The first order of business for the newly appointed Minister of Public Works should be to rename all highways associated with the Assad regime and erase the names of Hafez, Bassel, and Bashar from our streets and highways. The road connecting Mdeirej-Hammana to Bzebdine in Mount Lebanon has already been renamed from “Hafez al-Assad Avenue” to “Freedom Avenue.” However, we still have the main road connecting the capital, Beirut, to the airport, which also features a shrine dedicated to Hafez al-Assad. Legally speaking, municipalities are responsible for initiating any street renaming, but I am confident there is an exception for highways and vital roads. The shrine should be removed, as it is both unsightly and commemorates a ruthless dictator who occupied and persecuted the Lebanese for over 30 years.
The second order of business should be banning all forms of political or religious posters on main roads and highways. No one wants to be greeted by images of Khomeini or Suleimani when they land in Beirut. Last but not least, the new minister should update the ministry’s website by removing the previous minister’s photo and revamping the entire page.