Armies of Liberation

Yemen Post

Ten days before announcing the new ministerial reshuffle, Minister of Expatriates Affairs Saleh Sumi’ee resigned from his post in protest against the constant demands by the head of investigation sector at the Anti-corruption committee to pay the due sums for the Yemeni community schools in the Horn of Africa.

Sumi’ee hinted that the head of the education center for community schools Abdul Bari Al-Dhamari embezzled YR 45 million over the years 1998 to 2002 at the leniency of Finance and Expatriates’ Affairs ministries.

(Read on …)

Good report by the SNACC. It would be nice if there was any judicial enforcement to back up the investigations. YO

The first comprehensive investigation into corruption in Yemen has revealed 8709 corruption cases in the past 3 years. Astonishingly, 3932 of these occurred in 2007 alone. The offenders were the Ministries of Education, Health and Population, and Labour, Works and Roads. The most corrupt governorates were Ibb, Aden, al-Muhrah, and al-Muhwaid.

(Read on …)

Me too! Elite capture of donors’ funds is a very tragic and common circumstance. And the Dutch have supported Yemen for a long time in a benevolent manner and really do good work, or try to, until the funds get stolen from the mouths of the hungry people.

Alsahwa.net -The Dutch Embassy in Yemen expressed sorrow over misusing its technical and financial support provided to Shabwa province in the frame of mutual cooperation.

“We were deeply shocked that the three cars supplied by embassy were delivered to members of administrative authority” The Dutch ambassador to Yemen Harry Buikema said in a letter directed to the Shabwa governor Mohammad al-Rwaishan.

Buikema’s letter which Alsahwa.net has a copy of it demanded the governor to offer a final report of the technical and financial support.

“I wish the embassy be able to visit the province through June-July to discuss future cooperation” Buikema said.

A majority of the ruling party in Shabwa had voted in April 2008 for distributing cars granted by the embassy to the heads of the local council amid fierce objection of the opposition members.

News Yemen

SANA’A, NewsYemen

Yemen Journalist Anti-Corruption, NGO, has released its first report on corruption for 2007. The report has disclosed cases of corruption in many state institutions.
The report, prepared in cooperation with Yemeni Women Journalist Without Chains, the cabinet, Ministry of Defense and Presidential Office came first in a long list of institutions that practiced corruption in 2007costing the country over YR 452 billion, according to the report. Most of the amount was granted for projects which the government has not planned and studied well, said the report.

The report said the government has not benefited from assistances estimated at YR 7.7 billion due to misconduct. It said the government has been contradictory with transparency policy and has not offered explanation about what it called “undistributed costs” estimated at YR66.5 billion.

Meanwhile, the official website 26sep.net has condemned the report of “the so-called Yemen Journalists Anti-Corruption organization” on corruption cases in different ministries and other institutions”. It said the report was based on individual assessment and inadequate analysis.

The report contained moral and scientific blight as accusations against national institutions, like the Defense Ministry, of corruption have been derived from individual evaluation, said the report.

On the other hand, the Supreme National Anti-Corruption Committee (SNACC), president Saleh formed last year to fight corruption, has denied press reports that the commander of Republican Guards Yahya Mohammad Abdullah Saleh has presented a financial disclosure to SNACC .

Yemen Observer

The Supreme National Authority for Combating Corruption (SNACC) announced last week that it is finishing investigations on six corruption cases, dysfunctions and financial violations of about YR 20 billion, said Dr. Bilqis Abu Usba’a in a recent report issued by SNACC. This report comes every three months and is submitted to the president and the Parliament as a disclosure of these cases. These cases are among 141 claims that SNACC received since the authority’s establishment last year.

The authority received 78 of these claims in the period from January to the end of March 2008. The authority’s report enlisted the major tasks that they undertook at the first quarter of this year, disclosing that most of the claims are allegations that are not competitive to the corruption concepts, and they are of a procedural judicial type. It said that 16 of these are of an administrative nature which the authority has no legal authorization to undertake.

Regarding the cases that are computable with corruption, the report confirmed that six of them are about to finish, while the others are still under investigation and follow up.

The cases, according to the report that are about to be completed, include Taiz-al-Turba road rehabilitation project, where the authority discovered financial violations amounting to YR 117 million out of the total agreed amount of YR 971 million

The scholarship trustee money of the higher education is also on of the authority’s discoveries, where the their investigations disclosed that there are accumulated trustee money in more than 27 countries, amounting to YR16,081,146,000 during the period 2001-2007.

The investigations on this case showed that there 2053 unauthorized applications, exerting pressure on the ministry and preventing application of equal opportunities, despite the president’s directions not to accept any illegal applications.

The report added that SNACC met with the minister and the relevant officials at the higher education, and agreed to summon the cultural attaches in order to settle the trustee money and to submit them to the prosecution, pursuant to the law.

The two sides agreed that an open meeting will be held for the relevant officials to come to a long term strategy that reconsiders scholarships situations.

The third case concerned the investigations over the Cairo fortress restoration, which disclosed YR3,559,698,000 violations in 2002, amounting to ten times of the project’s original cost reaching an amount of YR118 million.

