BEIRUT: Prime Minister Saad Hariri told ministers Monday to step up efforts to control rising consumer goods prices in order to prevent merchants from reaping profits beyond the global rise in costs.
During a session held at the Grand Serail in Beirut, Hariri asked the economy and trade minister to work on reactivating the role of the National Price Council and the Consumer Protection Agency.
“Hariri also asked Education Minister Hassan Mneimneh to tighten controls on unjustified increases in private school tuitions,” Information Minister Tarik Mitri said.
The Agriculture and Economy ministries have been coordinating steps to monitor prices, after the Cabinet last week approved a return to a decree setting limits of profits on trade in basic goods.
On another note, the Cabinet refrained from tackling the issue of leasing electricity-producing ships, while Energy Minister Jibran Bassil denied that he signed any agreement in that regard prior to obtaining Cabinet approval.
Commenting on statements by Syrian Prime Minister Naji al-Otari who described the March 14 alliance as a “house of cards,” Hariri said he sought an improvement in official relations with Damascus and the implementation of bilateral agreements with Syria.
“What is important is the maintenance of good and continuously improving state-to-state ties with Syria as well as the promotion of work between Lebanese ministers and their Syrian counterparts to complete the implementation of bilateral ties,” Hariri said.
“What is important is the maintenance of good and continuously improving state-to-state ties with Syria as well as the promotion of work between Lebanese ministers and their Syrian counterparts to complete the implementation of bilateral ties,” Hariri said.
He also praised the International Telecommunications Union’s (ITU) resolution that condemned Israeli violations of the country’s telecommunications infrastructure.
Resolution 75 issued by the ITU said Lebanon’s Telecommunications infrastructure has been and continues to be subject to piracy, interference as well as obstruction by Israel in both the Lebanese land and cellular networks.
“The government adheres to its right to collect compensation for damage inflicted on the network, and estimated at $457 million following the Israeli aggression of 2006,” Mitri said.
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