Jayme
November 22nd, 2006, 03:30 AM
Legislation to expedite Lebanon's recontruction and support institutions that suffered losses during the July-August war with Israel will be presented to Parliament soon, Premier Fouad Siniora said Tuesday. The government has received more than $813 million of the $2 billion worth of financial assistance pledged by private donors and the international community at the Stockholm conference.
Addressing the diplomatic corps at the Grand Serail about the progress that has been made rebuilding the country during the first 100 days since the August 14 cease-fire, Siniora defended his administration's postwar performance and asked donors to continue their support.
"Despite some unjustified and unfair criticism, we are determined to perform our duty and address all postwar economic, social, and humanitarian issues which face us," the prime minister said.
Though the government remains fully committed to economic reforms, he added, the five-year plan presented before the war has been modified to accommodate Lebanon's recovery needs.
The existing plan "will fail to achieve sustained and equitable growth and debt sustainability in the absence of a sizeable frontloaded program of external support," he said.
The government has successfully repaired water facilities, bridges, schools, roads, hospitals, electricity and telecommunications networks, airport runways and fuel tanks, cleared 1.7 million cubic meters of debris, and made progress cleaning up the oil spill from the bombing of the Jiyyeh power plant, he said. Compensation has been distributed to residents of 64 villages in the South Lebanon, the Western Bekaa, and the Dahiyeh whose homes were destroyed, said Siniora, and assistance to fishermen and families of the deceased has also begun.
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After outlining the government's accomplishments, Siniora shifted to the political impasse facing the ruling March 14th coalition, urging politicians to present a unified front to preserve Lebanon's stability.
"Do we want a progressive and growing economy able to raise the living standards of the Lebanese people and stem poverty?" he asked. "Do we want to drive our youth away, or rather make them feel like they have a role and future in their own country? Do we want to create opportunities and hope for future generations, or offer them the prospect of unemployment, despair and emigration?"
Without significant additonal contributions from Western and Arab donors at the upcoming Paris III conference, the government is powerless to "kickstart Lebanon's shell-shocked economy," Siniora warned.
According to a new joint study by InfoPro and the Finance Ministry, total annual public revenues for 2006 will be $920 million lower than had been expected before the war erupted. Combined with a sharp increase in government expenditures necessitated by the conflict, the revenue shorftall is expect to boost the deficit from 30 percent of spending to 40 percent.
Addressing the diplomatic corps at the Grand Serail about the progress that has been made rebuilding the country during the first 100 days since the August 14 cease-fire, Siniora defended his administration's postwar performance and asked donors to continue their support.
"Despite some unjustified and unfair criticism, we are determined to perform our duty and address all postwar economic, social, and humanitarian issues which face us," the prime minister said.
Though the government remains fully committed to economic reforms, he added, the five-year plan presented before the war has been modified to accommodate Lebanon's recovery needs.
The existing plan "will fail to achieve sustained and equitable growth and debt sustainability in the absence of a sizeable frontloaded program of external support," he said.
The government has successfully repaired water facilities, bridges, schools, roads, hospitals, electricity and telecommunications networks, airport runways and fuel tanks, cleared 1.7 million cubic meters of debris, and made progress cleaning up the oil spill from the bombing of the Jiyyeh power plant, he said. Compensation has been distributed to residents of 64 villages in the South Lebanon, the Western Bekaa, and the Dahiyeh whose homes were destroyed, said Siniora, and assistance to fishermen and families of the deceased has also begun.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb
After outlining the government's accomplishments, Siniora shifted to the political impasse facing the ruling March 14th coalition, urging politicians to present a unified front to preserve Lebanon's stability.
"Do we want a progressive and growing economy able to raise the living standards of the Lebanese people and stem poverty?" he asked. "Do we want to drive our youth away, or rather make them feel like they have a role and future in their own country? Do we want to create opportunities and hope for future generations, or offer them the prospect of unemployment, despair and emigration?"
Without significant additonal contributions from Western and Arab donors at the upcoming Paris III conference, the government is powerless to "kickstart Lebanon's shell-shocked economy," Siniora warned.
According to a new joint study by InfoPro and the Finance Ministry, total annual public revenues for 2006 will be $920 million lower than had been expected before the war erupted. Combined with a sharp increase in government expenditures necessitated by the conflict, the revenue shorftall is expect to boost the deficit from 30 percent of spending to 40 percent.