Sir Hilary Synnott, Regional Co-ordinator, CPA (South)

Sir Hilary Synnott, Regional Co-ordinator, CPA (South) Achievements of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Al Muthanna 1 September 2003 As Prepared for Delivery I am Hilary Synnott, Regional Coordinator of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Southern Iraq. I am here to tell you that it is my job to assure that the interests of this region and this province will be dealt with in a balanced way. With fairness, and in partnership with the people of Al Muthanna, we will work hard to ensure a return to peace and security for the people of the Region, the Province and the Country. I say this against the terrible background that a great leader and many of his followers were killed in the devastating bomb attack on the Imam Ali Mosque in Najaf. All over the world, the murder of Ayatollah Mohammed Baqr al-Hakim has been condemned by political and religious leaders. We share your sorrow for the lives lost. We share your sorrow for the loss of a great leader. And we share your anger at this attack on the Shrine. Those responsible for the killings have different aims from the Coalition Provisional Authority. We are here to build peace, stability and prosperity together with you and the rest of the people of Iraq. The perpetrators have different aims which they do not share with the Iraqi people or with us. I am sure that we share the hope that justice will prevail. And that neither your sorrows nor your extremely great losses will prevent progress towards this objective. The Coalition, in partnership with the people of Al Muthanna, has helped to create an Interim Council for the Province. This is the beginning of a process that will see a new, democratic constitution created by Iraqis for the Iraqi people. The draft constitution will be presented for discussion and debate to the people of Iraq. And when it is finally adopted, the people of Al Muthanna will be able to participate in free, democratic elections, in which their own leaders will be elected to represent the interests of all the people of the Province. Throughout Iraq, the CPA is working with the Iraqi people to repair damage, to rebuild industry, and create jobs. Much progress has already been made. 92,000 Iraqis receive social security and welfare benefits that are four times higher than they received under the former regime. 1.3 million Iraqi civil servants are drawing salaries. Many public workers, such as teachers, are now paid four times what they were paid under the old regime. And 10,000 Iraqis have been hired and are being trained, uniformed, and armed to protect Iraq’s own resources, such as oil pipelines and electricity plants. Hospitals and clinics across the country are operating once more. Generators are being installed to ensure uninterrupted power. And 7,500 tons of medicines been have distributed by the Coalition since May. For schools, five million new science and mathematics textbooks are being prepared for delivery to schools. 1,000 primary schools are being repaired for the new school year. And almost 4,000 sets of essential supplies for school teachers and administrators are being prepared, enough for 1.2 million Iraqi schoolchildren. To help improve the lives of ordinary people, the CPA has made a survey of all towns and cities of more than 20,000 people to plan new water and sewerage systems. This survey will help us to plan a five-year programme to improve the quality of water for all who use it, and to reduce the number of people, especially children, who suffer from disease. This is a plan for the future. But much has already been done. Here in this province, ten police stations have been re-equipped and reopened, with 1,200 police officers on duty, to help restore peace and security. Cleaning irrigation canals has brought jobs for tens of thousands of workers, and will help farmers as the time for planting approaches. The CPA has concentrated on projects to help repair damage caused in the recent conflict, or as a result of years of neglect by the former regime. So far, 31 projects, with a value of over $930,000 has been agreed to help the people of this Province. To help restore industry, the CPA has already agreed over $20,000 for repairs to Al Muthanna cement Factory and the Khidar Asphalt plant. To help restore justice, the CPA has agreed over $250,000 to repair courthouses in Rumaytha, As Samawah and Khidar. Repairs to ministry buildings will help to restore local and accountable government to the people of the Province. Repairs to local banks will help small businesses as well as individual men and women. Repairs to the Al Dharraj and Al Khidar pontoon bridges will help communications between communities. So will the $50,000 needed for new railway equipment, agreed on Saturday. Young people will benefit from $30,000 to be spent on the High School for Boys, and on repairs to the Centre for Sport and Games. Progress for ordinary people in Al Muthanna has to be visible on a daily basis, and so it must be. That is why I am here today. To confirm to you that together we can make life better for the Iraqi people.