News

The Minister of Agriculture, Akram Chehayeb, declared during a news conference yesterday the state of emergency after news of the outbreak of the deadly bird flu in four farms in the Beqaa town of Nabi Sheet which killed nearly 35 thousand egg- laying chickens. Chehayeb said his ministry and other competent departments will work to curb the spread of the virus by exterminating all the birds within the radius of the infected farms and compensating the poultry farmers for the losses incurred as a result. Chehayeb also disclosed that the ministry has formed a task force at the Nabi Sheet municipality to conduct the necessary check-up and tests in the environs. He pointed out to the following measures to be taken on part of ministries involved, mainly: 1) impose a security cordon by the Lebanese Army around the disease-ridden area; at the same time, the agriculture ministry teams will cooperate with other faculties to implement the disaster response plan; 2) the health ministry will follow up the medical conditions of farm workers to ensure their safety; 3) the environment ministry will supervise the proper burying of the infested flocks; and finally, the Higher Rescue Committee will carry out the required procedures, including report writing, to ensure fair compensation for the damaged farmers. In conclusion, Chehayeb, clarified that there is no need for panic or worry, noting that he will be transparent in reporting the developments to the Lebanese people on any imminent transmission of the disease to any other region. (As Safir, Al Diyar, April 22, 2016)

 

The recruitment office at Notre Dame University NDU, inaugurated yesterday its annual ‘Job Prospects for 2016’ fair under the auspices of the President of the Maronite Diaspora Institute, Neemat Freim, and with the participation of some 60 commercial, banking and hospitality institutions. On the occasion, the NDU’s vice president for cultural and public relations affairs, Suheil Matar, cautioned against the considerable number of unemployed persons in the country combined with the imminent social emergency situation resulting from the refugee crisis. Matar drew attention to the government’s lack of capacity to develop the vocational education sector at the expense of the higher education system, which, he explained, could lead to extensive joblessness in the latter. For his part, Freim suggested two solutions to secure a proper milieu for generating jobs: firstly, the reform of legislation following political agreement, and secondly, the development of infrastructure. (Al Diyar, April 22, 2016)

 

While politicians continue to futilely debate the problem of unemployment in Lebanon and its causes, labor minister, Sajaan Azzi, underscored once more that unemployment in Lebanon has reached nearly 25%, 36% among the youth and 47% among university students, disclosing that some 67 thousand young Lebanese of different education levels leave the country every year while still claiming that the protection of the Lebanese workforce will increase employment prospects. However, Minister Azzi did acknowledge that Lebanon needs some 34 thousand new jobs per year, while in fact only 3400 jobs are presently generated. This, he added, “drives the youth towards joblessness, emigration or even illicit activities,” as he puts it. In conclusion, the labor minister appealed to this age group not to give up easily and to exert serious efforts in the lookout for jobs within Lebanon. Azzi intervention came yesterday during the launching of the Vocational Adjustment in the Labor Market for Students Program with a demonstration of the new website, organized by University of Saint Joseph, USJ. About the program, USJ president, Father Salim Daccache, revealed that the above program is one of its kind in the Middle East region and basically aims to enrich employment opportunities for students.(For more details about the program, please check: http://nna-leb.gov.lb/ar/show-news/218203)

Similarly, the minister of industry, Dr. Hussein Haj Hassan, in his response to EU pleas, said yesterday that while Lebanon sympathizes with the Syrian refugees residing on its territory, the international community should take into consideration the worsening unemployment crisis in the country before asking the government to provide jobs for the displaced. Hajj Hassan was speaking during his participation in a seminar entitled, ‘The New Dimensions for the Performance of the Social Responsibility of Corporations and Comprehensiveness of Investment.” (As Safir, Al Diyar, An Nahar, April 21, 2016)

 

