Chalabi's Provision of Services Committee - January 22

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 000183 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PREL IZ REL UK SUBJECT: Chalabi's Provision of Services Committee - January 22 ¶1. SUMMARY: Attendance was high at the January 22 meeting of the Baghdad Services Committee, both from the Government of Iraq (GoI) and USG sides. The Baghdad Deputy Mayor started the meeting, emphasizing the need for better service project coordination between the Amanat and the USG. The Joint Planning Commission (JPC) Chairman outlined what he believed to be shortcomings in the USG contracting process. As a result, a special JPC session will be dedicated to this issue. Trash, sewerage, fuel and PHCs also topped the agenda. The committee concluded the meeting by reviewing previous recommendations charged to the Baghdad Operations Command (BOC) and a review of recommendations for service improvements in Abu Ghraib. END SUMMARY. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This Week's Recommendations - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶2. After a critical discussion regarding USG contracting procedures it was decided that at an upcoming JPC meeting, the committee would discuss USG contracting procedures, including selection, payment, oversight and coordination with GoI entities, particularly the Amanat. A National Security Advisor representative, Mr. Sayid, recommended that an official link between the JPC and the GoI, possibly even the Provision of Services Committee, be created. Dr. Chalabi noted that he does send a representative to the JPC, but Sayid still pressed for an executive order from the Prime Minister or the Council of Representatives, as well as a stronger connection with the Services Committee. (Note: Sayid had previously said that the Chairman of the JPC, a technocrat from former Deputy Prime Minister Zobai's office, should no longer be Chairmen, because he is not "technically" part of the government. End Note) ¶3. ITAO Director too issue with the general description of U.S. efforts and suggested that the specific issues be raised in appropriate for a. He then noted that Primary Health Centers (PHCs) staffing shortages are a concern. He suggested investigating the possibilities of health care workers from outside of Iraq operating PHCs for the MoH. These organizations could hire, on a short-term basis, Iraqi physicians and other health care staff that previously fled the country. (Note: Physicians and other health related professionals were targeted by various malignant actors which resulted in a sizeable exodus. End Note) After a fixed period of time, they could then be eligible to be hired by the MoH. Dr. Adel, the Inspector General (IG) of Health, strongly opposed "handing over" any PHCs to NGOs. He maintained that the MoH is actively working on a recruitment plan that will address staffing shortages. Chalabi intervened to note that the GoI is indeed considering alternatives to PHC staffing. ¶4. Other decisions reached at the meeting were to focus on sewerage problems in the Husseiniya area at the next Provision of Services Committee meeting. Also at the next meeting, the Amanat is to provide further information on transferring garbage collection responsibilities to the private sector. In the meantime, the Committee will send a letter to the Ministry of Transportation to seek opportunities to rent their trucks for garbage collection. Additionally, the Amanat is to provide a list of streets blocked by t-walls or other security related measures that are ready to be opened. Related to traffic problems, the Amanat raised the issue of unlicensed street vendors which also causes traffic. Chalabi directed the Amanat to conduct a study to determine who these vendors were, whether they can be re-employed or moved to a different area, etc. The report should be delivered at next week's meeting. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - A Closer Look at the Discussions: USG Contracting Process under Fire - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶5. Deputy Mayor Naiem highlighted an April 2006 agreement between the Amanat, the Baghdad PRT and the JPC that requires all projects related to the Amanat to be coordinated with the JPC and the Amanat. He believed that agreement had been breached numerous times. As such, the Provincial Council (PC) asked that future projects be held until projects could be coordinated and contractor selection could be reviewed. Naiem criticized USG projects, saying that they were small and not strategic. ITAO Director objected on factual grounds. ¶6. Chairman of the Joint Planning Commission, Mr. Riyadh Filaheh said that the US is only partly to blame. He criticized the USG contracting process, particularly highlighting the inadequate contractor standards, the method of up front payment and the use of too many subcontractors. He suggested that contractor selection be coordinated with the Ministry of Planning (MoPDC) and that all projects be better coordinated with local councils. ¶7. The Health IG chimed in, noting that the USG pays "exorbitantly" more for PHC construction than the GoI would under the same circumstance. He claimed that the USG was paying $1 million for each PHC. Deputy ITAO Director, General Snyder, reminded the committee that there are three different types of PHCs that the USG is BAGHDAD 00000183 002.2 OF 003 building which vary in cost - the most expensive is approximately $1million. The IG also complained that by the time the MoH actually received the PHCs and medical equipment, the warranties were expired. The USG noted this was a problem. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - JPC: Best Forum to Address USG Contract/or Issues - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶8. General Snyder suggested that these contract/or issues, as well as coordination conversations happen at the JPC. He also mentioned that the USG was aware of only a small percentage of quality control issues or incomplete projects and that ministries and other officials needed to be involved and call out attention to those specific issues. Chalabi agreed and noted that improved dialogue with the USG and amongst the various GoI actors would provide noticeable improvements in local service delivery. ¶9. NSA representative, Sayid, piggy-backed on the JPC discussion, noting that there is no real affiliation between the JPC and the GoI. He emphasized that the link be official through an executive order by the Prime Minister or the Council of Representatives (COR). He also suggested a stronger connection between the JPC and the Provision of Services Committee. (Note: It is not clear if Sayid meant a separate affiliation with Chalabi's Committee and the GoI or if he saw them as one in the same. End Note) JPC Chairman responded noting that the JPC was slated to be an Iraqi institution last December, but it was the Iraqis who were not ready. Riyadh also took this time to encourage greater ministry participation in the JPC. He noted the regular absence of the MoH and the Ministry of Oil (MoO). - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dr. Chalabi Wants to Address Sewerage in Husseiniya - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶10. Dr. Chalabi commenced the next part of the meeting by expressing serious concerns for the sewerage in Husseiniya. He stated that more than 50,000 Iraqis are suffering because the treatment plant is not working. He understood that there was some disagreement between the USG and the GoI regarding the location of the plant. MG Snyder stated that the US completed a master plan last fall, but did not have enough funding to complete the project. He confirmed that there was some disagreement about the location. Dr. Chalabi suggested that this issue be further explored at the next meeting. - - - - - - - Amanat Up Next - - - - - - - ¶11. The Amanat addressed garbage collection, stating that they are working to transfer this responsibility to the private sector. Authorizing drivers continues to be an obstacle. Vehicle shortages also exacerbate the problem, but the committee decided that renting trucks from the Ministry of Transportation (MoTrans) may be a short-term, viable solution. A memo will be sent to the MoTrans. A Council of Representatives member cited a successful Japanese program that awarded local Iraqis monetarily per each bag of garbage they properly disposed of. This idea seemed to gain little to no traction. ¶12. The Deputy Mayor also complained about the traffic problems resulting from illegal street vendors. He said there is a current campaign underway to address the problem. The Amanat offered a building to these vendors, but few accepted the offer. A discussion then ensued regarding the background of these vendors, whether they were re-employable, or whether they were good candidates for training programs. The committee did agree that it was not possible to simply remove them without alternative employment opportunities. Chalabi recommended that a study be conducted to determine who these vendors were and then solutions be offered based upon those results. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Previous Recommendations Reviewed - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶13. The BOC was in attendance and Dr. Chalabi seized the opportunity to review previous recommendations that fell in their scope of responsibility. One checkpoint has been established between Adnon Square and the Adimiyah Bridge. The BOC reported that the second requested checkpoint was not possible at this time. A new battalion has been created for the Rashidiyah area. It will be associated with the 5th ID. ¶14. The Director of the Abu Ghraib Hospital and the District Director for Abu Ghraib attended the meeting. They asked the BOC to reconsider moving a particular checkpoint that they claim is preventing the local people from getting their ration of fertilizer. The BOC maintained that it was not possible, but Dr. Chalabi asked them to reconsider. The Abu Ghraib representatives also asked the BOC to reconsider the location of a check point that is currently within a market. The BOC representative countered that the checkpoint was not in the market, but just before it and that it was BAGHDAD 00000183 003.2 OF 003 necessary. ¶15. The Abu Ghraib representatives did not have any better luck with the Health IG. They claimed to be treating more than at least two times the bed capacity per day at their hospital and as such requested another hospital. The IG said that in the short-term, a new hospital was not possible, but a new hospital for the long-term may be possible. The reps then asked that a PHC be converted into a hospital, but again the IG said that was not possible due to structural design. The representatives did not stop there and pleaded for an additional floor or expansion to the existing hospital. The IG dismissed this idea and told them to visit the MoH with these issues as opposed to raising them at the Provision of Services Committee meeting. The representatives then detailed staffing shortages, but the committee meeting quickly adjourned before the issue could be further addressed. Crocker