Tourism, Health Ministers Engage in War of Words as New Food Safety List Unveiled
Ministers engaged in a verbal spat over media outlets on Wednesday over the food safety scandal and the Health Minister Wael Abou Faour's technique in dealing with the matter.
Abou Faour slammed ministers and officials who criticized his ministry's food safety battle, revealing new names to the list of violating institutions as Tourism Minister Michel Pharaon said that the Health Ministry should be held accountable like the rest of the food safety violators.
“We expected a vengeful reaction over our spoiled food battle,” Abou Faour said during a press conference two days after he raised the alarm over food safety in the country.
He lashed out at Pharaon and Economy Minister Alain Hakim, saying that he “didn't expect skeptical statements by some ministers.”
“I regret the number of tourists who left Lebanon over the spoiled food scandal,” Abou Faour said sarcastically in a reply to a statement by Pharaon.
The minister stressed that the Progressive Socialist Party doesn't aim at creating rift between cabinet members amid the difficult political stage that the country is passing through.
He revealed that he had previously called for coordination meetings between the economy, tourism, health and interior ministries but only one was held.
Abou Faour wondered why some ministers are annoyed by the measures taken by the Health Ministry, calling on ministers to carry out their tasks.
Hakim had criticized on Wednesday the Health Minister's technique, stressing his ministry is “investigating violations and consumer protection cases”, while Pharaon accused Abou Faour of hitting tourism in the country.
Abou Faour also lashed out at the head of the Association of Restaurant Owners Tony Rami, who said on Wednesday that that the “food scandal” shouldn't affect the whole sector as food safety measures vary.
Abou Faour wondered how food safety measures vary, speculating if contaminated food is different between a place and another.
“The Lebanese are entitled to know what they are eating and drinking,” the health minister said, refusing to cover up for the owners of violating institutions.
Abou Faour revealed that his ministry had previously warned violating institutions several times before he headed to the press to announce the scandal.
“We will not bargain on the health of citizens.”
He stressed that any institution mentioned on the violations list could ask for another health inspection.
“Specialists will go and revise the case if the violations were cleared.”
“We will continue to announce the violating institutions until they fix the violations,” Abou Faour added, pointing out that health inspectors entered all areas including Beirut's southern suburbs of Dahiyeh and the eastern city of Baalbek.
He denied that the health inspectors were prevented from inspecting restaurants in Dahiyeh.
Abou Faour announced another list of violating restaurants and institutions:
Supermarket Keyrouz in Jdeidet Ghazir: Taouk, minced meat, sausage, chicken liver.
Keyrouz bakery in Jdeidet Ghazir: Cheese.
Monoprix in Jnah: Escalope.
TSC in Jnah: Minced meat.
Abou Joseph restaurant in Jal el-Dib: Sausages, taouk, kabab.
Abou Jihad restaurant in Jal el-Dib: Kabab, sausages, taouk.
Al-Halabi in Antelias: Kafta, taouk.
Supermarket Aoun at Kamil Chamoun Boulevard: Minced meat, fajita, taouk.
Wardini Institution in Sahel Alma: Sausages and soujouk (hot sausage).
Daafal Supermarket in Ashkout: Minced meat, hamburger.
Valair Supermarket: Kafta, Taouk, minced meat.
Taubri Supermarket: Red taouk.
Faddoul Supermarket in Kesrouan: Kafta, sausages, red taouk.
Adelco Supermarket in Kesrouan: Hamburger, minced meat.
Trust Supermarket in Kesrouan: Minced meat, kafta, hamburger.
Hachem Supermarket in Kesrouan: Kafta, shawarma, hamburger.
Fahd Supermarket in Furn el-Shebbak: Minced meat.
Spinney's Supermarket in Hazmieh: Minced meat, white taouk.
PSP chief Walid Jumblat said via twitter after Abou Faour's press conference that he backed him in battle against spoiled, adding it is aimed at protecting citizens.
“I support Abou Faour in his fight against corrupted ministers and food cartels.”
Soon after Abou Faour's press conference ended, Pharaon called on the Health Ministry to reveal its spoiled food “standards.”
“The health ministry, which hasn't acted in the past 20 years, should be held accountable like the rest of the food safety violators,” he noted.
However, Pharaon expressed solidarity with Abou Faour's steps despite some of his reservations on how he dealt with the matter.
“The Health Ministry should take other samples for tests from the same restaurants to make sure of the results.”
“We are concerned with the health of citizens and tourism as well.”
