LBP 82 million was spent to send environmental text messages

Under the term of the former Minister of Environment and on the occasion of World Environment Day (June 5), the Ministry of Environment asked a private company, the Mobile Interim Company 2 SAL, to send SMS messages to a large number of Alfa and Touch subscribers for 10 consecutive days. The Ministry claimed that “this will foster shared environmental responsibility among citizens”. Yet no participation was witnessed; the ministerial initiative cost the state and the citizens LBP 82 million. 

In order to promote the “spirit of participation" amid a budget deficit and insufficient funds, the Ministry’s only recourse was to use this expensive means.