The New Provincial Councils, their Promises and the People's Aspirations

 By Ahmed Al-Sweaadi 

 Without a slightest doubt, the new provincial councils will pave the way for more opportunities and horizons for developing the experience of the provincial governments and decentralized governance, for different administrations in the Iraqi provinces—especially after the provincial councils' lection law has been enacted.

In addition, at the same time the provincial councils will work on developing the decentralized financial and administrative system and tackling the troubles that stand as obstacles in the road of the development and progress.  

The citizen awaits attentively for forming the new provincial governments, so that they assume the responsibility fell on their shoulders in administering the local governments in our provinces, which suffered deeply for a long time during the times of misery and negligence at the defunct era. 

The task that is entrusted to the new administrations will certainly be hard and large, and needs more of work, perseverance, impartiality, honesty, and putting the interest of the country over the partisan and denominational interest.  

If we want to talk about the federal government activities in the provinces, the provinces of the country have passed through a stage of reconstruction, which is represented by carrying out many important projects, in the public services and constructional sector, some of which have been finished and others are under way, in addition to achieving many projects of paving ways, rehabilitation of many factories, and inauguration of parks and public gardens for the citizens. 

But if we want to talk about the significant leap in the tasks, performance, and diligence of the provincial governments to make bright pages in their history and to attract investments and fix the problems that face the citizens in their life, we find many provinces have realized great successes in the performance and gained the Iraqi citizens' satisfaction, and perhaps the best example for that success of our provincial governments, is the excellent experience that is achieved by the government of the holy Najaf province, which made the landscapes of prosperity and welfare reach into Al Najaf's population and appear on them clearly.  

This is certainly to a great extent attributable to unity of the Iraqis and their coming together, which caught all of terrorist and criminal groups in a trap and a fist of the justice, the thing that resulted in advancing the wheel of reconstruction and development ahead, and stimulated the region and the world's countries to be open on Iraq and to send their business corporations to invest in Iraq. 

The country today is in dire need of completing and carrying out the plans, for the sake of putting an end to the injustice and poverty of the Iraqi citizen, which can not be done but by adopting the values of partnership, cooperation, coming together, and uniting under a one label that is "serving Iraq and its people".  

The thing that the Iraqis want from the triumphant factions in the provinces is that fulfillment of their commitments that had been promised to the citizens before the elections, that they would resolve the troubles, improve the public services, secure the security and safety, improve the income of the Iraqi citizen, and the necessity of putting the citizen in their top priorities. 

Besides that, the new provincial councils have to find the right, honest ways used in serving the citizen, and averting the mistakes and flaws that have been present at the former councils by extracting the lessons that which have to be taken into account from this time forth, as well as the importance of exploiting the power and authorities given to the provinces in an appropriate way that will make our cities and territories workshops for building and development. 

What concerns us in this stage is that the new provincial councils' members have to realize the importance of the national trust that is granted to them by the citizens, and the projects and plans have to not remain mere ink on paper, the thing that would disappoint the people, and eventually it makes the result nothing but empting the democratic process from its meanings and goals, thus the citizens would not find any change for the better especially in their life, works, and sufferings. 

The opportunity is now suitable and at hand to prove our capabilities and qualifications in running our local administrations and achieving development and progress, and it is very important to encourage the qualified, innovative, honest, and distinctive persons to join the regulated teamwork, far away from the narrow individual and partisan interests. 

Therefore, the demanded role that is wanted from the new provincial councils' members is the cooperation and working together for the sake of succeeding the current experience in view of the current appropriate atmosphere, in which every one in the country has enjoyed with the peace and stability. 

The ears that heard the bright promises during the electoral campaign, are also longingly awaiting to hear the successes and achievements that the citizen is in dire need for which. 

So, we hope the rights and demands of the citizens will not be wasted and ignored, especially their legitimate necessities. 

Finally, it is a national, ethical, and essential duty that the provincial councils have to be effective stations in the service of the Iraqi people.