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L’Orient Le Jour newspaper published in yesterday’s issue an interview with secular activist Dr Ghada Al Yafi who disclosed she is committed to remaining in Lebanon so as to participate in community and social development. Al Yafi, daughter of late Prime Minister, Abdallah Al Yafi, became famous for her motto: “Towards a Non-Sectarian Society”. Furthermore, she unsuccessfully ran for the 1998 municipal and 2000 legislative elections. She also indicated that she turned her father’s house into a meeting place for academia and intellectuals to exchange views and debate about various social and political issues. Al Yafi noted that her primary concern now is to initiate a dialogue on Islam, a religion which is not reconcilable, as she put it, with divisive sectarianism. Describing her religion as that of “wisdom”, she told the newspaper theta she is presently militating to establish a secular society in Lebanon. And while she confessed that sometimes she feels down and betrayed, she said she will never give in to defeat. (L’Orient Le Jour, 24 February 2015)

 The Syrian labor force is indispensable for Lebanese enterprises, especially those working in the construction and contracting sectors. According to estimation by the Lebanese Contractors’ Syndicate, there are some 350,000 Syrian workers in the country. The recent decision by the General Directorate of Public Security to regulate the status of Syrians refugees in Lebanon announced at the end of last year and amended on February 3, 2015, gave rise to many problems and protests. One major protest party, were big contractors who called for a meeting with the Labor Minister Sajaan Azzi to discuss what they formally termed as the issue of “Syrian labor in the contracting sector and the impact of the new procedures on this labor”. The main focus of their protest was the substantial employment fees and charges which they were not settling before and they are now obligated to do so. According to a member of the Lebanese Contractors Syndicate, Abdo Sukkarieh, the total additional amount now due for each Syrian worker in Lebanon is $2,000 annually and that is to cover the issuing of a work permit, accommodation, social security, and notary. It also to be noted, that the construction sector employs, according to the Sukkarieh, some 350 thousand Syrian workers at a minimum, distributed among 3400 companies, of which 3000 companies work in the private sector and 400 companies with the public sector, and that the estimated total value of work carried out by all construction companies is $10 billion. Sukkarieh also pointed out that the daily wage of Syrian worker is $20 for unskilled laborer, and $30 for professionals, denying that the level of wages have declined in parallel with the increasing number of Syrian refugees, and therefore workers. For his part, the head of contractors association, Fouad al-Khazen confirmed that the employment in non-specialized construction jobs consists entirely of Syrians workers.
In the meeting with Minister Azzi, Al Khazen announced that he fully understood the urgency for such extraordinary security measures in the prevailing conditions. However, he said, these new measures negatively impact the construction sector in many ways as was noted in the Syndicate’s working paper presented to Azzi.  From his side, the Minister reiterated the government’s previous position saying. “We are not biased towards any nationality, and we acknowledge that Syrian workforce has always been an asset to many industries in Lebanon before and after the Syrian war,” Azzi stressed the need to exercise tolerance and be sensible in dealing with Syrian nationals. “Not every Syrian is a terrorist,” he said. He suggested the setting up a special division at the Contractors’ Syndicate that will be responsible for following up and managing the implementation of the procedure for all contracting companies in their relation with the Ministry of Labor. Besides, it was suggested that a joint committee between the Labor department and the Syndicate be formed to try to find solutions to arising problems. The meeting came to a close with four recommendations: the establishment of a special department responsible for completing residency and work permits; a gradual regulation of the situation of Syrian workers; companies will not be required to submit all contractual details for individual workers provided that a certificate of membership should be submitted to the Syndicate; and finally, that the process of completion of transactions at the Ministry of Labor will be accelerated. (Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, Al Akhbar, February 20 2015)  
 

 

Al Diyar daily newspaper published an investigative report on women high positions in media and marketing departments in the Lebanese banking sector through conducting a number of interviews with selected women. This website is uploading parts of that article while expressing some reservations regarding some of the opinions of the interviewed women who in our opinion fall into the dominant stereotypes about gender. Director of Media and Advertising at BLOM bank, Isabelle Naoum, for example, said she believed that “despite the many studies which tackled the subject of capacities in both sexes, however, the issue is not that of who is more capable or more talented; there should be an integrated teamwork or a merger of aptitudes of both sexes. She added: “Yes, men and women are not the same and that is why they complement each other”. Naoum’s counterpart in Fransabank, Dania Al Qassar, pointed out that recent international studies of banking institutions around the world, indicated that women, namely, working in the media, advertising and marketing sectors, are more capable than men in management, namely in the “development aspect of work, owing to their unique democratic and communicative qualities” particularly in dealing with co-workers. “The key to women’s success in management maybe attributed to the fact that women try to model themselves on successful managers anywhere in the world, learn from them and therefore inspire to develop their knowledge and build their own personal experience.” For her part, media senior manager at Bank Byblos Group, Nada Tawil, linked the matter to the society which looks to the education of women and men in a different way pushing young men or women into so-called “serious” or “easier” fields of specialisation and this according to gender. Hence gender imbalances in university specialisations, in terms of number of graduates, are reflected in the media and advertising sectors.

