Program: The Friday Table
December 12th, 2007
13:35:30
Radio A Shames
Nidal Hayek of The Movement for Quality Government –
the state of the Arab local authorities
Host: we have with us on the line Nidal Hayek, Project manager in the Arab local authorities for The Movement for Quality Government (MQG).
Nidal Hayek: Hello.
Host: The Problem, as you have heard, concerns mostly the false promises of the changing governments. You at the MQG pursue those local authorities who still stand.
Nidal Hayek: First, I would like to thank the chairman of the monitoring committee, Shauki Hatib, for the measures taken by the committee this week regarding distribution of flyers on the latest municipal taxes in the Arab local authorities. We see it as an important leadership step. Even if it won’t be beneficial in the short term, it will be in the long term. Answering your question, we believe that the solution for the Arab local authorities is in two levels. The first level will be a complete equality in the development budget. Promises must be fulfilled. Some promises stand for many years undone. The second level, and we see it as highly important, concerns the management at the Arab local authorities themselves. For example, more than half of them have the problem of employment of relatives.
Host: What was the number again?
Nidal Hayek: More than 50% of the Arab municipalities have the problem of employment of relatives. This data is published every year in the annual Ministry of Interior report. There is a report for every municipality. There are different problems such as collecting taxes, or the lack of municipal services. Sometimes there is confusion between the accounts and budgets aren’t deposited in different accounts for development. These problems don’t concern the budget itself. Yes, maybe the budget problem is the major obstacle for a proper municipal management, but there are other problems demanding immediate solution with all possible measures, including dismissal.
Host: About employment of relatives, we know that every village has tight family connections. Furthermore, you know that if a budget is held back the mayor has no choice but to take the budget from somewhere else – hence the confusion with the accounts. About the tax collection, the Arab municipalities have increased their collecting but it led to their disassembly.
Nidal Hayek: I agree that there is a certain improvement in the tax collecting. On the other hand, some municipalities haven't improved at all. Taibe city council, which was recently disassembled, collected only 9% according to the 2006 report. Tax collecting improvement is not the only criterion to dismiss or not to dismiss a municipality. This issue is divided into two: collecting taxes form regular citizens and from business owners. The local authority can’t afford not to collect taxes from business owners because they are a major source of income, especially in the big cities such as Nazareth, Sachnin and Taybe. In these municipalities the major problem is tax collecting from business owners.
Host: about the timing of the launch of the project of reviewing the functioning of Arab local authorities, why now? Why not 10 years ago? Some say there is a conspiracy in the local authorities in general and specifically in the Arab ones, of placing them under military regime. Can it be said that you are assisting in the reestablishment of a military regime?
Nidal Hayek: We are not supporting a military regime. For years we have dealt with the Arab sector and there was a certain improvement. After the Orr committee report (2000 or 2001) we have realized that as an organization in the civil society we haven't stressed enough the importance of the Arab sector. This is why we are now giving special attention to the sector, and hence the project. The project deals with all Arab municipalities. We are now in touch with 15 cities in order to correct the malfunctions. The goal is not to disassemble the Arab local authorities. Such action is a great hazard for democracy, and for the importance of the free elections in those areas. We are against mass disassemblies, unwanted committees, or budget cuttings. The entire goal is to assist the local authorities to improve their management. For instance, in Sachnin there was a problem that could have led to a budget waste because some contracts weren't signed by the municipal legal advisor…
Host: We don’t have any comment from the Sachnin municipality concerning this matter. Thank you Nidal Hayek, Project manager in the Arab local authorities for The Movement for Quality Government.
Nidal Hayek: You’re welcome.