Main Challenges that Face the Palestinian Authority (PA):
State Land Management, Access to Information, Weakness of Oversight Institutions
May 18, 2011, Ramallah`DF, Palestine: In the presence of governmental and non-governmental representatives as well as experts in the field of economics and good governance, the World Bank(WB) and AMAN held a workshop at the Best Eastern Hotel in Ramallah to discuss methodology and findings of the study entitled (Improving Governance and Reducing Corruption). Dr. Ali Jerbawi, Dr. Khaled A-Qawasmi, Dr. Omar Kittaneh, Ministers of Planning, Local Government, and Energy respectively attended the event. Also Government Spokesperson, Dr. Ghassan Al-Khatib; Head of the Institution for Caring for Families of the Martyrs and Wounded, Ms Intisar Al-Wazeer; as well as members of the Palestinian Legislative Council and other ministerial and non-ministerial representatives attended the workshop.
World Bank Country Director for West Bank and Gaza, Ms. Mariam Sherman opened the WS by welcoming the attendees and providing them with a briefing on the study and the purpose of the WS.
During the WS, Senior Public Sector Specialist at the WB, Mr. Mark Ahern presented conclusions of the study in accordance with analysis of data collected. AMAN also presented its conclusion and recommendations of their part of the study (survey of Palestinian families and that of Public Officials) conducted in cooperation with the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics February-April 2010.
The WB study indicated that there are improvements and steps taken by the PA over the past decade in terms of strengthening economic governance and in combating corruption. Examples include: improvement in management of public funds, systems of public procurement, public employment policies and procedures, and organization of the private sector. Nevertheless, the study also showed that there remain many areas that need further reform efforts to achieve tangible progress. Examples include but not limited to: management of state land, transparency in granting licenses for business, and access to information.
Complementary of what was introduced by the WB, AMAN illustrated that their analytical surveys indicated that there is a large degree of awareness among the Palestinian citizens of the seriousness of corruption and its damaging effects. Moreover, the surveys indicated that the public sector is sector most affected from corruption including public employment, as mentioned above. It also showed that the time-consuming nature of court proceedings is a hindrance that exceeds in importance that of nepotism and cronyism.
Results of the study also showed a large gap between perception and reality of corruption among citizens. For example, when asked if they have practiced any form of corruption in areas such as obtaining services or getting any kind of license or abusing the court system, the answers of the majority was never. This is a clear indication of the gap indicated between perception and practice. Dr. Jarbawi stated that there is tangible progress made by the PNA within the economic sector, fight against corruption, management of public funds and state land, and also in the obtaining licenses and permits. At the same time, he stressed the need that the PNA needs to carry out more reforms and concrete actions for the sake of the citizens such as providing better and easier access to information. He also stressed the importance of establishing the principle of the rule of law without which the PNA will not be able to win the fight against corruption. This is in addition to pointing out the importance of having a political will and an effective political system that is subject to accountability.
In regard to state land management, Jarbawi stated that a technical committee, chaired by the Minister of Local Government with a member from the Ministry of Planning, has been formed to review requests submitted to the land authority.
Jarbawi also pointed out that the study and surveys results differentiate clearly between reality and perceptions of the level of corruption in Palestine (WB& Gaza), where the reality is much less than the perception. This is positive, but more work needs to be directed to reduce impressions (i.e., perception of the public).
Commissioner for Combating Corruption at AMAN, Dr. Azmi Shuaibi, pointed out that the concepts such as transparency, integrity, and accountability are fairly new concepts that have been integrated into the culture of public work. Therefore, translating these concepts into practical means will require great efforts and a long and continuous process of awareness raising. They also need a comprehensive national plan to integrate these concepts in the management of public affairs whether by governmental or non-governmental institutions. He pointed out that a significant progress, in the level of awareness among Palestinian citizens of the concept and forms of corruption, has been noticed due to the fact that AMAN has been conducting opinion polls regularly on the subject. He stressed that the fight against corruption is a continuous and evolving process. However, the changing political situation in Palestine which requires change in priorities for the PNA, to place emergencies and relief issues first hence sapping energies and causing setbacks, leads to a non-smooth development of the process of fighting corruption.
Therefore, it is imperative to build a national integrity system that is based on strengthening the system of values and principles of transparency and accountability in public institutions, noting the present weakness in the work of the Monitoring institutions in that regard. Dr. Shuaibi also confirmed that there are problems regarding access to information in terms of concept and related legislations.
