Jumblatt's ministers reject declaration of Sidon as military area

The cabinet assigned Energy Minister Gebran Bassil to handle the negotiations with the company that "wins" the Deir Ammar power plant bid, on the condition to commit to the amounts set forth by the state.                            

The cabinet also assigned the Public Works Ministry to deal with the consultancy office in order to study the requirements for the opening of the Rene Mouawad airport in Qolaayat. It also agreed to grant 20 billion LBP to the Rafik Hariri governmental university hospital.         

The cabinet accepted a $USD 950,000 grant offered by the World Environment Fund to the Ministry of Environment, and approved an amount of 7,700,000 LBP to expand the Roumieh prison and establish a trial chamber within the premises. The Ministers also agreed to modify a decree concerning the establishment of medicine factories across Lebanon.

In this context, Information Minister Walid Daouq noted that the cabinet appointed Ziad Nasr as Director General of the railways and public transportation sector, and Brig. Fouad Houry as Interim Director General of public security.                                           

During the cabinet session, Prime Minister Najib Mikati said that they will show no leniency in arresting those responsible or preventing anyone from creating troubles in Sidon, calling on all leaderships to contribute in calming the situation and to avoid throwing blind accusations against the government.                               

Mikati noted that the opposition's positions to reject dialogue and falsely hold the government responsible are still negative positions.                           

Mikati pointed that the government is determined to be more productive, in order to prove that all the accusations launched against it are wrong.        

On the other hand, National Struggle Front ministers and a number of other ministers rejected the declaration of Sidon as a military area.             

In this regard, Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said that he will suggest the declaration of Sidon as a restricted military area while ministers Nazem Khoury and Marwan Kheireddine ruled out the approval of this proposal.          

Minister Charbel later reportedly stated that the Security patrol on Sidon’s Cornish  had been penalized for “not standing up for itself”. Charbel was referring to the Security Patrol involved in pulling over Sheikh Ahmad Assir's son, who was later released by force of arms upon the arrival of Assir's men at the scene. 15 year old Omar Assir was caught driving without proper documentation and a drivers license on Sunday evening.