Miqati Says Bassil 'Most Competent Minister', Denies Rift with Safadi
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Prime Minister Najib Miqati on Thursday described Energy and Water Minister Jebran Bassil as the “most competent minister” in his government, denying the presence of a dispute with Finance Minister Mohammed Safadi, his main ally in the 2009 parliamentary elections.
“I’m a man of compromises and I propose compromises in a positive spirit,” Miqati said in an interview on LBC, in reference to the latest controversy over the issue of leasing power-generating vessels.
“I want to turn my government from a ‘government of darkness’ into a ‘government of light’ and I complicated things in order to reach the desired result. When things deteriorated into a crisis, I raised my voice. I said we must have 24/24 power feed while keeping in mind the financial situation, as any wrong step will lead us to mistakes,” the premier explained.
He said he told cabinet that $875 million was a “hefty amount of money for renting vessels for a period of five years.”
“I said a period of five years was inappropriate for the proposed lease agreement, so we approved a two-year plan that is renewable for one year and reduced the quantity from 360 megawatts to 270 megawatts.”
Miqati said he wanted a new invitation for tenders “in order for it to be transparent and at an international level.”
He revealed that “all the ministers voiced reservations over the price” that was initially proposed by Bassil.
The premier noted that his efforts “slashed the price by $400 million, which would allow us to build the power plants.”
Asked about Bassil’s remarks that his camp had triumphed in the standoff over the issue of electricity, Miqati said: “I will not be dragged into a debate and the objective is clear: providing electricity at the desired price.”
And he denied “obstructing the plans of (Free Patriotic Movement leader) General (Michel) Aoun’s ministers.”
“I totally respect him, but I deal with any subject according to the norms,” Miqati clarified.
“I will give all the credit for the achievements (in the electricity plan) to Minister Bassil because I care about the success of my government and I believe that he is the most competent minister and I will facilitate all his work,” he stressed.
Asked about the Iranian proposal to provide Lebanon with electricity, Miqati said: “We give consideration to all proposals and we’re ready to evaluate every proposal.”
He denied the presence of a “political decision” to reject Tehran’s proposal.
“We will see how the issue can take place legally, so that we don’t expose ourselves to sanctions,” Miqati added, referring to the international sanctions imposed on Iran over its controversial nuclear program.
On the relation with his ally, Finance Minister Safadi, Miqati said: “I stress that there is no dispute with Safadi and I stress in my name and in his name that we are more strongly allied than ever and tell those betting on a dispute that we will not abandon each other.”
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29 March 2012, 21:54
Miqati: I stress that there is no dispute with Safadi and I stress in my name and in his name that we are more strongly allied than ever and tell those betting on a dispute that we will not abandon each other.
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29 March 2012, 21:51
Miqati on the Iranian proposal to provide Lebanon with electricity: We give consideration to all proposals and we’re ready to evaluate every proposal … There is no political decision to reject Iran’s proposal and we will see how the issue can take place legally, so that we don’t expose ourselves to sanctions.
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29 March 2012, 21:47
Miqati: I will give all the credit for the achievements (in the electricity plan) to Minister Bassil because I care about the success of my government and I believe that he is the most competent minister and I will facilitate all his work.
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29 March 2012, 21:45
Miqati: I’m not obstructing the plans of General Aoun’s ministers at all and I totally respect him, but I deal with any subject according to the norms.
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29 March 2012, 21:39
Miqati: I will not tolerate any accusations against Safadi and he is a real brother and Bassil is a very competent minister.
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29 March 2012, 21:38
Miqati on Bassil’s remarks that his camp has triumphed: I will not be dragged into a debate and the objective is clear: providing electricity at the desired price.
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29 March 2012, 21:36
Miqati: This step slashed the price by $400 million, which would allow us to build the power plants.
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29 March 2012, 21:35
Miqati: I said that the price was irrational and all the ministers voiced reservations over the price.
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29 March 2012, 21:31
Miqati: I’m insisting on repeating the tender in order for it to be transparent and at an international level.
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29 March 2012, 21:30
Miqati: I said a period of five years was inappropriate for the proposed lease agreement, so we approved a two-year plan that is renewable for one year and reduced the quantity from 360 megawatts to 270 megawatts.
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29 March 2012, 21:29
Miqati: I explained all the disputed points concerning the issue of electricity and said that $875 million is a hefty amount of money for renting vessels for a period of five years.
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29 March 2012, 21:27
Miqati: I want to turn my government from a “government of darkness” into a “government of light” and I complicated things in order to reach the desired result. When things deteriorated into a crisis, I raised my voice. I said we must have 24/24 power feed while keeping in mind the financial situation, as any wrong step will lead us to mistakes.
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29 March 2012, 21:25
PM Najib Miqati in an interview on LBC: I’m a man of compromises and I propose compromises in a positive spirit.
29 March 2012, 22:53
19
"Bassil is a very competent minister." hey guys you forgot the "in" before two words here.
