Abu Jamra storms out of cabinet meeting

Source: nowlebanon.com, 21-10-2008

Deputy Prime Minister Issam Abu Jamra walked out of the cabinet meeting headed by Prime Minister Fouad Saniora at the Grand Serai yesterday.

He was protesting about a lack of discussion of the decree about the rights and powers of the deputy PM. It is crucial, he said, that the deputy PM practices the duties of the PM when he is absent and added that his attendance at future cabinet meetings was dependent on the resolution of this issue.

Abu Jamra said at a press conference, "I have left the cabinet in protest on an important issue, which was the refusal to put a topic on the agenda of the cabinet's meeting despite my requests - along with one of the ministers - for one or two months. It has not been mentioned and there has been no clear response to the minister, written or verbally. Meanwhile we notice on the agenda secondary routine topics to the extent that ministers feel sleepy in the end," he said.

Abu Jamra said that once a topic is proposed it should be presented within a week, or the proposing minister should be informed why the topic is not on the agenda.

Abu Jamra said that one of the topics was that the deputy PM should really be a deputy to the Prime Minister. He said that the decree on organizing the work of the cabinet did not mention this position, and it should be amended in such a way that the name of the deputy PM should be written as it is and he should replace the PM when absent and should perform his duties from the Serai. "The deputy PM should not stay at home," he said.

Abu Jamra said that his attendance in the future cabinet meetings would be related to the present situation. "If these topics are discussed, I will surely attend."