‘Disgust’ and ‘Negative Distinction’ Major Highlights of 3-Day Parliamentary Session
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
A “disgust” expressed by Speaker Nabih Berri and the “negative distinction” caused by Phalange MP Sami Gemayel were the major highlights of the last day of a parliamentary session that led to the government’s survival of a vote of confidence.
The three-day session that ended after midnight Thursday included 30 hours of statements by 62 MPs and responses by five members of the cabinet and Premier Najib Miqati. Among the 62 lawmakers, 34 were from the March 14-led opposition and 28 were members of the Hizbullah-led March 8 coalition.
Eight disputes between members of parliament were recorded throughout the three-day session that was aimed at assessing the government’s performance.
Berri expressed “disgust” before the vote of confidence over the sectarian tension and the MPs’ resort to the past as a weapon to confront the cabinet or rival lawmakers.
A March 14 leader lamented the “negative distinction” between the March 14 forces and the Phalange party that was caused after Gemayel’s call for a vote of confidence.
Sixty-three MPs granted the government a vote of confidence as Gemayel was joined by his two party members, MPs Samer Saadeh and Fadi al-Habr in voting no after March 14 lawmakers walked out of the legislature.
“The government received a gift that it wasn’t expecting after MP Gemayel went out of the March 14 unanimity not to call for a confidence vote,” the opposition leader, who refused to be identified, told An Nahar daily published Friday.
His call for the vote came after he asked Finance Minister Mohammed Safadi if he was planning to pay a $400 million compensation to Minister Nicolas Fattoush, owed to him and his brothers by the state for suspending the activity at their stone quarries.
20 April 2012, 09:45
26
"negative distinction” caused by Phalange MP Sami Gemayel...
Pfff... every word he spoke was the truth! The failures of the government he listed are the truth! Take a hike Mr Berri... you, and this filthy crippled government!
20 April 2012, 10:04
43
Kataeb will produce the next President, what a shame Pierre is not around.
20 April 2012, 10:18
22
Finally, it is done. Get to business, tourism season is coming.
20 April 2012, 11:15
26
mowaten...idiot! How can a Lebanese citizen be happy from the crap produced by this government... you're not living here...unless you are enjoying the privileges of "Ashraf el naas" (administrative privileges, fast internet, no one collecting your electricity bills,minimum registration fees on property, etc...).
Salaries raised...so what idiot!? Bills raised immediately in higher proportions! pfff...
http://www.kataeb.org/EN/News/329654
20 April 2012, 12:37
24
hahahaha... and what are your good arguments ya mowateh!? I sent you a link to SG's speech which expresses my opinion quite well.
You always come up with the same lame & pathetic arguments...internet (crap!) electricity (mafia fight and no improvement so far... as a mater of fact...the worst winter in our History!).
Yes I'm a business owner and we had to impact the raise on our prices... and so did schools, my insurance company, the company that manages my building, and all my business owners friends...but you have absolutely no clue what you are talking about! Ask around and try to find 1 business owner who did not raise his prices in order to compensate for the raise! Your explanation on imported products is not related and you are obviously clueless about the economy. One more time, you and the other joker (FT) are wasting my time. I am glad that poorly minded people like yourself enjoy the mediocrity of this government who has done ZERO and is proud of it.
22 April 2012, 16:41
12
People in Lithuania, Estonia etc. get 300€ per month.... Yet those nations belong to the civilized world. Nothing shocking with 300$ although an increase is always appreciate. If people we unhappy with the minimum wage, they should pack their bags and leave to better horizons.
20 April 2012, 12:37
23
Tourism, security, economy, education, infrastructure, industry, Agriculture... what has been done that you're proud of? They spend their tiome fighting with each other...it is a lame a pathetic show...and I am glad to see that this makes you proud and that you see an accomplishment in that!
20 April 2012, 12:49
20
re: Kataeb to produce the next president..
The 70's Kataeb were in fact the untarnished representatives of the majority of the Lebanese Christians. They carried the responsibility of securing a Safe and Permanent enclave; however, they were not able to deliver and lost credibility, mainly following Amin' flip flopping on major issues and evacuating his presidency in a un-presidential manner.. Aside of being corrupt.
Kataeb's image remains tarnished after they turned their weapons toward other Christian factions and became untrustworthy..
20 April 2012, 13:39
00
Naharnet's very interesting wording:
"March 14-led opposition and 28 were members of the Hizbullah-led March 8 coalition"
The only point I can get from that is that they're still trying to play the 'Hizbullah controls the government' card, which has been proven incorrect.
