Al-Rahi Urges Cabinet to Abide by Constitution on 2012 State Budget
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi said Sunday that the primary responsibility of Lebanese authorities is to guarantee an economic and social rise, urging the government to abide by the constitution.
“The economic and social rise is the basis of the rise of the state and its people and institutions,” al-Rahi said in his sermon.
“But such a move requires a policy aimed at serving the rise,” he stressed.
Politicians should work on eradicating corruption and the growing paralysis in administrative work, the patriarch said.
He urged the government to abide by the constitution in the adoption of the 2012 draft state budget, lamenting that the negligence of such a duty for years left the cabinet incapable of meeting its obligations towards private hospitals, schools and social centers.
Al-Rahi accused the government of obstructing its services to the citizens through the procrastination in the adoption of the budget.
The government hasn’t yet approved the draft budget and a $5.9 billion 2011 spending is still awaiting parliament’s endorsement. If approved, it would legalize spending by the government above 2005 levels.
Lebanon hasn’t had any official budget since that year.
The cabinet is set to discuss the draft budget during a session on Tuesday.
Al-Rahi also urged authorities to back investments in the tourism, industry and agriculture sectors to bring back life to the country’s economy and provide job opportunities to citizens.
The patriarch stressed that the reform of the National Social Security Fund is necessary to provide citizens with health and social care.
He slammed favoritism, saying “the stronger the state and the rule of law become, the more nepotism and the interference of influential people would decrease.”
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