Bou Saab Warns of Hesitation at Cabinet, Says Spat between Hakim-Abou Faour Ended

Education Minister Elias Bou Saab confirmed on Tuesday that the verbal spat between Health Minister Wael Abou Faour and Economy Minister Alain Hakim ended, stressing that the uncertainty in managing files at the cabinet destabilizes it.

“I intervened to end the spat between Abou Faour and Hakim, who will cooperate to reach Lebanon's best interest,” Bou Saab said in comments published in al-Joumhouria newspaper.

He revealed that the two ministers ended their dispute.

Hakim and Abou Faour have engaged in a war of words over the food safety campaign. Hakim, who is loyal to the Kataeb party accused Progressive Socialist Party Minister Abou Faour of “running a circus” as the latter criticized the poor conditions at the wheat silos in Beirut's port and the distribution of expired sugar in the northern city of Tripoli.

Asked about the ministerial solidarity and the cabinet's performance, Bou Saab ruled out that such dispute would destabilize the government.

“These disputes don’t disrupt the work of the cabinet, but the uncertainty in managing crises,” the minister, who is loyal to the Free Patriotic Movement said.

He lashed out at ministers impeding the work of their colleagues over personal disputes, urging Prime Minister Tammam Salam to adopt the principle of voting on controversial matters.

The cabinet assumes the executive tasks of the president as stated by the constitution until a new head of state is elected.

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