Berri Urges Reevaluation or Annulment of Waste Management Bids over 'High Prices'
Speaker Nabih Berri on Monday demanded the “reevaluation” or “total annulment” of the winning waste management bids, citing the “high prices” that were proposed.
“The bids must be reevaluated due to the high prices and the major burden on the treasury or else they should be totally annulled,” said Berri in remarks carried by state-run National News Agency.
Meanwhile, Environment Minister Mohammed al-Mashnouq clarified that the prices he declared earlier in the day were higher than those charged by Sukleen, the firm currently in charge of waste management in Beirut and its suburbs, due to the fact that they involve “the establishment of treatment plants and the setting up of landfills.”
“The Sukleen firm was operating existent plants,” he noted.
“These prices also involve the sweeping service, which Sukleen was not performing outside Beirut,” the minister added.
Earlier in the day, Mashnouq unveiled the names of the companies that won bids for waste management in Lebanon.
He announced in a press conference that it is now up to the cabinet to study the bids and announce the names of the winning proposals.
The Lavajet company will replace Sukleen in Beirut, he said.
Mashnouq hoped that his announcement will act as a “happy ending” to the garbage disposal crisis Lebanon has been witnessing since the closure of the Naameh landfill on July 17.
Since the closure of the Naameh landfill, arbitrary garbage dumps began to emerge after various municipalities refused to allow the disposal of waste from Beirut and Mount Lebanon in their areas.
The cabinet is expected to hold an extraordinary session on Tuesday morning to tackle the waste management crisis.
The unprecedented crisis has sparked protests across Lebanon. More than 100 people were injured after demonstrations in downtown Beirut turned violent on Saturday and Sunday.
Y.R.
25 August 2015, 05:18
04
How can Egypt get it done for $28 per ton and we can't do it cheaper than $161? You know the answer.
25 August 2015, 06:21
80
I don't believe you are correct in saying that Sukleen's contract included the establishment of treatment plants. That is why the government in 2010 approved the establishment of these new plants but were later shelved by the aoun-hizbullah government and got us where we are today.
Nevertheless; the winning bidder for Beirut is charging $163.8 per ton. Beirut produces 3000 tons of waste per day. This is roughly $177 million per year for Beirut alone. People will be missing Sukleen pretty soon;)
25 August 2015, 06:27
80
The lowest bidders' prices were:
Metn and kiserwein $168.59 per ton
Baabda and Alley $153
Akkar and the North $189.3
Nabatiyeh & South $151.86
Baalbeck/Hermel $148.95
Beirut & Suburbs $168.3
25 August 2015, 10:09
71
Jbeil, through the mubicipalities, does it for $65 per ton... so clearly, there's a $100 per ton being distributed to (fill in the blank with politician name) in (fill in the region name)... corruption in plain daylight
25 August 2015, 10:41
80
PLS tell your followers next time not to break and burn the trees in DT beirut and vandalise private & gov property.. at the end of the day all the streets ownership belong the Leb people....
25 August 2015, 11:15
06
you know that while sunday people were on the streets, in Badaro, near Ogero 12 beautiful pine trees were cut? who gave authorisation? why? to park cars? well, the timing was good, don't you think? tfeh
25 August 2015, 12:55
00
The prices are in no way to do with corruption, no one is pocketing here. The prices are including construction and running of latest technology treatment to Lebanon, reducing the dependence on landfills. Landfill is a hole in the ground, no cost there. Treatment means machines, intense use of labour, quality output of recyclables and better use of the waste. Also included in the price is all hygiene services ( street cleaning) and the collection of all the waste. These prices are paid to set up a suitable infrastructure to deal with all the waste and remove the need to dump it in a hole in the ground for future generations to dig up. so much ignorance regarding waste and comparing apples and pears. No company in the whole world can supply all these services for $28 per ton as suggested. Waste is not a problem: waste is a resource that, with the right approach, means little to nothing has to be dumped and it will create many jobs and support the economy like it does in many coutries.
26 August 2015, 00:36
00
jihad al arab has nothing to do with hezbollah, he is actually close to hariri and has been getting all the road infrastructure contracts from the CDR for decades
