The new Puntland Presidential House in Galkacyo

[Illyria]

Wow, Somalidu always surprise me with their negative observations of all things, and sweeping allegations of corruption everywhere. Is this guy talking about the same presidential compound in Garowe which I have seen a couple of months ago, or is he talking about a second one? Architectural and design-wise, I would not call it a palace at a par with Buckingham palace or Windsor castle, but it is a solid compound, nicely looked after, and in a strategic location in an area designated for government offices, by Puntland's first president, away from residential area. And in my humble estimation, much better than Vila Xamar.

 

Have you even seen the inside of the place?

Can I ask what measurements and benchmarks you used to assess the building? A warehouse, it is not. In a terrible state, it is not.

 

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@nuune

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The presidential palace in Garowe cannot be described as a palace, but rather a warehouse used for storage, I know they only built it recently, but it is in a terrible state, only one who have seen would say that, ask the locals, they will tell you that their houses are much better than the presidential palace.

[Illyria]

Again, unsubstantiated, sweeping corruption allegations abound just like any other Somali; can you give numbers, incidents, amounts, names of the now-rich ministers and directors you speak of? Or is this "islaamaha suuqa fadhiya hadlakoodii?"

 

Wax sheegga aan xaqaa'iqa ku salaysnayni waa annaaniya cudur ku ah bulshooyinka faqriga ah oo meel walba wax ka tuhma, cid kastana wax ku tuhma.

 

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@nuune

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... xageed ku aragtey wasiiradiisa qaarkood oo sanad iyo badh wax ka yar joogey ay qaarkood dhisteen laba laba guri, iibsadeena saddex saddex gaadhi landcruiser ah, iska daa wasiiree, agaasimayaal ayaa laba laba baabuur maraya iyo guryo already iibsadey, and no, this is not their salary, their salary can't buy all that, these things need to stop and this money need to be invested where it is needed.

[Illyria]

Wow, Somalidu waa cajiib. Have you seen Omar Samatar secondary school in Galkacyo? If so, you would know this building is designed in the same way as the school. Or is this a case of "rahii ceelka inta ka bannaan uun u haystay dunida oo dhan"?

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@Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar

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This looks like the prefabricated, American-built houses of Baay Project of Baydhabo in 1980s for shaqaalihii dowladda. Qofkii arkaa garanaayo.

[Illyria]

All I have seen in Somalia from Borama to Galkacyo was potential, progress, and hard-working people striving. Yes, there is poverty, lack of proficiency, lack of industry, technical, skilled workforce, but a society trying to move ahead.

 

But despite all of that, the average person has 'qanaacah' and better outlook than those in the Diaspora.

[nuune]

^^ Illyria, your last post makes a lot of sense, but your previous posts are just pure xamaasad, qiiro been ah, and buufis, the fact that rest of Somalia is filled up with corruption doesn't mean Puntland will do the same, marka address and talk about what you have seen when you were there and stop hiding the reality.

 

You ask me to name all those involved, yet you are not happy being exposed, naga daa qiirada sxb, ee runta ka hadal, you want their names, it is all officials who are corrupted, now go and find their list of names, all officials!

 

 

Hadaad runta ka xishooneyso is another story!

[Illyria]

Nuune,

Adigaa xanta iyo annaaniyada inoo keenay, haddii aanad caddayn karin, in aad ka laabato ama aad tiraahdo, waxaa la igu yiri ayay ahayd. Waar ka joog haadaanta ayaan ku leeyaahay, adna waad isa sii maqiiiqaysaa.

 

U fiirsa hadda, waxaan ku weydiiyey in aad cadayma keento, illayn ku tiri ku teen shir la lama yimaadee, markaasaad aflagaado miciin biday.

 

U fiirso tuhunku xaqiiq ma aha. Waxaa la yiri iyo waxay tahay farqi weyn ayaa u dhexeeya.

 

Marka intaad dib isugu laabato, sharafta adna ha iska qaadin, annana karaamada ha naga diline, musuqa aad soo aragtay noo sheeg oo noo tax. Halka aad ku aragtay? Cidda gashay noona sifee.

 

Hadii aanad sidaa yeeli karin, ina adeer billaahi ihaanada inaga daa, garaadkana ha naga dhaawicin.

[nuune]

llyria, okey sxb, Putland wax musuq kama jiro, now you are very happy, intaas baad rabtaa soo ma ahan, wa kaas, ka dharag hee, sidii cayaalkaad iila hadleysaa, hadaad rabto officialska magacyadooda I told you and said to you: "waa kulligood from wasiir to agaasimo, all officials", marka qof xamaasadeysan oo oranaya yaan Puntland waxba laga sheegin wax aan kala doodaya ayaaba khalad ah marka adeer Puntland waa ceeb-ka-saliim ee sidaas ku wardi.