The Director of the French Cultural Center in Beirut and the Advisor for Cooperation and Culture at the French Embassy presented Dr. Nada Moghaizel Nasr with the Academic Palms Knight’s Medal during a ceremony held at the University of Saint Joseph USJ. Moghaizel, who is the honorary dean of the Faculty of Educational Sciences, and represents the USJ president for quality assurance, said that she has regained the experience in the field of education guided by the values of her late parents, Laure and Joseph Mogheizel, whom she described as the ‘realistic dreamers’. She presented the honor to her students who, as she said, inspire from the passion and values of teaching. Moghaizel pledged to follow up her career in education after receiving the medal as “responsibilities are greater now.” (An Nahar, April 19, 2016)

 

As part of its small loan project aimed at the empowerment of farmers in rural areas, the Banque Misr Liban BML in Amiq, West Beqaa, launched yesterday the ‘productive cow loan’ to encourage cow breeders to increase their income. On the occasion, BML general director, Fadi Daook, disclosed that the purpose of the new loan is to reconnect with Lebanese farmers in remote areas, noting that the bank has since its inception in 1929 contributed to rural development through its 18 branches across Lebanon. It should be noted, that the productive cow loan is an integrated program made possible with the collaboration of the Entrepreneurial Development Foundation (EDF) and the Ministry of Agriculture. The program provides for the medical follow up of cows and at the same time, will grant the beneficiary farmer a 4-month grace period before repayment and this until the cow begins producing milk. Furthermore, and according to the new programme, each milking cow is estimated to generate the equivalent of LBP 250,000 in net profit per month. (Al Diyar, April 20, 2016)

 

Following the uncovering of the most dangerous human trafficking network in Maamelteyn, north of Beirut, (visit: http://www.lkdg.org/ar/node/14941), the investigative judge of Mount Lebanon, Peter Germanos, issued his accusative verdict in the above human trafficking case. The judge announced that the defendants’ act in partaking in the exploitation of young women in prostitution activities is considered a felony according to Article 586 of the Law No. 164/2011 related to human trafficking which is punishable with five years of imprisonment and a relatively high fine. Germanos added that the act of abortion practiced by the doctor and his aide nurse on some of the women involved is also considered a felony punishable by 4 to 7 years in jail. The judge based his decision on the judicial warrant which stipulated conducting a broad survey of suspect night clubs on the Kesrwan coast, and which ended with the closure of some 13 illegal venues indefinitely. On the same subject, the Syrian Human Rights Network appealed to the UNHCR to ensure the protection of some 45 young Syrian girls living in Lebanon and who have been systematically raped and their bodies sold by the above mafia between the end of 2013 up till last month. Meanwhile, the General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces announced it has raided 18 video-poker shops in the areas of Dbayeh, Jounyeh, Antelias and Borj Hamoud for using girls who work there in prostitution acts outside the shop. Likewise, the Office for Combating Human Trafficking at the Judicial Police Unit, arrested persons from different nationalities on the charge of facilitating and practicing prostitution and drug dealing inside the hospital of Peter and Paul in Sad al Boucherieh, east of Beirut. (Al Hayat, Al Diyar, An Nahar, April 18 and 20, 2016)

 

The Beirut Arab University (BAU) inaugurated yesterday its ninth job fair at the Debbiyyeh campus, south of the capital in the presence of the labor minister, Sajaan Azzi and the participation of some 90 companies operating in the fields of engineering, commerce, pharmaceuticals, architecture, computer science, banking and medicine. The purpose of the exhibition is to introduce students to the needs of the domestic labor market and to the various institutions in the lookout for workforce, while opening new training and recruitment opportunities for students. On this occasion, BAU president, professor Amro Jalal Adwi, reiterated his university’s commitment to a clear plan that seeks to boost the academic capacities of its students through proper training and to create disciplines compatible with the labor market requirements. This, he repeated, is being pursued in full observation of international standards and in order to increase the prospects of employment for fresh graduates. Similarly, Azzi, stressed the role of his ministry in facilitating the work of the university in administrative and employment related issues. While noting a surplus in traditional professions, notably in engineering, medicine, lawyers, journalists and pharmacists, Azzi drew attention to the basic function of the higher education institution, which lies not only in education but also in orienting students towards those vocations that are mostly in demand. (Al Mustaqbal, An Nahar, April 20, 2016)