The violations come under article 30 of the corruption law, notwithstanding the tender laws and the financial systems, on the procedures of the project’s implementation stages.

According to the periodic report the project was contracted in 2002 according to the then prevailing prices, which exceed those of 2007 prices, yet there were no technical designs, specifications, certain amounts in addition to entire absence of engineering observance to the project. This is in addition to granting the contractor reimbursement prices and technical specifications price differences in addition to undeserving transport and risk allowance costs.

The report stated that the authority stopped paying any extra sums to the contractor, and appointed an investigation team to assess the so far accomplished works to settle the real contractor’s accounts. The authority also asked COCA to conduct an audit.

The fourth case concerned the Thamar university staff ‘s claim over fraud in the faculty of engineering’s tender, however the authority addressed the prosecution to proceed on the case which is filed before them. It wrote to the Higher Education Ministry in order to return to work the staff members, who were transferred and replaced by others for filing the case, to their posts and to pay them back all their dues.

The fifth case was over the discovery of the authority that the Expatriate Ministry did not settle their trustee money for support of the East African community schools’ accounts for 1999-2007.

The authority according to the report asked the expatriate ministry to provide the payment documents of 1999-2007, however the ministry did not respond despite the repeated addressing.

In the authority’s report to the president and the Parliament, the authority said that they received 1060 financial disclosure reports at the first quarter of this year raising the total to 1219 during the period of September 2007 up to last March.

Law 30 from 2006 of the Financial Disclosure Act is applicable to all higher officials, higher administrative posts and higher financial posts. It also included the first quarter’s issues, cases being discussed, the resolutions, meetings and activities.

Law 39 from 2006 for anti-corruption stipulates that SNACC should submit unified quarterly reports to the president and the Parliament.

More good news

Yemen Observer:

A large number state employees numbering 9,600 were fired by the Ministry of Civil Service for failing to give their automated fingerprints on time, said Minister of Civil Service Hamoud al-Soufi last Tuesday.

In a statement to Yemen satellite TV channel, al-Soufi said the decision was taken after the different ministries and state institutions affirmed those employees have over passed the legal period of absence and for not come to give their electronic fingerprints on time. The fired employees are believed to be either ghost employees or ones that had dual jobs and did not want to be discovered they had more than a job.

Also, in its session held last Tuesday, the cabinet ministers approved the decision of the Ministry of Civil Service to adopt the new DERMALOG MultiFinger Biometrics system for payments of all the state employees across the country starting from July 2008. The system will also be used for the employees daily signing in.

(Read on …)

Anti-Corruption Parliamentarians May Face Charges For Uncovering Corruption

And what do these percentages mean? How much of the ministry’s budget is lost to corruption?

Yemen Online

YEMEN: Oil, military and security “most corrupted” areas – says report
Sana’a, April 29, 2008 (Yemenonline.info) – Yemen’s Parliamentarians Against Corruption (YEMEN PAC) recently issued a report demonstrating that corruption is widespread in the areas of oil, military and security.

According to the report corruption is spread the most in the fields of oil, military and security.

“Corruption spreads in the oil, military and security areas by 87.2%, 61.8% and 60.9% respectively,” said the report.

A government source firmly denied the content of the report on the multitude of corruption in government sectors.

According to the report, corruption spreads in the areas of health, diplomacy, fisheries and agriculture by 53.6%, 48.1%, 35.4% and 33.6% respectively.

Doha-based Al-Jazeera kept broadcasting excerpts from the report during all its business news briefs on Monday.

The source asserted the government’s right to prosecute those who prepared the report for harming and libeling the country by allegedly providing false information about its institutions.

“The government may also demand lifting diplomatic immunity of those parliamentarians,” the source concluded.

News Yemen

Good for the bio section
(Read on …)

Yemen Post

Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Saleh Basurah called on dignitaries and social personalities not to exercise more pressure on state to establish new universities, hinting that any expansion in this respect does not serve the development.

Basurah hinted the existing universities have not yet set completely their infra-structure and buildings, adding that his ministry is working at the present time on the preparing higher education law draft which will be referred to the cabinet next month.

Likewise, the ministry is working on academic accreditation system and quality assurance which will be applied on both government and private universities, calling for the establishment of more community colleges instead of universities.

Meanwhile, Basurah threaten to disclose the practices of high-ranking officials and some members of parliament who exercise pressure on his ministry to distribute scholarships for those who do not deserve them and in a way that does not serve the country.

In a meeting involving the anti-corruption authority and Minister of Finance Noman Al-Suhaibi by the end of the last week, Basurah threatened to resign from his post in case he is sued for errors committed by others.

Sources pointed out that Basurah asked the anti-corruption authority to help him rid of the interferences of high-ranking officials in running his ministry’s affairs, or otherwise he would expose the secrets on any satellite channel.

For their part, the anti-corruption authority demanded Basurah to hand in the file of financial and cultural attaches abroad including the attaches of Jordan and Malaysia who failed to submit a financial disclosures.

By the end of the meeting, officials ordered withholding the allocations of all attaches who have not presented their financial disclosures. They also asked for take serious measures against those who delay the payment of students’ money together with starting payment right from the next year through the Ministry of Higher Education only.

