“Facts” about Gaddafi

In my estimation death brings out the best and then the worst in a lot of people. I have been commenting on the two high-profile deaths last month October – that of Steve Jobs and then Muammar Gaddafi.

The media was filled by reports, anecdotes and factoids that were flamboyant in its praise for Jobs as it was in its disdain for Gaddafi.

Then a few days go by and the frenzy dissipates into a trickle, suddenly the reports, anecdotes and factoids in the media are no longer as rosy or rabid as they once were.

Jobs is being portrayed more and more as a dictator and a hard man to get along with; someone who bullied his way to getting what he wanted, and in the way he wanted it.

Suddenly there are reports on Gaddafi's benevolence.

I received a list of apparently “Facts that cannot be denied regarding Gaddafi,” which I present here. I am not in a position to confirm or deny the authenticity of the following list nor whether the “facts” presented are indeed true; but I can confirm that if what is listed below is true than millions of people in failing western economies would prefer a dictator like Gaddafi over their increasingly deficient 'democratic' choice.

1. There is no electricity bill in Libya; electricity is free for all its citizens.
2. There is no interest on loans, banks in Libya are state-owned and loans given to all its citizens at 0% interest by law.
3. A home was considered a human right in Libya –Gaddafi vowed that his parents would not get a house until everyone in Libya had a home. Gaddafi’s father had died while he, his wife and his mother were still living in a tent.
4. All newlyweds in Libya receive $60,000 Dinar (US$50,000) from the government to buy their first apartment so to help start up the family.
5. Education and medical treatment are free in Libya. Before Gaddafi only 25% of Libyans were literate. Today the figure is 83%.
6. Should Libyans want to take up farming career, they would receive farming land, a farming house, equipment, seeds and livestock to kick-start their farms – all for free.
7. If Libyans cannot find the education or medical facilities they need in Libya, the government funded them to go abroad for it – not only free but they would also receive US $2,300 per month as a stipend for accommodation and as a car allowance.
8. In Libyan, if a Libyan buys a car, the government subsidized 50% of the price.
9. The price of petrol in Libya is $0. 14 per litre.
10. Libya has no external debt and its reserves amount to $150 billion – now frozen globally.
11. If a Libyan is unable to get employment after graduation the state would pay the average salary of the profession as if he or she is employed until employment is found.
12. A portion of Libyan oil sale was credited directly to the bank accounts of all Libyan citizens.
13. A woman who give birth to a child receives US$5,000
14. 40 loaves of bread in Libya costs $ 0.15
15. 25% of Libyans have a university degree
16. Gaddafi carried out the world’s largest irrigation project, known as the Great Man-Made River project, to make water readily available throughout the desert country.
17. Nelson Mandela named his grand son “Gaddafi”.

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That Apple c-founder Steve Jobs was a hard man to get along with, or that he was tyrannical may be true – but it does not take away from the fact that he was a visionary.

Similarly while the list above (save for the last item on the list) does portray Gaddafi as a misunderstood benevolent man and a 'brother leader' it probably cannot take away from that hard fact that he was also a tyrannical despot.

“Our's is not to reason why, our's is but to do or die – Tennyson"