News

The new president of the Lebanese League for Women in Business (LLWB), Asmahan Zein, pointed out to gender-based discrimination in the local labor market. She said the 2012 figures of the Central Administration for Statistics indicated that while women constitute 55% of university students in Lebanon, but only account for 27% of the total local workforce. Zein who was speaking to L’Orient Le Jour revealed that women are marginalized, especially that the number of those in leadership and decision making positions barely reaches 18%. She clarified that since women’s rights are widely ignored in various legislations, she has decided to act and organize seminars and training workshops for working women and women entrepreneurs in order to enhance their skills and awareness on their role in society in order to create an enabling environment for women. (L’Orient Le Jour, 8 May 2015)

On the occasion of Labor Day, the Lebanese Forces Trade Unions organized a seminar in the Beirut suburb of Furn El-Chebak under the slogan ‘No state… No Jobs’. The main panelists included former minister Charbel Nahas, president of the Lebanese Industrialists Association, Fadi Gemayel and LF Chief Advisor for Economic Affairs, Ghassan Hasbani. In his intervention, Nahas warned of an imminent radical change in the social structure of society, he said Lebanon comprises some 1,500,000 economically active persons, 200,000 of whom are civil servants or work for the government in one way or the other and 1.3 million workers who are divided evenly between foreigners and Lebanese, which means that the current labor force is largely foreign based. He referred to a survey conducted earlier in 2011 in coordination with the World Bank and the Central Administration for Statistics, which indicated that almost half of the labor force in the country are of limited educational level and are currently recruited by enterprises of modest production capacity. On the other hand, Gemayel described the economic growth in Lebanon while noting the impact of the current presidential vacuum on this growth. He added that with the current size of the economy stands at USD 47 billion and that total bank assets have reached USD 176 billion, in a country that boasts a unique high level of social advantages and unparalleled high human capital. However, he regretted, that the present economic reality of people is far from being satisfactory, and disclosed that the Association of Lebanese Industrialists is preparing a comprehensive vision for salvaging the economy. For his part, Hasbani outlined five key elements needed for economic growth: First, a unified government with ministries working jointly to ensure the application of the law and to combat monopoly, secondly, a full geographic and economic sovereignty by the state which will allow it to collect the needed revenues, thirdly, respect of private property of citizens and observance of the law, fourthly, adherence to the policy of nonintervention by the state in the market, and finally, a high level of human productivity by institutions that comply with the law and maintain high work ethics. (Al Diyar, 9 May 2015)

The Women Sector of the Future Movement in Baalbek organized a seminar on the negative implications of early marriage. The event was attended by assistant of organizational affairs, Nawal Mdalali, Baalbek Coordinator, Uzaina Shalha and members of the Coordination Council in addition to representatives of civil society. Expressing regret over the absence of a unified personal status law in Lebanon, Mdalali said that early marriage constitutes a clear violation of the basic rights of girls. Each religious confession in Lebanon, she added, has its own family law and some even approves of marriages of less than 18 years old. This situation, she noted, is in stark contradiction with the principle of equality stipulated by the Lebanese Constitution, in Article 7, which states that ‘all Lebanese are equal by law, and enjoy this equality in political and civil rights’. For her part, Rana Mbayid, considered that putting an end to this situation starts with enacting laws that set a unified minimum age for marriage for all citizens, men and women. She urged civil and human rights organizations to raise awareness on the danger of early marriage and its negative impact on underage girls. (Al Mustaqbal, 9 May 2015)

Al Diyar Daily published today an article featuring a survey on spending on luxury and necessity items by the Lebanese for the year 2012. The survey, which was conducted by the Central Administration of Statistics in cooperation with the World Bank, indicated that spending on housing had the lion’s share, accounting for 28.50% of which 46.2% represented spending on rent, electricity and gasoline bills. According to the study, spending on food was estimated at 18-22 %, followed by transportation which scored 13.1% and which reached in some cases 15% of the total income of persons residing in areas far from the capital. Spending on medical care reached 7.82%, distributed as such: 53% for the purchase of medications and 24% for hospitalization bills. The newspaper citing the study’s findings, said that spending on education recorded a considerable decline, 7.68% in 2005 against 5,86% in 2012, while noting that with 7% this share was higher in Beirut and Mount Lebanon and as low as 4% in the Northern areas. The survey went on to say that spending on fashion and accessories is high at a rate of 5.38% which is quite close to spending on education. Finally, the study revealed that the Lebanese spending on alcoholic beverages and tobacco products was equivalent to 1.6%. Likewise, annual average purchase of cigarettes by one family in one year was estimated at USD309.12. In summary, the study concluded by saying that Lebanese from both sexes spend on luxuries and necessities nearly equally. (Al Diyar, 8 May 2015)

The Lebanese Syndicate of Poultry Producers and the Syndicate of Poultry Farmers in Baalbak - Hermel held yesterday a joint press conference in which they appealed for urgent support of some 300 producers whose livelihoods are threatened by smuggled Syrian produce across the Beqaa borders at the point of Hermel - Qusayr. According to An Nahar newspaper, nearly 800 boxes of eggs are entered illegally every day via the town of Hosh Sayyed Ali in Hermel, resulting in the fall of prices of domestic produce to below the cost of production. The newspaper reported that the selling price of one 12-box pack of eggs dropped to $18 only to rise again to $22 with the improvement of the Syrian currency exchange rate. In this respect, chief of the Syndicate of Poultry Producers, Musa Freiji, disclosed in his statement that the list of names of egg smugglers was conveyed to the Finance Minister. Furthermore, Freiji also pointed out to the crisis in the Lebanese poultry sector as a result of the halt of all export activity because of the war in Syria. He noted that quantities smuggled into Lebanon from Syria make up about one quarter of the daily Lebanese production. “What is worse,” he said is the competition that we are now facing in Iraq from Ukraine poultry products which have effectively replaced previous Lebanese exports to that country. He also expressed concerns over the harmful impact of smuggling on the health of citizens since the smuggled products carry no information as to their source or expiry dates. (An Nahar, 8 May 2015)