Kudos to the SNACA for addressing the issue. Where did the money go? That’s a lot of money.

al-Motamar

Almotamar.net - The Supreme National Anti-Corruption Authority (SNACA) gave Yemeni cultural attaches in Yemeni embassies in 46 countries a 2-month time to settle funds in their charge before it takes measures against them and holds them accountable according to its authorities under the law.

The member of the SNACA, the head of information sector Yassin Abdeh Saeed the funds under care of the cultural attaches in 46 countries that since 2001 have not been settled amount to YR 16 billion, 81 million and 142 thousand, affirming the Authority’s follow-up of this issue with the ministry of higher education.

In this regard the SNACA official praised the cooperation shown by the Yemeni minister of higher education Dr Saleh Basura in this issue and issues of failures of which Mr Saeed the minister opposes them.

Let me guess, the Saudi wheat that was donated to Yemen

ADEN

1800 tons of national goods exported to Somalia, Djibouti

Around 1800 tons of national goods were exported via Muala Sea Port in Aden City on Saturday to Djibouti and Somalia.

The goods exported to Somalia were biscuits, soap and sweets, in addition to 800 tons of wheat to Djibouti.

According to the statistics of the port, 32,752 tons of cement were unloaded in the platform of the port. The port also received on Saturday 1,115 sheep from Somalia.

al-Motamar

American official advises Islah media to use suitable words
Sunday, 06-April-2008
Almotamar.net - An American official has recently advised those in charge of the media of Muslim Brotherhood in Yemen (Yemeni Congregation for Reform) Islah Party to be keen on using suitable expressions, affirming that the ceremony of signing the assistance to Yemen by the foundation of the millennium challenge has been postponed and not suspended, as it was mentioned in a question put forward by Al-Sahwa newspaper, organ of the Islah party.

In an interview to Al-Sahwa newspaper published in its issue of last Thursday, Director of the American Agency for Development in Yemen Mike Sarhan lauded the Yemeni government commitment to reform in all areas, repeating his confirmation that Yemen has walked a long distance since the convention of London conference in 2006 as it has taken serious reform steps, among them for instance the approval of the law of purchases and legislations of anti-corruption as well as the establishment of the higher committee for tenders and bids.
Responding to a question on delivering the support funds to the Yemeni government for implementing projects and whether there is no confidence in honesty and seriousness of the Yemen government in implementing the projects, head of the American Agency for Development said the question is not a matter of non-confidence in integrity of the government and pointed out that in all the countries where it is present the Agency takes implementing partners close to the communities and areas that the Agency desires for carrying out its programmes and for helping them. Therefore, the Agency engages the beneficiary communities, civil society organisations, the local governments and those entertaining necessary efficiency for implementing services programmes.

The American official said that is not applied to Yemen alone but rather it is the policy of the American agency wherever it is =resent, pointing out that the agency has last year signed an agreement with the Yemeni ministry of planning and international cooperation on carrying out anti-corruption programmes.
On his assessment of performance of the Supreme National Anti-Corruption Authority Mr Sarhan made it clear that any new organisation may need a year or two before it can work and implement the tasks they are assigned to it completely. He said nevertheless that his personal assessment of the authority is very good and added that the American Agency for Development would offer help to the authority for moving to its new premises and provide necessary equipment for it such as computers as well as sending many of its members to several countries like Malaysia and Indonesia for training courses.

Yemen Post

Saadaldeen Bin Talib, Supreme National Anti Corruption Committee Member (SNACC):
“For corruption to be fought in Yemen, it will not only require the committee to do their duty, but it will require all citizens to feel the responsibility of fighting corruption in Yemen, and the importance it will have in our life. In the end, the poor will benefit the most when corruption is gone.”

Interviewed By: Hakim ALmasmari ( YEMEN POST STAFF )
Article Date: April 07, 2008

YP: Are there any obstacles faced by The Supreme National Anti Corruption Committee (SNACC)?

ST: Naturally there are some difficulties in the work of our committee. The first is that it was newly established only nine months ago. Secondly, we still don’t have a permanent office that can hold our staff. We don’t have the power to employee enough staff to carry out this task.

YP: What is the percentage of corruption cases that the committee has been able to solve?

ST: Our concern is about the importance of those cases that come and results we give, not the quantity. We have some high-profile cases which have been published in the press including those of the Ministry of Electricity and Ministry of Water. Still, some other cases are in the prosecution.

(Read on …)

Still not going to the highest bidder, wonder why?

Yemen Post

In a symposium organized by Al-Tagheer.net, economic experts stressed that government should bring the agreement relating to operating and developing Aden Container Terminal before parliament for discussion, and demanded it to act responsibly with this issue because the terminal is of vital economic importance to the country.

The participants also demanded the government to reconsider all agreements as to operating Aden Container Terminal, hinting all the previous agreements are not binding to the country because they harm its interest.

They further stressed that an international tender for operating Aden Terminal should be announced through which qualified and eligible companies can bid, maintaining that the bidding process should be conducted according to the tenders law, together with presenting it to parliament for approval.

