29/03/1997
Regarding the social dimension in the transformation process, Dr. Rabeh Rateeb prepared a working paper entitled “Social and Political Impacts of Privatization”, while the Social Fund for Development (SFD) submitted a working paper regarding the social dimension for its programs.(Available in Arabic – German in PDF )
In its working paper, the SFD highlighted its role in securing job opportunities and sources of income for helping the needy, working class and limited income citizens. The paper included the following points: creating new job opportunities, supporting public investments in fields of social services, especially in health and education fields, supporting and encouraging civil societies and voluntary associations to participate in the planning and execution of sub-projects that act in the best interest of the targeted categories. Dr. Rabeh Rateeb prepared a working paper entitled “Social and Political Impacts of Privatization” in which he stressed the importance of the state’s role before and after the privatization process in order to open the door for the private sector. The paper added that the private sector can grow, develop and perform its role in meeting public and private social needs and participate in the achievement of economic development only in the presence of a strong country that protects private ownership. The paper called on the state to solve the problems of workers in privatized projects, to the extent of dismissing them from their working places, and to work on softening the impacts of the privatization process, such as monopolies and pollution of the environment. It also called on the state to grant some exceptional powers for management of strategic and vital facilities during the time of emergencies and wars to protect the secrecy of classified information and prevent any enemy state from having access to it or using it in political arenas.