Posted on 06/20/2009 11:07:43 AM PDT by SandRat
BAGHDAD — As the local government in northwest Baghdad's Hurriyah neighborhood has proven its ability to provide for its people, U.S. Soldiers handed over the Hurriyah Public Works Sub Station (PWSS) to the Government of Iraq during a ceremony held on the station's grounds here, June 17.
The PWSS serves the people of Hurriyah by ridding its streets of sewage and trash.
The land the PWSS was built on was once a trash dump, but after some cleaning and brick work, it was turned into the centerpiece of service in Hurriyah.
The compound is equipped with two garages, four buildings and 18 essential service trucks.
"As we know, there has been a big essential services problem in Hurriyah, but we are trying to fix that problem and trying to provide help with sewage removal," said Naeem Abaob, the deputy mayor of Baghdad. "We understand that the Coalition forces' duty is military action, but they have done a lot of infrastructure and essential services work as well."
The 2nd Brigade Combat Team worked with Baghdad's Department of Public Works to set up PWSSs throughout northwest Baghdad.
"We have done a lot of cooperation with the Coalition forces, especially the embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team," said Abaob. "This combined effort has given us a great result."
It has been the combined effort of the 2nd BCT and the Iraqi Security Forces that kept the city safe and allowed for improved essential services.
"In concert with our Iraqi security partners we will ensure the future remains stable for transitions such as this one," said Col. Joseph Martin, commander, 2nd BCT. "I salute the diligence of local leaders in support of continued transition toward full Iraqi control."
The goal of the essential services improvement project is to provide the Department of Public Works with the tools it needs to sustain services on its own.
"[The transfer ceremony] just shows one more step where we've been able to hand over things to the local government and for them to assume more responsibility, which really is what we've been trying to do since the conflict began," said Capt. Nathan Williams, a company commander with 2nd BCT. "We are at the final stages of this, so I think it will be very successful. I'm glad to see that it is finished and has been turned over."
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