The First Annual Local Council Conference concluded its meetings in Sana’a on May 16.
The conference was held under the motto of the Local Central dialogue for enhancing Local Authority System.
Several decisions focused on the president’s speech, one of the most important parts of the conference.
Participants called for constructing roads, encouraging the fish industry and agriculture, taking a keen interest of youth and sport and providing enough funding for agencies and airline companies.
The conference ensured the finance ministry will pay allocated mounts of money to heads of the administrative units of the current year, as well as administrative units of new districts.
The local council authorities have to adhere to the decisions and the civil service regulations in the field of employment.

What kind of democracy do you call that?
That’s the question being asked by opposition parties, mainly the Islah Party, which has denounced the desire of local councils (FCLC) to extend their terms in office – without election – until 2006.
Mohammed Kahtan, head of Islah political department, said Islah opposes the recommendation of the FCLC and it refuses to give local councils the right to turn their meetings into a legislative authority to carry at amendments on laws.
Local elections are scheduled to be held in Yemen in 2004.
Dr Mohammed Ali Al-Saqqaf said this extension infringes law, as any elected authority cannot prolong its office except through elections.
He adds that if extensions are given automatically, elected local council members will turn to nothing but appointed figures.
About 300 participants in the FCLC recommended in a letter to Prime Minister Abdulqader Bajammal that the government conducts a local governance law, minimizing their term in office to three years instead of four. However, it also suggests that the current local councils be given three more years and next local elections should be run in 2006.
The participants said such time will give them chance to lay the foundation for building up institutional and legislative ground for the future.
Observers believe this suggestion will create a problem between the government and opposition. But the majority of the ruling party, PGC, enables it to pass any law or amendments on it.
First local elections were run in February 2001 coinciding with constitutional amendments. The PGC won the majority of seats, 4,000 out of 7,032 seats.
The elections witnessed clashes between PGC and Islah. Around 80 persons were killed and injured.
These elections put an end to the strategic coalition between the PGC and Islah.

In its session, the parliament ratified an agreement related to the establishment of a free zone between Iraq and Yemen. The agreement aims at achieving the economical and trade growth and exempting the custom duties for goods between the countries.

Attahreer school in al-Aboos area, the first school built before the revolution in Taiz governorate has been closed for two months by the so-called Najeeb Mohammed Abdulfattah.
He and a group of armed men broke into the school and forced its principal to sign to leave his job.
Citizens of al-Aboos area have strongly reacted against this flagrant act and demanded the concerned bodies to interfere as quickly as possible and reopen the school.
Instead of sitting on chairs, students sit on rocks and under tents.
This is the first time where the school has been closed by force and no one have yet responded to this problem. A certain kind of chaos has prevailed.
Most of teachers are absent due to the closure of the school.
We are scared, what kind of future is this?” said Afrah Mohammed, a school-girl.
Sadek Mazen, a school-boy at third secondary school, said that the final examination are about to approach and no one has prepared himself for the final exams. “We are totally frustrated. We don’t prepare ourselves well for the exam, what shall we do,” enthusiastically Sadek said.
Abduh Derhem, a citizen at al-Aboos area told the Yemen Times: “ We first of all reject such barbarous acts. Sheikhs shouldn’t interfere. It is not their own business. Educational and pedagogical bodies have to tackle this problem as quickly as possible.”
The closure of Attahreer School at al-Aboos area is considered an infringement to the right of learning and general freedoms. Locals are wanting the authorities to step in.

The number of people infected of malaria in Aden have increased during the first five months of this year to reach 2,756, as a result of approaching the summer season.
This has resulted in the high increase of malaria parasites in the city, Dr. Hana al-Saqqaf and Dr. Anwar Abdulkareem, the General Manager of Rolling out Malaria told the Yemen Times.
“Aden is the only city where malaria has spread very rapidly. It has been also reported that malaria is detected in Lahj and Abyan,” Anwar said.
Last April hospitals swarmed with people infected of malaria, totaling 1,084 infected cases.
Malaria parasites can multiply in the open and still waters.

Under the motto of Yemeni Journalism: Where are the Defects in the Law? the Yemeni Center for Strategic Studies and the Alayyam daily newspaper organized a seminar on the future of journalism in Yemen.
A working paper presented by the Alayyam daily newspaper focused mainly on the future of journalism in Yemen.
“Undoubtedly, free journalism in Yemen is a right, as it should be for every nation to know everything about his country. Journalism signifies everything taking place in our country has to be published,” the working paper said.
Those who are silenced not to tell the truth are considered to be the enemies of expression of freedom particularly democracy. They are considered to be supporters of despotism, corruption, dictatorship and oppression, said the paper.
The Deputy Information Minister, Mohammed Shaher said that there has been a lot of talk at the Information Ministry concerning the closure of some newspapers and that in most cases it was a fault of journalists.
Several media men talked during the seminar about freedom of journalism. Participants demanded to amend the press law in order to help the democratic development in Yemen.

