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Seif al-Islam
Libyan leader asks administration for official position for son to allow him to implement reforms.
TRIPOLI - Libyan leader Moamer Gathafi has asked senior administrators to find an official position for his second son Seif al-Islam to allow him to implement reforms, an online newspaper reported on Wednesday.
Islam, widely seen as heir apparent, has no official role and Gathafi said this is "disrupting his work," according to Libya Al-Youm (www.libya-alyoum.com), a usually well-informed site.
"Colonel Gathafi has asked thousands of regional administrations and people's committees to find an official post for Seif al-Islam so that he can implement the reform plan he has been leading for the past few years," the newspaper said, quoting a participant at a meeting to which press were not invited.
Gathafi announced on Monday at Sebha, south of Tripoli, that he would meet "representatives of the Libyan people" on Tuesday to discuss national topics.
Libya Al Youm said the Libyan leader recommended not restricting his son's job to a four-year government term of office, so that he could complete his reforms.
In theory, Gathafi does not appoint ministers, who are selected by the influential people's committees for ratification by the people's congress, or parliament, the highest legislative body.
Seif al-Islam has been leading a project for the past two years to modernise the government, though without questioning the leader's power or overturning the regime's basic principles.
Announced with grand pomp in August 2007, the programme includes proposals for a constitution and a 70 billion dollars economic development plan, but has met resistance from the old guard in the oil-rich country.
