Abou Faour: Health Conditions at Airport Remain Tragic, Syrian Dealer Case Sent to Judiciary

Health Minister Wael Abou Faour declared on Monday that the health situation at Rafik Hariri International Airport has not improved since food safety inspectors raided the facility in December.

He said during a press conference: “Unfortunately, the situation at the airport is still tragic.”

“The airport is still a dump. The environment there and its surroundings are not healthy,” he announced.

“I have made the necessary contacts regarding improving the situation at the airport and hope that we witness them during our next raid,” he revealed.

The minister said that he sent a memo to the minister of transportation and public works to tackle the case.

During a raid in December, Abou Faour detailed the findings at the airport, describing the food storage areas there as a “barn” and “death chambers for the citizens' health” and revealing that some products there have been expired since 1995.

Turning to the case of the Syrian dealer who has been selling expired products to various restaurants, Abou Faour said on Monday that the case has been referred to the judiciary.

“We raided the restaurants that cooperated with the dealer. Some of them had hidden the products sold by him, but we confiscated some of the food at others,” he added.

“We urge the concerned authorities to closely monitor the passage of food from Syria to confiscate spoiled products,” demanded the minister.

On Friday, food safety inspectors raided a number of establishments that had cooperated with the dealer, discovering a number of spoiled food.

The dealer is accused of selling expired meat and chilli pepper.

Addressing the issue of the deaths of workers of the Beirut slaughterhouse from cancer, Abou Faour lamented that this case has not been tackled.

“It is unacceptable that workers at a state institution pass away without an investigation being carried out,” he declared angrily.

“Why hasn't the Beirut municipality taken action? Who has been hiding this issue from it?” he wondered.

On the progress of his food safety campaign, Abou Faour said that the majority of establishments have been cooperating with the inspectors, noting that only a few have resisted their efforts.

“Those failing to adhere to the campaign will be discussed with the interior minister,” he revealed.

“The media has been our main ally in our campaign,” he stated, while saying that the results of various raids will be published on the Health Ministry's website.

Abou Faour launched in late 2014 a campaign against institutions that have violated food safety standards.

His campaign has so far led to the closure of slaughterhouses, restaurants, dairy factories and other institutions.

M.T.

G.K.