Berri Urges Reevaluation or Annulment of Waste Management Bids over 'High Prices'
Speaker Nabih Berri on Monday demanded the “reevaluation” or “total annulment” of the winning waste management bids, citing the “high prices” that were proposed.
“The bids must be reevaluated due to the high prices and the major burden on the treasury or else they should be totally annulled,” said Berri in remarks carried by state-run National News Agency.
Meanwhile, Environment Minister Mohammed al-Mashnouq clarified that the prices he declared earlier in the day were higher than those charged by Sukleen, the firm currently in charge of waste management in Beirut and its suburbs, due to the fact that they involve “the establishment of treatment plants and the setting up of landfills.”
“The Sukleen firm was operating existent plants,” he noted.
“These prices also involve the sweeping service, which Sukleen was not performing outside Beirut,” the minister added.
Earlier in the day, Mashnouq unveiled the names of the companies that won bids for waste management in Lebanon.
He announced in a press conference that it is now up to the cabinet to study the bids and announce the names of the winning proposals.
The Lavajet company will replace Sukleen in Beirut, he said.
Mashnouq hoped that his announcement will act as a “happy ending” to the garbage disposal crisis Lebanon has been witnessing since the closure of the Naameh landfill on July 17.
Since the closure of the Naameh landfill, arbitrary garbage dumps began to emerge after various municipalities refused to allow the disposal of waste from Beirut and Mount Lebanon in their areas.
The cabinet is expected to hold an extraordinary session on Tuesday morning to tackle the waste management crisis.
The unprecedented crisis has sparked protests across Lebanon. More than 100 people were injured after demonstrations in downtown Beirut turned violent on Saturday and Sunday.
Y.R.
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