Hadi Fornaji.
Tripoli, 8 May 2014:
Despite the controversial circumstances in which he was elected by Congress on Tuesday . . .[restrict]and continuing questions about the legality of the appointment, Libyan businessmen have spoken enthusiastically about Ahmed Maetig as the country’s new prime minister.
They say they see it as a major step forward towards the reform and liberalisation of the economy.
Although he has political connections – he is closely related to Congressman Abdulrahman Sewehli, the leader of the Homeland Union – and has had political ambitions from a young age, Maetig presents himself as a businessman and is seen as such. He is from a Misrata trading family and has made his money in construction materials and air-conditioning. More recently he moved into the hotel business, and own Tripoli’s Thobacts Hotel as well as two others.
On Tuesday, there was a marked economic emphasis in his first TV interview since being elected, saying that what Libya needed was someone who acted upon decisions rather than a politician – presenting himself as such a person. He would, he said, develop the economy, focusing in particular on SMEs to help job creation of the country’s youth.
The private sector would be involved in the country’s economic development, he said, and his government would focus on replacing the current centralised economy with one that was based on production and services.
“All Libyan businessmen are happy that the position of prime minister is going to be taken by a businessman,” the head of Libyan Club of Businessmen, Hatem Tarbah, told the Libya Herald. The reason, he said, was because businessman could solve problems, were creative and were not fazed by deadlock.
The former Prime Minister Ali Zeidan had disastrously used cash handouts to try and pacify the country, Tarbah declared. What was needed was support for small projects, but on a large scale, so as to enable Libyan people to make a living for themselves, long term, he said.
“I am very optimistic about him,” he enthused, adding that he saw him as a model for other businessmen.
According to family members, when he was 16 years of age, Maetig declared that if there were any justice in Libya he would be running the country one day.
One of the first organisations to agree with him, albeit 25 years later, was the Libyan Businessmen Council, of which he is a board member. It backed him when started campaigning to become prime minister a year ago when it became apparent that Zeidan could not remain, although at the time, neither the Islamist Wafa bloc in Congress nor Abdulrahman Sewehli did.
“We are delighted [he has been appointed prime minister] as we’ve supported him,” said Mohamed from the council. “We did so because Libya needs to be rebuilt and this will give the private sector the chance to have a role. Also we know him well. He is balanced and independent. Finally he represents the young people and this will give a breath of fresh air to the country.”
An enthusiastic Husni Bey, one of the country’s top businessmen, has also spoken warmly of Maetig’s abilities. He insists that, contrary to some perceptions because of where some of his support had come from, the Prime Minister-elect is neither an extremist nor an Islamist. Just a very capable businessman who can make the crucial changes to free the Libyan economy and make it work. [/restrict]
