Protests against electricity blackouts and diesel scandal

January 27, 2012 ⋅ 8:07 pm ⋅ Post a comment

Filed Under Electricite du Liban (EDL), Lebanon, Red Diesel oil scandal

Protests against Electricite du Liban (EDL) and Energy minister Gebran Bassil continued across the country . In Aley area just east of the capital Beirut dozens of young people blocked the Beirut Damascus highway near the Shweet town intersection.

The protesters chanted slogans against EDL and Bassil and urged MPs from the district to take action and called upon the Energy minister to resign over the continued electricity blackouts and the red Diesel fuel scandal.

Discussion

12 comments for “Protests against electricity blackouts and diesel scandal”

Please respect the community. Comments that contain personal attacks or inappropriate language will be removed.

Anonymous

Protests are not enough. What is needed is an occupy movement that will
simply go out and occupy the Electricte du Liban and the Energy Ministry
irrespective of the consequences.

That is the only way possible to stop this scandel.
Anonymous

The solution is to make it private like in most countries!!!

Anonymous

Fauzia45

As you can see I have always been adamantly opposed to Privatization schemes which became popular in the West after the takeover of the NeoLiberal economics after the period of 1970s. Neoliberalism was a variant of laissez Faire economics which advocated Deregulation, Privatization and cutting back on all the social provisions. This was the standard operating mantra for the two notorious institutions like IMF and World bank which were renowned for imposing these harsh policies on the developing world that often lead to enormous social cost.

Now allow me to explain my personal opinion in this regards. The privatization of the electricity will be counterproductive in a country like Lebanon.
The ruling elites in Lebanon will no doubt divide the spoils between themselves and the foreign companies who will take interest in the Privatization of state asset and the price of the electricity will go up sharply due to the removal of subsidies from the price.
What is to be done?
The most pragmatic approach at the moment would be a massive increase in state investment in this sector and transforming the power plant to Gas, and the funds must be heavily regulated by the agencies who will be donating these funds. Unfortunately, this is the one item that Mr.Bassil is refusing to concede. I wonder why???????

Anonymous

allow me to add to your suggestion…since lebanon is rich in water resources as well as solar power…then further effort should be invested in these options….it is totally unacceptable in a coutry like lebanon rich in natural resources to have shortages of electracity depended on imports of fuel. utter madness.
Anonymous

I agree with your suggestion, but the problem is as usual there is no political will for a radical change from dirty fuel to renewable energy.
In my opinion, since everything is run by Mafias in Lebanon then it would be real hard to change this ugly status quo.
Anonymous

I agree with your suggestion, but the problem is as usual there is no political will for a radical change from dirty fuel to renewable energy.
In my opinion, since everything is run by Mafias in Lebanon then it would be real hard to change this ugly status quo.
Anonymous

So much sun … wasted on tourist-less beaches.
Anonymous

Yes Sebouh … privatising isn’t a very good idea. This government crap-system looks upon it as their ‘own’ anyway … not as it should be, which is ‘the people’s power’. That is, ALL Lebanon’s power.
There is no real ‘system’ of the country now. And the tribes and sectarian idiots can’t seem to grasp the concept of ‘country’ anyway.
There is already one ‘owner-of-guns’. Don’t need one ‘owner-of-electricity’.
Anonymous

I see your point and I agree when you say that it would be counterproductive due to the reasons you stated!

Anonymous

Fauzia45

As you can see I have always been adamantly opposed to Privatization schemes which became popular in the West after the takeover of the NeoLiberal economics after the period of 1970s. Neoliberalism was a variant of laissez Faire economics which advocated Deregulation, Privatization and cutting back on all the social provisions. This was the standard operating mantra for the two notorious institutions like IMF and World bank which were renowned for imposing these harsh policies on the developing world that often lead to enormous social cost.

Now allow me to explain my personal opinion in this regards. The privatization of the electricity will be counterproductive in a country like Lebanon.
The ruling elites in Lebanon will no doubt divide the spoils between themselves and the foreign companies who will take interest in the Privatization of state asset and the price of the electricity will go up sharply due to the removal of subsidies from the price.
What is to be done?
The most pragmatic approach at the moment would be a massive increase in state investment in this sector and transforming the power plant to Gas, and the funds must be heavily regulated by the agencies who will be donating these funds. Unfortunately, this is the one item that Mr.Bassil is refusing to concede. I wonder why???????
Anonymous

Fauzia. Are you endorsing unregulated corporate greed instead?
Anonymous

Fauzia. Are you endorsing unregulated corporate greed instead?

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