Endeavour Lebanon held a press conference last Friday on the future of the fashion industry in the country during which it presented the findings of a study on the structural weaknesses and strengths of the design and fashion sector. Endeavour Lebanon is a non-profit economic development organization that aims to support entrepreneurs from both sexes and in particular, young talents in the field of fashion design. Marie Christine Tabet, who conducted the survey, pointed out that the size of the global couture market is estimated at USD 420 billion compared to a USD 48 billion in the Arab Gulf region and only USD 40 million in Lebanon. She explained that fashion items under ‘Made in Lebanon’ tag are experiencing a fierce competition, despite the prominence of Lebanese fashion designers who have claimed international recognition in the domain, namely Elie Saab. Tabet drew also attention to the crafts industry that is disappearing, stressing the need to revive it. On the key challenges that hinder the development of this industry, the study indicated a decline in domestic sales due to the current country and regional instabilities which have affected the arrival of Arab tourists, poor marketing practices inside Lebanon, and the fact that retailers in Lebanon normally have no trust in the locally made fashion wear. For her part, Lara Khury, a Lebanese designer, complained that there is not enough recognition and space for independent fashion designers like her to emerge. To note, Khoury studied fashion design in Paris and trained in Lebanon under the supervision of Elie Saab and Rabi Kayrooz.  Khury, who launched in 2010 her first collection which carried her brand, regrets the fact that she sells nearly 60% of her production out of the country, particularly in Arab Gulf states, in Asia and particularly in China. (L’Orient Le Jour, 5 May 2015)

Following a domestic fight, a man defenestrated his wife in Bshamoon and went to sleep afterwards despite his wife’s cries of pain. According to neighbors and Kafa association, this was not the first time that the woman was abused and hit by her husband. Within the same vein, the Beirut Criminal Court decided to postpone the trial of Mohammed Nuheili for the murder of his wife Manal Assi on February 3rd 2014.  After noticing that the prosecuting witness who prepared the initial investigation record in the crime did not show up, the jury president decided to adjourn the court session until next June. The Court has earlier questioned Nheili who recounted details of the incident denying any intention of murder. During the hearing of his testimony, the plaintiff’s brother said that Manal was completely battered when he reached her house, while one of Manal’s sisters said for her part that she saw the blood on her sister’s body that was lying dead on the floor. (LBCI, Al Mustaqbal, 24 April 2015)

On Labor Day, former Minister Charbel Nahas published an article in Al Akhbar newspaper featuring the so-called Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Tripoli, North Lebanon, under the title ‘The economic zone a present on May Day’. Nahas critically reviewed the SEZ regulations while describing how it violates the rights of workers and was in full breach of the State’s interests. The following is a summary of key points in the article:

SEZ General Management Committee

• The committee which will manage the zone is totally independent from the supervision of public institutions.
• The said committee, according to Article 8 of its bylaws, is in charge of setting licensing provisos for investment projects, and at the same time, is responsible for granting approvals for these projects. It is responsible for receiving applications and the issuing work permits for foreigners under a special system for the zone and then will transfer these to the Labor Ministry.
• The said committee exclusively exercises the power given to public institutions, state departments and municipalities with regard to granting administrative licenses and construction permits.

The SEZ Operator

• Aside from the previously mentioned body, the SEZ law has authorized the establishment of a new structure called the “Operator”, which by virtue of Article 1, is responsible for operating and developing the zone, partly or completely, in line with the set terms. Moreover and according to the law, the Operator may also carry out development and rehabilitation work in the zone.
• Article 12 of the SEZ law granted the Operator the opportunity of providing certain services in the zone, including the possibility of setting up some infrastructural ventures, like electricity, communications, water and other facilities, and operating them autonomously in the zone at competitive prices, according to agreed terms, a clause of the law which is in clear breach of the exclusivity of the public institutions to provide these services.

Activities and Services

• Article 17 states that investment enterprises in the zone may be active in the fields of trade, industry, services and storage, but not in tourism.
• Investors are exempted from taxes or fees, including customs tariffs, consumption fees inside the zone, export and import duties for vehicles, apparatus, equipment, materials, goods, income tax on profits, license fees, and many other fiscal advantages.
• Exemption from income tax on profits can be provided on two conditions: first, the total value of fixed assets in the institution or in its capital should not be less than the equivalent in national currency of three hundred thousand US dollar, and secondly, that the ratio of Lebanese workforce should not fall under 50% of total labor force of the company.

Workers Rights

• Work relations between wage earners and companies operating in the zone relating to wages and termination of contracts should observe the stipulations of contractual agreements between the two parties involved. And thus, they do not fall under those of the Lebanese Labor Law.
• Furthermore, Article 31 states that employers and wage earners are exempt from the provisions of the National Social Security Fund and that employers who recruit those workers in the zone are exempted from the obligations of declaration, registration and payment of their entitlements to the NSSF.
• According to Article 29, work permits or renewal applications by employers or workers who entered Lebanon for the purpose of working in the zone, will be submitted to the committee itself and not to the Labor Ministry, and therefore, it becomes hard to verify the proviso stipulating the recruitment of 50% of Lebanese workforce in return for exemption from profit taxes.
• Finally, Article 34 states that salaries of workers and wage earners of companies operating in the zone will also be exempted from income tax.

For the full article, press the below link:
http://www.al-akhbar.com/node/231932

(Al Akhbar, 1 May 2015)