Several papers have been presented during the symposium including one paper by Ayman Mohammed Nasser who pointed out that bidding or buying the government institutions should be referred to parliament for approval and later a republican decree should come next.

Political science professor Abdullah Al-Faqih warned against the new agreement signed with Dubai Ports Authority, stressing the agreement wastes Yemen’s financial rights. He also indicated that partnership of 50 percent of profits is not beneficial, and maintained this could lead other bidding companies to sue the Yemeni government.

Al-Faqih added that the bidding of the three companies was as follows:

1. Kuwaiti alliance with $462 million.

2. Philippines International Services with $451 million.

3. Dubai Ports with $297 million, hinting the best bid was offered by the Kuwaiti company and instead of declaring it as the successful bidder or having negotiations, Yemeni government decided to re-ask for new tenders.

In return, former Member of Parliament Salim bin Talib declared that the government withdrew the agreement from parliament in an effort to pass the agreement away from the parliament‘s control, adding that any agreement like that of Aden Terminal should not be signed only under the approval of parliament.

For his part, Mohamed Abdul Majeed Al-Qubati expressed his sorrow over the appalling situation of Aden Terminal, mainly because of the confused and unclear government policies.

Al-Qubati, however, indicated that Aden can be an international port and cited an American report speaking of the possibility of turning Aden Terminal into the most important free zone in the Middle East.

Economists and MPs demanded the formation of a civil coalition to defend Aden Terminal and maintained that it was a famous port in the past.

Yemeni businessman Saleh bin Fareed Al-Surimah pointed out the eligibility of his company Gulf and Kuwait Coalition Company (KGL) to operate and develop Aden Terminal and hinted that several parties cheated and beguiled in an effort to deprive KGL of it.

Al-Surimah emphasized the agreement with Dubai Ports is invalid and it abuses people’s right, hinting that if those people succeed in passing this dubious deal, this could help corrupted officials to pass the selling of other government institutions like Aden Refinery, etc. in the future.

He also requested President Saleh to act according to his constitutional responsibility to stop what he named as misuse and abuse in Aden Terminal because it does not serve the country’s interests.

Government approves contractor, supplier blacklist draft

[25 March 2008]
SANA’A, March 25 (Saba) - Government approved in its regular meeting held on Tuesday a blacklist draft of violators from Yemeni and non-Yemeni contractors, suppliers and consultants in all fields.

A committee is to be formed headed by minister of public works and roads to be in charge of the blacklist that aims at eradicating manipulation and procrastination of carrying out the projects and reducing the problems raising while implementing them.

The committee will follow up the contracts’ implementation level, encourage contractors, suppliers and consultants to improve their professional and economic performance and eliminate delay causes as well as depriving the violators of them from receiving any projects during the fixed time in the blacklist.

Yemen Observer:

The Public Money Prosecution managed to recover YR1 billion in embezzled public funds in 2007.

Dr. Abdul al-Malik al-A’wash, a lawyer with the Public Money Prosecution, declared that YR1,000,248,747 was recovered in addition to $284,000 and 2300 Euros, due to sequestration and attestation rulings in embezzlement cases in the same year.

Al-A’wash said that they received 1,758 cases in all governorates last year, and 589 of them were considered serious.

Al-A’wash added that verdicts were passed on 202 of these cases, 832 are still undergoing investigation, while 20 were dropped due to lack of jurisdiction. Decisions of absence of right were passed on 204 of the cases. He added that they received 68 cases from the Central Organization for Control and Audit (COCA), asserting that the Capital Secretariats in Aden, Taiz, Hodeida, Hadramout, Lahj and Ibb were the worst offending regions in the public money cases.

CA chairman: Blacklist for violators of customs law due to be issued soon

SANA’A- March 07 (Saba)- Chairman of the Customs Authority (CA) Ali al-Zabidi has revealed that the authority is preparing a blacklist for traders who breach customs law.

In an interview with Saba, al-Zabidi said that solutions to tackle issues of customs need safe measures and care for employee of the authority.

Saba: what are the key reforms taken in Customs Authority during two years ago?

Al-Zabidi: The reforms focused on two domains, one on legislation and the second on administration. The authority worked to review laws associated with customs tariff and correct some customs measures.

Regarding the administrative reforms, the authority has conducted a study over
restructuring the authority, held several training courses for employees, appointed skilled personnel and rehabilitated certain customs outlets in some regions like in Mukalla, and Taiz airport as well as set up new customs centers after agreement with neighboring countries within joint cooperation.

The authority also has supplied these centers with up-to-date customs systems.

(Read on …)

Update:

Through looking at the other side of the corruption cycle, the different levels of governance have varying degrees of involvement in corruption, ranging from the baselines to middle and high-level officials. However, the recent formation of the Supreme National Authority for Combating Corruption has raised hopes in the sincerity of government’s efforts towards enhancing transparency and battling corruption.

