Egyptian writer Gamal al-Ghitani says it was the Saudi Ambassador Ahmed Al Qattan who announced that former Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa received a $5 million bonus at the end of his service at the organization, in a recent press interview. It seemed rather bizarre to him that it was the Saudi ambassador who announced it and not the Arab League or its General Secretary Nabil El-Araby.
Al-Ghitani added that no previous Secretary General at the Arab League had ever received such a sum, or the equivalent in their time; not Esmat Abdel-Meguid, Chedli Klibi nor Mahmoud Riad or any other person since the first General Secretary Abdul Rahman Azzam. In other words, he questioned, is it normal procedure for the League to pay these bonuses, or is Amr Moussa a special case?
The Arab League, which is suffering from a budget deficit, must clarify the matter and improve transparency, especially as the revelation of the bonus came not from an internal source, but rather from the Saudi ambassador.
This level of bonus, al-Ghitani explained, is unheard of at the Arab League or any other similar diplomatic post, and has passed by unnoticed and without reaction except by readers' comments on websites. This incident and what may come of it, necessitates that all presidential candidates' sources of income be revealed. The office of the President of State must be thoroughly protected by guarantees that will keep it clean from any possible doubts.
The writer stressed that what Amr Moussa is doing amounts to political deception. His café outings and appearances at weddings do not suit his aristocratic character. In an interview with Jabir Al-Qurmuti, on OnTV 's Mansheet programme, last Wednesday night, al-Ghitani added that Moussa has no plan, policy or methodology and is self-serving. He added that if Moussa took up the post of President, it would be disastrous. Moussa was an integral part of the corrupt Mubarak age, and may turn out to be even worse than Mubarak, he said. (Source: www.yallafinance.com)
