By Libya Herald reporters.
Tripoli, 23 June 2016:
At their first formal gathering, ministers selected for the Government of National Accord have been urged by prime minister-designate Faiez Serraj to work up short and medium-term plans to tackle Libya’s infrastructure woes.
Serraj delivered a round-up of the challenges that the GNA was facing in every part of the country. He said that it was essential that honest and effective efforts be made to lift the suffering of all Libyan citizens.
Rapid focus had to be on security as well as the provision of adequate cash for the banking system, the ending of power cuts and care for the displaced.
Serraj got agreement from the meeting that the ministers-designate would work up detailed action plans and timetables to sort out all the pressing issues. He said that he was looking for three-month and six-month emergency programmes. Longer term projects should be put aside in favour of rapid fixes for the present urgent problems.
The gathering was at Tripoli’s Bu Sitta naval base, where the Serraj and other members of the Presidency Council have based themselves.
In a statement issued today GNA media representatives were careful to described the meeting, which was held yesterday, as “consultative”. Serraj seems to be sticking to legal niceties. Until the House of Representatives finally signs off on the new government, if not also the key amendment to the Constitutional Declaration, GNA ministers have no legal standing.
However, many Libyans, particularly in the capital, are fed up with the lack of action to address cash shortages, power cuts and rising prices. When Serraj and fellow PC members arrived in Tripoli at the end of March, there was a widespread expectation that these issues would be fixed quickly.
