Berri Photoshopped into Protocol Cabinet Picture

The protocol photo marking the formation of the country’s new cabinet has apparently been photoshopped to include Speaker Nabih Berri.

Al-Manar television said on Saturday night that as Interior Minister Nouhad Mashnouq and Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas, who were both nominated by al-Mustaqbal party, were late to the photo session, the official photo was taken without them.

But President Michel Suleiman noticed their absence and demanded another photo to be taken once they arrived at Baabda Palace.

But by that time, however, Berri was rushing to leave the palace to catch a flight out of the country and refused a retake of the photo, telling the president that he “will not wait for anyone,” according to al-Manar.

“Then a genius idea occurred to one of the attendees who suggested placing a person to fill in Berri’s place and then photoshopping the speaker into the picture,” al-Manar said.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam finally announced on Saturday the formation of a 24-minister cabinet, ten months and a week after his appointment.

The ministers have been distributed equally between the rival March 8 and 14 camps and centrists.