BEIRUT: A Cabinet meeting got underway Thursday with the food security scandal expected to be the hottest issue on the table, ministerial sources told The Daily Star.
The meeting's agenda of 49 items, excluded controversial issues such as contract renewals of mobile phone operators and fuel suppliers for Lebanon’s electricity company, EDL, and the terms of contract for garbage collection, the sources said.
The food security scandal, which came to light after Health Minister Wael Abu Faour began Tuesday naming well-known restaurants and supermarkets who were caught selling contaminated foods, drew both criticism and praise.
Economy Minister Alain Hakim criticized Abu Faour Thursday after the health minister added several more food sellers to the black list.
“The (food control) process at the Ministry of Health is a routine measure, but the way the minister talked about it is terrorizing,” Hakim said.
State Minister Nabil de Freij acknowledged the importance of Abu Faour’s revelations, criticizing, however, “the way there were disclosed.”
Both made their comments as they walked into the Cabinet meeting.
The sources said discussion of the contentious issues related to the cellular phones, garbage collection and the renewal of contracts of the two Algerian and Kuwaiti fuel companies supplying EDL with the fuel has been postponed to future meetings.
Prime Minister Tammam Salam is expected to brief the cabinet on the latest developments pertaining to the government’s efforts to secure the freedom of the captive security personnel held by Nusra and ISIS, without giving any details, the sources added.
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