Finance and Electricity Vital Issues to be Tackled by Cabinet
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
The cabinet’s meeting on Thursday is set to tackle 71 articles, none of which are related to people’s everyday concerns in order to avoid addressing the accumulated critical issues, al-Liwaa newspaper reported on Thursday.
The government will discuss a plan set by Energy and Water Minister Jebran Bassil to provide the citizens with electricity on the long term, but it should be addressing how to provide it for the summer season during which the electrical network becomes overloaded, said the newspaper.
Concerning the financial issue, the first test for the new cabinet lies in announcing a new issue of $950 million Eurobonds to be due next month in a bid to lower Lebanon's staggering public debt.
Banking sources also said that the sector’s problems will surface in a short while.
Meanwhile, informed sources noted that the state budget is witnessing a deficit, and the Finance Ministry can’t commit to its obligations over the electricity problem unless the money held by the Telecommunication Minister Nicolas Sahnawi (approximately $2 billion) is transferred to the budget.
Al-Liwaa said that the minister is adopting the policy of his predecessor, Charbel Nahhas, in order to employ these funds in the municipal elections.
14 July 2011, 13:54
20
After years of neglect by the losers March 14 and criminal, Rafik Hariri, these serious issues will finally be tackled by the new and wise government! Meanwhile, the Saudi child is weeping in France....
14 July 2011, 15:26
13
Lebanon is going to face its most difficult financial conditions in decades. the banking sector will suffer, deficits will rise, the real estate market will crash , and tourism will drop, its all already starting to happen.. in the meantime this iranian puppet goverment will spend 80% of its time defending Hizb's guns, diving the country by alienating other sects and trying to prosecute the old goverment of currpotion, while the economy collapses on itself.. god help us all..
that said, im sure they will try to run things better because they have a point to prove.. but lets be honest, who do u think will take the major contracts, business deals and money, the most qualified person irrespective of politcal stance or simply thier supportters, dont be naive..
but good, this is the best thing for us long term, once most lebanese feel the hunger, support will fade for the syria iran hizb axis and a new one sided goverment can emerge
14 July 2011, 16:18
12
The issue lies in the fact that 1/3 of so called lebanese are not paying for electricity. Billions of dollars in waste. The same thugs are now the government. Iran will most probably foot the bill (or loan us the money and add to the dept) but the real problem will never be resolved. The divine warriors should NOT pay for anything. Let the rest of the infidels pick up the tab. Once lazy always lazy, as simple as that.
15 July 2011, 01:09
01
Using obsolete oil driven powerplants and neglecting green energy, windmill, solar power ect then it will never be solved nor the polution problems
15 July 2011, 10:50
01
@Sultani
I agree with ur analysis.
@John
Actually, the Iranians are short on cash these days, especially due to international pressures and American sanctions. Hezbollah re-initiated their drug traffics in order to keep on insuring their finances. Bottom line, the 1/3rd of the country will never pay their EDL bill... they never have. Also, 2/3rds (or more) of the state employees receive salaries but don't work. Some don't even show up! I know one who has been getting a salary and has been living in the US for over 15 years!! Well... ask Mr Berri about that, I am sure he can explain...
15 July 2011, 12:18
01
@ Mowaten
“give me names”… are you out of your mind! Where am I here? At a trial? But even when we give you people names, you refuse to collaborate…right?! ;)
“my friend” He is not a friend, so why to you open quotes. I never wrote that. He is a person to whom I have been introduced to, and that is close to NB.
Now, in my line of work, I have to spend quite some time in the administrations, and I see a lot, hear a lot, and talk to a lot of people. Now, If you live by “see no evil hear no evil”…ok…well…stay in lala land if you wish!
It seems normal to have a bad debt when you have to rebuild a country after 30 years. Missmanagemen, certainly, theft…most probably, but why do you only blame Hariri… why not Berri, Lahoud, Murr, Hraoui, Joumblat, Kanso, etc, etc… All these people were in power… what good have they done to this country??
15 July 2011, 12:19
01
Have they no responsibility over this debt? I am in the business field, and I can tell you that Syria dried us during this period. They taxed all our imports, many businesses, and the state… They pumped BILLIONS!!
We all want to fight corruption, yet we all take advantage of the system at some degree. I know that Baroud tried fighting corruption as some point but he quickly understood that this was not going to happen. All those big political figures have men at key places, and abuse the system because they know that they are not movable. All here are to blame. The system has been going on for years because it suits them all!
15 July 2011, 12:32
00
@ Mowaten
To illustrate your Sukleen example, and for info: Berri wanted to have a sukleen like company in Nabatiyeh in 1995. Officials bidds were opened. I met a Frenchman who represented the company that won the bid. He told me about the after meeting dinner at Mr Berri's place, anh how the Estez Nabih asked for a 5% commission for his so called "charities" The French refused to pay, and the factory never existed... you want names...fine, the French company was " General de Eaux "... You believe what you want my dear...
15 July 2011, 13:59
00
do you know that there s about 300 people paid by the gvt and who work for the national railway??
what did the previous M8 ministers do for electricity? not much...
and please out of honesty don t forget that aoun said that the syrians were responsible fot the corruption system they created to better control the lebanese...that they obliged politicians to do it or get suicided!
so maybe hariri stole money but he is certainly not the only one!!!
lots of M8 leaders built fortunes out of nothing!!!!! strange isn t it?!
