Account Bill Passed, Jumblatt Announced No Way Return with Syria
The white smoke emerged from the Lebanese governments' chimney assuring the Lebanese with a cool shining summer.
After a marathon of an 8-hour governmental session, a settlement was announced on the electricity dispute.
Based on the Lebanese "No Winner, No Loser" way of political outcome, the deal was established on supplying electricity to the country for a maximum of three years, i.e. the time needed to build power plants.
Agreement on Electricity
The cabinet agreed Wednesday to lease for a period of two years -renewable for one year- power-generating ships to produce 270 megawatts and to construct 1,500-megawatt power plants.
"The government also agreed that a ministerial committee will negotiate prices and conditions for contracts to be offered to the companies renting out the ships," "al-Akhbar" Lebanese daily clarified.
It further added that the ministers agreed to "accelerate the construction of 1,500-megawatt power plants, including finalizing studies, preparing specification handbooks and electricity infrastructure, securing needed funds and taking measures to facilitate the participation of the private sector."
As for the details of the meeting, ministerial sources told "as-Safir" that "the debate was scientific, without the absence of some heat, especially between Energy Minister Gibran Bassil and Economy Minister Nicolas Nahhas."
"Both Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Bassil took their time in presenting their points of view," the paper added, pointing that "intersections were present between the two sides, which was reflected in the Council of ministers' decisions."
Mikati, Bassil: We Won
Meanwhile, Mikati hailed the government's decision, viewing that "it saved a great amount of money by reducing the rental period of power-generating ships from five years to three years."
In an interview with "an-Nahar" newspaper, Mikati stressed "from the beginning I said that we wanted to provide electricity and preserve public money, this is why we reduced the lease of power-generating ships from five to three years... We saved around $500 million."
He also said that "the government will negotiate with the companies which are providing the power-generating ships in order to reduce costs."
"It would be great if we succeed on reducing the price, if we do not, then we will launch new tenders," the PM stressed.
However, "al-Akhbar" quoted Mikati as saying that "the vessels might not start working before the end of the summer," ruling out "the increase of power cuts as the rehabilitation of the current power plants will take place in the fall."
"If we fail to reach an agreement [with the two companies] then we'll re-launch tenders as we're not obliged by the time factor anymore and the rehabilitation of Jiyeh and Zouk power plants will be postponed until the end of the summer," Mikati stated.
For his part, Bassil viewed that "no party emerged as a victor or vanquished from the government's session."
In an interview with "as-Safir", the minister confirmed that "his power-generating vessels' proposal emerged victorious given the fact that it is part of the whole."
He also said stressed that "both Mikati and the ministerial committee that was tasked with studying the leasing of the ships scored victory."
"The discussions at the government emphasized the need for the vessels, which do not contradict with the construction of plants as the PM has proposed," he stated, pointing out that "some people triggered an inexcusable delusional campaign."
However, dailies reported that the "National struggle Front" Ministers objected renting power-generating ships.
"We objected the way the electricity file was tackled... We can't be reassured while we are drowning in disputes and accusations," Public and Transportation Minister Gazi Aridi told "an-Nahar".
He further called for launching new tenders for the power-generating ships.
"Amid the ambiguous numbers of the cost and rental period of the power-generating ships, new tenders must be launched," Aridi said.
Progress in Appointments, Account Bill Passed
On another level, the government scored progress in appointments during its meeting, naming Antoine Gibran as the head of Human Resources Unit in the Council of Civil Service, Nathalie Yared as the head of the Research and Guidance Management Unit in the same council, and Mona Awwad in the post of the director general of ministerial affairs in the directorate general of the PM's office.
Similarly, the government approved five draft laws to conduct an audit on state spending between the years 2006 and 2010 inclusively.
The government's approval of the draft-laws on the 2006-2010 spending should pave way for a parliamentary discussion of a governmental bill to legalize $5.9 billion in extra-budgetary spending made by Mikati's government during 2011.
In parallel, "al-Joumohria" newspaper unveiled that House Speaker Nabih Berri still insists on setting a questioning parliamentary session for the government.
"The date will be determined date in light of consultation with the PM," sources told the paper predicting that "the session is likely to take place between 11 and 13 next April, or between 18 and 20 of the same month."
Jumblatt: to Boycott Syrian Regime Forever
On another level, the National Struggle Front (NSF) leader MP Walid Jumblatt stressed on Thursday that he decided to boycott the Syrian regime once and for all, whether President Bashar al-Assad remained in power or he resigned.
"I'd rather end my life while I am at a rift with the Syrian regime," Jumblatt vowed in an interview with "as-Safir".
He noted that he will never contact the Syrian regime or al-Assad, saying: "I am relieved with my decision which comes in accordance with my convictions and beliefs."
"I might lose politically but I would gain myself back eventually," Jumblatt claimed.
Concerning his relation with Hizbullah, the MP confirmed that there is continuous daily contact with the party officials.
"We've managed to overcome the tension and set a settlement based on excluding any sectarian dispute," Jumblatt stated.
He also voiced his support for the resistance's weapons "until a political settlement would put these weapons under the custody of the state, if we were ever destined to form one."
"This issue shouldn't remain a point of tension between the Lebanese parties," Jumblatt asserted.
The NSF leader denounced "March 14" leaders' bets on the collapse of the Syrian regime in an attempt to score victories without exerting efforts to launch a dialogue with Hizbullah and Amal Movement.
"This logic will not lead to any results," Jumblatt said.
Asked if he will meet soon with former PM Saad Hariri , he replied: "A meeting like this would have its political price that I'm not ready to pay.I am satisfied with my current situation and will remain in this government with all its flaws."
Source: Lebanese newspapers, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org
