Chalabi's Provision of Services Committee - December 16

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 004111 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PREL IZ REL UK SUBJECT: Chalabi's Provision of Services Committee - December 16 ¶1. SUMMARY: The Provision of Services Committee met December 16 in a special meeting to hear from representatives from Nahrawan and Mada'in. Council members detailed their service needs which included potable water, doctors and medical equipment, schools and security for electricity infrastructure. END SUMMARY. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Serious Potable Water Shortages - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶2. The president of the municipal council said that Nahrawan has "more oil than potable water." "Children are walking the streets begging for water." Lack of electricity seems to be further complicating the provision of clean, potable water. In the short term, the committee made a recommendation to provide an emergency supply of water to the qada. Nahrawan has 30 tankers that will get water from the river to be treated in Nahrawan and then distributed to the people. (Note: It is not clear how the province will purify the water given its electricity woes. Purification tablets were mentioned. End Note) Dr. Chalabi placed a call in the midst of this conversation to Bagdhad Amanat which resulted in an additional 20 tankers to carry water to Nahrawan. ¶3. In the longer term, the municipal president mentioned that a project is scheduled to come on-line in four months that will produce 280,000 square meters of potable water daily. Dr. Chalabi suggested reverse osmosis, but the council members said that their local water mineral content was too high. - - - - - - - - - - - - - Electricity is a Problem - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶4. Council members claimed that they didn't receive any power from the national grid which among other things prevents the irrigation pumps from working. Currently the qada is using generators to irrigate 70,000 acres of land. The province purchases diesel to run these generators. Citizens are complaining about the noise from the generators. The Iraqi Army also objects to the night-time generator noise because it makes it difficult for them to hear small arms fire or explosions. A suggestion was made to run the generators during the day so as not to expose the irrigation pumps, making them susceptible to sabotage, and use power from the national grid during the night. ¶5. The council also asked that a dedicated security force be placed on the main electrical line since it is constantly being interdicted. They also suggested that the Ministry of Electricity endeavor to reconstruct the line underground to help reduce interdictions. Mada'in council members asked that the Mada'in transformer be rebuilt. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Educational and Health Needs: Similar to Sabi' Al Bor - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶6. The local council delivered a report detailing their school needs. Similar to Sabi' Al Bor, Nahrawan classrooms are overcrowded and Nahrawan needs approximately 8 more classes per school. They also need more teachers. The council requested that the Ministry of Education build an office in their region to ensure coordination. The council also welcomed the Ministry of Education to work with them directly. ¶7. The council also distributed a report on health care needs. They specifically asked for a 200 bed hospital to address immediate needs. They also noted that many of the medical staff, upon completion of their residency, requested transfers to Baghdad, further perpetuating the staffing shortages. The Inspector General of Health noted a nation-wide shortage of physicians, claiming that Iraq has lost 8,000 physicians since 2003. Currently, a single primary health center (PHC) is serving on average 40,000 people. - - - - - - - - - - - - Oil also on the Agenda - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶8. The council noted that there are rumors of corruption within the oil production and distribution chains. The council suggested that the people of Nahrawan involved in the distribution be certified by the Ministry of Oil (MoO). The council also noted shortages in gasoline and kerosene. The MoO said the supply of those fuels is available, but it was the responsibility of Nahrawan to pick up and deliver those supplies, not the MoO. ¶9. There was sharp disagreement between the town officials and the Deputy Minister of Oil regarding delivery of diesel to Nahrawan's brick factories - the town's largest employers. Town officials said that the Ministry's failure to deliver promised diesel meant that the factories are only working at about 30 percent capacity. The Deputy Minister said that his understanding is that the correct amount of diesel is being delivered, but the brick factory owners find it more profitable to sell the diesel at the black market BAGHDAD 00004111 002 OF 002 prices than to make bricks. - - - - Comment - - - - ¶10. Decisions were made that would involve the Baghdad Operation Command, the Ministry of Electricity and the Ministry of Public Works, none of which were in attendance. We will be watching to see whether there is a correlation between the ministries attendance and their performance in carrying out the committee's recommendations. Crocker