The pundits were preoccupied with a marriage most convenient, observe Gamal Nkrumah and Mohamed El-Sayed A blissful wedding is always an irresistible fascination for the media, especially one with lots of juicy stories behind it. And, all the more so if the newlyweds are among the wealthiest and most politically influential people in Egypt. Gossip columnists could not resist writing about the happy couple even if some were not even sure that the marriage did actually take place. The independent weekly Al-Osbou did confirm the news. It reported that the bride's wedding gift was a diamond-studded ring that cost no less than LE1 million. The stunning bride, member of parliament Shahinaz El-Naggar, representing the fiercely fought- over Manial constituency, looked resplendent and brimming with sheer happiness. The bride's father is among the wealthiest businessmen in the country with a huge empire of travel, tourism and entertainment businesses. The groom is none other than the infamous Ahmed Ezz, the iron and steel tycoon who aroused much controversy after being accused of monopolising the industry. Al-Osbou disclosed that Ezz's wealth is estimated at no less than LE50 billion. Dubbed "The Steel Emperor", Ezz, who doubles as secretary- general of the ruling National Democratic Party for Organisational Affairs, is among the rising political stars in the country. Apparently, the bride is currently residing in an apartment in the plush Four Seasons complex in Giza. The glamorous couple are scheduled to fly to Switzerland and other unknown European destinations for their honeymoon. On a much more sombre note, Mohamed Abul- Ghar writing in the daily independent Al-Masry Al-Yom lamented the deteriorating condition of education and scientific research in Egypt. "Unfortunately, the miserable Egyptian state is short-sighted and doesn't think about the future. Ahmed Zweil [for example] proposed a scientific research university to serve as the nucleus of a [centre] producing local Egyptian scientists," which was never established, Abul-Ghar wrote, bemoaning the deplorable educational situation in the country. He dismissed the government's latest educational reform plans. "The project was turned into a graveyard, for nobody wants this project to see the light of day." The highly-esteemed Secretary-General of the Arab League Amr Moussa warned that the terrible state of education is not restricted to Egypt alone. "A quarter of the Arab population is illiterate," Moussa conceded. He stressed that improving the educational standards of Arabs was a prerequisite for the democratisation and political reform processes that face the Arab world today. In much the same vein, Ali El-Sayed, writing in the daily opposition Al-Wafd, criticised the recent statement by People's Assembly speaker Fathi Sorour in which he slammed the educational system. Even the powers that be, apparently, complain about the country's educational system that is in shambles. According to the daily opposition paper, Sorour said that his grandchildren, like all children of the elite, were educated in foreign and international schools because the state-run schools are far below standard. "There was nothing new in the statement of Sorour. He told us what we know without telling us the solution, especially that he presides over the legislature," El-Sayed said. "Sorour's responsibility now is vital for he has the key to bringing about an educational renaissance by introducing new legislation that better regulates the educational system." Be that as it may, the writer of the article questioned Sorour's sincerity concerning salvaging the country's educational system. "Don't you think we are in urgent need of modern laws governing the selection of teachers and the amendment of school syllabuses starting from kindergarten to university? Isn't it true that Egyptian legislation has not done justice to education and left it to deteriorate until ignorant [students] started graduating from university?" On an equally combustible question, the press this week was preoccupied with President Hosni Mubarak's admission that Egypt has become a nuclear power. Official daily newspapers focussed on the speech the president gave about Egypt entering the age of nuclear energy. "Egypt enters the era of nuclear energy", ran the headline of the daily pro- government Al-Ahram which dedicated no less than four pages to the contentious issue. "President Mubarak announces the start of a programme aimed at building a number of nuclear stations to generate electricity", another headline read. "The peaceful use of nuclear energy is part of our national energy strategy," Mubarak was quoted as saying. "I've taken this decision and I bear the responsibility as president of the republic," he added. "Energy security is part and parcel of Egyptian national security," the president said. Yet another disputatious issue was the Press Syndicate elections. The pundits took diametrically opposing views over the issue. Some were dismissive and sarcastic while others were hopeful and optimistic. Mohamed El-Shabba, editor-in-chief of the liberal daily Nahdet Masr, and writing in part about the coming Press Syndicate elections said, "In the Press Syndicate election campaigns, anything can happen. Everyday you find different positions and candidates changing their loyalties to conduct deals," El-Shabba warned. "Most of the candidates are not basing their candidature on a unanimous platform. And there are other candidates who are supported by political forces or financed secretly by other political groups, or by newcomers to the field of journalism who used to be in the business of cement, steel and real estate," he added. His conclusion was pessimistic. "The Press Syndicate's elections will bring about more division and fragmentation." Perhaps most contentious of all was the criticism by one of the most influential human rights authorities in Egypt today. Ahmed Kamal Abul-Magd, deputy chairman of the highly respected National Human Rights Centre, severely criticised police intervention in the work of human rights organisations in Egypt. "Security interventions constitute an obstacle in the way of the work of human right organisations," Abul-Magd was quoted as saying in Nahdet Masr. This unprecedented attack in public of the human rights record of the Egyptian police and security forces indicates that there is increasing pressure on the police to embrace the culture of respect for human rights. It is all part of the political reform process gripping the country at the moment. In this respect, the venerated journalist Mohamed Hassanein Heikal was quoted as saying in Al-Masry Al-Yom, " [Arab] political systems do not establish constitutional legitimacy."