 

 

 

Che, Bosaso Airport construction is going well, and the completion is getting near, I have visited the construction site, last time (2 weeks ago), the runway was complete, there is a Somali engineer that is overseeing the construction, he is knowledgeable and has great understanding of how this new airport can become a hub for the region, one of the main points he mentioned when this project gets completed is how a full transparent management system will be deployed in order to prevent any corruption.

[Che -Guevara]

Nuune. Are they going to build a new terminal? I understand they will extend the runway?

[Illyria]

See, haddana haadaan kale ayaad isku qaaday. War ilayn annagaa bela aragnay.

The point was to demonstrate how easy it is to point fingers and make claims, but when push comes to shove and you are asked to produce proof and evidence, you throttle yourself as if committed to geriatric respite. From my experience, I have listened to stories of and about corruption in all cities I visited. I have tried to compile concrete, tangible evidence to that regard in both regions, but other than immaterial incidents, I could not find material evidence of corruption. I observed disorder, lack of technically proficient workforce, poor hygiene, and many other things uncommon in developed nations. And for disclosure, I am not an auditor and my time in my target places was limited. Is that to say there is no corruption. Definitely not. Does it mean it epidemic. I do not know.

 

Again, if you have got substantive data to share, let us hear it. If not, and until you have taken the trouble to do so, then exercise humility, wisdom and refrain from making allegations.

 

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@nuune

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llyria, okey sxb, Putland wax musuq kama jiro, now you are very happy, intaas baad rabtaa soo ma ahan, wa kaas, ka dharag hee, sidii cayaalkaad iila hadleysaa, hadaad rabto officialska magacyadooda I told you and said to you: "waa kulligood from wasiir to agaasimo, all officials", marka qof xamaasadeysan oo oranaya yaan Puntland waxba laga sheegin wax aan kala doodaya ayaaba khalad ah marka adeer Puntland waa ceeb-ka-saliim ee sidaas ku wardi.

[nuune]

Che, as far as I know, construction of a new terminal is not included in the contract, there was no sign of a new terminal being constructed, but all this year they were busy building the runway which is 4 kilometers, and the airport will be officially opened by December this year as the officials noted, so even if they include or start building a new terminal, I doubt they can finish it by December. Renovating the current terminal will be carried out anyway before the opening ceremony.

[Che -Guevara]

Is 4km the standard? How big is the airport to the rest of the Somali airports and can it handle big cargo planes?

[nuune]

Che, remember I wrote this a while ago back in March 2015 when the work of the airport started

 

Earlier I said 4km, but it is in fact, 5.4km, the longest in Somalia.

 

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Boosaaso: 5.4KM : All aircraft can land & take off, 3.4KM diyaaradaa ku carareysa(heavy one’s), the remaining 2KM are the safety/approach area, 1KM from East and 1KM to the west, or on both ends.

Berbera: 4.14km: All aircraft can land, Russian spaceships used to land here

Mogadishu: 3.8KM: All aircraft can land here, heavy airlines have little room for safety/approach area

Kismayo: 3.68KM : All aircraft can land and take off easily, no safety area as well but job can be done easily like Mogadishu.

Jigjiga: 2.5KM : Not all aircraft can land or take off, unless squeezed by experienced pilots.

Hargeisa: 2.4KM: Not all aircraft sizes can land here or take off, recently, we have debated the Hargeisa airport project saga to death.

 

So Boosaaso will have the longest runway in Somalia, the design was changed from 2.8KM to 5.4KM, this is what caused the delay, the airport manager said.

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[Che -Guevara]

Thanks for the info sxb.

 

I am looking forward to what Turks do with Garowe Airport project.

[galbeedi]

They do not need Presidential house in Gaalkacayo. They need a huge court house symbolizing justice or regional administrator building. They got their priorities upside down.

[ElPunto]

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@Illyria

said:</cite>

 

Again, if you have got substantive data to share, let us hear it. If not, and until you have taken the trouble to do so, then exercise humility, wisdom and refrain from making allegations.

 

Let's face it. There can't be substantive data - it's Somalia not Sweden. The bar you're setting here is excessively high. There is anecdotal evidence of corruption or mismanagement. I can't remember a PL administration where there were allegations/issues with military pay this early in the term. It really is a record. Having been in PL earlier this year - I met a driver who was part of the convoy that toured Mudug soon after Gaas became President in 2014. He told me that he and the others got paid 50% of what they were due and he's given up on getting the rest after multiple attempts at collection. I found this deeply disturbing.

 

I was a big supporter of Gaas - but to me there seems to be the absent minded professor way of governing about him. This is ineffective and will see him run out of Garowe if he doesn't get his act together.