Posted on 02/03/2007 4:40:00 PM PST by SandRat
AR RAMADI — U. S. officials are working with the Iraqi Government to reopen various production factories to stimulate the local economy here.
Mohammed Abdullah, the deputy minister of industry, met with Bob Love, the director of Iraqi operations for the Defense Business Transformation Agency, during a Jan. 31 visit to ceramics and glass factories to discuss the future of the businesses.
“The factories in Ramadi are important to the government of Iraq and the United States,” Love said. “We have to move quickly.”
Love said that meetings like this would speed up the process of opening the ceramic factory’s doors to its more than 700 employees.
“We are here to build that bridge to move into the future,” Abdullah said.
During the meeting, the supervisor of the factories, General Manager Fouad Hamad, told Love and Abdullah that neither one of the businesses can operate without more generators.
“The future of my company is important to this community,” Hamad said. “We need someone to take a deep look at our problem, so the people can come back to work.”
Love told Abdullah that he would work closely with getting the generators needed, and promised to provide the movement of the generators to the factory.
“Hopefully, we will get this wheel turning and get the factories back to the way they used to be,” Abdullah said.
Love said he has already seen great improvements since his first visit. He said the security in the area is better and he was impressed with the number of employees coming out to the factory despite the conditions.
“I am excited to see what can happen in the next two months,” Love said.
After the meeting, the group toured the ceramic factory and the glass factory and spoke with some of the employees.
Mayor Latif Obaid Ayadah, the mayor of Ramadi attended the meeting. Love spoke to Latif about getting Ramadi on board with a new wireless communication project for his city.
“We want that type of service,” Latif said. “We very much need that type of service.”
Love said he plans to return to monitor progress and to show his continued support for the factories and the local population who work there.
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