However, spectators indicate that the anti-corruption commission will have limited success in any anti-corruption reforms, quoting that the commission has distributed over 3000 applications for the disclosure of net wealth to high ranking government officials, while less than 300 officials cooperated with the commission and disclosed their net worth. Challengingly, a source who requested to remain anonymous indicated that the president himself refused a request from the commission to take the lead and disclose his own net worth in order to influence other officials, but the presidential office turned that request down.

It is obvious that the anti-corruption commission will be facing a serious challenge if it is to succeed in its anti-corruption mission; however, the hope relies within the support of the international community and donor organizations such as the World Bank and USAID.

Original Post: The article doesnt mention how many declaration forms were sent out, I think its around 2000. Its a good system. As with everything else, the key will be enforcement. Publishing the names in the newspaper is not enforcement; legal action is. The state cannot be above the law, but it is.

al-Motamar

Almotamar.net - The Supreme National Anti-Corruption Authority (SNACA) in Yemen has on Wednesday threatened to refer all those who are lagging behind in delivering their financial declarations to prosecution to be accounted on heir properties and to be tried on charges of corruption cases in case they did not deliver those declarations as soon as possible.

Head of financial declaration sector at the SNACA Mohammed al-Matari told almotamar.net that the authority would in the next three weeks prepare statements of the names of those who failed to present their financial declarations and sending them to prosecution and trial.

The SNACA has earlier defined a date for all those involves in financial declarations in 60 days from receiving the form but many of those included have delayed in committing to that and that impedes the authority work. Al-Matari said the number of those who delivered their financial declarations from ministers, directors general and government officials is so far 592 persons, indicating to almotamar.net that all the ministers have handed over their declarations while many of directors general still have not delivered their declarations.

This measure comes at a time the authority has revealed that of investigations carried out by officials at the authority in 54 cases of corruption.

Another hugely corrupt deal. Privatization is an important process for economic growth. It hasn’t gone very well at all. However, this report is very good actually in that the Parliament is investigating corruption and the media is reporting it. That’s the way it is supposed to work. Corruption is countered by transparency and accountability.

On this specific issue, the Ministry of Agriculture is an obstacle to the implementation of the water strategy, with about 90% of water used for agriculture and the vast bulk of that used in qat production. The ministries are not coordinating; some are profit centers for associated individuals while others are pushing to sustain Yemen’s viability into the future. Another example is the Health Ministry whose employees own many of the shops that sell the smuggled pharmaceuticals.

Yemen Post

A report by Agriculture, Irrigation and Fish Wealth Committee at Parliament revealed gross violations by the Supreme Committee for Privatization while selling the General Corporation for increasing genetically improved seeds as the real value was estimated at YR 1.8 billion while it was sold for YR 78.5 million with a difference of YR 1.3 billion.

The report demanded the Public Money Prosecution to act against some Ministry of Agriculture affiliates and Hadramout Deputy Governor for Wadi and Desert Affairs under corruption charges.

The corporation which was established in 1998 as a public company at a capital of YR 75 million and stretches over 6303 m2 was sold to Yemeni businessman Mohammed Al-Hadad.

In 2005, Hathramout members of parliament submitted a complaint to parliament demanding restoration of the corporation and abrogation of the selling operation; however, no action has been taken since then.

Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation is one of the ministries famous for rampant corruption especially in the Provinces Development Authority as is the case with Eastern Provinces Development Authority whose officials were accused of plundering YR 400 million together with $ 20 million under Desertification Fighting Program.

The officials of the authority now own villas and real estates in Sana’a whose total value reaches millions of dollars.

More from the Yemen Observer

The committee for agriculture, irrigation and fisheries in the Parliament has discovered a corrupt deal worth YR1,800,000,000 involving the General Company for Seed Production in Sayoun.

(Read on …)

Yemen Observer

The Primary Court and Prosecution of Public Money announced their judgment in case number 37 of 2003 concerning the embezzlement of money from the Airplane Fueling Administration, an affiliate of the Yemen Petroleum Company, at Sana’a airport. The case was presided over by Judge Abdulrazaq Saeed al-Akohaly and attended by Public Money Prosecutor Ramzi Abdullah al-Shawafi. The first defendant received three years imprisonment and a $360,229 fine. The second defendant will serve two years imprisonment and receive a fine of $110,016. Four of the other suspects were acquitted, while the seventh suspect’s case was closed due to his death.

The total amount which is to be refunded to the public treasury amounted to $479,312, the equivalent of YR49,062,000.

The indictment statement in the Sana’a airplane fueling case cited the embezzled amount at more than $650,000 over a period of ten years. The accused had forged official documents, whose damage was estimated to exceed $130 million.

The court then continued looking into another seven cases. One of these is the case of the forgery of official documents, employment decisions and preparation of fraudulent payroll lists for more than 1,419 persons who were said to have been employed at the Al-Jof health office in 2002, where the accused seized YR 20,142,573 in public funds.

During the session, Judge al-Akhali ordered the public money prosecution to bring the original documents before the second court session in order to determine the liability of each of the suspects, and to submit the documents to the criminal laboratory for analysis of the forged signatures.

The court ordered one of the Ministry of Finance’s deputy ministers to stand before the court, to answer why he had stalled in sending the official documents which the court demanded in order to present them to the accused.

