Kataeb Warns against 'Playing with Fire, Violating National Pact' in Govt. Work

The Kataeb Party categorically rejected Monday any alteration of the cabinet's bylaws, insisting that any decree requires the signatures of all the 24 ministers amid the current presidential vacuum.

The party voiced its stance shortly before a cabinet session that was expected to witness a heated debate over the garbage crisis.

“We have concerns over the way things are going in the cabinet, as if some parties are promoting the possibility of altering the norms of governance and voting in the cabinet. This 'playing with fire' is unacceptable,” Kataeb chief Amin Gemayel announced after the party's weekly meeting.

“We have forgotten that there is a key juncture called the election of a president and it has become a marginal issue, while it should be the basis of achieving full stability,” said Gemayel.

Addressing the issue of the garbage crisis and the cabinet's approach towards it, Gemayel added: “We held a lot of consultations with some forces and they are insisting on maintaining this approach in the current period.”

“Any change must happen through the consensus of all parties and it is impossible to introduce changes in any other manner,” Kataeb's chief stressed, expressing concern that the cabinet might not abide by the unanimity rule in the event of a vote over the controversial waste management plan.

“Amid the presidential crisis, the cabinet is supposed to take its decisions through a unanimous vote, and any change to this rule would violate the (1943 National) Pact” of coexistence between the country's religious groups, Gemayel warned.

He said tenders to sign contracts with new sanitary firms “must take place according to certain norms and a certain competition, which would serve the interest of citizens.”

“We stressed the importance of the role of the state and municipalities in this regard,” Gemayel added.

“We approached the issue of waste management in a technical manner and a specialized committee from the political bureau discussed the issue with prominent NGOs. There were brave stances and a constructive approach and we made great achievements and proposed practical solutions,” Kataeb's leader explained.

And as he noted that a “final solution” has not been reached for the crisis, Gemayel emphasized that “the public interest comes before anything else.”

“Our concern is to reassure citizens about their future and the transparency of their institutions,” he pointed out.

“The contacts that happened between the party and the official authorities were very positive but politics can ruin the results that can be reached by technical experts,” he said.

The dispute over the waste management file has taken a political turn, with Environment Minister Mohammed al-Mashnouq and Kataeb's ministers demanding a “technical” extension of the Naameh landfill's operations and the Progressive Socialist Party's ministers rejecting such a move.

The government's contract with the Sukleen firm on dumping waste in the aforementioned landfill will end on January 17. And as Mashnouq has demanded a brief grace period to conduct new tenders, Naameh's residents are rejecting any extension of the landfill's operations, citing major environmental and health risks.

Kataeb politburo member Albert Kostanian meanwhile reiterated Monday that the party “wants actual and transparent tenders so that we can lower the costs for the sake of citizens.”

He underlined that it is for the state to specify the locations of the landfills, arguing that “if we leave it to the private firms we would be encouraging corruption.”

“The party insisted on holding an open international call for bids and on conducting the tender in a transparent manner,” said Kostanian.

“We're keen on setting up a landfill in every district and the residents of Naameh have the right to reject taking the burden of the garbage of entire Lebanon,” he went on to say.

Y.R.