Harb Vows to Liberalize Telecom Sector, Promises to Keep Ministry's Work Away from Politics
Telecommunications Minister Butros Harb lamented on Wednesday that the ministry had not been abiding by legal procedures before he took his post, promising to implement a law on the liberalization of the telecom sector.
During a press conference he held to announce his program during the short term of Premier Tammam Salam's cabinet, Harb said he was surprised that law 431, which had been adopted in 2002, was “placed in the drawers” of the ministry.
The ministry not only did not implement the law on the liberalization of the telecom sector but adopted policies that contradicted it, he said.
Law 431 has transferred the powers of licensing, regulating and monitoring the telecommunications market, from the ministry of telecom to the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA).
Harb pledged to activate the authority, accusing his predecessors without naming them of “not liking the law for refusing to give up their authorities in favor of the TRA.”
“The law has been put aside for political reasons which until now are shackling the telecom market,” the minister told reporters.
Harb also said that the failure to implement the law created chaos, bringing certain incompetent employees to the ministry at the expense of the state treasury.
Some qualified people have been put aside without any explanation, he said.
But he vowed not to sack employees for political reasons. “Political issues and conflicts will remain outside the telecommunications ministry, which is in the service of all Lebanese without any exception.”
Harb promised to give back the rights of competent persons who have been dismissed. He said however that each employee who has been recruited illegally should prove his competence to stay in his post.
As part of his strategy in the coming few months before a new president is elected and a new government is formed, Harb promised to lower landline and mobile phone and internet tariffs.
Former Telecom Minister Nicolas Sehnaoui later issued a brief statement responding to Harb, explaining: “Law 431 was not applied in accordance to several decisions made by the state Shura Council.”
“The standards followed by Sehnaoui during his term adhered to the law and worked for the interests and development of the telecom sector,” it stressed.
It added that he will make a more detailed response to Harb's press conference upon his return from a trip in Australia.
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