Financial analyst “Khaled Al-Zantouti” wrote:
These days, we see some (handsome) wealthy businessmen appearing on television and social media, proposing solutions to every problem facing Libyan society, starting with subsidies and housing, and moving on to electricity, and perhaps even demographics, marriage and divorce. The problem with these people is that they firmly believe their own interests are also in the public interest. In fact, they see the realization of the public interest as beginning with the realization of their own interests first.
This makes me ask: Where is the public interest in their obtaining hundreds of millions, even billions, through fictitious letters of credit? Do they not realize that they are the ones who have impoverished the Libyan people and forced them into queues in search of basic necessities?! Do these people not realize that their greed and exorbitant profit margins are what have left ordinary Libyans struggling under the burden of high prices for even their most basic needs?! Do they not realize that the bribes they pay to public-sector employees are among the reasons the public sector has deteriorated and collapsed?!!! Do they not realize that their tampering with the national economy and its institutions, including their nomination of puppets loyal to them to occupy senior positions despite having no knowledge, experience or recognized qualifications, has contributed to an unprecedented administrative and economic decline?! … And so on.
They call for the sale of the National Oil Corporation and its companies to themselves and those representing them abroad. They call for the sale of the electricity company, oil refineries and housing institutions. They call for the abolition of subsidies while conveniently ignoring the need to identify those responsible for the loss of subsidized fuel and where it has gone!!!!
Shouldn’t people like these instead be calling for and demanding financial, economic and social reform through objective, evidence-based programs that take into consideration only the interests of ordinary citizens and enable them to live peaceful lives? Isn’t it a matter of ethics and civic duty for them to build factories and productive companies, train the national workforce, and help improve the quality of healthcare and education services through economically viable projects that benefit both themselves and their fellow citizens, rather than serving only their own interests?
Certainly, there are patriotic businessmen — albeit few in number — who are working toward achieving this. May God grant them success.