Some popular restaurant chains and supermarkets are serving customers food contaminated with bacteria and other inedible substances as violations included the presence of flies on the refrigerators of dairy products, the presence of open garbage bins in kitchens, workers not wearing gloves, and frying oil that was not changed for months.
Internal Security Forces moved after Abou Faour's press conference against institutions named in the minister's lists.
Violations tickets were filed against 39 establishments, ordering them to halt using the violating products.
H.K.
M.T.
over 9 years
Phil your insinuations are baseless, they did conduct inspections in these regions, and if there are violations they will report them:
“We will continue to announce the violating institutions until they fix the violations,” Abou Faour added, pointing out that health inspectors entered all areas including Beirut's southern suburbs of Dahiyeh and the eastern city of Baalbek.
over 9 years
I suggest that we should show the places that are good and namw them here outof our experience and if not good lets show expose them.
over 9 years
Agree southern. Plus the best fatayer b3albakiyeh from el ghazyeh, need to go there hope still there meat is sold so fast lt does not sit for any potential of flys or contamination, I credit Aboufaour if there was little noise no one would have paid attention...
over 9 years
Honorable Minister, please rest assured that the overwhelming majority of the Lebanese People stand by you. You are doing a fine job and we commend your decency and courage. Please Mr. Abou Faour, stick to your guns and do NOT cave in, your name is being written in gold, whereas the law breakers and the dirty ministers cannot enjoy this privilege. Keep up the good work Sir, God bless you, the people are with you, all the people.
over 9 years
better late than never , but Lebanese citizens expect from their politicians to tackle these broblems from the first second he is elected
and since they are on thee right track let them start tackeling corruption broblems and ask every politician min aina laka haza starting by mr abou faour and mr aridi and joumblat beik (the socialist), till the last judge of the republic
over 9 years
the ones criticizing him have nothing to with aoun or berri, i dont see why you would include them here.
pharaon is a so-called "m14 independant" (who ran on hariri list in the elections) and hakim is kataeb
over 9 years
Faysal karami? Also 14, anyway no 14 or 8 march in this, there is the guys who wanna make money and don't care of safety of the population (let them be 14 or 8) and some guys who want a descent food in our platers....
Well donne bou faour,
Time for ur chupachups mowaten
over 9 years
Quote from someone claiming that naharnet is on a foreign payroll lol
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blablablablabla 6 hours ago 10
Another stupid comment of the so called Smarty. These info should be publish, any commercial website should be publishing its adress which should also be found in the chamber of commerce as well as its accounting. But in Lebanon, Medias and journalists are bought, Naharnet is not an exception. A well know website is even getting 500 000 USD on a trimestrial base from the US embassy. Yah that kind of press disturb me as it is more a propaganda press then a real one. We should not have been having journalist belonging nor being on the payroll of political parties and go back to the facts in order to properly inform the population and this is not the case in this country.
over 9 years
If Naharnet gets that much good for them ;)
Did he ever mention Iranian funded media outlets in this country like OTV Manar Jadid etc etc. Being bias will not serve your covering up blablabla, all media should be free of any political forigen control.
over 9 years
Why not have hakim and pharaon eat some of the spoiled to see how well they can handle it
over 9 years
How is this possible ? A minister with cojones !!! I am speechless for the past 2 days ever since I heard Abu Faour pointing out the violations and names of the offending supermarkets and restaurants . This is a real minister who cares about his country and fellow Lebanese , not like some of traitors , embezzlers , 2 timing thieves we have in this country who don't give a f,,,,, about anyone but themselves
over 9 years
We bring tourists to Lebanon, and food safety is far more important than the scandal. if one of our client on a tour gets food poisoning it would spoil the trip for everyone else on the bus, and make bad publicity for our next trip. We support and commend the fact that this ministry is seriously tackling the issue regardless of preferences. Finally someone with the courage needed in the right position. My Respect Monsieur le ministre.
over 9 years
"90% of the food poisoning cases reported were in North, Bekaa, South & Dahieh."
please share your sources anonyme, as always i'm very interested in your statistical precision.
over 9 years
hahahahaha what a bitter way to admit you throw fake stats from your rear.
over 9 years
so all the contaminated food was found in Ashrafieh, Furn el Shebbak and Kesrouan?
is it ok to eat now or buy food in other areas of Lebanon?
Funny how none of these places are located in Dahieh, the South, or Baalbek. Are the ministry's sample collectors too scared to go into these regions? Or is the minister himself keen on not offending the resistance's "environment"?