Arafat to fight corruption
Palestine, Local, 10/20/1997

The Palestine National Authority is about to carry out a number of measures that are aimed at minimizing governmental expenditures and imposing more control of governmental and ministerial actions, Palestinian sources said Sunday.

Quoting a reliable source, Al Quds daily said the PNA President, Yasser Arafat, has made a number of decisions during last Friday cabinet session, with the aim of minimizing corruption in the PNA. A few months ago, reports of corruption within the PNA had prompted the authorities to set up an investigative committee which found a number corrupt cases and charged a number of cabinet ministers and senior officials of involvement in corruption and misuse of authority. Since then, the PNA has come under fire, both from abroad and from within, and many Palestinian voices were heard calling for a total reshuffle within the cabinet in order to fire all ministers and officials who were found involved in those violations.

The paper said Arafat has also decided on a number of issues and is expected to announce his decision within days. The decisions, 25 in total, the paper said, involve many aspects including control on governmental expenditures and setting new rules for the personnel structure of a number of ministries and government institutions where an exaggerated number of directors general are in position. Arafat is also expected to announce his decision to form boards of trustees that will become in charge of leading governmental and semi-governmental companies such as the Palestinian Tobacco Corporation, the Palestinian Monetary Authority, the Palestinian Petroleum Corporation and Social Security and Retirement Fund.

Furthermore, monetary control will be introduced in all ministries and a new system will be introduced by which a strict control on use of mobile phones and vehicles by all government employees and officials. The PNA is also expected to form a special committee to overlook activities of the Islamic Waqf (endowment) in the Palestinian territories.

Previous Stories:
  Waiting for money amidst reports of mismanagement   (10/9/1997)
  Will Arafat clean house?   (9/18/1997)
  Arafat in no hurry to shuffle cabinet   (8/4/1997)

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