Cabinet Approves Regulations at Petroleum Authority, to Tackle Refugees File on Jan. 3
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Cabinet approved on Thursday the regulations at the petroleum authority, while introducing amendments to the salaries of its employees.
Social Affairs Minister Wael Abou Faour said at the end of the last session of 2012 that the salaries will be lowered from L.L.36 million to L.L.25 million.
The government had approved on November 27 the six members of the authority in an effort to speed up the exploitation of Lebanon's offshore oil wealth.
Abou Faour also revealed that the cabinet will convene on January 3 in order to tackle the file of Syrian and Palestinian refugees flowing into Lebanon from neighboring Syria.
MTV reported that the minister had complained to Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour about the letter sent by Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdul Karim Ali to the Foreign Ministry accusing the Social Affairs Ministry and Higher Relief Council of providing aid to the “armed takfiri groups” in Syria.
Abou Faour had hoped during a press conference on Wednesday that Mansour reject the letter, “especially since its allegations are baseless.”
“The large number of refugees in Lebanon fled the criminal Syrian regime and not the terrorism of so-called takfiri groups,” he added.
“It is unacceptable for any ambassador to accuse or criticize any Lebanese ministry or administration,” he declared.
Ali had said in the letter sent to the Foreign Ministry on December 5 that Syrian refugees in Lebanon have been complaining that some “extremists” are exploiting the needs of these refugees to turn them against the regime of President Bashar Assad.
Earlier on Thursday, An Nahar daily reported that Energy Minister Jebran Bassil's proposal concerning the salaries of the appointed six-member petroleum authority would be confronted by several ministers.
"The salaries proposed for the petroleum authority members are normal in comparison with workers in the international petroleum sector," Bassil told reporters before entering the session.
He had previously suggested that the monthly salary of each member of the authority be fixed to nearly $24,000 to motivate them to remain in their positions and not be drawn to offers by private international companies.
The authority members and their families will also benefit from full healthcare.
The formation of the Petroleum Authority in November was the first major step in future oil exploration since parliament passed a law in 2011 setting the country's maritime boundary and Exclusive Economic Zone.
27 December 2012, 15:05
10
You motivate them by giving them incentives--the better they do, they more they are entitled to. You don't feed them like you are taking them out to slaughter.
27 December 2012, 22:02
10
Does anyone know the competence level,qualifications and experience of these individuals on this committee? How come we do not hear anything more than just their name and party or sectarian affiliation? The people deserves better than that!
28 December 2012, 02:59
10
Just realized something, Bassil asked for 35m... Like a car salesman asks for a higher than valued price and agrees to a ridiculously still high 25m price... What thieves ... Allahu Akbar ... You know if we had gas pumping out already and the lebanese citizen truly sees the reward of that gas ... Then maybe I won't say anything but this deal to pay them 25m or anything as ridiculously as much at this time is nothing short of deep evil corruption that is been seeded in the very beginning of Lebanon's oil and gas industry... We're going to be pretty much like Nigeria ... Super rich elitist and piss poor public.
28 December 2012, 08:00
10
Those salaries are still too high & the whole structure is wrong. This government is a pure joke.
They should have found more ethical people that don't need any money.
I hope the next government can fire them. Wait, I'm sure they gave them a contract where they can't be fired or that they would be compensated with some other ridiculous amount!
