News

Following the appeal of the agriculture specialist, Bilal Zoghbi, in the name of potato growers in Beqaa, emergency assistance, (c.f:  http://bit.ly/2a1og2t), Al Mustaqbal newspaper highlighted in its edition of today, the continuing economic distress of potato growers in Rashayya and Central Beqaa, while interviewing a number of farmers, who reiterated their call for government’s support to this sector, that is considered the pillar of agriculture in the area. The president of potato growers in Beqaa, George Saqr, grieved the persisting difficulties in marketing the production, with the additional cost of maritime export, notwithstanding the limited official backing in subsidizing maritime transport . Saqr clarified that while the level of local market consumption is acceptable, selling prices do not match the cost of production. He called on concerned official bodies to rescue thousands of households whose livelihoods depend on this trade. Najeeb Fares, a Beqaa farmer and owner of an agriculture project in the town of Lucy, maintained that potato cultivators have suffered a major setback due to the low price of the crop, (LBP 300 per one kg while cost exceeds LBP 450). Fares acknowledged that the domestic market cannot absorb the whole local production, while also noting that Arab Gulf countries are flooded with supply of potatoes. Fares called on the government to seek to new outlets, particularly since farmers are presently burdened with financial debts that have accumulated over the years. In conclusion his brother, also a potato farmer, ironically compared the price of a chewing gum (LBP 500) to the price of one kg of potato (LBP 300) that feeds an entire family. (Al Mustaqbal, July 28, 2016)

 

Reacting to the initial deafening silence of the Lebanese trade unions regarding the recent decree lowering the minimum daily wage (full news: : http://lkdg.org/ar/node/15441) , Al Akhbar newspaper wrote yesterday that the above decree laid bare the workers unions and syndicates allegedly boasting to represent the working classes, amongst them, the Independent Trade Union, the Teachers’ trade union and the National Federation of Trade Unions of Lebanon, and Al- Wafaa trade union. These groups, the newspaper noted, have expressed their rejection in individual and weak statements. In this regard, the Independent Trade Union issued on July 20 an invitation to participate in the National Day of proportional representation, in which it affirmed that the decision to cut the minimum daily wage was not a good presage, calling on the Minister of Labor, Sej3aan Azzi, and the Lebanese government to revoke it. As such, the trade union of teachers, expressed during a visit to Azzi on June22, its rejection of the decree as well as its justification, while questioning the silence of the General Confederation of Lebanese Workers (CGTL). For its part, the National Federation of Trade Unions of Lebanon, issued a statement yesterday, in which it described the cut as a clear attack on workers and a violation of international agreements rights. On the subject, the vice president of the General Confederation of Lebanese Workers (CGTL), Hassan Fakih, told Al Akhbar that the CGTL was not a party in this matter, and said: “daily workers should have acted in the first place and we could have supported them.” He went even further by defending the above measure when he considered it as a “simple procedural matter and a legal and logical adaptation to some extent,” while generally reiterating its opposition to daily worker contractual relations. The Syndicate of Employees and Workers of Restaurants and Hotels in Lebanon, which embraces a large number of daily laborers, expressed reservations over commenting on the decree at the present time, noting that the syndicate president was abroad and did not study enough this matter. Likewise, the director general of CGTL, Saad el Din Hamidi Sakr, dismissed the issue, while talking to Al Markaziya electronic portal, while stressing that Lebanese workers are "going through the worst times amidst an ailing economy and stagnation, adding that “the present situation was exasperated by fierce competition in the labor market from Asian and Syrian workforce.”. (Al Akhbar, Al Diyar, July 26 and 27, 2016)

 

Tourism ministry sources have disclosed to Al Markaziya online portal yesterday an upsurge in the number of summer festivities, reaching some 100 international and local events, including, the Baalbaq festival which commemorates its 60th anniversary, and others emerging, like the Minyara and Rashaya fiestas. Almost all the Lebanese towns and villages are competing in organizing similar events like never before in the history of the country, the sources said, while adding that these cultural events lighted up the nights of Lebanon with a turnout of thousands of locals, Arabs, emigrants and foreigners thus supporting the ailing local economy. To this effect, the streets of Baalbaq in the Beqaa for example, were vibrant and busting with crowds of people, nearly 3 thousand persons who attended the opening ceremony of the Baalbek International Festival. According to the same sources, and notwithstanding the receding number of Arab Gulf visitors mainly for political considerations, Pharaon developed a Plan B to boost rural tourism and to popularize the’ guesthouse culture’. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, July 27, 2016)

 

 

Following the announcement by the Bank of Lebanon Governor, Riyad Salameh, that the Lebanese migrant communities is the main pillar of the national economy (nearly 16% of the GDP), a new study on remittances of workers in Arab countries released by the Union of Arab Banks (UAB), has shown a decline in the rate of transfers into Lebanon during the past two years, which poses a threat to income and purchasing powers of households. The remittances of emigrants during 2015, according to the study, dropped to USD 7.3 billion (by 3.3%) in that year compared to USD 7.5 billion in 2014, a year which also posted a regression of 8.4%. Meanwhile, the Institute of International Finance figures have indicated that the overall private capital remittances of non-residents into the country are not expected to exceed USD 5 billion in 2016, (11.6% fall against the previous year). The UAB survey has also revealed a close and positive correlation between remittances on the one hand, inflation and the imports on the other, since such transfers are basically used for consumption purposes, particularly in the purchase of imported goods (causing an upsurge in the rate of imports). On the credibility of above estimates, the head of Bank Audi Research Section, Marwan Barakat, told Al Akhbar newspaper that he cannot confirm them for lack of precise figures. However, he did indicate that overall transfers have actually dropped by 25% during last year but then again increased by 14% during the first quarter of 2016. Central Bank sources, on their part, confirmed the bad news pointing to the decline in financial inflows during the first half of the present year. (The Daily Star, Al Akhbar, July 26, 27, 2016)

