An Irish doctor is Libya’s new Minister for Health – after sending her CV to the country’s authorities in the wake of liberation.
Meath based Dr Fatima Hamroush will return to her homeland on Sunday after 15 years in exile to take up the post in the first Libyan government since dictator Colonel Gadaffi was overthrown.
She will be joined in the new parliament by another Irish citizen after Fathi al-Akkari was appointed deputy minister for higher education.
Dr Hamroush, who has lived in Julianstown and worked in Drogheda, will take her oath of office on Monday and is under no illusions about the task ahead.
“I know I am taking a risk, we all are. But I know there are some who would like to see me there; I am known for being completely against corruption, I can’t tolerate corruption,” the 53-year-old told the Irish Independent.
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“I didn’t want to leave the country but wanted to take a break from that. I knew my post-grad would take about four years and by them I would know if the country would be better or worse,” she added.
Dr Hamroush, whose father was interned for three years by Gadaffi’s forces, hasn’t been home since 2006 but will fly back to Tripoli on Sunday and take up her new role 24 hours later.
She said: “No one going there will be feeling confident that (they) will be safe. We are building something new from everything around us that is a big mess.
“But I couldn’t refuse this challenge, it would be like a soldier refusing to go to the battlefield.” she added.
Fellow Irish citizen Fathi al-Akkari, a lecturer in electronic engineering at Tallaght Institute of Technology in Dublin, has been appointed deputy minister for higher education by the new Libyan regime.
Al-Akkari said: “For 42 years all aspects of the Libyan educational system were dictated by Gadaffi. We have a lot of work to do to overcome the damage he caused.”a
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.seanomelbourne | Nov 26, 2011, 08:03 PM EST
Hey dumbo education is free in Libya
Towngate | Nov 26, 2011, 07:42 PM EST
These two Libyan Traitors should repay the cost of their expensive Libyan Medical Training and her childrens free Education to the new Libyan state. They can easily afford,as the moronic Irish Health Service Executive has granted them 'Leave of Absence' ~ ON FULL PAY! >>> IS IRELAND COMPLETELY STARK STARING BONKERS!!!???
seanomelbourne | Nov 26, 2011, 06:10 PM EST
I have been to Africa nice place, nice people, in fact asleep32 I have visited all continents (except the poles) Maybe you should get out a bit more often and broaden your dim horizons and take georgy boy with you.What a lovely couple you would both make.
awoken32 | Nov 26, 2011, 02:47 PM EST
seanofmelbourne should leave ireland as he has no place in this country,move to africa an bring bono with you lol
awoken32 | Nov 26, 2011, 02:44 PM EST
seanofmelbourne,barack obama has irish ancestory lol,what a load of xxxx,that was a ploy the the american establishment because there was contreversy in america over were he was born,an who he really is,obama is no more irish that bart simpson
GeorgeDillon | Nov 26, 2011, 02:37 AM EST
seanomelbourne: "The below post" "@awoken32" is not mine it's the ramblings of some half educated nitwit."--- So Sean, how are we supposed to tell the difference?
seanomelbourne | Nov 25, 2011, 11:50 PM EST
The below post" "@awoken32" is not mine it's the ramblings of some half educated nitwit.
sirpeter | Nov 25, 2011, 06:57 PM EST
Georgie Boy has no DNA.He's not real life as we know it.
seanomelbourne | Nov 25, 2011, 04:59 PM EST
There are thousand of coloured folk worlwide with Irish DNA, Barack Obama for instance and proud of their Irish heritage.
seanomelbourne | Nov 25, 2011, 10:49 AM EST
@awoken 32 "My brother is an independant journo over in the middle east,dont beleive me or the corrupted westen media,look into it for youself,its a fact that alqaeuda were the socalled rebels,finaced by the uk an usa secret sevises as they are doin throughtout the whole destablization of the middle east,syria next an then onto iran,look into,just one word of advise go thruogh independant sources" A journalist? He must be the bright one in the family, as journalists are usually expected to have at least a basic grasp of English grammar and punctuation. Something that can't be said fro you. Congratulations and good wishes to the doctor on her appointment. When she's sorted out the Libyan health service, she'll be welcome back to Ireland to see if she can do anything about ours.
Towngate | Nov 25, 2011, 06:11 AM EST
Presumably this an interim appointment and is conditional upon her being elected to Government in the forthcoming internationally supervised Libyan Elections!!! (or had we forgotten already?)
patrickdowney | Nov 24, 2011, 05:10 PM EST
I KNEW THAT SOMETHING GOOD WOULD COME OUT OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT REGIME-CHANGE OPERATION IN LIBYA!!! Let's hope and pray that more "Lybian Irish" return to Libya, and soon, and that they take their entire families along with them. It would appear that big-business and the U.S. Military Industrial Complex did Ireland something of a favor in this respect, would it not?
seanomelbourne | Nov 24, 2011, 04:44 PM EST
I commend the ladies named for returning to the war ravaged country of their birth. They are certainly needed there. I hope Ireland was good to them during their tenure in our fair isle.
awoken32 | Nov 24, 2011, 01:00 PM EST
She is libyan not irish,being irish i snot an overcoat you put on stepping of a plane in this country,its in your history DNA
haasny007 | Nov 24, 2011, 12:59 PM EST
GeorgeDillon, your statement is, for once, conceptually correct. But stop calling the Irish "dumb", or we will revoke your Irish citizenship!
GeorgeDillon | Nov 24, 2011, 12:37 PM EST
This woman's citizenship should be revoken. Is she loyal to Ireland or to Libya? Only the dumb Irish would accept this kind of two-timing.
awoken32 | Nov 24, 2011, 11:05 AM EST
My brother is an independant journo over in the middle east,dont beleive me or the corrupted westen media,look into it for youself,its a fact that alqaeuda were the socalled rebels,finaced by the uk an usa secret sevises as they are doin throughtout the whole destablization of the middle east,syria next an then onto iran,look into,just one word of advise go thruogh independant sources
oldboreen | Nov 24, 2011, 09:55 AM EST
You seem sure of your facts 'awoken32' What do you know the rest of us don't?
awoken32 | Nov 24, 2011, 09:45 AM EST
her citizenship should be revoked,alquaeda has took over libye,sponsered by the imperialist usa an uk in their illegal takeover