In recent press statements, Jeddah’s Municipal Council criticized Mayor Adel Fakieh for not cooperating with the council’s attempt to investigate the causes of the Nov. 25 flash flooding. The council even threatened to complain about this to the Ministry of Rural and Municipal Affairs.
First of all, I would like to say to the members of the council: Welcome back. I thank God that they came back safely from their travels. I will also humbly ask them: Have your consciences just awoken?
In fact the mayor should not be blamed for ignoring the council or undermining the demands of its members simply because he himself is an active member of the council and knows that such councils are paper bodies with no taste or odor.
Funny enough, the tasks of these councils are: Preparing the draft budget, monitoring revenues and expenditures, approving the closing accounts and sending them to the parties concerned, supervising the municipal work, improving services, formulating regulations regarding the activities of the municipality in the areas of health, buildings and public utilities, preparing the master plan of the city and proposing constructional projects. How can such councils dare blame or criticize mayors or hold them accountable when these mayors are their chairmen and have more powers and authorities than them? Where else, other than our country, can a defendant be the judge?
Don’t you notice that some of our officials start their sentences with the term “in fact”? This is because they are not telling the facts!
If the members of the Jeddah Municipal Council strongly believe in the powers of the council, then they should be the first to be questioned for the flood disaster. They are partners in the responsibility. Five years have passed and they are speechless. Where did they come from? Where were they? What was their role in uncovering corruption and violations and in protecting lives and properties?
No doubt no one has benefited from the Municipal Council except the advertising agencies, the sheep traders (during election time only) and their own bank accounts (always). These councils should be reformed so that their expenses are used for the process of reconstruction. ([email protected])
