Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 21 - 27 September 2000 Issue No. 500
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875

	Egypt Elections Development Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Special Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters

Water world

THE WORLD Water Council (WWC), an international water policy think-tank established as a non-government organisation in 1996 and currently headed by Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Mahmoud Abu Zeid, convened in Cairo last week. The meetings, attended by representatives of 36 countries, were the first to take place since the WWC Congress was held in The Hague in March, bringing together over 5,000 politicians and specialists from around the world.

The Cairo meeting discussed modes of implementation of The Hague Declaration, including the establishment of a Crisis Management Committee, responsible for awarding an annual prize, funded by the Moroccan government, for the best water services. The committee will also deal with the participation of the private sector in water development projects.

The Cairo meetings will be followed by meetings in France in October, leading up to the 2003 WWC Congress, to be held in Japan.

Return of the prodigal

RUMOURS were rife that businessman Rami Lakah had fled the country because he was unable to pay back bank debts. So what a surprise when none other than plump and rosy-cheeked Lakah showed up at Cairo Airport Monday night, arriving from Frankfurt following a month-long absence.

In statements to the press, Lakah said he owed Egyptian banks LE1.1 billion, but that his investments were even larger -- LE1.5 billion. He said he planned to augment his investment profile by securing foreign partners. Lakah denied rumours he had sold his airline company, adding that he planned to nominate himself in the upcoming parliamentary elections as an independent candidate.

Forced vacation

SAID Abdel-Khaleq, co-editor of the opposition Wafd Party's daily mouthpiece, Al-Wafd, has been given an indefinite holiday for what may be described as stepping out of line. Abdel-Khaleq's request for a bonus for some of his journalists was turned down by the financial manager, 80-year-old Salib Boutros. Following a heated verbal exchange, Abdel-Khaleq served an ultimatum: either him or Boutros in this party. Wrong move. Noaman Gomaa, the party's newly elected chairman, took Boutros' side and gave Abdel-Khaleq a holiday.

Ironically, Abdel-Khaleq's current plight could be the result of the strong support he gave to Gomaa in the run-up to his election to the Wafd's top post following the death its octogenarian "historical" leader, Fouad Serageddin. Abdel-Khaleq might have presumed he could get away with anything.

At present, the newspaper is being run by another co-editor, Abbas El-Tarabeeli.

Till death do us part

MANY EGYPTIAN women married to foreigners, particularly Gulf Arabs, find themselves in a situation in which they and their children cannot hold the man accountable for his financial and moral actions. In an attempt to address this sorry state of affairs, the Ministry of Justice has issued a set of guidelines for protecting the rights of the women and children.

Now, the prospective husband must attend the wedding personally; marriage by proxy is no longer permissible. The groom must present two documents from the embassy of his country which explain his social and financial situation and prove there are no legal reasons for the marriage not to take place.

Finally, if the difference in age between the groom and the bride exceeds 25 years, he is obliged to buy an investment certificate from an Egyptian bank, in the bride's name, for at least LE25,000, a sum she can cash in after five years of marriage, death or divorce.

Aida cancelled

IN AN UNEXPECTED move, the Ministry of Culture has decided to cancel this year's performance of Verdi's Aida, a gala event which had been scheduled for the first week of October.

According to Opera House officials, the decision was made so that resources and marketing efforts could focus more on next year's production.

But insiders believe the cancellation was because the event would have coincided with the approaching parliamentary elections, scheduled to begin on 18 October. The two events, taking place at around the same time, would have stretched the resources of security bodies to the limit.

Although officials would not say how many tickets had been sold, what would have been a spectacular production was widely advertised. Those who did buy tickets will be refunded.

For the past two years, the event has been staged at the Giza Pyramids. Next year's production will coincide with the centenary of the opera's Italian composer, Giuseppe Verdi. The opera was originally commissioned by Khedive Ismail to celebrate the opening of the Suez Canal. Its Cairo premier was in 1871.

Mission impossible?

THE CABINET will soon announce the establishment of a government agency dedicated to the monumental task of correctly re-planning and beautifying Egyptian streets and squares, reports Nevine El-Aref.

The plan is that each of the 26 governorates will be treated to an elegant urban design reflecting the area's historic and political background.

The agency is to be headed by Atef Ebeid, the prime minister. Farouk Hosni, the minister of culture, will be its executive director. Members of the agency's administrative board will include the ministers of housing, irrigation and water resources, religious endowments and environment as well as the chairman of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.

The agency's first job will be to re-plan the Giza governorate. Al-Galaa will be the first square to be beautified.

Ordinary madness?

FAWQIA Ismail tied up her 19-year-old son Hazim to his bed and left him to die of hunger. The woman starved her son to death after he had a screaming fit at their home in the working class district of Medinet Al-Salam.

Hazim was a student at the Faculty of Arts but was mentally unstable and had received treatment at the Khanka Mental Hospital.

Fawqia brought a coroner to the house and tried to persuade him to issue her a certificate that the death was natural. But the suspicious coroner informed the police, the woman was arrested and confessed.

Compiled by Fatemah Farag

 

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