For more information, please check: http://www.charlesayoub.com/more/856477

(Al Diyar, 23 February 2015)

A number of local cattle breeders and daily farmers blocked for several hours yesterday the main Baalbaq highway, at Sar’een village intersection, in the Beqaa area in protest over what they termed the “blackmailing practiced by milk factory owners” as well as against government negligence in implementing its decisions. The Ministry of Agriculture, it will be recalled, agreed to fix the price of one liter of milk at L.L 1100. The protests came after the sudden drop in prices from L.L1100 to L.L700 for one kg as well as in demand.  “A real economic crisis is unfolding which is not acceptable to us,” said one farmer, Hussein Shuman. “Dairy farmers have become heavily indebted to fodder suppliers after successive losses resulting from government negligence in reinforcing the agreed price of milk. Furthermore, the government has failed to put an end to the import of Turkish, Egyptian and Syrian dairy products, like labneh, cheese and smuggled milk and powder milk. Another farmer added that the current action will expand to Zahleh and elsewhere until the concerned authorities decide to act to protect local farmers against exploitation by dairy cartels and indefinitely stop the import of powdered milk. The farmers’ latest move coincided with a record drop in milk production, which will further aggravate the problem of the farmers. Official Statistics indicate that the domestic market needs over 300 tons of milk per day, whereby the current domestic production level barely reaches 200 tons. Despite this large imbalance between supply and demand which should be favorable to local dairy farmers, yet the latter are still unable to market their production. (As Safir, 23 February 2015)

There has been a sharp drop in the number of carob trees in the southern coastal mountain villages of Iqlim Al Kharoub district in the Chouf area, mainly due to the extensive cultivation of olive trees, among other factors. The carob tree which has been grown in the region since antiquity has been neglected for a long time. Urban development projects that swamped the area overtook the landscape and are now threatening the carob plantations with extinction. These challenges have prompted local authorities and civil organizations to carry out some modest reforestation efforts coupled with awareness campaigns. The carob fruit known as “carob pod” is picked in September of every year, is thrashed and the juice squeezed to extract molasses. There are reportedly only six carob pressing centers remaining in the Iqleem and are located in the towns of Burjayn, Ktermaya, Mazra’at al Dahr and Deir Mokhaless. Carob tree planting is of long term economic viability to Lebanon and the world according to FAO. In the Mediterranean region, Spain came first in 2012 accounting for 45% of world production, followed by Italy, 16%, Portugal, 9%, Morocco, 7.5%, Cyprus, 6%, Greece, 5% and Turkey, 4%. As for Lebanon and according to FAO sources, the production of carob recorded 2,300 tones representing less than 2% of world production. (Al Diyar, 19 February 2015)

In the aftermath of the recent blizzard that hit the agriculture sector in Lebanon, the head of the South District in the Farmers Association, Ramez Osseiran, warned that damages have affected nearly 50% of the green houses, including 50% of the citrus trees and fruits. Speaking to As Safir newspaper, he said, “Devastation started with the first storm to be succeeded with another, which makes it even harder on the farmer to put himself back together”. He described the year 2015 as challenging with no anticipated government compensations. “Farmers are now used to this”, he added. He made clear that damage to the agriculture sector will strike a wider-range of plants, for example, the early flowering almond and loquat trees, especially the certain types of trees growing in the coastal areas. He expressed his disappointment over the government’s neglect of this productive sector when farmers alone lack the means of resilience. In a similar note, and after a meeting chaired by Engineer Hassan Atwi, the board of the National Cooperative Fund for Insurance of the Agriculture Sector against Natural Disasters” urged the government, the Ministry of Agriculture and the High Relief Commission to act quickly and carry out an all-out assessment of damages and losses, mainly in the poultry, beekeeping, banana, vegetables and greenhouses industries. The Fund appealed for support in the form of a budget allocation from within the Ministry of Agriculture’s budget, which will allow the fund to compensate farmers, and to address the long term economic stability of farmers. (As Safir, February 20 2015)

