Latest news with #Saddi
L'Orient-Le Jour
6 days ago
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
After his forced departure from Beirut Water Office, Jean Gebran defends his record
The former director general of the Beirut and Mount Lebanon Water Office, Jean Gebran, who was dismissed from his position last week, spoke out on Wednesday in a statement about his sidelining the previous week. He stated that his management of the public office was "above reproach" and that the failures to meet citizens' needs were due to a "lack of resources." Last Wednesday, Energy and Water Minister Joe Saddi told L'Orient-Le Jour that "the senior official's term ended in 2021 and the measure is purely administrative." However, informed sources told the Al-Markazia agency that this dismissal was related to "his use of the institution to serve his electoral ambitions, after having announced his candidacy in the upcoming parliamentary elections under the banner of the Free Patriotic Movement [FPM] in Jbeil." The same sources specified that the decision was not an act of political retribution but a reform measure, pointing to "the flagrant use of services and hirings in Jbeil and Kesrouan as a form of political clientelism." Gebran is considered close to the Free Patriotic Movement, while Saddi is close to the Lebanese Forces (LF), the FPM's political rival on the Christian scene. Before Saddi's appointment, the Energy Ministry had been headed by Aounist ministers since 2008. In his statement, Gebran said he "expected thanks only from the faithful and the innocent, and not from officials incapable of distinguishing between development and politics." Dismissed from his position by the Parliament and placed at the disposal of Minister Saddi, he thanked "all those with whom I had the honor to work within this administration, especially during the most difficult periods." He further said, "I forgive all those who doubted me, openly or in secret, because I excuse them: They do not know the truth." Affirming that his management of the administration had been "irreproachable over the past seven years," he "apologized to the citizens whose needs I was unable to meet, not out of negligence on my part, but for lack of available resources." In recent years, the Lebanese public administration has suffered from repeated political crises, a presidential vacancy that lasted from October 2022 to January 2025, and economic collapse, which, due to the sharp depreciation of the national currency, has significantly eroded salaries. Water supply is regularly cut off or rationed in Beirut, often due to power outages preventing the operation of the Office's pumps.
Roya News
7 days ago
- Business
- Roya News
Lebanon's 24-hour power blackout sparks sabotage investigation
Lebanese Minister of Energy and Water, Joseph Saddi, has called for an urgent investigation to ensure that there was no "deliberate sabotage" following a total power outage that hit the entire country around midnight Saturday to Sunday, worsening the suffering of citizens facing an intense heatwave. - Grid failure - The Electricité du Liban (EDL) announced in a statement that the cause of the nationwide blackout was "an emergency failure in one of the high-voltage transformers at the main Zouk power plant." The statement explained that a drop in insulation of one component due to high humidity and heat led to the initial failure, which in turn caused a "thermal stress" on the steam turbine at the Deir Ammar plant, preventing its restart. The EDL confirmed that its technical teams are working to repair the fault and gradually reconnect production units, but reconnecting the main unit at Deir Ammar (150 megawatts) will require about 24 hours. The repercussions of the power outage extended to the water sector, as the Beirut and Mount Lebanon Water Establishment announced that some of its main pumps had stopped working, leading to reduced water supply hours in the capital and coastal Metn areas. - Suspicions of sabotage - Minister Saddi said in a statement on Monday that he requested the Director-General of Electricité du Liban to open an investigation to confirm that there was no sabotage, "especially given information indicating suspicions about the nature of some power outages." Saddi criticized the deteriorating condition of the sector, stressing that "mitigating the impact of such failures would be easier if modern plants had been built to meet demand over the past fifteen years." He reiterated his goal of establishing sustainable solutions for the sector, starting with the construction of modern gas-fired power plants. - Financial moves to address the crisis - In a related development that could contribute to long-term solutions, Finance Minister Yassine Jaber met with Saddi on Monday, where they signed a decree to enact the World Bank loan law allocated to the electricity sector, in preparation for its approval by the Council of Ministers. Separately, after meeting with the Acting Director-General of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), Waleed Shamlan, Minister Jaber announced the Fund's intention to assist in repairing projects damaged by the war, including the Litani River project and sewage systems in Marjeyoun, as well as the possibility of granting funding for feasibility studies to build new silos to enhance Lebanon's food security.
L'Orient-Le Jour
06-08-2025
- Business
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Beirut and Mount Lebanon Water Authority director removed from post
BEIRUT — The director-general of the Beirut and Mount Lebanon Water Authority, Jean Gebran, was removed from his position by Cabinet and placed at the disposal of Minister of Energy and Water Joe Saddi, the latter said on Wednesday. "Mr. Gebran's term ended in 2021," Saddi told L'Orient Today. "Since then, he has been handling day-to-day business." The institution's board of directors' term has also expired, Saddi explained. "This kind of situation is unfortunately common in the administration." "The most senior official in the hierarchy will serve as acting head of the office," the minister said. Saddi intends to submit a list of qualifications required for the position to the Ministry of Administrative Development and the Civil Service shortly, so that applications can be called for "as soon as possible." He also expressed hope that a new board of directors would be appointed as quickly as possible. Gebran did not respond to L'Orient Today's requests for comment. In recent years, the Lebanese public administration has suffered from endemic corruption, recurring political crises, a presidential vacancy (from October 2022 to January 2025) and economic collapse, which, due to the sharp depreciation of the national currency, has severely eroded salaries in the public sector.
MTV Lebanon
07-06-2025
- Business
- MTV Lebanon
Media Office Walid Fayad: Minister Saddi could have canceled the tender had he not been convinced of its suitability
Despite the accusatory tone adopted by the media office of the current Minister of Energy and Water, Mr. Joe Saddi, the substance of the statement issued on June 6 confirms the position previously expressed by former Minister Dr. Walid Fayad during his interview with MTV. Specifically, it affirms that the current minister was indeed the one who signed the fuel supply agreement with Iraq for the fourth consecutive year and also signed the $200 million contract with the supplying company. It is worth noting that he could have canceled the tender initiated by Minister Fayad had he not deemed it appropriate. This amount will be added to the debt owed to Iraq. As of June 2025—four months after Minister Fayad left office and the ministry was handed over to Minister Saddi—the total amount owed to Iraq has reached $750 million. At the time of the ministerial handover, the outstanding amount was lower, standing at $600 million, precisely as Dr. Fayad had stated. Dr. Fayad concluded by reaffirming that the severe conditions Lebanon has endured—and continues to endure—alongside the lack of viable alternatives to ensure the minimum required level of electricity supply at the lowest possible cost, necessitated recourse to Iraqi fuel and the acceptance of Iraq's generous and appreciated initiative. Accordingly, based on the principle of continuity in government and Minister Saddi's conviction of the soundness of the decisions made in this regard—and until more suitable fuel supply alternatives, especially natural gas, become available—Minister Saddi found no viable course of action other than to renew the Iraqi agreement and proceed with awarding the first fuel delivery contract.
National News
12-04-2025
- Politics
- National News
Al-Saddi: Priority is to implementing any law before reviewing it
NNA - Minister of Energy and Water, Joe Saddi, wrote today on his platform "X" account: "From the first moment I assumed my duties at the Ministry of Energy and Water, I pledged to implement the regulatory authority in accordance with the approved Law 462, after its establishment had been delayed since the law's enactment 23 years ago. The authority is essential for regularizing the sector and for the reform project I am working on. Moreover, priority is to implementing any law before reconsidering it." Saddi added, "As for organizing update workshops on the law upcoming May and June, this does not conflict with the regulatory body's work. Our laws must be continuously updated to keep pace with new developments." =========
