Mudane Qaalib: Taariikh Kooban Iyo Waraysi Qoraal Ah.

  ______________________________________________________________________

QAYBTAN DANBE WAXAYNU KU KAYDINAYNAA QORMOOYINKII QAALIB OO HADHAWTO NOQON DOONA BUUGA QAALIB.

_________________________________________________________

Preface of a new book    

This book contains articles I was writing in the websites for some time. It is an opportunity for the audience who did not get the chance to read it.

The first section of this book details the integration of accounts of Somalia. This is designed to provide accurate picture and information about this matter to the reader. Most of the people think that the accounting systems were integrated in 1960. The two systems were working side by side until 1967. Hargeisa was the headquarters for all the accounts of the northern region, compiling in one abstract account for onward transmission to Mogadishu up to the above date.

The elected government of 1964 requested the United Nations to assist in the matter and make a study of both systems �the northern and the southern and make their recommendations the system that will best suit the country. The United Nations then recommended the British system of the north to be the system that is best for the republic. The government of Somalia then accepted the advice of the United Nations and the expertise and skills of the staff of the northern region were sought to fulfill this task.

Late Mr. Ibrahim Ali Liban {Dhakaweyne} was appointed the Accountant General of the state to implement the new system. He immediately brought skilled staff from the northern region to be sub-accountants in Benadir districts and the status of Hargeisa as the headquarters for the accounts of the north ended after several years of the above date. The name was changed from Chief accountant to Regional Accountant of the western region and the staff was downsized and transferred to the southern region to assist in the integration.

Ibrahim Abdi Musa and late Ali Hussein Abdillahi were the successive Accountant Generals after the death of late Mr. Liban. They carried the mission successfully. Almost all the regions and districts of the south were manned by a staff transferred from the North. The other details are included in the first section of this book.

The second section of this book comprises of different articles. Some of these articles were published in the local news papers. Of course these articles represent my point of view and any person who thinks otherwise is welcome to discuss the matter with me. I realize that in some instances that my view point may not be right because I am not in the main stream and in this respect the appointed and elected officials are welcome to prove that the contrary is true. I also recognize that with escalating costs, diminishing resources and the attitudes and lack of understanding of our people that the executives are always under pressure to rule this country.

My aim is that citizens should contribute and not loose sight of the fact that every one of us has an obligation not only for himself and his family but to the community in which he lives and to our society as a whole. It is obligatory to every citizen of this country to take part in guiding the boat down the road to change the life style of our people and tackle the many challenges ahead. Most of these articles are covering areas of concern in this country based on the reality on the ground according to my judgment. I have tried to be reasonably constructive and to criticize positions and not personalities. I have avoided stepping on the shoes of any person.

The key to success lies in our ability to accept diverse opinion and to change the attitudes of being only a consumer society to a working community who can raise the working standard and increase production level. Gone are the days of waiting somebody to feed you and is not being accepted as a behavior these days. Life is getting harder the years ahead and if we do not change our habits of not producing anything, we will be forced into a beehive existence.

To be honest there is relatively free press in this country compared to many third world countries. The pitfall of the present administration is lack of communication with people and the media timely and that is why the media spell speculative news all the time. Media have a responsibility to get the facts. It is better always to maintain control and be the source of information and make sure not to minimize serious problem or try to smooth it over. It is better always to have all positions and policies built on facts and logic.

On the other hand I agree that the media should work within the ethics and codes of journalism. The public place great reliance on the information published and must be carefully and thoroughly prepared and make sure the standard is appropriate and trustworthy. I am truly against the tribal slogans being spelled always by the media in this country. The mile stone of this country is peace and every body is responsible to safeguard it.

These articles also portray that civic societies are not apparent in the development of the country as well as the political and socio-economic process of the country. The women in this country are also manipulated and their organizations are kept apolitical. The people�s unrestricted ability to participate in political and socio-economic life stands as the best possible evidence that our people can make enormous progress. To fulfill this, we need to make political and socio-economic reforms and the meager financial resources of the country be regulated.

No body can deny that corruption plagued our society today and cannot be combated unless we work together to eradicate this disease. The first step is to solve and address the needs of the work force. The budget of Somaliland is enough to give a good financial package to the work force according to the standard of living of the country. This is the only time that punishment and reward can go side by side.

I have covered also in these articles that democracy means the rule of the ruled. This means voters select representatives to make the decisions of government for them. Citizens retain the ultimate decision making power since periodic elections allow them to reject representatives who do not carry out their wishes. Freedom in a democracy means different things to different people particularly regarding divisive issues. We will seek that kind of democracy that suits our culture and religion not western model democracy which created already undue pressures to us. One man�s meat is another man�s taboo.

I must apologize to the readers if the standard of this work is not adequate because we are working under unusual circumstances and limited resources. Life is stressful in this part of the world where there is no basic necessities of life like healthy water, electricity and proper sanitation. In these stressful situations it is difficult to live normal life and present a competitive work.

The millennium marked an age of globalization. The end of the cold war and a world with only one super power brought to the third world undue pressures and upheavals that have no parallel. In this fast emerging and rapidly changing technologies of the information age, our society lacks the communication tools that can extend power and reach.

Ibrahim Adam Ghalib
Borama, Awdal.

___________________________________________________________