Judge Ali al-Omisi, a member of the Public Money Court, headed a session trying 12 different cases, including one concerned with the issuing of 4 uncovered cheques to the tax department and another for the Ahli bank. There are 4 additional cases of people evading paying zakat.

Customs Authority: Customs exemptions should be abandoned

SANA’A, Feb. 08 (Saba)- Chairman of Customs Authority Ali al-Zabidi has stated that customs exemptions constitute a focus for corruption and, therefore, should be abandoned for this leads to misuse of tax and customs fees.

“I have called for the cancellation of customs exemptions since shouldering responsibility of the Customs Authority as I know the negative impacts and gross financial losses laid on the state treasury,” al-Zabidi said.

He pointed out to Saba that the total customs exemptions the authority granted in 2007 reached around YR 33.3 billion, out of which YR 4 billion under temporary permission system.

Al-Zabidi noted the importance of customs and tax revenues in supporting state treasury, specially under the decline of oil revenues on which state budget mostly depends.

Ministers with good ideas are frequently undermined by others in the administration.

Its really very good.

A 400,000 fine for 600,000 embezzlement and 130 million damages.

Yemen Observer:
The Primary Court and Prosecution of Public Money announced their judgment in case number 37 of 2003 concerning the embezzlement of money from the Airplane Fueling Administration, an affiliate of the Yemen Petroleum Company, at Sana’a airport. The case was presided over by Judge Abdulrazaq Saeed al-Akohaly and attended by Public Money Prosecutor Ramzi Abdullah al-Shawafi. The first defendant received three years imprisonment and a $360,229 fine. The second defendant will serve two years imprisonment and receive a fine of $110,016. Four of the other suspects were acquitted, while the seventh suspect’s case was closed due to his death.

The total amount which is to be refunded to the public treasury amounted to $479,312, the equivalent of YR49,062,000.

The indictment statement in the Sana’a airplane fueling case cited the embezzled amount at more than $650,000 over a period of ten years. The accused had forged official documents, whose damage was estimated to exceed $130 million.

The court then continued looking into another seven cases. One of these is the case of the forgery of official documents, employment decisions and preparation of fraudulent payroll lists for more than 1,419 persons who were said to have been employed at the Al-Jof health office in 2002, where the accused seized YR 20,142,573 in public funds.

(Read on …)

Apparently Al-Sahwa accused the regime of re-selling gas donated by Saudi Arabia for the local Yemeni market.

almotamar.net - A source at the office of the prime minister condemned Thursday the series of lies published by the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) newspapers the latest of which fabrications reported Thursday by A-Sahwa newspaper on the government’s sides to sell quantities of gas offered by Saudi Arabia to support the Yemeni government’s efforts in enhancing the gas situation allover the county.

The source expressed his denunciation of such allegations of this newspaper or other papers and media of the JMP and their always lies against the government and the measures it takes for overcoming the economic challenges resulting from the state of instability in world markets of many basic commodities related to the living of the people and alleviation of their suffering.

The source affirmed that the government has the ability to stock and market quantities of gas offered by the Saudi brothers for meeting local needs of gas. He described the newspaper’s reports as mere lies. The source also expressed his denunciation of the lies that have become a state associated to statements of the JMP’ and his media and leaderships.

ah, here we go, from Al-Sahwa

January 17, 2008- Well-informed sources affirmed to Alsahwa.net that officials seeks to buy gas aid granted by Saudi to Yemen.

The sources affirmed that 3,000 out of 30,000 tons of Saudi gas had arrived to Aden port last Friday.

On the other hand, Sources affirmed that Yemen Gas Company allowed to Gas shops owners to buy a gas cylinder for more than its real price, YR 500.

Gas shops owners had threaten to strike if a percentage of prices is not allocated to them, so the government let them add new increase.

Its a very good law in theory, putting it into practice is facing some difficulty; however a benchmark is always a good thing.

Yemeni minister refuses to submit financial disclosure to SNACC

[16 January 2008]
SANA’A, (Saba)- A member of Supreme National Authority for Compacting Corruption (SNACC), the head of Financial Disclosure Sector Mohammad al-Matari said on Wednesday that SNACC has received 262 disclosures of Yemeni officials.

Al-Matari clarified that one minister has not submitted his financial disclosure till now although he received a formal apply from the authority.

Al- Matari pointed out that Defense Ministry is the 1st official body that submitted more financial disclosures of its personal to SNACC.

Al-Matari re-called all ministry deputies and assistants and general managers in all governmental bodies to submit quickly their financial disclosures according law No. 30 for the year 2006.

He also called the ministries had not submitted lists of the names of their employees included on the low to complete the legal procedures for enabling the authority to receive the 2nd stage of
the financial disclosures.

The law compels everyone of the governmental high-rank employees to submit their financial disclosures over their possessions, their wives’ and sons’ in the country orr abroad to the SNACC that will inspect and follow up these disclosures.Saba

That is their job, bringing transparency and accountability to public officials, a fundamental component of democracy. al-Sahwa:

January 7, 2008 – Alliance of Anti-corruption journalists has approved a schedule of its activities for 2008 which will start with launching its electronic website, www.yemenjac.net, according to a statement of the alliance.

