SVF broadcasted a live radio program on Wednesday, Jan 27, 2010 to discuss the role of civil society institutions in the monitoring process on municipalities' services, funded by TIRI, in cooperation with the Municipality of Maghazi, participated by both of Mr. Wa'el Balousha from Coalition Association - Aman, Gaza and the President of Community Colleges Graduates Association Mr. Sufian Surani, who started the dialogue by saying that transparency and accountability are linked with each other and the lack of transparency and clarity in presenting information on the citizen, could complicate the accountability process. About the role of the CDOs, Mr. Surani indicated that the institutions of civil society have great role to raise the public awareness and have no effective power on municipalities. On the other hand, he commented on complaints box in the municipalities, criticizing the amount of fees which imposes on each complaint submitted to the municipality stating that the amount of fees limits the flexibility and ease of communication between citizens and the municipality.
Furthermore, he stressed that we need a long time to build a democratic civil society which needs more efforts and long time and that lacks the most important element of building which is the Palestinian State. On his part, Mr. Balousha pointed out the occupation, siege, and division, and how these elements greatly influenced the process of sustainable development. On the other hand, he confirmed that some civil society organizations are providing some guidance and awareness services to the municipalities. He also pointed out that the institutions of civil society is not an organ for the police and they are contributing to educate and activate society about the importance of community participation in the monitoring process and alerted the municipal councils that there is an election every four years if they fail in their work.
About the relationship of civil society institutions with media, Mr. Balousha stressed the impossibility of separating them as the media opens the door to control both the government institutions or non-governmental organizations. In this regard, Mr. Balousha invited all journalists and who works in the media field to disclose any defects they find in any institution, whether administrative or financial imbalance, to reduce corruption to reach good governance and stressed the need to end the internal division, which is an obstacle to the development, transparency and accountability process.
In Conclusion, Mr. / Balousha thanked all municipalities' councils in the hope to achieve the best in monitoring process. He also alerted citizens as much as they follow up municipalities work, the level of services of municipality would be the best. On his role, Mr. / Surani confirmed the need to raise our voice to tell the municipalities that we monitor them and there is an election that would correct the wrong paths, also confirmed the need to end the division to promote the concept of transparency and accountability.
