Hurghada Maritime Tourism Revolution Participants Succeed in Bid to End Corruption

Feb. 13, 2011 - PRLog -- (HURGHADA, EGYPT) Capitalizing on the unprecedented success of Egypt's 18-day pro-democracy revolution resulting in the resignation of the country's 30-year tyrannical President, over 500 water and sport tourism business owners, managers, captains and seamen gathered in front of the Hurghada, Red Sea Ministry of Transport's Maritime office (El Tafish El Bahry) in a peaceful protest bid to oust general manager Abdu Abd Kareem from office on the basis of allegations of deep-rooted corruption.

Safari and daily boat owners and managers have been plagued for years by the inability to conduct their businesses in a clear and orderly manner unless they were in a position to pay large sums of money 'under-the-table', resulting in significant financial loss or complete closure of their businesses.

First-responders to the protest scene were Hurghada police, who barricaded the roadway in front of El Tafish El Bahry, but demonstrators were insistent upon addressing their complaints in front of a representative of Egypt's governing military officer, Navy Col. Tariq Ismail.

Protesters, chanting "Go Out Abdu", demanded that the head of the Ministry of Maritime Transport in Alexandria, Mustafa Mohammed Whaba, remove Abdu Abd Kareem from his position as General Manger of the Hurghada Ministry of Transport Maritime office.

After listening to the complaints and receiving a petition signed by protesters, Col. Tariq placed a call to Alexandria making a verbal report. A short time later he received confirmation that the protesters' request for the removal of Abdu Abd Kareem as manager of the Hurghada Ports Office had been granted.

Rafiq Mohamed Rashid will be dispatched to assume the duties of the ousted Hurghada general manager.

"I saw a lot of corruption in Hurghada, especially with the boats office, where the manager never finished any situation or made a report or inspection for anyone in a normal way, like any democratic government around the world, unless he took money under the table. We even have proof that he made most of his meetings in night clubs," stated protester, Mustafa Elabd.

Elabd added, "I am happy for what happened today and I ask my democratic government to apply the fullest extent of law in punishing Abdu Abd Kareem. Now it is time to free our country from corruption. Our next action will be to address the Chamber of Water and Diving Sports to request that they review and revise the rules governing our ability to provide a good business for the divers and tourists to Egypt."

"It is unbelievable that Egyptian divers in their country are being allowed to work in the time that Russian and Polish divers are working without even permission or visas," stated maritime advocate Said Mamdouh. He added, "Cleaning up corruption in the maritime tourism industry is crucial to the recovery of Egypt's economy."

Concluding Mamdouh stated, "Throughout the past 30-years nearly every Egyptian citizen has been a victim of or witness to corruption. As successors of the current revolution, we must take our place as soldiers of justice to rebuild our country and revive its status as a respected nation with a 10,000 year history."

Demonstrators attending the protest applauded Col. Ismail's announcement giving them renewed hope that they would be able to continue forward in their business in a straight way.

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Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8wkl-oKpb0


Arabic Version of Press Release
http://aishahsjourney.blogspot.com/2011/02/blog-post.html

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The reporter, Aishah Schwartz, is founder and director the Washington, D.C.-based Muslimah Writers Alliance (MWA) founded in 2006. She is also a published freelance non-fiction writer/citizen-journalist and internationally renowned human rights activist.