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'Yemeni Government Will Not Pay YR13 Billion To Sheikhs'
[Yemen Post] Yemen's Prime Minister Muhammad Salem Basindwa vowed on Friday to hold YR13 billion which the House of Representatives approved for the tribal elders and sheikhs within the state budget. In a speech delivered after the prayers in the southern province of Taiz, he said the former regime used to give this sum to some tribal elders and sheikhs to gain their allegiance but the power-sharing government will not repeat this unconstitutional act. "We will not pay the YR13 billion to sheikhs. The state budget should be directed to serve all the Yemeni people and there should not be provisions aimed at special people or groups," he said from the Freedom Square. In April, Parliament passed YR2.1 trillion as the state budget for fiscal year 2012 including the provision allocating YR13 billion for tribal elders. Some MPs resisted the decision, urging to annul this provision. The cabinet arrived and held an extraordinary meeting on Thursday in Taiz which discussed ways to supply urgent needs and maintain security, in the city turned into a battlefield for pro- and anti-regime forces last year. "I came to you, so trust me I will pay my life to achieve your demands and no one can force you out of your squares," he addressed the people of Taiz. He said the power-sharing government, formed according to a power-transfer deal brokered by the GCC and backed by the West in November, has made strides on all fronts and all of its members are devoted to serving the country. He urged the youths to actively participate in the national dialogue to bring solutions to all Yemen's problems. "Taiz is the heart of Yemen. if it stands, the country stands. It really deserves more and more from us," he said. Posted by: Fred 2012-05-05 |
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