Parliament Fails to Approve Electricity Draft Law
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Parliament failed to approve on Wednesday a draft law on electricity that was suggested by Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun.
The draft law allows Energy Minister Jebran Bassil to receive $1,200,000,000 to implement a project on producing 700 Megawatts of electricity.
“Parliament is facing a test of either lighting Lebanon or leaving it in the dark,” he told As Safir newspaper, adding “there is no reason for any team to oppose it.”
But March 14-led opposition sources stressed to An Nahar that the draft law gives Bassil the freedom to use the amount of money without referring to the cabinet or without any monitoring by the Audit Bureau.
Future News reported that an agreement was reached at parliament to provide a detailed account of how the law would be implemented.
The matter will be discussed again at parliament after two weeks, it added.
Opposition MPs and others from the National Struggle Front criticized the law, with MP Butros Harb criticizing MP Aoun for proposing the law on behalf of his son-in-law, Bassil.
He asked whether the suggestion had any family motivations.
National Struggle Front MP Akram Shehayeb stated that the law needed further study.
A dispute also erupted over a draft law that would secure money in the 2011 budget to build prisons in northern and southern Lebanon.
Addressing the issue, Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said: “The issue of prisons in Lebanon is one of the country’s greatest problems.”
“I am ashamed to enter the Qobbeh prison in the North as the conditions in it are terrible,” he stated.
An agreement was reached to secure money in the 2011 budget to build prisons in the North and South.
10 August 2011, 11:33
01
How on earth the ministry could use the money without being audited or monitored.
Freedom to use , No questions asked.......
where on earth are we in today's life.
10 August 2011, 12:16
11
How can people be so naive to think that the minister will use the money freely. In this case, instead of rejecting the draft law, the opposition should add the necessary "controls". Either through asking the minister for a detailed expenditure plan for the 1.2bn$ to be approved by the parliament, or to add to the draft law that any expenditure above a certain limit must have the approval of the government as well as an independent audit commission nominated for this purpose and which shall quickly decide and avoid losing time.
10 August 2011, 13:32
01
I am an expert in the electricity sector. A combined cycle gas fired power plant such as this one should cost $1,000 to $1,200 per kW to build. That implies that the cost should be $700 million to $840 million, not $1.2 billion. Something is odd and the minister should explain the discrepancy. That being said, it is a no brainer to burn gas rather than oil given the massive price advantage which is expected to persist and given the environmental advantages. The key is whether or not Lebanon feels comfortable with the supply security of gas through pipeline infrastructure (vs LNG since Lebanon has no LNG terminals).
10 August 2011, 16:56
11
I have every confidence that the money can safely be given to GMA's son-in-law to use as he sees fit as GMA is clearly against corruption and would not allow him to misuse the funds.
<for those who have trouble detecting sarcasm please assume the above post is dripping with it>
10 August 2011, 17:48
11
Scumbags, 1.2 billion with no strings attached? Gtfo here with that bs! U think the ppl are so naive? Buddy, were 50 bill in debt and ur trying to undergo a 1.2 bn project which puts the people in harm of this sht!! U guys r fkn crazy!
10 August 2011, 21:51
01
There is nothing to explain Samuel. The discrepency is going into Berri' s pocket ! He' s been in control of the tenders in that sector, (so it seems for a long time.)..We know where the 400 million will go.As to GB he lives in cuckoo' s land. When you dont play by the rules and you murder your political opponents, draft bills, and asking the minister to produce an expenditure plan, and any expenditure above a certain limit must have the approval of this or that, is wishful thinking! When you' re a foul player you' re a foul player. Rules are then made to cover a big dump of shitheads !
