Reasons

In its application, the Ministry of Labor reported that the complex and numerous tasks it undertakes, necessitate the availability of a car to facilitate the transportation of its personnel outside the ministry’s building to:

• Mediate and arrange compromises in case of conflicts
• Ensure the representation of the government commissioner before arbitration panels
• Attend the meetings of the World Labor Organization in Beirut
• Attend the meetings of the Arab, regional and international organizations related to the work of the Ministry

Requested Car

The Ministry of Labor requested an SUV costing no more than LBP 50 million through a no-bid agreement. The Ministry of Labor itself set the needed specs.

The allocation of LBP 50 million for purchasing a car raises a series of questions:

• The Ministry’s structure and functions have been determined since 1961. It seems it has been able to perform its duties for 50 years without having access to a car and so isn’t the urgency to have one now a little late?
• Who among the Ministry’s personnel has the right to use the car?
• How many meetings do the Ministry’s personnel attend outside their offices on a weekly average?
• Should there be two simultaneous meetings at two different locations, how would that conflict be addressed?
• Why does the Ministry need an SUV, instead of a regular and cheaper car with less fuel and maintenance expenses?
• Why did the ministry refrain from launching a bid, especially that the matter is of no urgency?

Approving the purchase of this car and many others as well as the disbursement of unnecessary funds proves again irresponsibility on the part of the pertinent supervisory and financial bodies especially that the squandering of funds, however small, for needs that we can dispense with is a terrible crime in light of the country’s debt, which might exceed USD 60 billion in the next coming months.