Geagea: Granting a Large Number of Workers Full-Time Employment May Bankrupt the State

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Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea voiced on Tuesday his rejection of the current conduct at parliament, saying that he “supports and opposes” granting Electricite du Liban contract workers full-time employment.

He said during a press conference at his Maarab residence: “Granting such a large number of workers full-time employment is not possible because it will lead to the bankruptcy of the state.”

“These are the factors that forced us to boycott the parliament session,” he explained.

“Everyone knows that we enjoy good ties with Speaker Nabih Berri and we have the greatest respect for him. Contacts are always ongoing with him, even during the worst moments due to his openness,” he remarked.

The LF leader noted however that matters are being conducted in an “unacceptable” manner at parliament, saying that some draft laws are granted greater attention than others, which are soon forgotten.

“Discussions on the employment of EDL contract employees began in a sound manner and the proposals we made were not based on sectarian interests,” Geagea said.

“We decided to boycott the session in protest against how issues are being managed,” he continued.

Why should some issues be approved overnight and granted so much attention, while others are disregarded? he wondered.

He also criticized the manner in which lawmakers vote on projects, hinting at a certain degree of disorganization at parliament.

“The voting took place in a suspicious manner and this does not fall in the interest of the contract employees,” he said.

“With all due respect to Berri, the country cannot be run in such a manner,” he stated.

“Why don’t all state employees be granted full-time employment?” he asked.

Berri suspended on Tuesday a parliamentary session for lack of quorum after Christian blocs boycotted it over the approval of EDL contract workers’ full-employment.

“The boycott is based on political reasons and not sectarian ones,” Berri said.

Change and Reform bloc, Phalange party and Lebanese Forces lawmakers took the decision to boycott the morning session to protest the draft law.

Addressing Syrian security forces’ temporary kidnapping of General Security members from Buqaiaa on Monday, Geagea condemned the General Security’s statement on the incident, which he implied made it seem that they were justifying the violation.

Perhaps the penal law should be change to accommodate the General Security’s description of the incident in which it said that Syrian security forces “escorted” the Lebanese security forces to Syria, said the LF chief sarcastically.

“Are they afraid of saying kidnapped?” wondered Geagea.

He urged President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Najib Miqati to take firmer measures in this matter, such as summoning the Syrian ambassador to Lebanon and even expelling him and recalling the Lebanese ambassador in Damascus.

“The citizens must feel that the state is overseeing their safety,” he stressed.

Syrian security forces infiltrated on Monday the northern region of Wadi Khaled and detained two general security members for an hour, several media outlets reported.

LBC TV said around 20 Syrian soldiers opened fire at Jisr al-Qmar, which damaged the customs building and a number of cars, and continued marching toward the area.

Al-Joumhouria newspaper reported that the Syrian forces threatened the Lebanese security forces, accusing them of allowing gunmen to open fire at Syrian territories.

LBC pointed out that the Syrian forces detained a member of the Lebanese customs and two general security members and hit them before dragging two of them into Syrian territories for an hour.

Timeline
  • 03 July 2012, 17:00

    Geagea: The Mustaqbal Movement was understanding of the boycott. Our position was not sectarian.

  • 03 July 2012, 16:58

    Geagea: The government is responsible for the security chaos.

  • 03 July 2012, 16:55

    Geagea: I urge the residents of al-Koura to head to the by-elections. The polls are a national duty that determine the people’s future.

  • 03 July 2012, 16:52

    Geagea: Officials must take practical measures when such violations take place, such as summoning the Syrian ambassador and even expelling him and recalling our ambassador in Damascus.

  • 03 July 2012, 16:49

    Geagea on General Security statement on Buqaiaa incident: Are they justifying the Syrian security forces’ violation? Did the Syrian troops “escort” the General Security members to Syria?

  • 03 July 2012, 16:47

    Geage: I hope Berri will meet the representatives of the political blocs because such conduct at parliament cannot persist.

  • 03 July 2012, 16:46

    Geagea: Their full-time employment should serve the state’s interest and not cause harm to other citizens.

  • 03 July 2012, 16:45

    Geagea: Should the case of the EDL employees be subject to a vote so soon? We support their full-time employment, but the state cannot support their great numbers and ill-conceived steps in this matter may yield catastrophic results.

  • 03 July 2012, 16:43

    Geagea: We all support the workers, but their problem cannot be temporarily resolved because a greater one will erupt soon after.

  • 03 July 2012, 16:41

    Geagea: The LF is the most committed party to the affairs of the poor and MP Antoine Zahra has been aware of the case of the EDL contract employees for over three years, but we must adopt a logical approach in dealing with state affairs.

  • 03 July 2012, 16:40

    Geagea: The current developments do not fall under proper parliamentary conduct.

  • 03 July 2012, 16:38

    Geagea: It’s only logical to determine the exact number of EDL employees to be granted full-time employment. There’s nothing wrong if Berri would have postponed the session to sort out matters with the finance and labor ministries.

  • 03 July 2012, 16:35

    Geagea: We chose to boycott the parliament session for purely practical reasons, not sectarian ones.

  • 03 July 2012, 16:32

    Geagea: Some issues no less important than the ones currently proposed have been forgotten at parliament.

  • 03 July 2012, 16:31

    Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea during press conference on latest developments: Contacts are ongoing with Speaker Nabih Berri and everyone knows how much we respect him.

SourceNaharnet
Comments 4
Thumb benzona 03 July 2012, 16:38

No nooooo Please Samir. I prepared the popcorn for Aoun's speech. I wanted to watch the buffoon... Damn, you're going to spoil my favourite Tuesday show. All I wanted was to sit back and relax :-/

Missing peace 03 July 2012, 17:48

copying on aoun now? lol!

Missing peace 03 July 2012, 17:52

"Officials must take practical measures when such violations take place, such as summoning the Syrian ambassador and even expelling him and recalling our ambassador in Damascus."

they can t ! they at at the orders of syria...aoun the first one calling it a democracy! haha! they ll lick their boots till the last minute...

Default-user-icon somelefty (Guest) 03 July 2012, 22:47

"Granting a Large Number of Workers Full-Time Employment May Bankrupt the State" right wing nuts like the LF, Kataeb and FPM will bankrupts the state