Picture from ThisisBeirut
According to Al Rai, the Lebanese government refused a 1 billion dollar offer from the World Bank in exchange of privatizing the EDL (Electricite du Liban). Now I am not sure how reliable this source is but that’s not the first offer our government has refused as far as I know. Privatizing the EDL is a good option in my opinion.
While privatizing the EDL will definitely bring back ~24hrs electricity per day with time, it will increase distribution rate (LL/kwh) exponentially since it is up to a private entity to price the service.
Far be it from THIS being the reason for the gov’ to refuse… If they really were offered and refused, it would be because their men own generators around Lebanon…
..and the government would lose billions yearly in diesel taxes..no way..
an interesting book regarding these so-called “salutary reforms”
was written by Canadian author Naomi Klein, titled ” The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism” describing how the world bank and a few unscrupulous investors and economists run these privatization shows and end up literally ruining economies to their sole benefit. already applied to LibanCell and Cellis. so true, not all that glitters is gold. let’s wait for the black gold and gas and see what scenarios will be used then.. imho i believe this is tightly related to that.
Jayde Alphonse. Have to read the book…
Get rid of the chronic sectarianism in EDL and you won’t need to privatise it.
YES OF COURSE PRIVATIZATION WILL FIX THE ELECTRICITY.
1- $400 PER MONTH FOR 24 HOUR ELECTRICITY.
2- ANYONE WHO DOESN’T PAY ELECTRICITY (WHICH INCLUDE 60% OF THE COUNTRY, FROM BEB EL TEBBENEH TO DA7IEH) WILL NOT GET ONE MINUTE OF ELECTRICITY, AND THEN CIVIL WAR WILL ERUPT.
MOST PROBABLE REASON IT WAS TURNED DOWN WAS GEBRAN BASSIL WANTING A PIECE OF THE ACTION, AND THEY SAID NO.