Hossam Badrawi Official Website
After the conclusion of the sessions of today’s conference in which I was a member, I was surrounded by a number of youth that included worriers, opposers and supporters of the current government and president’s performance. They asked me about the major national projects and its feasibility. Some raised concerns about the calls for demonstration on 11/11, others expressed they do not object expressing their opinions in this manner. They asked me what my choice was.
I talked to them and I am sharing this opinion with you.
The question that youth ask me and I ask myself,
Can the people get a better administration on economic and monetary level?
The answer is yes.
Egypt is full of efficient and capable figures. We can get better.
Can the society rights in education, medical care, transportation and all services be provided in a higher quality? I reply quickly saying yes.
Were we affected negatively by prices increase and lack of jobs? Yes.
Were the already started major projects that were critical for development to continue after it was almost stopped before taking other effective and influential steps enough to fulfill our hopes? My answer is no, they were not enough.
However, out of my experience, I know that beginning in the stage that follows crises, wars and recessions, is difficult. Such projects are the key to operation motor. I also know that operating a motor only does not mean motion; it must be followed by many things.
I also know that we face many challenges and accumulated cons. I realize that raising the standard of living to a vast segment of citizens depends on interrelated reform system and continuity of achieving higher growth rates for many years. It will not happen by itself because I am rebellious, depressed or angry.
The question is why do not I revolt with the rebels now, overthrow the rulers, show them that the people can do it and start over again?
Egyptian people did so twice in 5 years, once in 2011 when the army ran to support them and led the society to presidential and parliamentary elections which came with Muslim Brotherhood from prisons to power.
Then things get terrible, services become worse, country borders are violated, people freedoms are chained, one group took Egypt as a hostage and everyone was excluded in front of th Muslim Brotherhood’s possessive desire and political orientation.
Within one year, the Constitutional Court was besieged to prevent its meeting, and Media Production City was besieged to prevent opinion and expressing it. The president immunized his decisions, antagonized judiciary, media, police, army and all citizens, other than his community. In October Victory celebration, we watched those who assassinated El-Sadat in the lead. Governors who committed terrorist acts were appointed in the same place where they committed their crimes and assumed power. Angry demonstrations surrounded Heliopolis presidential palace, El Etihadiya, and were savagely assaulted by militias. We witnessed preludes to a dictatorial religious regime that does not match the dreams of people.
In the meantime, prices rose, electricity went off, infrastructure was destroyed, roads were shattered and services were deteriorated rapidly.
The people decided to change once again. On June 30, the people revolted peacefully against the regime and summed its army once again, in an unprecedented historic [moment].
Now, after 2 years, I see directions to call the crowds for revolution and chaos again.
Let us think patiently this time and ask ourselves before involving in destructing the homeland which is above all, what will we get out of a new chaos?
Are there any economic solutions proposed within a new political orientation that will suddenly change the condition? Is it only a desire to destroy and sometimes to revenge? Do those who call for chaos have solutions? If they do, let us listen and understand it before we allow destroying everything.
Will demonstrations, chaos, instability reduce prices or will it bring calamities upon us as we experienced in the last 5 years?
Will the investment increase, services be improved by just destroying what we have or will we go away more and more from such possibility?
This time, we will not escape the fate of Syria, Libya, Iraq and Yemen. We will not have the ability to bear a new gap in economy, employment and services. Presence of the armies from the east and west as well as militias will be nothing but a beginning of a reality we still see in a beautiful country filled with efficiencies and abilities that could not stop sliding to the brink of civil war and destruction.
The best for my country is to offer alternatives, work, work and work.
The most successful thing for my country is to maintain stability, without compromising the efficiency of government and institutions.
The most efficient matter for my country is to contribute with my work, not to let the mob kill and destroy my work opportunity.
No, we will not allow road, power plant and gas well projects to be interrupted.
No, we will not compromise million-housing-unit project or eradicating hepatitis C virus at the state expense.
No, we will not allow, and we will observe, a million acres reclamation project and will hold the government accountable if not completed.
No, we will not allow canceling the [projects of the] metro line 4 or manufacturing new trains.
No, we will not allow stopping construction of new cities in Ismailia, El-Alamen, Galala Mountain or Damietta Furniture City.
No, we will not allow canceling [projects of] East Port Said port, the Golden Triangle and new industrial areas.
No, we will not allow ceasing the Suez Canal developmental project which will double the investment and create job opportunities.
No a million times, we will not allow ISIS and its tails to take advantage of senseless chaos and enter Egypt.
Yes, we want more. This is our right.
Yes, we admit underperformance. It is our duty.
Great people of Egypt learned a lot in the last 5 years.
We should build on the shoulders of what is achieved, not on the remains of what we destroy Despite my anger sometimes and my upset some other times,
I will stand against chaos. I will support my country, the parliament and the government to become better.
I will express my opinion freely and give the president and his government a chance to finish what they have started.
I am a positive and free-opinion man and I will support my country, my homeland, at crisis. I will hold my government and my president accountable according to the freedom of choice offered to me by the Constitution.
This is my choice.
Long live Egypt.
