Khalil, Bassil Engage in Sharp Quarrel over EDL Contract Workers Crisis

The cabinet that convened at the Baabda Palace on Wednesday witnessed a heated debate between Free Patriotic Movement and AMAL ministers over the full-time employment of Electricite du Liban’s contract workers.

According to local newspapers published on Thursday, FPM Energy Minister Jebran Bassil engaged in a sharp spat with AMAL Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil after Bassil urged Interior Minister Marwan Charbel to evacuate the employees from EDL’s headquarters by force.

Khalil rejected Bassil’s suggestion, urging the cabinet to launch a dialogue with the employees.

The parliament’s approval earlier this month of a decision taken by the joint parliamentary committees to permanently employee EDL contract workers created a rift between the March 8 allies, as the Free Patriotic Movement accused Hizbullah of being a “spectator” and Speaker Nabih Berri of violating the protocol.

The Christian lawmakers boycotted the parliament to protest the approval of the joint parliamentary committees’ proposal, arguing that the permanent employment of those workers would destabilize the sectarian balance at EDL as around 80 percent of them belong to non-Christian sects and most of them support Berri, who is a Shiite.

The cabinet decided to task Prime Minister Najib Miqati and Bassil to follow up the issue and report back to the government during its next session on Wednesday at the Baabda Palace.

However, sources close to the FPM denied to al-Akhbar newspaper the report.

Al-Joumhouria newspaper said that the Energy Minister also rejected the formation of a ministerial committee to negotiate with the contract workers.

“No one agreed on this suggestion,” sources told al-Akhbar.

FPM sources hailed the stance of President Michel Suleiman, describing it as “very good.”

According to al-Akhbar, Suleiman stressed on the necessity of evacuating the company and rejected the formation of a ministerial committee.

“No one wants the crisis to continue, but there’s a public institution under occupation,” the president said.

The contract workers ended on Wednesday their hunger strike and moved the tent that they erected outside the company’s premises as a goodwill gesture.

They have been demanding the cabinet to pay them their June and July salaries and for the cabinet to publish their permanent employment decision in the official gazette.