Mubarak: Change is continous and takes into account preserving stability
Egypt, Politics, 10/15/1999

In important statements to al-Musawwar weekly magazine, President Mohammad Hosni Mubarak said that upcoming changes are expected to cover 50 % of the existing governors.

The President added that he requested Prime Minister Atef Ebeid to review the status of governors in the light of their performance including visits to work sites, follow-up of work progress and efforts to attract investments. Other parameters includes governors' popularity and relations with the masses, probity and a record free of nepotism and favoritism and misuse of power.

The president expected the prime minister to finalize this review within the few coming days, thus allowing changes of governors to be announced latest next Sunday.

The President indicated that the change made through the recent ministerial lineup is seen by some people an insufficient. The President said he believes that the change was made within a reasonable range, taking into consideration the need to maintain stability and sustained progress.

It is inconceivable, the president explained, that change could be made in a single, all- encompassing leap. Besides, we face many difficulties searching for suitable candidates satisfying proper requirements, particularly as many qualified candidates show reluctance to take up public posts and rather prefer to pursue their own private business, which is more lucrative, the President elaborated.

However, as change is an ongoing, unceasing process, we will continue to look for new people who can add up to public performance.

President Mubarak voiced optimism over the new lineup until the situation will call for the reverse as well as his confidence in the great effort exerted in selecting his new ministers on sound criteria. The President, therefore, expected better performance and a more effective approach to problems, based on an objective and scientific vision and due regard for expert opinion, leading to appropriate, well-studied solutions to problems.

Mubarak added that he stressed in his maiden meeting with the new cabinet on the requirement of making a distinction between official and private interests and that official posts should not be manipulated for private gains through dealings with kin's, in-laws' and friends concerns.

The president added that he commanded Ebeid to make a thorough description of terms of reference for the new cabinet in such a way that eliminate interlapping, adding that he would receive the Prime Minister early next week to proposed terms of reference before a Presidential decree has been issued.
Following the inaugural session of the People's Assembly next November, the President will start a series of regular meetings with ministries with closely related terms of reference to ensure close coordination between cabinet members.

Mubarak will also preside over bimonthly meetings with the full cabinet to follow up progress made by the government in implementing national action program, already highlighted in his five addresses prior to the referendum.
Concluding, Mubarak said that a decree setting up a supreme committee on technological development, to be chaired by him is expected to be released within the next two weeks. He stressed that he will preside over periodic meetings of the committee to follow up progress of a project to entrench advanced technological industry, a gigantic project that will have a decisive impact on Egypt's future progress.

Previous Stories:
  Mubarak receives Prince Sultan   (10/12/1999)
  South Korean foreign minister visits Egypt   (10/11/1999)
  Mubarak chairs meeting of new government   (10/11/1999)

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