29 March 2012, 22:55
13
Is there any renewable energy generating plants in your plans??? Or is it just same old dirty & expansive - Fuel &/or Gas thermal plants?
How about encouraging thermal water heaters on every Bldg/House, that would slash 20% of electricity consumption - If you go to Cyprus or Turkey - all houses & bldg have solar panels on top. If they can do it, so can we.
And how about Bldg some Wind Farms offshore & some Onshore. There are now some new/efficient wind-mills generating 5MW power each at at installed cost of $5Mio/unit. Dannemark has 20% of its electricity from Wind Energy.
Or How about some additional Hydropower - building more Dams, or just upgrading existing dams with new more efficient turbines than existing 60's models.
All these are more feasible, cheaper, cleaner, overall better alternative to building an additional thermal power plant. But hey...its Lebanon, politicians don't pursue such goals.
30 March 2012, 21:17
00
An offshore wind park cheaper than a thermal power plant? afraid not! Onshore wind parks take too much space and are too noisy to be put near residential areas (so not very feasible in Lebanon). Increasing the efficiency of the hydro plants still won't make it enough to cover the gap. Only thing I agree with you on is the part on thermal water heaters, but even with those, lebanon still wld need extra generation if the goal is 24/7 electricity.
30 March 2012, 01:46
111
Ex-progma,
When they tell him if you don't allow Bassil to buy the Yakht he always wanted we will replace you with Safadi changed his opinion about Bassil from Imbassil to Bassilisteine
30 March 2012, 07:39
17
Miqati described Bassil as the “most competent minister”... Was there any mention of the Prime Minister vomiting after he said this, I know he has to play nice now but that is going too far :-)
You do deserve credit for stopping the little thief-in-law from over filling his pockets. Insisting on new tenders and getting serious about building modern power plants is a good start.
30 March 2012, 09:19
90
He said " one of the most competent" not "most competent minister"!!!!!!!
30 March 2012, 10:17
26
Yeah--this is nothing but poli-speak, and the facts getting out make Bassil appear more and more incompetent. It shuts him and Aoun up for a while too, which is good for everyone.
30 March 2012, 11:58
131
Good job Bassil !!! bring electricity to those who hate you because they know not what they do... haram!!! we promise to light candles n pray for you all...:D
30 March 2012, 12:24
15
@FT
...then stop wasting your time and go play in the orange room or on Al Manar where you will find the info the way you like'em!
30 March 2012, 12:32
131
I think if ur soo concerned abt the government money spendings better if you could ask abt the 11B bananas that ur war lords stole from our/your pockets n built their own castles...;)
30 March 2012, 15:12
111
I may be a loser, but i can exercise, you can’t fix a retarded brain! @:
30 March 2012, 15:51
24
@FT
Then why are you wasting so much of your precious time with us retards?? hehehe...
PS: "unbiased"...you mean like you?? hahahahaha.... ;) Good one!
30 March 2012, 15:55
13
@FT
Another thing..."most of the sceptics here are expats or kiddies ..."
I suppose you've got stats or something... unless you're kind enough to share with us the results of your brillian deduction...
30 March 2012, 15:51
14
ya 7aram 3al siyessi:
wen l ro2ya l wad7a wel tawili? wen fari2 l 3amal?
kello ter2i3 w tasswiyet w mo7assassa w 7isebet shakhsiyi.
wen l mawdou3iyi wel mihaniyi wel masla7a l 3ami?
l mel l 3am se2ib , l 2idara fessdi w gher montiji
wen l ra2abi?
ray7a bghayboubi
wen l mose2ali wel mo7esabi wel mo3a2abi?
w balad.... teghyir w 2esla7 ya 7aram bass ya 7aram...
30 March 2012, 16:34
14
I hear that in Lebanon the political class gives out awards to each other for being able to pass the best B*ll S**t around. Mikati must be going for the Mother of all Academy BS Awards ever given with that line.
30 March 2012, 19:09
101
well again let's go to a Schedule:
T1 Bassil is named telecom minister and for the 1st time in Lebanese history we have lower cellular bills (exept the pre-paid)
T2 Bassil is has the enegy cabinet ,and we finally have plans for a better sector, we have new water projects finished or being built, we have a regulation for the "moteur el 7ay"
T3 all M14 attacks him and not the other ministers= he's successfull if he continue doing this people will see how bad we were (especially Marwan hmedeh)
T4 Mikati attacks him to please his Sunni electorat
T5 even the Sunnis are angry because of the no electricity project and Mikati steps down
30 March 2012, 19:51
17
very well trained aouni..... mishmaoul. Are you all losers like this?
01 April 2012, 10:24
00
Mr. PM ... is that a gun to your head or are you just happy to see Bassil???
I wonder if they think we are all idiots ... why have you been arguing with each other for the past months then??? you could have saved us all a lot of time and started working on these plans .. what twisted game are you all playing???
