LEBANON-CRISIS/POLITICS UPDATE Lebanese government continues looking for a solution to garbage crisis
Record ID:
142262
LEBANON-CRISIS/POLITICS UPDATE Lebanese government continues looking for a solution to garbage crisis
- Title: LEBANON-CRISIS/POLITICS UPDATE Lebanese government continues looking for a solution to garbage crisis
- Date: 27th August 2015
- Summary: BEIRUT, LEBANON (AUGUST 27, 2015) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF THE GOVERNMENT HEADQUARTERS GRAND SERAIL BUILDING IN CENTRAL BEIRUT AS SEEN FROM BEHIND BARBED WIRE VARIOUS OF LEBANESE FLAG ON TOP OF THE BUILDING AS SEEN FROM BEHIND BARBED WIRE INFORMATION MINISTER, RAMZI JREIJ, AHEAD OF READING GOVERNMENT STATEMENT AFTER THE CABINET MEETING SIGN (Arabic) READING 'COUNCIL OF MINISTERS' (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LEBANESE INFORMATION MINISTER, RAMZI JREIJ, READING THE GOVERNMENT STATEMENT SAYING: "The interior ministry is to ask the municipalities to report their readiness and plans to bear the responsibility, each in its domain. The government also decided to continue with vigourous efforts to find landfills and preparing it in order to remove the garbage from the streets immediately." LEBANESE FLAG (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LEBANESE INFORMATION MINISTER, RAMZI JREIJ, READING THE GOVERNMENT STATEMENT SAYING: "The approval (is) to issue treasury bonds in foreign currency." JREIJ LEAVING AFTER READING THE GOVERNMENT STATEMENT VARIOUS OF TRAFFIC DRIVING PAST GARBAGE PILES ON THE SIDE OF HIGHWAY BEIRUT, LEBANON (AUGUST 23, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS FACING SECURITY FORCES / WATER CANNONS FIRED VARIOUS OF PROTESTER CHANTING VARIOUS OF WATER CANNONS FIRED AT PROTESTERS
- Embargoed: 11th September 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Lebanon
- Country: Lebanon
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA7UOEL1XBO35MXP1JRZLMM7859
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The Lebanese government will continue its efforts in trying to resolve the trash crisis that has triggered unrest, Lebanese Minister of Information said after a cabinet meeting that was boycotted by Hezbollah and allied Christian politicians.
Discontent with the paralysis has come to a head in recent weeks with a crisis over waste disposal that has triggered anti-government protests. Dozens of people were injured at the weekend when protests turned violent.
Ramzi Jreij said steps have been taken to remove garbage from the streets "immediately".
"The interior ministry is to ask the municipalities to report their readiness and plans to bear the responsibility, each in its domain. The government also decided to continue with vigourous efforts to find landfills and preparing it in order to remove the garbage from the streets immediately."
"The approval (is) to issue treasury bonds in foreign currency," he added.
Lebanon is planning to sell a US $1.3bn Eurobond in September, a finance ministry source said on Tuesday.
This is US $200m less than the central bank governor said in August that the sovereign would raise from an international debt sale.
The capital Beirut has witnessed large anti-government protests over uncollected garbage, lack of electricity, and basic services.
Simmering frustration at the protracted political deadlock has boiled over into raw anger. The fractured cabinet and parliament are paralyzed, the political class has been unable to agree on a new president for over a year and sectarian tension has been whipped up by the civil war across the border in Syria.
Protesters are calling for another demonstration on Saturday. The government has so far failed to find a solution to the problem of where to dispose Beirut's garbage, leaving piles of rubbish to fester in the summer heat.
Ministers from Hezbollah and Aoun's FPM walked out of another cabinet session on Tuesday, citing decrees signed without their approval as the reason for the protest.
The Salam government groups widely disparate parties including the Future Movement led by Sunni politician Saad al-Hariri, as well as Christian rivals to Aoun. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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