Exclusive: In his interview with our source, Al-Huwaij talks about important details regarding the organization of foreign labor and a number of other decisions

The Minister of Economy and Trade in the Government of National Unity, Mohamed Al-Huwaij, spoke in an exclusive interview with our source regarding the decision that was issued a year ago regarding the regulation of foreign labor, where he said: “Its aim was to regulate the presence of foreign labor, not to prevent it, but to regulate their presence, because the inbound labor to Libya without a system, and some of them are illegal immigration by sea, and others have many diseases, and some may be in criminal organizations and some of them controlled the distribution of goods and services without regulation and benefit from electricity, water and public places services without paying for it.”

He added by saying: “When we issued a decision to reorganize foreign workers, and this requires that the job holder bring them to Libya, whether in factories or investment, we also guarantee this labor with contracts and a medical examination, and it must not have precedents, just as we guarantee the right of labor with contracts as well it has controls according to Law (6) 1987 to regulate the entry of foreign workers, whether for employment in factories, farms or investment projects, because lack of regulation threatens national security and price manipulation.”

He continued: “He must be registered within a certain period and has a contract with the job holder. We need foreign labor in agriculture, industry and services, and it must be organized, whether technical or ordinary, as well as reminding of this law and we issue decisions and executive bodies such as the Ministry of Labor and Rehabilitation implement this decision and also the law enforcement agencies, because this threatens national security, price manipulation and hygiene as well, and assistance must be provided by every municipality to organize this employment.”

He said: “Every municipality is considered a security economic square, and the mayors of the municipalities and the municipal guard and other auxiliary agencies must organize the employment within each municipality. They have contracts, regulations and health treatment, so that food and drug security is not tampered with.”

As for the government’s plan regarding the settlement of treatment at home, he said: “Treatment has become a big problem for Libyans, and the health system has unfortunately collapsed, and there are also several stages of health treatment, including: the first stage of treatment such as vaccinations and others, and treatment in specialized hospitals in the private sector, and we encourage treatment in the private sector in the first place because In hospitals, the patient’s cost is higher than in the private sector, and prices are still working on setting a price, and we have worked on a classification of clinics with a maximum price limit.

We also seek, with the policy of the Government of National Unity, in this direction to localize treatment at home, so leaders in the health sector must be encouraged in many areas, and the goal later is health insurance for all Libyans. When providing insurance, we purchase the service from the private sector, when If you are treated in a sanatorium, you will have a certain cost and health insurance so that the state will cover you. Doctors must be encouraged at home, and we say to all doctors abroad that they come to clinics in Libya, and they are exempted from taxes and fees, and an environment is also provided for them.”

As for the International Monetary Fund’s decision to replace subsidies in Libya, he said:

“Commodity subsidy was lifted from 2016, and was replaced by paying allowances for the family, wife and children, and paid before Ramadan, and we now see stability in prices and it was an alternative, and the amounts are not large and did not exceed one billion dinars, and the problem was only in fuel and it constitutes a large number of subsidies, and the point of view of the Ministry of Economy in This matter is to be exchanged for cash and we give each person his share of the subsidy per month, or we subsidize part and give cash part, and we believe that most of it should be monetary.

There are also technical problems as a result of modifying the construction of stations, and the public opinion is still apprehensive, and we are working on studies in this aspect.”

As for the preparations of the Ministry of Economy on the occasion of determining the prices of sacrificial animals, he said:

“Competition is what achieves the balance in prices, and the Central Bank of Libya is easy to agree with and also easy to open credits in the private sector and will contribute in part of it, and the Ministry of Agriculture is following up on this issue, the most important of which is facilitating the supply of sacrifices, opening new markets from other countries, and large quantities come People import and create competition in order to stabilize prices.

In addition to the establishment of a fodder committee because citizens did not raise livestock, whether in the Green Mountain or the Jafara Plain, as a result of the high price of fodder, and it was agreed with the Council of Ministers to allocate a budget for the year 2023 AD to bring in fodder, and Al Jabal Al Akhdar began to supply a quantity of it, and there is also a committee headed by the Undersecretary for Commercial Affairs so that Fodder is supplied, and it will help raise livestock and reduce its price.”

As for financing the Grain Board, he said:

“The problem is in allocating a budget, and there is still a problem as a result of the political division that has not been approved yet, and the Minister of Finance agreed to allocate an amount under the item of food security.”

As for the decision to control prices, he said: “We will work step by step to encourage large companies, factories and markets that have reduced their prices in Ramadan, so that we give them the medal of the honest merchant and they are encouraged and honored.

As prices are considered low and stable, commodities are available, and there is no demand, and there is a reduction in the price less than its cost as a result of the competition and the large quantities that exist, as well as the Central Bank of Libya helped in opening credits, and another decision was issued for transfers of spare parts, because we have large factories in Libya such as pasta, flour and oil They exist, as we have some problems with bakeries, and we will overcome them, and it is assumed that the law enforcement agencies are the ones who play their role.”

As for the central governor’s decision to keep the exchange rate at 4.48, he said:

“When spending increases, and it is customary in the economy when income is limited from oil only, and you have salaries of up to 50 billion, if the reduction takes place, an imbalance will occur, and when production is diversified from agriculture and industry and conditions stabilize, as well as reserves increase at a certain stage. Certainly the Libyan dinar will be stronger, but most of it comes step by step.”