Today, the Minister of Public Works and Transport in the caretaker government, Dr. Ali Hamieh, held a meeting with the heads of snow removal centers and regional directors in his office at the ministry. The meeting focused on the preparation and activation of the work of these centers, securing maintenance for the necessary machinery and equipment, and ensuring readiness for snow removal tasks, as the winter season approaches this year.
A statement from the minister’s media office reported that Hamieh emphasized his interest in reviewing all the preparations made by snow removal centers across Lebanon. He addressed the difficulties and obstacles some centers may face due to circumstances beyond their control, praising the diligent efforts of the center heads and all the workers involved last season, who were truly unsung heroes throughout that period. He expressed appreciation for their sense of responsibility despite all the challenges they faced.
Minister Hamieh stated, "I called you to this meeting so that we can all unite in preparing for the upcoming snow season, and to assess the current state of these centers individually, reviewing the needs and challenges we have discussed for more than five months continuously." He stressed the importance of coordination and integration among the centers, as this would help mitigate the obstacles and issues they might encounter, especially under pressure from circumstances beyond the ministry's control, particularly regarding several key aspects of this vital file, on both humanitarian, economic, and financial levels.
The statement pointed out that Minister Hamieh "addressed the core issues in the snow removal file, transparently outlining everything he faced last year and what he may encounter this season," noting the complaints the Ministry of Public Works and Transport has suffered in managing this file, particularly concerning the following:
Regarding the financial compensation for seasonal workers, he explained that despite the rising dollar exchange rate rendering these payments nearly worthless, the ministry is keen on completing files and sending them to the relevant administrations. Yet, there have been repeated excuses, such as employee absences preventing progress on these documents or some employees showing disregard for much of the correspondence mentioned.
On the maintenance of snow removal equipment spread across all Lebanese regions, Minister Hamieh clarified that the Ministry of Public Works and Transport has worked for about five months to initiate tenders for this purpose; however, each time no bidders came forward due to the contracts being in the local currency and the continuously devaluing exchange rate. He emphasized that the ministry does not possess the necessary funds for this task, as neither the budget has been activated to date nor does the allocated amount for the Ministry of Public Works and Transport cover maintenance costs, which have become calculated in fresh dollars.
Hamieh concluded by candidly informing the Lebanese that the negligence and lack of response from relevant administrations in providing the necessary requirements to ensure the success of the snow removal centers' missions this season will have significant repercussions on opening roads between regions and could lead to social disasters. This also includes implications for reviving the tourism season, which is desperately needed to stimulate the national economy and revive regional economic cycles. He held the specific administrations responsible for any consequences that may arise as a result, warning that he would disclose and inform the entire Lebanese public about all documents, letters, and correspondence, so that every responsible party can be held accountable. He stressed that responsibility lies with everyone in the state, which is a group of interconnected parts, urging, "Let everyone witness that we have communicated this."
