PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS DRAFT LAW (2) COST OF LIVING INDEX LEBANON’S TELECOMMUNICATIONS December 2011 | SECTOR 113 THE MONTHLY INTERVIEWS iimonthly THE SPANISH AMBASSADOR TO www. .com # Published by Information International sal LEBANON JUAN CARLOS GAFO issue number THE STATE APPROPRIATES PRIVATE LAND AND SELLS ITS OWN Lebanon 5,000LL | Saudi Arabia 15SR | UAE 15DHR | Jordan 2JD| Syria 75SYP | Iraq 3,500IQD | Kuwait 1.5KD | Qatar 15QR | Bahrain 2BD | Oman 2OR | Yemen 15YRI | Egypt 10EP | Europe 5Euros INDEX 4 THE STATE APPROPRIATES PRIVATE LAND AND SELLS ITS OWN 7 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS DRAFT LAW (2) 11 COST OF LIVING INDEX 12 CHARLES HELOU TERMINAL 15 LEBANON’S TELECOMMUNICATIONS SECTOR 17 MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT BUILDING 18 MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY 20 CLERGY IMMUNITY Page 28 Page 7 21 BEIRUT MUNICIPALITY WORKERS UNION 23 SAINT GEORGE SCHOOL- ZALKA 25 THE DEMENTIAS BY DR. HANNA SAADAH 26 A PARABLE ABOUT HUMANITY BY DR. SAMAR ZEBIAN 27 WHERE COULD THE SECRET OF LIFE BE FOUND? Page 12 BY ANTOINE BOUTROS 28 THE MONTHLY INTERVIEWS: THE SPANISH AMBASSADOR TO LEBANON JUAN CARLOS 41 SYRIAN ACCUSATIONS AGAINST FUTURE GAFO MOVEMENT 30 ARMENIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH 42 OCTOBER 2011 TIMELINE 32 HOW DOES ONE BECOME AN ARMENIAN 46 SHURA COUNCIL ELECTIONS IN THE ORTHODOX CLERGYMAN? SULTANATE OF OMAN 33 SAFADI FOUNDATION 47 REAL ESTATE PRICES IN LEBANON - OCTOBER 2011 35 POPULAR CULTURE 48 FOOD PRICES - OCTOBER 2011 36 MYTH #52: SIMILARITY OR OPPOSITION 50 OLIVE OIL 37 MUST-READ BOOKS: SEXUAL ENCOUNTERS IN THE MIDDLE EAST 50 BEIRUT RAFIC HARIRI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - OCTOBER 2011 38 MUST-READ CHILDREN’S BOOK: “ENJOYS PLAYING” 51 THE MONTHLY’S RECEPTION 39 LEBANON FAMILIES: HAYMOUR FAMILIES 40 DISCOVER LEBANON: JAJ 3 | EDITORIAL NOUHAD’S REMAINS OR LEBANON’S Nouhad Nasser Eddine was unaware that a terrible person begging employment fate was awaiting her on the dawn of October 15, and hospitalization of his/her 2011 on the “so called” Byblos-Beirut highway “Zai’m”. where she fell victim to a hit and run accident. A fast-driving car ran into her, claiming her life and Her remains put a spotlight on the monopoly of oil tossing her dead body over the road to be ran over and the violation of both, public and private property. again by other drivers who “mistakenly” confused Her remains put a spotlight on the excessive greed, her scattered limbs with “inhuman remains” as on the immigration of our children, on our racism reported by the National News Agency. and narrow-mindedness and despicable behavior. Her remains unraveled the story of how we were “Jounieh’s police department was credited for stripped of our schools, hospitals, beaches, mountains establishing the identity of the deceased woman and trees, how we were deprived of our friends and (only) after her daughter had recognized her”, the families, and how we ended up with no memory or Agency added. legacy, turning to our “Zo’ama” for refuge or seeking visas to escape our misery. [R [ The remains of Nouhad said it all! for “inhuman remains”, it is a newly-coined term to justify the sickening game of running over cats and Right before her death she cried out asking: “where dogs, which the Lebanese master very well. are the pedestrian bridges? Where are the streetlights? [ Plagued by poor maintenance and risky driving [ behavior, our roadways are sadly unsafe for both, rammed into me and those who ran over my body drivers and pedestrians. And albeit “we”, the upper afterwards?” [ and bodyguards can keep us safe, we know full well “As great as it is to enjoy bank secrecy and satellite how vulnerable we all are. channels... As great as it is to pride ourselves on having a Casino, an international airport and a cedar Ironically, our country is no different than our tree of over 1000 years old, it would be far greater roads: dark like our streetlights, spiritless like our if we could come up with a fair wage hike, provide rugged roads, and perilous like our political system. a health care coverage and impose taxes on capital gains. The remains of Nouhad said it all! These are not my remains but rather the remains of They told the story of the “Shia’a” when they were my country.” pit against the “Palestinians”, the “Maronites” against the “Muslims”, and the “Sunni” against the Such were the words of Nouhad Nasser Eddine, 49, “Shia’a”. They bemoaned our pain, we, the rich in Byblos, the “city of the alphabet.” and the poor hailing from the North, the South, the Beqa’a and Mount Lebanon. They spoke for every issue 113 | December 2011 4 | LEADER THE STATE APPROPRIATES PRIVATE LAND AND SELLS ITS OWN THE STATE APPROPRIATES PRIVATE LAND AND SELLS ITS OWN rticle 15 of the Lebanese constitution stipulated that “rights of ownership are under the protection of law. No one’s property may be expropriated except for reasons of public utility, in cases