The North capital of Lebanon honored Dr. Rana Hajjeh for winning the prestigious award of the federal employee of the year in the US for her accomplishments in introducing the Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) vaccine into the national immunization programs of more than 73 countries among the poorest of the world. The ceremony organized by the Unified Women’s Commissions of the North, chaired by Nahla Kabbara, was held at the Safadi Cultural Center, under the patronage of Health Minister, Wa2el Abu Faoor. In her speech, general director of Safadi Center, Samira Baghdadi described Dr. Hajjeh’s distinctive achievement as extraordinary for it came as a recognition and acknowledgement from “the world’s greatest nation”, the United States of America. Advisor to the Unified Women’s Commissions, Dr. Fatmeh Badawi speaking on behalf of Kabbara, noted that Hajjeh success for innovation paves the way for even higher and more remarkable successes. For his part, Chairman of the Health Department in the North, Dr. Jamal Abdo Hajjeh, representing Minister Abu Faoor, complimented Hajjeh’s ingenious spirit in research and science as well as in social work and humanitarian action. Similarly, the President of the Lebanese Order of Physicians in the North, Dr. Elie Habib, said the honoring ceremony is reciprocated between Tripoli and its loyal daughter who brought back into focus the city’s human qualities which were masked by decades of deprivation, poverty and misery. At the end of the ceremony Dr. Hajjeh received medals of honors from the Secretary of the Unified Women’s Commissions in the North, Dr. Hind Sufi, from the Safadi cultural institute, and Al Azm Center for Biological Research. (An Nahar, Al Mustaqbal, February 19, 2015)

The Minister of Industry, Dr Hussein Al Hajj Hassan, inaugurated yesterday a training center located at the Lebanese Standards Institutions in the presence of CEO Habib Ghaziri and General Director, Lina Dergham, and various staff members. The event which also witnessed the launching of LIBNOR’s new website http://www.libnor.gov.lb, took place at the Institution’s HQs in Beirut’s northern suburb of Dikwaneh.  The center will reportedly provide training courses to public and private sectors in the following fields: quality control and food safety, community awareness and responsibility, good practices of energy consumption, water and carbon marks, and in other practical systems. Hajj Hassan praised efforts exerted lately by the concerned authorities regarding food safety, adding, that the adoption of standard specifications is the only way to ensure compliance of products to national standards and give them their mandatory status.  LIBNOR he said, has made “mandatory a considerable number of non-mandatory specifications of food products”, adding, that this public institution which usually issues, publishes and amends national standards, is now moving to the training field with the opening of the new center.  For her part, Dergham confirmed the relentless endeavor of LIBNOR to issue new standards. Some 2700 standards have been issued to date, across all sectors. She concluded by saying that this organisations has become the primary technical reference for all ministries in the course of their inspection and monitoring campaigns, in addition to serving laboratories who carry out sampling and analysis of products. (As Safir, Al Diyar, February 19 2015)

For the sixth time in Beirut, and following its onset in 2007 in Dubai, the Arab Women and Al Mustaqbal Forum – NAWF, is expected to open its seventh session on Thursday, February 26, under the heading: “Empowerment through creativity and innovation”.  The Forum which will take place at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beirut is organized by Al Iktissad Wal-Aamal Group and Al Hasnaa magazine. Speaking to Annhar newspaper, CEO and founder of the Forum, Nadine Abu Zaki, expressed the determination to hold the event in Lebanon despite the prevailing conditions. She underlined the high standing of the forum as a regional pivot for the various goings-on, and particularly, as a platform for the free debate of social issues. Abu Zaki considered the forum as the first think tank in the region that provides a space for constructive meetings and dialogue. Besides, Abu Zaki added, that the Forum openly addresses women’s issues and current affairs with no hidden cultural or political agendas. She concluded by emphasizing the importance of the forum in bringing together men and women from different countries, ethnicities and cultures in a spirit and discourse dynamic that results in new friendships, and facilitate the exchange of expertise and collaboration to achieve joint initiatives.
Among the key speakers at the opening ceremony, is the sponsor and honorary president of the Forum, PM Bahia Al Hariri, Nadine Abu Zaki, Minister of Social Affairs, Rashid Derbas, president of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Muhammad Chukair, and CEO of the Lebanese Bank for Commerce BLC, Maurice Sahnawi.  The forum will conclude with presentations of several success stories based on the experience of pioneer entrepreneurs. For those wishing to participate in the planned forum and wanting to know more about the program, please subscribe your names on the website page: http://www.nawforum.com.
(Al Nahar, Feb 18, 2015)

Beirut Mayor, Bilal Ahmad, inaugurated this week the “Beit Al Dai3aa” heritage house located in Jean D’arc Street, Hamra district of Beirut, in the presence of the head of the Council for Cultural Development of Beirut, Muhammad Al Assi, and president of the Culture Fans Association, Zuheir Daou, representing Prime Minister Tamam Salam, and other guests. In his opening speech, Al Assi highlighted the importance of reviving Beirut’s heritage and reiterated his municipality’s endeavor to support such development and cultural initiatives, adding that such projects fuel the economic life cycle of Hamra main and side streets. In outlining the project, Muhammad Abdallah described it as a true replicate for a rural house. Each piece of content of the house, he explained, is marked with the original name and description given by the previous generations.  He concluded by saying that “Beit Al Dai3aa is carrying the spirit of the Lebanese traditional village into the capital-city and should be considered as a museum reflecting the traditional social rural life. To close the ceremony, the Culture Fans Association honored both Hamad and Abdallah for their commendable efforts. (Al Mustaqbal, 18 February 2015)