The Yemeni-German Friendship Society to hold a symposium on Yemeni-German relations at the Yemeni German Hospital in Sana’a on May 23.
The event is to be under the auspices of Dr. Yousef Mohammed and Dr. Paul Pasch the Regional Director of the German Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES).
The symposium is to be attended by a number of members of the German-Yemeni Friendship Society and the Yemeni-German Friendship Society and those interested in the promotion of relations between Yemen and Germany.
It is also to be attended by the German parliamentary and popular delegation visiting Yemen May 18 to 25.The event coincides with the 12th anniversary of Yemen’s Unification Day.

A seminar on training for media concluded last week from May 12 to 13.
Participants at the seminar listened to scientific programs which were enriched by comments, opinions and remarks.
Holding seminars and annual assessments to pursue and follow the recommendations seminars are the focus which were dealt with by participants.
Establishing a data base which meets the requirements of media was also discussed.
Participants demanded more journalistic training courses due to the value of a free and skilled press in the democratic Yemeni society.
They also wanted more coordination with the private sector in the fields of computer and languages.

Towfeek Hassan Agha staged a sit-in before al-Jomhoria Newspaper campus in Taiz governorate after his deputation was canceled from the al-Jomhoria newspaper.
Agha is a holder of Bachelor of Journalism and has been employed to work for the al-Jomhoria newspaper since 1999. So, his deputation for the newspaper has been canceled. He called all the media institutions and organizations for an immediate solution to work in journalism.

The agriculture, fish and water resources report was discussed by parliament on May 11. The report was presented by the Central Organization and Control Auditing related to financial and administrative infringements of both ministries, the Agriculture and Fish in 1996 and 1997.
Members of the parliament stressed the necessity to deal seriously with the report presented by the Central Organization and Control Auditing and reactivate its role in all government sectors and banish the corrupt whenever they are.
On May 15 parliament was to discuss the report of the high education committee, youths and sport, but it was postponed to another session.

The Taiz Mass Conference is running again. Coming out of a standstill, the conference’s new life is said to be related to the current developments in Palestine, and related to support needed by the defenseless people there. The mass conference was formed in 1992.

The Chairman of the General People’s Conference, Gaber Abdullah Ghaleb has called the government, the international governments and businessmen to support the blind and societies working in this field.
On the sideline of the festival held last week by the Yemeni society for the Blind Care and Rehabilitation, Gaber said that the other parties have to take care and pay its full attention to this class. The GPC has a vital role in supporting such societies.
A fund has to be provided for the benefit of the blind along with conducting field researches in order to tackle problems faced by the blind.
The society was established in 1988 and has been still in short of financial resources. It needs support, taking an interest and care of the blind.

The Arab Energy Conference concluded last Tuesday in Cairo.
The Yemeni delegation was chaired by the Oil and Mineral Minister, Rasheed Baraba'a and the Chairman of Petroleum Exploration & Production Board, Nabeel al-Kowsi.
The conference aimed to find an institutional framework for Arab oil issues and develop the energy resources.
A great significance has been stressed to build joint energy projects among the Arab countries.

“Yemen land TV channel will broadcast the World Cup matches in return of a 20-minute add for every match on the Satellite Channel,” said Ahmad Taher al-Shei’ani, General Manger of the Yemeni TV and Radio Corporation.
He said there were going discussions with the ‘America Media Distribution Company’ which monopolizes rights of broadcasting the matches in Korea and Japan and that the had already agreed on principles.

Last Thursday, the Lebanese Cultural and Food Festival came to an end after five fabulous Lebanese nights during May 12 to May 16 at the Sheraton Sanaa hotel. Performing at the festival were the Lebanese folkloric group, musicians, a singer, and a belly dancer. Of course, the event, which was sponsored by a number of prestigious companies and organization in Yemen including Yemen Times, would have never been complete without the special Lebanese cuisine prepared by a master chef from Lebanon.

