Miqati, Bassil Deny American Electricity Offer was Better
Sources close to Premier Najib Miqati and Energy Minister Jebran Bassil refuted claims by an American company representative that his offer on the leasing of power-generating vessels would have cost the Lebanese treasury less than the approved proposal of Turkish ships.
The representative of American company Waller Marine-Buildum Ventures, Rudolph Elias, told Akhbar Alyawm news agency on Friday that his offer would have saved the Lebanese treasury 100 million dollars annually.
But Miqati’s sources told As Safir newspaper on Saturday that a ministerial committee tasked with studying the tenders of the vessels, were informed by Elias that he could now lower prices and that he even suggested for Lebanon to buy a ship.
Bassil also said that the committee gave Elias enough time to make a better offer but he refused to do so.
The minister denied that the American offer would have saved the treasury millions of dollars.
The committee agreed on Thursday to lease the ships from the Turkish Karadeniz company after it slashed the original price by 9 percent.
The agreement struck with Karadeniz is expected to be approved by the cabinet next week.
Sources have said that the Turkish firm will send the first ship to Lebanon end of July while the second will be dispatched a few weeks later.
Elias claimed in his remarks to Akhbar Alyawm that Karadeniz ships have previously suffered technical problems.
But Bassil denied, saying an international expert had put the firm at the top of the classification list.
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://cdn.naharnet.com/stories/en/36010 |