General People's Committee
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The General People's Committee (
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. It served as the intermediary between the masses and government leadership and was composed of the Secretary-General and twenty secretaries of some 600 local Basic People's Congresses (BPC), GPCO members were elected by the country's parliament, the General People's Congress
(GPC), and had no fixed terms.
It was the rough equivalent of the
First Libyan Civil War. The GPCO was scattered by the fall of Tripoli, with some of its members fleeing into exile, some becoming prisoners of war
, and some remaining in Libya.
History
In March 1977, the General People's Congress (GPC) adopted the "
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
. The people exercise authority through the people's committees, people's congresses, professional associations, and the GPC. Elections were direct, and all voting consisted of a show of hands or a division into yea-or-nay camps. Suffrage and committee or congress membership were open to all Libyan citizens eighteen years of age or older in good legal and political standing.
In theory, the residents of each zone elected their own people's committee. Similarly, the residents of each branch
Ra's Lanuf.[2]
Competences of GPCO
- Implement laws and resolutions issued by the GPC ( مؤتمر الشعب العام ) formulated by the BPC ( المؤتمرات شعبية اساسية ).
- Prepare project proposals and budgets for the General Planning Council.
- Present plans for public projects to the General Planning Council.
- Propose bills, as well as other topics presented to the BPCs.
- Implement and manage strategic projects.
- Monitor BPC committees, institutions and public companies ensuring accordance to BPC decisions.
- Supervise the Great Manmade Riverproject and other investments.
- Issue decisions on organizational structures for the government.
- Encourage foreign investment in Libya and monitor investments abroad.[3]
- Adopt curriculum.
- Issue regulations governing contract work financed from the budget.
- Issue and regulate laws as stipulated by the jurisdiction.
- Establish, consolidate and organize institutions, companies and public works.
- Operational cost of the GPC or BPC.
Responsibilities
- Implement laws and resolutions issued by the BPCs drafted in the GPC.
- Invitation to GPCO meetings and monitor implementation.
- Propose bills and other topics presented to the GPCO for approval.
- Conclude treaties, conventionsand the international loans (ratified by the BPC).
- Adopt minutes for joint committee meetings, and address questions of international cooperation.
- Name Trustees and BPC members and agencies; public corporations and general assembly members of public companies as determined by executive regulations.
- Authorize international institutions and public companies contracting with foreign companies.
- Investigate the popular committees, and punish them in accordance with existing legislation.
- Work assigned by the GPC, secretariat of the GPCO, or the GPCO for the traditional.
GPCO Ministries
By the end of the Gaddafi era, the General People's Committee consisted of the following sub-agencies, led by a cabinet secretary:[4]
| Committee | Equivalent ministry | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Secretary of the GPCO | Prime Minister of Libya |
www.gpco.gov.ly |
| Assistant Secretary | Deputy Prime Minister of Libya |
|
| General Committee for Defence | Minister of Defence | |
| GPCO for Youth and Sports | Minister of Youth and Sports | www.gpcs.gov.ly |
| GPCO for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation | Minister of Foreign Affairs | www.foreign.gov.ly |
| Minister of Economy, Trade and Investment | ||
| Minister of Tourism | ||
| GPCO for Culture and Information | Minister of Culture and Information | |
| GPCO for Justice | Minister of Justice | |
| GPCO for Finance | Minister of Finance | www.mof.gov.ly |
| GPCO for Public Security | Minister of Interior | www.almiezan.gov.ly |
| GPCO for Education | Minister of Higher Education | www.edu.gov.ly |
| GPCO for Industry and Mines | Minister of Industry and Mines | |
| GPCO for Agriculture, Livestock and Marine Wealth | Minister of Agriculture, Animal Wealth and Marine Resources | |
| GPCO for Health and Environment | Minister of Health | |
| GPCO for Social Affairs | Minister of Social Affairs | |
| GPCO for Higher Education | Minister of Higher Education | www.higheredu.gov.ly |
| GPCO for Telecommunications and Transport | Minister of Telecommunications and Transport | www.ctt.gov.ly |
| GPCO for Electricity, Water Resources and Gas | Minister of Electricity, Water Resources and Gas | |
| GPCO for Manpower, Training and Employment | Minister of Manpower, Training and Operation | www.smpt.gov.ly |
| GPCO for Planning | Minister of Planning | wpc.gov.ly |
Notes
Notes:
1. Ministers in italics are no longer serving.
2. The GPCO was changed in 2007: Ministers of Tourism and Energy were removed.
See also
- Basic People's Congress (administrative division)
- Basic People's Congress (political)
- Direct democracy
- General People's Congress (Libya)
- Human rights in Libya under Gaddafi
References
- ^ Medina Project, Libyan Political System Archived 30 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ A History of Modern Libya By Dirk J. Vandewalle
- ^ Resolution of the General People's Committee No. (86) of (2006) Of Modification of some provisions of the Executive Regulation of Law no. (5) of 14–26 P.B. with regard to Encouragement of Foreign Capital Investment and Stipulation of other Provisions.
- ^ Rashid Khashana, Swiss Info: 1 February 2007
