Minister of Economy in the caretaker government, Amin Salam, visited the Port of Beirut accompanied by Director General Mohammed Haidar and Head of Supermarket Owners and Food Importers, Hani Al-Bahsali. The purpose of the visit was to inspect food products and goods to ensure their safety and compliance with specifications, comparing samples to containers and invoices while listening to the employees assigned to this task as they explained many operational mechanisms.
Salam indicated that "the Ministry of Economy conducts these tours as part of its mission, which concerns import and export. As a continuation of government work and the emergency plan, we wanted to be on the ground and will be present in other facilities such as the airport and the Port of Tripoli." He noted that "there is a delay in the process due to goods passing through several stages, including inspection, customs, health, and agriculture. With the Director General, we are in an emergency situation. We want to expedite the import of goods and avoid storing them in the port for long periods to prevent congestion as we are in a risk zone. It is in our interest to bring them in and distribute them across all Lebanese regions."
He announced that "in addition to monitoring issues and working on solutions with the relevant ministries, the problems remain the same, including delays in reception and in some laboratories. Therefore, we urge the relevant ministries and administrations to be fully prepared and provide instructions to expedite the entry of goods and carry out logistical operations to complete the task; they are certainly as keen as we are."
Regarding the confrontation plan, he stated, "In the event of an attack, God forbid, on the facilities, we are taking proactive measures to at least have an evacuation plan in place, and there are relevant administrations involved. The Ministry of Economy's plan aims to reduce storage at the port, and we have the Port of Tripoli and Sidon Port, which can now accommodate food supplies."
He addressed those hoarding food supplies, saying, "While there is concern about what is happening on the southern front, there is a disparity in purchasing power among Lebanese citizens. Those who buy large quantities take from others. Thus, there needs to be awareness and understanding; someone buying 50 boxes may prevent someone buying two boxes, and there is no need to stockpile for months."
