News

The Notaries of Lebanon rejected a circular by the General Security Directorate which calls on them not to formally recognize all forms of emotional relationship between foreign migrant domestic workers of the third and fourth categories. The Council of Notaries Chief Raymonde Bashur Sakr appealed in two letters to the Interior and Justice Ministries five days ago to cancel the above decision which violates both the International Convention for Human Rights and the Lebanese Constitution that protects public freedoms. However, no final decision regarding the implementation of that official directive was taken, Sakr explained, adding that the decision is still binding and can be only repealed by the Ministry of Justice. However, she noted that some notaries have refused to abide by the GS circular. It is worth mentioning here, the Legal Agenda and other associations sent a detailed memo earlier on May 13 calling for cancellation of Circular 1778 (for more info, press here). For its part, the GS reply which justified the purpose of the circular was even more appalling than the decision itself. The reply went on to argue inconvincibly that the precautionary measure was not intended to prevent marriages or to interfere in personal matters of citizens or resident workers but aimed at protecting the integrity and the social role of the family, while respectful of the residency requirements. (Al Akhbar, 16 June 2015)

The Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil distributed financial aid to some 13 municipalities as part of the current program adopted by Regie ‘Libanaise des Tabacs et Tombacs’ aiming at supporting tobacco growing localities through funding to local development projects. An event was held for this purpose at the Finance Ministry in the presence of Regie Director General Nassif Siqlawi, Regie managers and concerned mayors. Siqlawi pointed out that the Company has been funding for the second consecutive year a series of development initiatives in the South, North and Bekaa regions and that most of these development projects are now operational. He added that the Regie aims through its financial aid to contribute to sustainable development in towns and villages that cultivate tobacco. For his part, Minister Khalil reiterated his Ministry’s preparedness to help in provision of assistance to the agricultural sector particularly in order to cover the extra transport cost of exports by sea and air incurred as a result of the closure of land borders between Jordan and Syria. However, Khalil expressed grave concern over the state of general paralysis engulfing the country at all levels, and particularly hitting the role of the government. (Al Diyar, 16 June 2015)

Fair Trade Lebanon in collaboration with the Social Movement association and the Municipality of Mhaidtheh- Rashayya organized last Sunday a fair trade day. The event which attracted hundreds of inhabitants of Mhaidtheh and its neighboring villages included an exhibition showcasing products made by the Najmat Al Sobh Cooperative, in addition to handcrafts. Activities also included an ecological village luncheon and a trek to the archeological site in the outskirts of Kfar Abs. The head of Fair Trade Lebanon, Samir Abdel Malak, emphasized the significance of mainstreaming the FT concept which he clarified aims at raising public awareness to buy locally made products, support producers technically and in marketing, boost local eco-tourism, respect and protect environment and cultural traditions, as well as encouraging organic agriculture initiatives. (Al Mustaqbal, 16 June 2015)

The Chief of Beirut Traders’ Association, Nicolas Shammas, said he was not optimistic about the future of the trade sector which is influenced by the political turbulence in the region. Speaking to Al Diyar daily, Shammas lamented a shortage of liquidity and a weakening purchasing power among buyers, for whom consumption is no longer a priority, while pointing out that nearly 80% of consumption is accounted for within the GDP, thus when sluggish can result in an economic crisis. This bleak situation, Shammas added, is particularly worrying as it is accompanied by a decline in exports, an overall freeze in public investment since 10 years and decreasing private investments. Elaborating on his meeting with the World Bank delegation that visited Lebanon recently, BTA chief underlined that WB reports do not give the due attention to the commercial sector as they mainly focus on data provided by the government and banking sector and which largely overlook the internal trade sector. However, he drew the delegation’s attention to the need to address the growing debts of the sector, as well as the high level of merchandise stockpiles among traders as a result of low consumption. Shammas finally praised the existing cooperation between the commercial sector and the Governor of the Central bank who continue pumping liquidity in order to stimulate growth, while attempting to address various bottlenecks in the commercial sector. (Al Diyar, 15 June 2015)

Fani Baroudi was 18 years old when she applied in response to a newspaper recruitment advertisement posted by Middle East Airlines who was searching for trilingual, presentable and “good looking” air flight attendants. Luckily, Baroudi could speak five languages including, Italian, Greek, English, French and Arabic and was supported by her liberal milieu as she comes from an Italian father and a Greek mother, who lived in Istanbul before moving to Beirut. Back in 1946, MEA had to design specially for Barudi the first costume of an air flight attendant. She recalls walking in the streets of Beirut dressed like an army service-person and people wanted to take a picture with her or ask about the nature of her work. “‘Travel is good, but can you stay outside the house and every now and then be in a different country’? They used to ask me,” she said. To be noted, that Barudi chose to leave her work in MEA after she got married to a Lebanese man. (Al Mustaqbal, 15 June 2015)

