In a positive response to the proposal of the Ministry of Telecommunications, Mohammed Choucair, the Lebanese Cabinet has approved the evacuation of all unused post office properties that are rented across the country by the Directorate General of Post.
The decision of the Cabinet to evacuate these offices was taken during discussions of a draft budget that aims to increase revenues and lower expenditure in order to significantly reduce the budget deficit-to-GDP ratio.
The GDP ratio is the Gross Domestic Product which is a broad measurement of a nation’s overall economic activity.
The statement said that: “Minister Choucair stressed on the need to find a radical solution to these offices, which have not been used for years to ease the financial burden on the administration and stop wasting public money.
Adding that Choucair’s decision “was made in an effort to stop the waste of public funds and increase the productivity of the Ministry of Telecommunications. He also stressed that this endeavor will continue to any source of waste in the Ministry of Telecommunications.”
In this regard, minister Choucair who attended the Cabinet session – to discuss the state budget was criticized by MP Paula Yacoubian on twitter.
انتهى اجتماع لجنة الإعلام والاتصالات النيابية من دون حضور الوزير محمد شقير الذي تبلغ اكثر من مرة بموعد اللجنة وضرورة حضوره بخاصة واننا نناقش تأمين وفر ٢٠٠ مليون دولار
رئيس اللجنة د.حسين الحاج حسن يصر على انه سيلاحق الموضوع حتى آخر ليرة
محصلة اليوم— بولا يعقوبيان (@PaulaYacoubian) May 8, 2019
In her tweet, Yacoubian criticized Choucair for not attending a meeting of the Media and Communications parliamentary committee that was scheduled for 9 a.m. She also accused the ministry of unnecessary spending.
رداً على ما تناولتني به النائب بولا يعقوبيان على صفحتها على التويتر وتوضيحاً للرأي العام، يهمني التأكيد: أنني اعتذرت عن حضور اجتماع لجنة الاتصالات بسبب جلسة مجلس الوزراء المخصصة لدرس الموازنة.
— Mohamed Choucair (@MohamedChoucair) May 8, 2019
However, Choucair justified his absence by tweeting that he had instead attended a Cabinet session to discuss the state budget.
وانني مستعد لمناقشة كل ما يتعلق بوزارة الاتصالات وملتزم بخطة لخفض النفقات وزيادة الايرادات. وكنت أتمنى على النائب يعقوبيان ان تنتظر الجلسة المقبلة قبل ان تستفيض باتهاماتها وسوقها للمعلومات المغلوطة.
— Mohamed Choucair (@MohamedChoucair) May 8, 2019
He also stressed that he is “ready to discuss anything related to the Telecoms Ministry and he is committed to a plan to reduce expenses and increase revenues…”