By Libya Herald staff.
21 November 2014:
The Crisis Committee of Tripoli Municipal Council (TMC) has today launched the trial version of the . . .[restrict]new Capital Contact Centre 1415 phone service, which is an emergency helpline for Tripoli residents.
The newly opened emergency telephone number is ready to receive calls from the public in greater Tripoli, TMC said. Greater Tripoli covers the area from Garabuli in the east to Gaser Ben Ghashir in the south and Janzur in the west.
Those who call the number will have access to eight services the TMC said, including the ambulance service, the General Works Company, the Water and Sanitation services, the Electric Company, the Health Safety Authority, the Municipality Police, the Tripoli Security Directorate and the Joint Deterrent Intervention Force.
The helpline is an attempt to improve services for residents in Greater Tripoli and is part of a move for greater decentralisation and devolution of power from central government authority to local government. TMC has been making huge efforts to improve services—such as rubbish collection, lighting of public spaces and petrol and cooking gas supply—in the capital in order to gain popularity with its residents.
It is worth noting that there has been no previous strong tradition or culture in Libya of telephone helplines or the provision of services generally. It will also be interesting to see how the TMC will respond to calls for the provision of security during Libya’s current transitional period, noted for its insecurity. [/restrict]