The shipping vessel ‘Shaker One’ arrived in the Port of Beirut coming from Jordan last Friday carrying 24 trucks, which represent the last batch of trucks stranded in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates following the closure of the Nassib Crossing. The Higher Relief Commission Director General Major Muhamad Kheir supervised the operation of handing over trucks to their proper owners. The most difficult part of this humanitarian file is over and done, Kheir declared, after the successful repatriation of some 300 stranded trucks over three phases. He added that the next step is for the cabinet to decide on how to best provide support to the export and shipment of agriculture products. (As Safir, Al Diyar, 13 June 2015)

The ecological Naas River area hosted last weekend the traditional cherry festival which was organized by the municipality of Ain Arab-Rashayya as part of the local eco-tourism development project. The event was planned in cooperation with the Women rural kitchen group and the local community under the auspices of the Federation of Municipalities of the Rashayya. Activities during the festival included a village dinner and an exhibition of cherry and other fruit products followed by a mass service headed by Father Mitri Hissan. Participants then trekked to the old windmills and Naas River where an eco-friendly luncheon was served followed by a donkey race. The weekend ended with a musical performance using traditional wind and cord instruments, mainly mijwiz, rababa and the traditional tabla. (Al Diyar, 13 June 2015)

Prime Minister Tamam Salam received yesterday a delegation of the Beqaa export and agricultural syndicates who handed him a list of demands aiming at reaching a solution to the present export crisis in the wake of the closure of borders with Syria. The farmers’ requests mainly called for stepping up mechanisms of sea and air transport routes to salvage the remaining harvest seasons and easing procedures at the sea ports or inside the airport’s export rooms. The agricultural petition also included the following: requesting authorities to work by all means against the dumping of local markets with imported goods at a time of peak season; requesting IDAL to settle farmers subsidies from the agricultural export support program ‘Agri Plus’; allowing export trucks to operate internally in order to reduce the cost of shipment to ports. In the same vein, the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Zahle, Beqaa, hosted a large meeting of the various agricultural unions in Lebanon to discuss new ways of export and the crisis of production and called for a quick solution to the problem. (Al Diyar, As Safir, 7 & 12 June 2015)

L’Orient Le Jour daily published a feature last week on the traditional wheat “frik” which is popular in many parts of the country, mainly in the South. Due to its high nutritive value, efforts are underway to open new foreign outlets for the product. The newspaper referred to one new program (LIVCD) aiming at the development of productive sectors in Lebanon, funded by USAID, which allocated USD 41.7 million for the five-year project that will mainly target agricultural enterprises. Referring to a recent study, the newspaper mentioned that there is a high demand for this product both domestically and in Arab countries, adding that “frik” is capable compete with quinoa and other healthy products in Europe and the United States. However, the study criticized the traditional method of preparing that does not comply with hygiene specifications and therefore can limit its marketing potential. Normally, this green wheat is grilled and the exposed to sun before being crushed and grinded by the traditional methods. L’Orient Le Jour reported that the shortcomings of the aforementioned process were resolved through efforts of Lebanese engineers who succeeded in designing a new production technique using modern machinery that complies with health standards. This newly introduced technique can also be used in the preparation of another popular Lebanese staple food, the “burgul”. OLJ referred to women beneficiaries who piloted the usage of the new technique, among whom were women workers of Haris cooperative in the South, and who now intend to grow wheat on large scale. (L’Orient Le Jour, 10 June 2015)

Education Minister Elias Bu Saab visited various official exams centers yesterday among them one located in Baabda Women’s Prison. Minister Bu Saab met one inmate woman student who was sitting for the biology test, in what is considered a first in Lebanese history. Chatting with the prisoner H.N.A, the Minister lauded her determination to complete high school and to follow up higher education in engineering as soon as she is released from jail. The woman inmate stressed, for her part, that anyone who has a will has a way and no one can stop him or her from realizing his or her dreams. “Women prisoners have a lot of potential that need to be developed and prison conditions are rough,” she added. She also paid tribute to Dar Al Amal Association for helping her pursue her dreams and to retain hope. )An Nahar, 12 June 2015)