The society is getting prepared for a different new social initiative which was not experienced before in the community; it is the establishment of municipal councils. This is a kind of challenging and puzzling issue.
It has taken decades to reform and improve the experience of Majlis Ash’shura. With regard to the election process it has not developed much. However, it has witnessed some changes in its role in the political life due to the new legislative and regulatory rules which have been accorded to the Majlis. The two words, legislative and regulatory, became more overused as people were raising them as logos requesting for such rules and regulations and asking to revise and effectively apply them in reality.
After establishing one council for consultation serving one major goal which is Oman, the homeland without any regional barriers and interests, here comes the experience of the municipal councils for each governorate in the Sultanate. These councils symbolise small Shura councils in all governorates to present its needs and demands to meet the circumstances of place and time. They are intended to work in social co-operation within a contemporary and modern system in a bid to avoid any bureaucratic and centralised issues.
In fact, an intensive awareness campaign should be organised for the citizens to enlighten them about the municipal council. This campaign should also clarify why a particular person is selected and not another one. We are afraid of making the same things which have been done during the Majlis Ash’shura elections as people have chosen their representatives according to their social relations. Some have nominated the representatives because they were from the same tribe.
Later, we criticise the members of Majlis Ash’shura, no point in criticising them because we have selected them ourselves.
Many people claim that they are not well-qualified, but they won the election by the support of their tribe members and due to their social support. Some tribes supported the representatives just to make sure that they have someone among them called “His Excellency” and he gets priority in the wilayat.
Have we carefully understood the previous lesson in order to decide on the basis on which the new experience will be build on? We should make sure that the results serve the people of our governorates because we care for them. There are some facts indicating that some of the nominees were working hard to collect as many voices as possible from their tribe members, friends or relatives just for the sake of being famous person in the society.
I believe, this kind of nominees will have the right to do whatever he wants in the framework of democracy which we all wants. As long as we are satisfied with him, our voices will be the way to achieve the best.
Establishing the municipal councils reflects the importance of their role in each governorate. This also represents the partnership between the citizens and government which should be strengthened by nominating the right and qualified people to be our representatives. However, if we have weakened this partnership from the beginning, we shouldn’t cry over spilt milk later on.
Replying to a question directed to me during the TV programme “Hiwar Al Shabab” a few days back about why there were new names in the Majlis, I said this depends on our choices for whom we nominate. We shouldn’t just write the name of our nominee without knowing what he will be able to do for those who trusted him and nominated him. There are many active and ambitious people who have no degree, but they are capable of making some changes and serve their community. However, there are others with high educational degrees, but they are ignoring their roles towards their country and its people because they are not serious and not willing to serve the nation.
The municipal councils seem to be a new experience which requires patience and review. It is a kind of new matter which has not been experienced in the society before, despite there are many countries around the world which have implemented them. However, this depends on the different circumstances of each country in regard to the geographical, historical, human factors which form each experience.
We have experienced the Local Committees and we criticised them a lot, thus it is the time to choose who we need to represent us in the new national experience. We should be more sincere and responsible while selecting our representatives in order to serve the rights and needs of all citizens.