CAIRO - There is much debate about the transitional process and the constitutional amendments, while the new political system shouldn't thwart the ambitious plans for developing post-revolution Egypt. In the decades leading up to January 25, governments had been hired and fired, without the public being told why the leadership chose certain ministers and then sacked them; this wasn't even explained to the ministers themselves. Now, things are different and Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq is openly explaining why he's been appointing one person and removing another. In the run-up to this week's Cabinet shake-up, he revealed the names of some of the ministers-to-be, so the public could give their opinion about these people before unveiling his new Government. But the Premier's democratic gesture hasn't gone down well with the public, who disagreed with almost every name he suggested. They're even unhappy about the Prime Minister, because he was appointed by Mubarak when the revolution erupted. Those calling for a new government with a new prime minister and no-one from the old regime seem to be extremists, especially as most people are happy with Shafiq being appointed Prime Minister, because he has a good reputation and worked hard when he was Minister of Civil Aviation. Mubarak named him to try and quell the public anger. It isn't right to request his removal just because he was a minister in the previous Government or because the ex-President appointed him. We should use the new, healthy, democratic atmosphere Egypt to boost development and keep a close eye on all officials, judging them by their deeds and not by whether they belonged to the old regime, at least until the emergence of new efficient political parties. We should give Shafiq's Government a chance to run the country at this critical time, especially as the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has promised that there will be presidential and parliamentary elections within six months, after which we'll have a new government.
