17the February, 2011 is the most auspicious day for most of the Libyans as it sparked off revolution that toppled a long-serving dictator who had owned Libya for more than four decades.

Soon the peaceful revolution translated into a full-fledged war that cost more than fifty thousand lives. Many children became orphaned while many women were exposed to vulnerability.

Thousands of dwellings and commercial establishments were destroyed. Reasonable compensation was announced by the government that followed after the revolution, yet something fell far short of winning the heart of the general public.

It is time to pause and think: ‘Is revolution serving its cause?’ ‘Is it attaining its goal? Like others, I felt compelled to ask these questions. There is undoubtedly something that halts the sacredness of 17th February to achieve its objectives.

The plight of the masses is still unheard. Libyans should ask themselves, how from being heirs to a proud heritage in the distant past, they find themselves in such a paradoxical condition even today?
The three issues have been widely discussed that confront Libyan society as a whole: security threat, education and health. Public, in general, have repeatedly held these challenges for halting the progress of the nation but they have fallen on deaf ears.

Security is key to development. Recent reports of violence from some parts of the country only add to the apprehension of the investors who are willing to get engaged in various projects.
Militias can no longer take the justification of ensuring peace on the ground. The onus of security responsibility solely lies in the hands of the elected government, and thus leads the confidence of public in the institution of defense.

To a great extent, the government has succeeded to overcome the challenge, yet it falls far short of guaranteeing individuals from the hostility that marks the legacy of the past.

Libyans lag behind others in several other areas of contemporary life. For instance, proportion to their population, how many citizens have the opportunity of attending well-maintained schools and colleges leave the matter of quality education aside?

Sometimes, a teacher is in charge of looking after sixty and seventy students. In some cases, disappointedly the number even exceeds. It is like a shepherdguiding the flock without much intellectual output.

Where are the Africa’s best universities, hospitals, parks, libraries and laboratories despite Libya being one of the richest nations in the continent?

Does the wealth of Libya reflect its glamour in the construction of beautiful roads, high-tech airports and advanced system of transports to travel safely from Tripoli to Benghazi? Where do the national resources go?

The same has been discussed a lot about the facilities regarding health services. What public experienced during the previous regime is being replayed with identical types of problems with semi-qualified doctors and incompetent nurses in the hospitals.

Again the number of doctors in proportion to patients in the hospitals is far from the delight of common expectations.

The question is: ‘What has gone wrong with the authority in power?’ Why are the reforms being delayed? How long will they play with the patience of the public?

The coming 17th February that marks the Revolution Day in Libya may be different from what public witnessed last year. The public in general are likely to pose a formidable show of unity on the occasion to bargainwith the government for legitimate demands.

The wake-up call to the government is to address the fundamental issues on the eve of the grand day, i.e. 17th February, and address the grievances they have been facing for decades.

The promises alone will not serve any purpose. It is time to deliver. It is time to act. Modern Libya cannot afford longer without confronting challenging issues.