Introduction to the evening news 17-01-2012

The decisions taken by the cabinet on Wednesday included two approvals: the approval of the minimum wage draft decree and that of the transportation allowance draft decree.        

What does the refusal of the labor minister to sign the cabinet decision mean? Does it mean that the decree will be halted or will the workers enjoy the increase without a transportation allowance? What will be the stance of the GLC? What is General Michel Aoun’s position on Minister Nahas’ step? Will he support him? What is the fate of the undisclosed consensus, fruit of the confidential dinner that preceded the cabinet session? The answers are expected to come from the prime minister, the state Shura Council and the GLC, but what is sure is that the wage issue is once again stuck in the vicious circle.         

The second controversial issue is the collapse of the Fassouh building and the fears it raised regarding nearby cracked buildings and the appearance of many fissured buildings all across the Lebanese regions. But surprisingly, this issue started to be the subject of political wrangling, waiting for the cabinet to tackle it and take it away from political exploitation.