The national workshop on Halons and its management concluded on May 15. Working papers were presented by the National Ozone Unit and concentrated mainly on restructuring the ozone bank and laws.
The Manager of Ozone Unit, Faisal Ahmed Naser said that the main aim of the workshop is to discuss and assess the national storage of Halons.
“We will include both sectors, the private and the public to play its vital role in mapping out plans and procedures with regard to Halons,” Faisal said.
The workshop aims at eliminating the use of Halons for non-essential users and promoting it for fire protection technologies as well as preventing unnecessary emission and venting of Halons.
Participants communicate regularly with representatives of government, the protection community and industrial users to assess Halons and the stockpile.
The workshop was organized by the General Corp. for Environment Protection in collaboration with the German project, GTZ.
Participants from the civil defense, military sector, men of media and others attended the workshop.

The 3rd issue of the Yemeni strategic report has been published by the Yemeni Center for Strategic Studies. The report deals with several economic, political, social, and cultural issues. Different topics have been discussed such as, the democratic development in Yemen, the role performed by the political parties in the political arena, the annual assessment of the legislative, judiciary, and executive authorities. It also deals with the administrative reform, the reality of the local council and its future horizons, the developmental and social role of civil societies.
The annual report has also included the conditions of the Yemeni women and children.
The first annual reports were published in 1997 by the Yemeni Center for Strategic Studies and come to a standstill as a result of lack of financial resources. The center is run by Mohammed Ahmed al-Afandi, the former Supply and Commerce Minister, the Chairman of the Yemeni Center for Strategic Studies and a Prof. of the Economic Studies at the Sana’a University.

BY: FAHMIA AL-FOTIH
YEMEN TIMES STAFF
Ties between Egypt and Yemen was the theme among a student exhibition held at Sana’a’s Media College recently.
Known as the Nile Sons project, the exhibition about Egypt was for the students’ graduation work.
Mr. Khlid Al-komy, Egyptian ambassador attended the exhibition and praised the students’ efforts to establish work in order to link the two brotherly civilizations.
“I have been impressed by the students splendid efforts and a good spirit they have to portray their history,” he commented.
The exhibition included various historical and cultural aspects of each country.
Sons of Nile expressed their thanks to the host land which was the source of all civilizations and would be the meeting point of them.
There was a seminar in which the Egyptian ambassador discussed the deep-rooted Yemeni-Egyptian relations that stretched from past to present and addressed the students of the media about the important role they play to investigate the truth as much as they can.
Then an open forum had been discussed about the relations between Yemen and Egypt. This is the first time for Nile Sons to have such a self-dependent project.
Certificates of merit were given away to participants.

A recent study conducted by the researcher Eqbal Daqan at Taiz University shows the need to have oils and fats totaling 7 kg to 22 kg in a year.
The study also has advised people to buy the local products containing local balm oil which contains vitamin A, B, and C.
Such ingredients are useful for malnutrition and emaciation.

A seminar on awareness policy concluded last Monday in Sana’a. The seminar was organized by the General Corporation for environment protection in collaboration with the Dutch Embassy in Sana’a.
New articles and texts were added with a view of promoting environmental awareness in Yemen.

Top employees at the Taj Sheba Hotel were honored on May 16 on the occasion of the Labor’s Day. Abdullah al-Hamdani, the Head of Labor Office at the Capital Secretariat delivered a speech focusing on the Taj Sheba Hotel as one of the most successful hotels in Yemen.
At the same time, the Manager of the Personnel Department said that the hotel is going to train more of its employees in India.

A medical cadre working in the field of breast-feeding is to be implemented by the Child and Women Development Association and financed by the Social Development Fund.
The training course aims primarily at correcting wrong notions of breast-feeding.
Dr. Afrah Abdulaziz said that the project has continued for three weeks and around 60 participants delivered speeches on the importance for breast-feeding.

* The 4th International Trade Exhibition begins May 20 in Sana'a at the Sana'a International Exhibition Center.
More than 200 countries and more than 300 companies are participating at the exhibition.
The exhibition will continue for 6 days starting from May 20 to 26. It is one of the largest exhibitions in Yemen.
* The Yemeni Society for quitting smoking concluded its annual activities last week on the occasion of the International Day for quitting smoking.
* The Chairman of the National Committee, Salem Assabah left Sana'a last Friday. During his visit a number of vital issues were discussed including Kuwaiti prisoners and the bilateral relations between Kuwait and Yemen.
* About 140 Qura'an reciters graduated during the annual festival held in Sana'a last Wednesday.
* A lecture on Yemeni mummies was delivered on May 14 by prominent British professors from York University at the National museum.
* Central Bank of Yemen delegates participated at the International Conference on Money Transfers. The conference was held on May 16 in UAE. More than 58 countries participated in the conference.