The alliance will monitor and release all corruption cases and complains published in papers and websites after making sure of its truth.

In a statement, the alliance explained that it would begin papering it’s the first annual report regarding corruption cases mentioned in Yemeni press of 2007.

The alliance elected the former chairman of the Yemeni Journalist Association Abdul-Bari Taher as a spokesman.

almotamar.net - A presidential decree issued Monday on establishment of a Higher Committee for Tenders and Biddings.

The committee is composed of Mohammed Ahmed al-Junaid chairman and Fawzi Mujahid Abdulqader, Mahmoud Hussein al-Eryany and Mansour Saleh Mohammed Saleh al-Qaeti as members.

The decree stipulated that it is operative from the date of its issuance and publication in the official gazette.

almotamar.net, saba - In its meeting held on Sunday chaired by Premier Dr Ali Mohammed Mujawar , the cabinet ratified eight tenders for improving electricity estimated at YR 3 billion provided by government.

The tenders are about importing electronic equipment, motors, cables, wires and accessories to a number of projects in governorates of Mareb, Thamar and Sana’a.

The cabinet listened to a report of governor of Mareb over needs of the governorate and its districts of electricity and other projects in the light of the inclusive plan approved by the cabinet for boosting development process in Mareb governorate.

The cabinet directed speeding up accomplishing these projects and covering all areas of the governorate with electricity and completing road projects of Mareb-al-Beidha, Safer-Mareb, Safer-al-Noqob and others.

It urged all ministries to follow up implementing the cabinet’s previous decisions regarding Mareb development. The cabinet affirmed the role the local authority has to play to strengthen the process of projects implementation in all areas.

almotamar.net - Head of the Information office of the General People’s Congress (GPC) Tareq al-Shamy on Tuesday said the republican decision on establishment of the Higher Committee of Tenders and Biddings is an embodiment of seriousness of the state pursuit in the process of reforms and fighting corruption.

Al-Shamy said the decision on formation of the committee comes as part of reforms Yemen is witnessing. The reforms system has depended on clear vision concerning development of laws and adoption of transparency principle in all financial, economic and administrative dealings.

The GPC official added that this step comes to be complementary to what has been achieved in independence of judiciary, establishment of the Supreme National Anti-Corruption Authority and amendments of laws related to economic, financial, administrative and judicial measures.

He criticised the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) negative stand concerning the reforms achieved, considering those stands as indicating a wrong understanding of opposition in opposing everything away from the national feeling. He added that the reforms serve the society and homeland.

9 mil returned to the treasury

http://www.yobserver.com/local-news/10013429.html

“The Court of Public Money has retrieved $9,801,000 for the State Treasury from corruption cases in 2006 and 2007,” said Mr. Ali al-’Awash, the General Attorney of the Court of Public Money. The number of corruption cases addressed by the public money prosecution from the beginning of 2006 until the middle of 2007 amounted to 2,296.

There were 1,416 cases in 2006 in which the court was able to retrieve the amount of YR 1,279,063,382 as well as $1,023,400. The 880 cases that the court dealt with in the first half of 2007 retrieved an amount of YR 425,816,605, as well as $168,000. Mr. al-Awash said that although the courts dealing with the prosecution of public money were limited in terms of resources and money, they proved their effectiveness in contributing to the fight against corruption.

At a forum held last week in honor of the International Day of Fighting Corruption al-Awash said that the responsibility of fighting corruption requires a real and effective partnership and cooperation amongst all the parties concerned.

In the same way, the Head of the National Supreme Anti-Corruption Authority, Mr. Ahmed al-Anesi, said that the authority is studying several cases of corruption; administrative, fiscal and investigational, and when they reach verdicts these cases will be referred to the concerned sides and the individuals involved will be revealed.

News Yemen

Huge funds returned from corruption cases in 2006 and 2007
09/12/2007

SANA’A, NewsYemen

The National Supreme Anti-Corruption Authority (NSACA) and the legislative and executive authorities have agreed that billions of rials lost due to corruption in the last few years.

Celebrating the World Corruption Day, December 09, they have confirmed the need to combine efforts and ensure partnership between NSACA and eight government and private institutions that are concerned about
Corruption.

Head of NSACA, Ahmad al-Ansi said this day was a good occasion to bring partners in fighting corruption all together to discuss corruption as a public issue, not
the issue of a specific organization.

Al-Ansi called for activating the role of both legislative and executive authorities and developing the supervising bodies as well as society in general to eradicate corruption that damages national economy and hampers development.

We need to prevent corruption before happening, prevention is better than cure, said al-Ansi.

There were 1416 cases raised to the Public Funds Prosecution in 2006, said the lawyer at the Court of Public Funds Ali al-Awash.

Al-Awash said the court could restore over YR 1.279 billion and $1023400 to the Public Fund.

Early in 2007, the court looked at 88 cases of corruption and it could bring back more than YR 425 million and USD 168000, he added.

The head of High Judicial Council Esam al-Samawi said the council has tackled a number of corruption cases and that it has applied effective accountability and
extended inspection campaigns to protect the public funds.

