Libya minister quits claiming corruption

TRIPOLI — Deputy Culture Minister Awatef Tashani has resigned over what she claims are financial corruption and maladministration within her ministry and the failure of the authorities to take any action.

In her letter of resignation to Prime Minister Ali Zidan, a copy of which she posted on Facebook, Tashani said that she had pointed out the short-comings in her ministry to the prime minister, but nothing had happened, despite his promise to investigate.

Instead her own powers within the ministry had been suspended and that she had been forced to resign.

Tashani told the Libya Herald that within the Culture Ministry there were inflated expenses claims, the irregular appointment of key officials and a lack of proper accounting.

In particular, she has complained of the 250-strong Libyan delegation sent for a fortnight to the Cairo International Book Fair. Criticism of the size of the party, which returned last Tuesday, has been countered with the argument that this year Libyan writers were the star feature of Fair. Besides officials, the Libyan contingent included a large group of writers and artists.

However, the actual size of the Libyan delegation was 356, Tashani said, and included family members.

An official at the ministry has confirmed that Tashani was forced to resign. — Libya Herald