Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati received, in the presence of Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi and Environment Minister Nasser Yassin, members of the two Lebanese teams tasked with providing support and assistance to Turkey and Syria following the devastating earthquake that occurred recently, to thank them for their efforts. The teams include members from the army, civil defense, the Beirut fire brigade, and the Red Cross. The meeting, held at the Grand Serail, also included the Secretary-General of the Supreme Defense Council, Major General Muhammad Mustafa, the Secretary-General of the Higher Relief Authority, Major General Muhammad Khair, the Director-General of Civil Defense, Brigadier General Raymond Khattar, Colonel Roger Khoury, Commander of the Engineering Brigade in the army, Colonel Maher Al-Ajouz, the Secretary-General of the Lebanese Red Cross, George Kettaneh, and Colonel Michel Boutros.
During the occasion, the Prime Minister said: "On the morning of the earthquake, the Minister of Environment called me and informed me of the extent of the damage caused to Turkey and Syria by the earthquake. I consulted with him on what we could offer in light of this disaster, and despite the difficult circumstances we are in, he assured me that there are heroic men in Lebanon ready to support and stand in solidarity during these times and to be on the ground to help. Experiences have proven that we have men and women who possess the courage, capability, knowledge, and expertise to carry out such tasks."
He added: "I know the difficult natural conditions you worked under in Turkey, and despite the great sorrow caused by this disaster and the loss of lives, you demonstrated a spirit of solidarity and support, and the consolation for you came in finding survivors under the rubble. The same applies to the team that went to Syria and assisted as much as possible with their knowledge and expertise, and we take pride in you in all circumstances and appreciate your sacrifices. Regarding civil defense, we are certainly moving forward with the matter of stabilizing and giving this entity its due rights as much as available resources allow."
He concluded: "We hope to remain united, not only in crises but at all times, and this is a message I direct to all politicians."
The Interior Minister said: "I salute these heroes who undertook this humanitarian task under difficult circumstances and with no resources to save innocent lives and prove that Lebanon, even though it is going through tough times, has heroic youth, and the future will be better with all of you."
The Environment Minister stated: "Thank you is not enough for the work undertaken by the youth who participated in this mission. Two essential things occurred during the preparation for this mission; first, within just six hours, 72 volunteers were ready, which is commendable as they did not hesitate and immediately headed to the disaster site. The second is that this was their first task of this magnitude abroad, despite all the difficult circumstances Lebanon is experiencing."
The Director-General of Civil Defense expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for honoring these young individuals who sacrificed themselves during this difficult phase for Lebanon, as they went to assist people they did not know. He expressed pride at being at the head of this institution that includes these heroes.
Additionally, both Colonel Maher Al-Ajouz, Commander of the Fire Brigade, and George Kettaneh, Secretary-General of the Lebanese Red Cross, praised the coordination among the various agencies that executed the mission, affirming their commitment to continue humanitarian missions no matter how difficult the circumstances.
Land Transportation
President Miqati met with Bassam Tlais, President of the Federation of Transport Unions, in the presence of Shadi Al-Sayed, President of the Trade Union of Workers in the North, and Fadi Abu Shaqra, representative of fuel distributors in Lebanon.
Tlais stated: "We presented the problems of the sector to His Excellency. It is a vital sector and a lifeline for the economy in Lebanon. We agreed on a meeting next month on the sixth with the Ministers of Interior, Justice, Public Works, Communications, and Tourism along with fellow union heads."
He added: "In the meantime, I will present a comprehensive project to find solutions regarding violations and the application of the law and tariff issues so that citizens know the amount they will pay and how much the driver will receive. At the same time, our priority is to protect this sector, especially since the experience of public transport has not been successful; therefore, the legitimate public transport sector, which acts on behalf of the state in public transport, must be protected and supported by the state, and we stand behind it on this matter."