Also, regardless of whether I agree or disagree with the government's performance, M14 and M8 have become the most irrelevant titles for any of the Lebanese coalitions. M8 now comprises Aoun and Jumblatt. M14 on the other hand, no longer is relevant, as it was an anti-Syrian movement. Whether or not its aims were accomplished, Hariri's visit to Bashar signalled the end of that era.
We won't move forward in Lebanon unless we move beyond the rhetoric of M14 and M8. These parliamentary meetings were a scandal. They were supposed to hold the government accountable for its actions, but ended in petty personal disputes. M14 and M8 is part of the propaganda to mask the corruption of both sides, and it's time to end that.
20 April 2012, 13:52
13
Most took the oportunity to raise prices more then to cover up for salaries ya mowaten... wake up!! I am not praising the old gvments here, i am talking about this one... again, what have they done for those sectors!?!
20 April 2012, 14:24
13
i wonder if mowaten ever does any shopping in supermarkets...it seems he didn t realize how much prices have increased and with no reason! and i m talking about local products... NO control is done on the prices! be it every day gorceries or rents or prices of apartments which increased in HIGH proportion due to speculation and even a M8 minister said if lebanese can t afford to live in beirut let them move further!!!
what improvement is he talikng about in electricity? i ve seen none , still as many hours of rationing, internet? i ve seen no improvement in my connection...
what i see is that this gvt is busy in resolving conflicts among them and doesn t do a thing or even talk about plans to improve the lives of the average citizen...
20 April 2012, 15:46
03
so then you should boast that this gvt did something AFTER it has been done not BEFORE!
long term solution for electricity? nothing
internet? nothing
price controls= nothing......
and pls don t use the lame excuse that the previous gvt did nothing when your friends blocked any reform from being done! (resignation of hezbi mnisters blocked the gvt + your ridiculous sit-in + shut down of parliament...)
hezb has all the benefits in maintaining this country poor and underdevelopped: never thought of that? and they will continue to do so....
20 April 2012, 21:44
12
no mowaten: prices were increased in anticipation of the salary increase and the gvt didn t do a thing to control that!
what about the soaring prices in real estate because no urban planning is done and anarchy is the key word! in a few years prices doubled or tripled with no reason...
again no control and they are letting beirut become a concrete jungle! no parks are created, no studies to absorb people (increase in water supply, electricity, car spaces, width of streets...)
but i guess as long as the responsibles get their bakchish, people are free to do whatever they want...
20 April 2012, 21:45
12
oh, M8 did something because miss berry got intoxicated, otherwise they wouldnt have done a thing about it....
20 April 2012, 15:30
13
Confine arms to the state only, demarcate the border, demand Syrian regime release Lebanese prisoners, stop illegal money and weapon flow then I may join M8. Until then they are sold out to Syria and Iran.
20 April 2012, 22:21
10
What Lebanon needs is more direct foreign investment to help increase competition, increase wages, and lower prices that currently reflect market power by firms owned by politicians on both M8 and M14.
The massive public deficit could be partially or fully forgiven if foreign investment and property rights are guaranteed. The problem is that foreign investment is shied away due to political instability, and the fear that weapons outside the state (those of Hezbollah and also those of Hariri and other M14 militias) could one day bring about political violence.
All MPs must refocus their concern not on polarizing issues that stagnate the process of delivering needs to the public (such as arms outside the state), but rather focus on what we can all agree on: that of the bleak and negative prospects of the Lebanese economy. People trying to make it day by day and unemployed individuals are desperate, and the government must address these underlying issues.
20 April 2012, 22:25
10
Sectarian and cultural conflicts in past developing countries were almost magically gone after these countries started focusing on the economy and establishing policies that lead to economic growth. As a country becomes richer, people tend to overcome sectarian and traditional mentalities and conflicts.
Lebanon needs a leader that won't give a perception of being for or against M8/M14. The leader must make the people forget the days of division amongst sects and politicians, rather make people think more about everyday concerns that are almost forgotten about in Lebanese political and societal culture.
20 April 2012, 22:52
02
gcb= the only pb is that hezb doesn t want lebanon to become a prosperous and developped country: that would mean their end. hezb can only exist in chaos and in a weak country otherwise it cannot control the institutions and do whatever they want ...
21 April 2012, 00:44
10
Who doesn't want a developed country? Everyone benefits with that. If you're gonna say that some people don't want a developed country to hold onto their powerful positions, then there many more than just officials in Hezbollah.
Hezbollah offers financial and social services that help many Lebanese go about their lives (I know this from personal experience, and I'm not even Shiite). Sure their weapons are controversial, but to say that a certain political party doesn't want peace and seeks chaos is very simplistic when it comes to understanding politics.
