and addressing complaints, in addition to correcting the legal framework governing the joint services councils by having it reissued by the Council of Ministers in line with the provisions of the Palestinian Basic Law. The study also included a recommendation for reducing the centralization of the government in its dealings with joint councils, and the suggestion to include their development within the objectives of the Municipal Development and Lending Fund.
For its part, the Ministry of Local Government recommended defining the institutional form of the joint services councils (civil association, semi-official institution, for-profit institution, etc.), as well as addressing and correcting the situation of ineffective joint councils, and ensuring their financial and service feasibility. It also suggested helping the joint services councils to overcome the obstacles they face, and advancing their situation towards achieving investments and profits and not only providing services.