established by the law Aand in return of prior and fair compensation.” In conformity with this constitutional text, the government issues real estate appropriation decrees to make and expand roads or to set up other public facilities on private property to serve public interest. Citizens whose properties were appropriated are entitled to an adequate compensation determined by the competent judicial committees. However, many appropriation decrees have been issued since decades with outstanding appropriation projects and the property owners unpaid. Appropriation law: The appropriation law number 58 dated 29-5-1991 and which practically impedes property recovery since its amendments stipulated the following: most owners cannot afford the new price. The appropriation shall be for reasons of public utility If the roads or public squares to be established are and in return of fair compensation. less than one quarter of the property’s area, they shall The appropriation decree shall determine the time be annexed to public property with no compensations limit for the appropriation process. This limit shall except for plants and buildings. not exceed a maximum duration of 8 years from the A special mechanism may be adopted for national "# defense appropriations when deemed necessary. $ [ The then effective cadastral decrees (1991) whose appropriation decree and the appropriation shall be date of issuance does not exceed 20 years shall remain registered in the cadastre. in force provided that their effectiveness is within a Once the government decides to initiate an 25 year limit. [ Therefore, the time limit for the execution of appropriation committee (there are primary and appropriation projects is 10 years that may stretch to appellate committees headed by judges and 25 years. However, the facts show that many decrees consisting of engineers and real estate experts in were issued long before that but did not translate to every district.) The committee calls the government concrete projects and property owners remain unpaid and the owners for a public hearing and issues its paid. The pending appropriations decrees are detailed decision with regards to the appraisal of the property. in table 1 as follows: This decision may be appealed before the appellate committee within 30 days of the date of receiving Pending appropriation decrees (1929- Table 1 the decision. The committees shall also determine 1965) the real estate improvement values in preparation for Real estate Appropriation utility Appropriation date further taxation imposed by the law in alignment with Runway expansion the improvement. Hawsh Hala project in Riyaq 1929 Upon receiving the primary committee’s decision, the airport in Beqa’a government should deposit the determined amount of Muhammara-Bebnin- [ Qebbe-Shomra- notify him thereof and issue a decision of property Muqaiteh-Kfarmelkeh- Tall Abass sharqi-Tall Pipe installation for seizure. Should the compensation not be deposited Abass Gharbi-Saadin- 1932 a Iraqi oil company within six months, the property owner shall have the Darin-Jourett Srar- right to claim an interest, or to request a new appraisal Shir Hmayrin and of his property in case of a 2 year delay in payment. many others in Akkar If the planned projects were not initiated within and Al Menyi ten years from the issuance of the seizure decision, Archaeological Jbeil 1933 the property owner shall have the right to recover exploration In favor of Qadisha his property. The appropriation committee shall Kusba 1934 determine the value of the property in question power plant according to current market after deducting 25% Ain Saadeh Road building 1965 issue 113 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. THE STATE APPROPRIATES PRIVATE LAND AND SELLS ITS OWN LEADER | 5 Pending appropriation decrees (1929- State-owned properties sold in the past few 1965) Table 1 years (2005-2010) Table 2 Real estate Appropriation utility Appropriation date Region/Caza Property Square meter Total price Al-Khalidiyi- Zgharta Dam establishment 1965 area (M²) price (LBP) (million LBP) Installation of high Deek al-Mehdi- 20 675.000 13.5 Zgharta voltage cables 1965 Metn Hnayder-Akkar Road building 1965 Fatqa- 42 565.000 23.730 Al Qulayaat- Akkar Airport expansion 1965 Kessrouan Jbaa- Nabatieh Public market 1965 118.000 (prurchased by Tebnin- Bint 975 115 Boqsot- Saida Public prison 1965 Jbeil the Higher Shiite establishment Council Al Khiam Slaughterhouse 1965 Jdaydeh- Metn 86 1.8 million 154.8 Kfaryassine- 69 975.000 67.275 Sale of public property Kessrouan Despite the new legislations witnessed in real estate Ardat- Zgharta 144 200.000 30.80 market, the decision number 275, dated 25-5-1926 and Shikhan- Jbeil 92 45.000 4.140 issued by the French High Commissioner of Syria, Greater Laylaki- Baabda 120 900.000 108 Lebanon, State of Alawites and the Druze Mountain, Adma & Dafni- Henry De Jouvenel, still regulates the management and Kessrouan 1.093 750.000 819.750 selling of the state immovable property.