Cabinet Meets but Fails to Reach Decision on Mechanism, Trash Crisis
The government failed on Thursday to reach a decision on its working mechanism and the waste crisis but agreed to continue discussions next week.
The session was held at the Grand Serail amid a “disgust” expressed by Prime Minister Tammam Salam over the failure to bridge the gap between the bickering sides in the government.
The government did not discuss details on how to dispose of waste because Salam had clinched a deal with Free Patriotic Movement ministers not to tackle any issue before resolving the dispute on the cabinet's decision-making mechanism.
He had also hinted that he would resign over his concern that the cabinet crisis would not be resolved.
Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi said he asked Salam whether he would resign if no agreement was reached between the ministers.
“All options are on the table,” Rifi quoted the PM as saying.
The cabinet will meet on Tuesday to continue its dicussions, said Information Minister Ramzi Jreij.
After the session, Environment Minister Mohammed al-Mashnouq reiterated that he was seeking to find landfills in several regions to allow Sukleen to transport the uncollected waste in Beirut and Mount Lebanon.
The garbage crisis erupted after the Naameh landfill south of Beirut was closed over the weekend under a decision taken by the government months ago.
Al-Mashnouq thanked some municipal chiefs for cooperating with him and allowing waste to be dumped in locations in their regions.
As waste continued to pile up on the streets, the Beirut Fire Department said it had doused more than 140 fires set on dumpsters across Beirut since Monday.
It urged citizens not to burn waste.
over 9 years
I really like Sheik Sami Gemayel! He seams unrestricted by typical leb politics... Like he is free to speak the truth without the automatic opposition that the fpm have as a result of Aoun. There is a huge problem in Lebanon with mafia controlled companies holding Lebanon hostage! The current political class are either influenced/controlled by these mafia companies or have lost legitimacy in too much of the population to be taken seriously!
over 9 years
Don't you love this country? Instead of meeting around the clock to resolve an environmental disaster, they postpone the discussions until next Tuesday. Now, they will all go to their palaces, relax with their families and let the common people deal with the shit on the streets. How nice!
over 9 years
Good, we're down from a Banana Republic to the Republic of Garbage, well done, keep it up.
over 9 years
Very well said
over 9 years
what is sectarian about my comment? The mafia companies do not know sectarian boundaries. Money is sectarian and racially blind unlike you and your trolls that think everything is about sunni/shiite. This company Sukleen, is abusing and taking Lebanon and the local municipalities hostage by refusing to pick up the rubbish! why every time their contract is about to end, is there a rubbish crisis?
over 9 years
ya so called "kataebi1965"... whats your thoughts on Sheik Sami's comments on the rubbish crisis yesterday?
over 9 years
Sure they'll pick it up if you re knew their contract for $130 per tonne. Jbail processes their rubbish for $60 tonne and gets it even lower to $30 tonne when they sell their recyclables.
over 9 years
i have a great solution we should just dump all our garbage across the border in syria...the one million plus syrians in lebanon are surely adding garbage to our already huge mountains of garbage so why not dump it in Syria, its a lawless country anyways
over 9 years
What's the use of having a government if it doesn't function like one from the election of a president to garbage they fail they should not be paid for their so called service to the nation why aren't we having elections hasn't the government mandate finished or is it a dictatorship now
ever since Aoun came to Lebanon , the country has been hit by a Tsunami or problems