US military commanders have launched nearly 12,000 Iraqi development projects at a cost of more than $88 million as a part of the Commanders' Emergency Response Program (CERP), which began with the capture of Saddam Hussein's hidden assets.
According to Marine Captain David Romley, coalition forces discovered hoards of money as they captured presidential palaces during the invasion last spring, reported Washington File.
Romley said that the CERP originally took form in May, when commanders overseeing towns and villages were each allocated $5,000 to spend at their discretion on projects aimed at helping the communities reestablish order.He noted, however, that the program has matured significantly since then. The initial success of the CERP has led to a broadening of its scope.
Currently, division commanders are allocated $500,000 each and brigade commanders receive $200,000 each. These funds are distributed to lower level commanders according to standard military procedures and protocol in order to ensure proper accountability and oversight. In all cases, standard project proposals and assessments are required.
Such requests may be granted immediately at lower levels if small quantities of money are needed. Larger projects requiring more significant disbursements may necessitate approval at higher ranks as well as competitive bidding.
Provisions exist for the approval of projects up to $100,000 at the division level, but the majority of requests are for much smaller amounts with the average project cost well below $10,000.
CERP funds have been used extensively in repairs to sewer lines, water pipes and pumping stations as coalition forces have sought to bring potable water and adequate waste disposal to Iraqi towns and villages.
Public services have been upgraded through CERP funds applied to the purchase of ambulances, police radios, police vehicles, and protective equipment for firefighters in various communities. Money from the program has also been used to refurbish public service facilities including government offices and police stations. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
