Electricity Settlement Sparks Heated Arguments at Cabinet
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
A tense atmosphere from a meeting of joint parliamentary committees on the electricity project spilled into the cabinet on Wednesday amid reported verbal clashes between Change and Reform bloc ministers on one side and Health Minister Ali Hasan Khalil.
Media reports said that during a government session held at the Grand Serail an argument erupted between Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas and Khalil, who is Speaker Nabih Berri’s aide, after the Change and Reform bloc minister described a decision reached at the committees meeting as “dissent.”
Nahhas also reportedly described the deal that was proposed by Berri as a violation of the constitution.
The committees had agreed to adopt two amendments to cabinet’s $1.2 billion energy proposal, drawing the ire of MP Michel Aoun’s Change and Reform bloc lawmakers who said the agreement came at the expense of the authorities of Energy Minister Jebran Bassil, who is Aoun’s son-in-law.
Heated arguments also erupted between several ministers, including the ministers loyal to National Struggle Front bloc leader MP Walid Jumblat.
Public Works Minister Ghazi Aridi, who is from Jumblat’s camp, argued with Nahhas over a railway project.
During the verbal clashes, Khalil telephoned Berri to inform him about the tense atmosphere. But late night contacts between the involved parties did not lead to a solution.
On Thursday, lawmakers endorsed the electricity project during a parliamentary session. However, Aoun's bloc expressed reservations.
22 September 2011, 08:13
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Not that my comment will make a difference,, and since there will be never be an optimal solution, black or white, instead always a shade of grey, I have decided to always vote as far away as the political figure's age in politics. This bill: we have jumblat & berri that break all records of domination, corruption & money making: I vote pro FPM, at least I have seen them loose some elections....
22 September 2011, 08:20
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Not that my comment will make a difference,, and since there will be never be an optimal solution, black or white, instead always a shade of grey, I have decided to always vote as far away as the political figure's age in politics. This bill: we have jumblat & berri that break all records of domination, corruption & money making: I vote pro FPM, at least I have seen them loose some elections....
22 September 2011, 08:21
02
Tell the Shia to pay and we don't need a loan.
Someone please do an analysis and look at the electricity deficit since the Shia haven't paid, and calculate the interest on top of it and let me know how much of the national debt is because of them.
22 September 2011, 08:21
00
Not that my comment will make a difference,, and since there will be never be an optimal solution, black or white, instead always a shade of grey, I have decided to always vote as far away as the political figure's age in politics. This bill: we have jumblat & berri that break all records of domination, corruption & money making: I vote pro FPM, at least I have seen them loose some elections....
22 September 2011, 09:36
01
Will we reach one day a stage when the majority will be able to form a unilateral government and be able to implement its plans and projects? Or will we remain a 3rd world country run by sectarian, religious & tribal ideologies?
