Jumblat: Officials Must Address People's Concerns before Tackling Presidential Elections Charade

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat noted on Monday that the dispute over the presidential elections has become linked to regional developments, meaning that officials are better off addressing the concerns of the people until they can settle their differences.

He said in his weekly editorial in the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa website: “Officials must cater to the people's daily concerns before turning to the elections charade.”

“Should we leave Lebanon exposed to regional storms until various politicians make compromises over the polls?” he wondered.

Jumblat demanded that “radical and bold” measures be taken concerning the electricity file “that is costing the treasury billions of dollars in losses on an annual basis.”

He proposed dedicating funds to build new power plants in order to put an end to “this problem that has been escalating for several years.”

The PSP chief also suggested imposing fines on maritime property violations and urged syndicates to demand a wage hike that would take into consideration the country's economy.

In addition, the MP demanded officials to put an end to corruption and search for serious measures that will address the water shortage in Lebanon.

“The only beacon of hope in all of this misery is the growing degree of coordination between the security agencies in confronting the rising dangers and in taking preemptive measures that would avert further security deterioration,” he remarked.

Security agencies succeeded in recent weeks in arresting several suspects linked to various terrorist networks.

In June, security forces raided the Napoleon Hotel in Beirut's Hamra district after obtaining information on a plot to target hospitals and high-ranking security officials.

Over 100 people were interrogated during the security raid but only a Frenchman who is originally from the Comoros islands was arrested and has reportedly confessed to being sent by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant to carry out a terrorist attack in Lebanon.

Lebanon was once again hit by a series of deadly blasts recently, the latest of which was on June 25 when a Saudi suicide bomber blew himself up at the Duroy Hotel during a security raid. His accomplice, also a Saudi citizen, survived the blast and is being questioned.