 

The latest decision by Al Khiam mayor, Ali Abdallah, banning the registration of women and girls in the H7aramoon Marathon (news: http://bit.ly/29WmG20) , in addition to Jibsheet mayor's decision forcing a computer shop to close at prayer times and enforcing the rule of male- females separation, and the similar decision of Aitaroon municipality to separate men and women in swimming pools, instigated a wave of condemnations amongst human rights and women’s rights circles. To this effect, the president of the Lebanese Council of Women (LCW), Iqbal Dughan, categorically rejected the above prejudiced attitude against women, describing it as “unacceptable and religiously, morally and traditionally forbidden” here in Lebanon. Dughan urged women to protest such line of thought and associated diktats, which will unquestionably backslide the country, as she puts it. For her part, KAFA Enough Violence and Exploitation communication officer, Maya Ammar, terming that Khiam mayor decision as “discriminatory, macho and conservative” and in breach of international human rights conventions, called for the immediate intervention of the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities to clarify the motives of the decision and to cancel it, in respect of gender equality. Afifeh Sayyed, the general coordinator of the Future Movement Women’s Sector also criticized the decision which brings in religious beliefs into civil issues, like sports, noting that religions are not against women practicing sports. In the same vein, Fe-Male association denounced in a statement the “unjustified and intolerable performance and rhetoric of certain municipalities,” reminding them of the principle of equality in rights and responsibilities of all citizens as observed by the Lebanese Constitution, which also admitted the right of all to full citizenship without discrimination. “Hampering the right of women to enjoy sports or enter swimming pools is downright disgraceful,” Fe-Male association maintained. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Akhbar, July 26, 2016)

 

In its edition of today, Al Akhbar daily highlighted the extent of administrative corruption within Christian religious courts that take care of divorce-related matters.  The echoes of these seem to have reached the Vatican which has prompted the latter to seriously think of setting up a special court at the Vatican Embassy in Beirut to alleviate the suffering of many Lebanese people. While reporting some of the oppressive rulings of above courts, particularly against women, Al Akhbar revealed a yet far-reaching influence these institutions have with relation to determining the custody of children, size of alimony and the proper aptitudes of either parent, among other powers that normally fall under the jurisdiction of civil courts. Notwithstanding the Vatican’s recommendations to rectify similar abuses, the newspaper unveiled the case of a woman victim who after reporting her grievance to the Holy See prompted the latter to strongly intervene in order to put an end to such mounting transgressions. In this respect, a wealthy man known to have strong relations with religious judges and influential persons at the Patriarchate has filed for divorce to the Maronite religious court. The wife, however, after 16 years together, has refused the ‘termination of the marriage contract’, and firmly opted for separation. Al Akhbar noted that while a similar file takes usually from 2 to 3 years, this special case was closed in a couple of weeks with a ruling in favor of the husband. This, the newspaper maintained, could not have been completed without the personal mediation of the chief of respective court who considered that the wife suffers from ‘irrecoverable mental illness’. In her turn, the wife brought her file and the evidences validating her spouse’s ‘religious’ connections, to Rome. But while the Lebanese religious Court reacts quickly to the recommendation of the Vatican court, this time the Lebanese dragging and stalling, has exacerbated the fears of Rome who is now aware that all pretexts of a slow email or other technical excuses are but deceptions. In conclusion, the newspaper reported that the Papal Seat is intending to forcefully intervene in this case to stop all abuses. (Al Akhbar, July 26, 2016)

 

The semi-annual survey of 2016 prepared by “Numbeo” World Database on the cost of living has shown that Beirut came 181 among 372 global cities and 4th among 18 Arab targeted cities. The results of the study, published in Bank Byblos weekly newsletter, have classified Beirut as the second most expensive among some 76 middle to high income cities. Numbeo institution has conducted an assessment study of the cost of living in every city based on the consumer price index (a relative index of prices of consumer goods, including grocery stores, restaurants, transport and public utilities) in addition to the price of rent index. Both indices are based on those of  New York City for comparison purpose. According to above study, the Lebanese capital added around 62.65 points on consumer price index, which indicates that consumer goods in Beirut are 37.35% less than those in NYC. On the rent price index, Beirut ranked 66th globally, 3rd among middle to high income cities and 4th among Arab states, gaining a total of 40.56 points. This is indicative that the cost of rent of an apartment in Beirut is less by 59.44% than that in NYC. (An Nahar, July 26, 2016)

 

As Safir newspaper pointed out today that the financial and economic sectors in the country are all experiencing unprecedented decline which are undermining economic growth. In its monitoring of the above industries, the newspaper mentioned that the rates of growth of deposits and assets in the banking sector have registered falls respective by 33.6% and 0.5% against the same period of last year. The same is true about industrial and agricultural exports which have respectively dropped by USD 150 million (14%), and by USD 8 million to USD 88 million during the first half of the present year. The most significant index, As Safir indicated, is in the drastic increase in the deficit of the balance of payments which posted a record figure of nearly USD 1761 million against USD 525 million during the same period of 2015. Tourism, on the other hand, recorded a slight growth of 5.2% as seen in the movement of air traffic to Lebanon, where the majority of visitors are Lebanese emigrants who come to spend the holidays in their country. This decline, As Safir concluded, is unprecedented noting that the country has never fallen to that level even in the darkest period of its previous wars and political crisis. (As Safir, July 25, 2016)