Report: LF-FPM Ministers Clash over Electricity-Reform File

The electricity reform plan to improve Lebanon's power supply was raised from outside the agenda during the cabinet meeting on Thursday, but the issue triggered dispute between ministers of the Lebanese Forces and the Free Patriotic Movement, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri raised the issue when he inquired about the tender to lease Turkish power vessels as approved during a previous cabinet meeting.

Ministers of the Lebanese Forces intervened and demanded referral to the cabinet in the implementation of the electricity stages, noting that options to improve power supply must not be limited to leasing power vessels, according to the daily.

An electricity-reform plan proposed by FPM Energy Minister Cesar Abi Khalil was approved by the government in March, conditionally that its stages are studied and approved separately by the cabinet.

Abi Khalil's request for additional government advances to implement the plan, was faced by Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil who refused to approve the request saying “the electricity tenders lack transparency,” reported the daily.

Abi Khalil replied saying that “additional loans are normal if we need to increase power supply,” reminding that “Article 66 of the constitution gives the minister the power to act on many things.”

Lebanese Forces sources said “a dispute erupted at the cabinet between their ministers and ministers close to Aoun and Hariri after the latter rejected the introduction of amendments to the book of condition related to the electricity file. The amendments required by the LF was to give room for less pricey competition solutions.”

However, "the request was rejected," said the sources, which prompted Minister Ghassan Hasbani to recall that the refusal to amend the book of conditions violates the decision of the government. He said the Energy Ministry must refer to the cabinet before the implementation of each of the electricity stages.

The debate prompted President Michel Aoun, who was presiding over the session, to intervene defending Abi Khalil, he said: “Where are the powers of the minister? A minister is the master of his ministry and may not refer to the council of ministers,” said the sources.

The Finance Minister made clear that Article 66 of the constitution stipulates that referring to the government is compulsory when additional funds are required.

The suggested amendments to the book of conditions were rejected by Aoun, Hariri and Abi Khalil, it added.

“It indicates that the book of conditions is tailored to the Turkish ships without taking regard to the technical, environmental and financial specifications in line with the priorities of the state. This has cut the way for a reform plan that would have saved the state an equivalent of one billion dollars,” LF sources told the daily.