What we found was that the policy of subsidies goes to enrich a privileged few. Our poor citizens get no break because of the amounts of money the government pays as subsidies. Everyone talks about corruption and corrupt officials as if they are invisible. Starting with the president and going on downward to the lowliest official, they talk about fighting corruption and stopping the corrupt officials. At the end, it all sounds funny, and of course, hard to believe.
Preparations are underway for a fresh increase in prices, especially in regards to wheat and diesel.
It is no longer a subsidized commodity. Flour on the other hand is still subsidized in a small way. We have been told by the government this will continue for a certain time. Al-Iryani pledged to our parliament that there will be no price increments until 2003. But then again, we don't know what will happen.