We work together hand by hand with the National Supreme Anti-corruption Authority o fight this threat against our country so that Yemeni people can live
decent life, said deputy speaker of the Parliament Yahya al-Raee.

Head of the Central Organization for Controlling and Auditing (COCA) Abdullah al-Sanafi gave figures showing cases of corruption the COCA has found out in
the last two years.

On this occasion, the UNDP office in Sana’a has confirmed its readiness to help the judicial system and ministry of finance in Yemen prepare and manage transparent budgets in addition to building the capacities of civil society organizations.

Yemen Observer

The Public Funds Court, presided by Judge Abdul Razzaq al-Akehali, continued its examination of 16 different cases that ranged from embezzling and theft to usurpation, all of which involve the misuse of national public funds.

One of the adjourned cases has seen 22 employees from the Ministry of Health stand trial. The case concerned the quadruple cerebro-spinal fever vaccine case in which pilfered funds totaled YR129 million. Another case dealt with the aircraft fuel supply directorate at Sana’a Airport in which financial damages amounted to $613,126 in addition to an embezzled amount of YR2, 141,126. The case was adjourned to gather more evidence.

The same court postponed case No. 31/2005 that involved counterfeit official papers, appointment decrees and employment papers for 1,491 pseudo-employees at Al-Jawf Health Bureau in 2002. The 14 defendants had allegedly usurped the ‘imaginary’ employees’ salaries that added up to YR20, 172,573. The hearing was adjourned in order to collect payrolls bearing the defendants’ signatures.

Another adjourned case dealt with the repair and renovation of the Sam Al-Yemen ship. The Yemeni Economic Corporation (YEC), owner of the vessel, filed the case against the repairs contractor. The YEC’s loss amounted to $800,000. The case was deferred in order to collect further evidence.

Judge Ali al-Omaisi presided over another 12 embezzlement and usurpation cases including four for writing bad cheques addressed to the Tax Authority, two zakah evasions and various thefts in public departments.

In total, the court passed seven verdicts last week. Four cases were ruled to be referred to specialized courts, three others included embezzlements, the circulation of counterfeit money and the theft of public funds.

Yemen Observer

IBB - A number of candidates for jobs in the Ibb health bureau claim to have been blackmailed by officials after submitting their CV’s and other files for the purpose of employment.

The total number of the candidates to be taken on by the office this year is 239. They say they were asked to pay YR 5,000 for each file. The candidates complained about the blackmail to the governor of the province, Ali bin Ali al-Qaissi, last Monday 25th November. The governor has formed a committee to look into the accusations

The committee found officials guilty while they were receiving the files of the candidates last Monday. The committee also received hundreds of complaints from new job seekers against the office of the civil service in the governorate. They accused the civil service of tampering with their dossiers.

Wow. From Saada to Aden and lots of places in between

Yemen Times

TAIZ, Dec. 2 — Official and popular celebrations on the 40th anniversary of National Independence Day, which took place from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, were accompanied by angry and hostile demonstrations against the authority in several Yemeni governorates, notably in Taiz, which hosted the biggest rally. Aden, Lahj, Al-Dhale’, Abyan, Sana’a and Ibb were other governorates that witnessed enraged protests against the government.

Securities can’t prevent the marches

Security authorities failed to prevent citizens from joining the demonstrations, although they closed all outlets to Taiz and opened fire on some people while they were trying to enter the city via entrances other than those containing checkpoints. Three citizens were injured badly in the process.

(Read on …)

almotamar.net - The number of Yemeni cabinet, misters who have so far delivered statements on their property to the Supreme National Anti-Corruption Authority (SNACA) has amounted to 24 ministers out of 94 government officials included by the law. Among the government officials are undersecretaries and directors general at different government institutions. Submissions of those statements began since the beginning of last October in implementation of the law requesting senior government officials to provide statements on their property which was adopted by the Yemeni parliament the mid of July 2006.

The head of the property statements at the SNACA Mohammed Hamoud al-Matari has made it clear to almotamar.net that the Minister of Electricity & Energy Dr Mustafa Bahran has presented to the SNACA his property statement on Tuesday and before him on the same day was the Minister of State for the cabinet and parliament affairs Dr Adnan al-Jifri.

This legal measure that includes the Yemeni ministers for the first time comes in implementation of the law on statement of property and articles of the president of the republic’s electoral platform with regard to fighting corruption and part of the reforms aimed to improve the administrative performance and combating corruption in Yemen.

The law obliges those included to present statements on their property before their assuming of their posts so that the SNACA would be able to hold them accountable after that for any sums of money or property they have acquired during their posts in illegal ways.

Shocker!

Al-Sahwa

November 20, 2007 -The Central Organization for Control and Auditing has referred in the end of October some officials in Haja province to the general prosecution in order to investigate them in the wake of issuing accusations against them by the local authorities.

The head of COCA revealed corruption cases and financial breaches totaled YR 34 million in 2003.

It explained that the officials are involved in seizing of public money, counterfeiting formal documents and other financial and administrative breaches.

COCA asked in its document to the Attorney-General to hold all the i