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Al-Ahram Weekly 14 - 20 October 1999 Issue No. 451 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 14 - 20 October 1999 Issue No. 451
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Books Features Profile Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters A song and dance
By Salama Ahmed Salama
The international music festival organised to eradicate world hunger and launched simultaneously from London, New York and Geneva drew an audience of several million via Internet, television and radio: a veritable case study in the achievements and prospects of communication technology. In Egypt, however, we were desperate to hear any news about the new cabinet-in-the-making. For the first time, an unnecessary blackout was imposed on the process, simply to build suspense and increase anticipation as to the nature and magnitude of the change, which only exasperated the public.
The change indeed took place, but nothing seems to have happened. Some 19 ministers retained their seats. A number of incoming ministers had been ministers before, or had served in various capacities in the kitchen of various ministries and were now being called into the drawing room. Others had been waiting on the doorstep for their turn to come.
Fortunately, the majority of first-time ministers have not been drawn from the ranks of the National Democratic Party, but are mostly technocrats in fields that require knowledge, experience and the ability to deal with the realities of our times. Clearly, however, change was not limited because of a lack of competent cadres (these are not in short supply) but by the fear that new blood would overtax the system.
While no political reform can be expected from the new cabinet, real change is involved in the role of Atef Ebeid, in his capacity as the new prime minister. Some analysts have described this shift as the restoration of ministerial competence and a renewed importance of the ministers' power to make decisions and implement policies. Under former Prime Minister El-Ganzouri, on the other hand, little authority was delegated; decisions were usually taken from the top down. The new prime minister will no longer find himself forced to chair scores of councils and committees. He will be able to adopt more developed management systems in guiding ministerial work.
If matters do indeed move in this direction, we can look forward to the disappearance of ministers who seek to amass enormous power and to appropriate public resources. For the new system to succeed in managing the state, however, greater transparency and clarity will be necessary in making decisions and formulating policies. Greater confidence in the press and other channels of communication will also be necessary to ensure the effective exercise of their functions in boosting wider popular participation and sensitising the public to reality, no matter how harsh it may be.
In this manner, we will be spared repeat performances of the recent hard currency crisis, which has given rise to numerous and often contradictory accounts and explanations. Several state bodies and financial institutions need to modernise their systems and keep pace with information technology. Justice, law enforcement, security, passport formalities and financial operations should receive priority in the introduction of information technology. If the state succeeds in introducing technology, we can expect a trickle-down effect.
Numerous international financial organisations have welcomed Atef Ebeid's appointment, and anticipate that economic and administrative action will be taken soon to speed up privatisation and remove export impediments. It is perhaps premature to heap praise on the prime minister and indulge in wild speculations, as many have been wont to do with previous governments. It is possible, however, to express cautious optimism that his government will accomplish the tasks it has set itself. Together, perhaps, we will begin a new millennium and find that the gap between ourselves and the rest of the world has narrowed markedly. We also hope that the new government will be as quick to respond to the needs of the underprivileged as it has been agile in reacting to the aspirations of the business and investment community.
