Governance

Oil and power – that’s what Colonel Mouammar Kadhafi is offering to Libyans who publicly debated his proposal.

According to Colonel Kadhafi, there is only “one till in Libya” and it comes from oil. “Anyone who gets rich in Libya does so by somehow dipping their fingers in the till…” 

Sana Harb, Algiers

On 23rd February, discussions concerning the plan to distribute oil revenue directly to the people and dissolve a government that has become useless after being “incompetent” and “corrupt” were held. Colonel Khadafi believes the only way to overcome corruption in government is to dissolve virtually all the current ministries. At issue is the distribution of 30 billion dollars in revenue to 5 million Libyans. Various scenarios were debated. The least costly would be 18 billion dinars but would only impact the 1.5 million people that are considered to be among the nation’s poorest. Other approaches, clearing the way for general distribution but with priority being given to lowest income earners, could cost up to 50 billion dinars. In one of these scenarios, one million low-income Libyans would receive 30,000 dinars (22,990 dollars) per annum and a half million would receive 1,288 dinars. The outcome of the debates conducted by the Basic People’s Congress will be made public and final in early March by the People’s General Congress which is acting as parliament. Khadafi had announced this decision a year ago. He defended his stance once again by receiving, on February 14, representatives of the Basic People’s Congress.

Somehow, the rich always manage to dip their fingers in the till

“Is there anyone rich who is loved in Libya? None! Everyone hates them,” he declared, adding that there is only “one till in Libya” and it comes from oil. “Anyone who gets rich in Libya does so by somehow dipping their fingers in the till…” And to those who fear the consequences of this new experiment, Colonel Kadhafi retorts, “Libyans, this is your moment in history. Your country, your oil and the government are in your hands. This is a chance at complete freedom. Why would you let this opportunity pass you by?”

This redistribution programme would also include privatisation and the state’s disengagement. Citing the example of the Faculty of Science, he believes that professors will collectively be able to form an entity like a company and will negotiate the cost for tertiary education. Instead of paying the ministry, it will be distributed directly to those involved and each participant will be bound by a contractual agreement. This would be applicable in all sectors. The goal of this system would be to relieve the current “failed” administration of any involvement. “When those in charge whom you believe to be the government go back where they came from and give you back your schools, universities, factories and farms, you will truly realise that the revolution and power are in your hands.”

“Illogical” 

While opponents of this plan may remain silent in Libya, abroad they are on the offensive. A vocal detractor based in Paris, Hadi Chelloufa considers the project to be simply inapplicable. “Kadhafi believes that Libyans have bought all this flattery being made to the detriment of the country. There would be little surprise to see Kadhafi wake one day and distribute Libyan territorial waters and even airspace to the people. I think the idea to redistribute revenue is simply illogical… Libya isn’t a tribe. It needs central government to build infrastructure and protect the interests of future generations.” Another critic of the project, Djemaa Al-Quemati, argues that Kadhafi has been pushing this idea for thirty years but is reviving the idea due to current social decline. “Instead of striving to build strong institutions that are necessary for the country’s well-being, Kadhafi choosing to flee by tossing the ball to the people, stating, I am giving this money to you. Do whatever you wish with it.” Another staunch opponent, Ahmed Mansour, suggests that there is a simpler and less costly way to undertake redistribution: surplus profits ranging from 50 to 70 billion could be placed in an investment fund to yield an average return of between 7 and 10 billion dollars per annum. According to him, each citizen could receive “between 1,500 and 2,000 dollars per year which would amount to a monthly income of at least 1,000 euros.”

Don’t be afraid. We can always back away…

Will Libya slip into the unknown? Cautious, the colonel has not closed the door on the possibility of backing away from the experiment. “Don’t be afraid to try. Attempt the experiment! It might work… But maybe after a while you’ll want to go back to the system in place in 1999, 2008 or 1976. Why not?” Another safety measure stipulates that the money intended for direct distribution to Libyans will be placed in bank accounts and, beyond a certain time frame, its use will have to be justified. In his own way, Kadhafi has reiterated the silent reservations that exist in Libya with regards to this redistribution programme which comes with the dissolution of the government and the privatisation of less conventional services. Légende According to Colonel Kadhafi, there is only “one till in Libya” and it comes from oil. “Anyone who gets rich in Libya does so by somehow dipping their fingers in the till…”