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The president of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture for Tripoli and the North, Toufic Dabousi, discussed with Chinese Ambassador to Lebanon, Wang Kijiang, the ‘Tripoli is the economic capital of Lebanon’ initiative, which received China’s backing. The meeting took place in the presence of prime minister, Saad Hariri’s advisor for international cooperation, Nader Jalal, and senior Embassy officers. Both sides stressed the importance of partnership in consolidating bilateral relations, with special focus on Tripoli and North Lebanon, and benefitting from studies made by Chinese experts of the strategic strong points the northern capital boasts. They also reviewed prospects and possibilities of joint projects and investing in potential capacities at hand in Tripoli, as well as, close cooperation in the field of civil planning, namely, construction and reconstruction. Dabbousi assured Kijiang of his full preparedness to collaborate and coordinate especially on the Chinese Silk Road economic initiative expected to enhance commercial and trade relations. He expressed pride that Tripoli be listed on the New Silk Road as a link between Asia and Europe and between East and West. (Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, August 11, 2017)
 

The committee of shareholders and depositors at Coop of Lebanon (Association of Consumption and Production) discussed yesterday with the head of the interim committee, Mohieddine Doughan, results of proposed amendments of bylaw 109. The latter, to recall, allows the finance ministry to dispense a LBP 75 billion advance as compensation to rights holders, half of which is allocated as settlement with shareholders/ depositors and the other half to creditors. The meeting also reviewed a mechanism to finalize the amended draft to be approved by the legislative budget and finance committee and later by Parliament. Shareholders and depositors stressed in a statement their commitment to basic principles for any imminent solution to the impasse in accordance with the texts of Law 109 as agreed with the interim committee. This provides for a revision or adjustment of Article 3, paragraph C, (which gives any creditor the right to object to the settlement, and therefore, veto the execution of the law), to become as such: in the event of the rejection by any creditor/ bank or their decline to sign the settlement pact, their rights are automatically relinquished and terminated. The committee will then submit a report to the Cabinet to decide on the issuance of financial advances to consenting creditors/ banks (who agreed to the settlement). In conclusion, the shareholders and depositors appealed to the presidencies of the Parliament and the Council of Ministers to intervene directly in order to put an end to the delay in endorsing amendments and ending the 17-year old crisis. ( Al Akhbar, August 9, 2017)

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The Saint Joseph University (USJ) Institut de Gestion des Enterprise (IGE) launched earlier in July two master degrees in the English language, which are, Hospitality Management, Luxury and Lifestyle and Lebanese and Mediterranean Gastronomy and Lifestyle. Also in the fall of 2018, the Institute will kick off a bachelor in Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management. During the launch ceremony, USJ president, Fr. Salim Daccash, underlined the aim of the new programs which is to keep with the constantly changing and developing hospitality labor market that requires cutting-edge skills and talents. Such genre of theoretical/applied programs demand the support of professional partners in order to ensure success. Clarifying the reason for choosing English as the teaching language for the degree, Daccash said it is because it is widely used in the global world of business and comes as part of the University’s efforts to improve disciplines employing the language for the year 2025, and which coincides with the 150th anniversary of USJ. (Al Akhbar, August 7, 2017)

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In its continued efforts to combat human trafficking, the General Directorate of Internal Security Forces uncovered yesterday a new prostitution ring active in the Mount Lebanon and Beirut areas. In the details, the ISF statement said that the Anti-Human Trafficking and Morals Protection Bureau at the Judiciary Police Unit has information on a Syrian family who sold their underage daughter (18 years) to a Syrian punter in return for Syrian Liras 500,000 (USD 2000). The Syrian man, nicknamed Abu Iskandar, cleared the entry of the girl into Lebanon and handed her over to a Syrian procurer, F.S, who, in accomplice with the Lebanese, J.K, facilitates sex work and human trafficking within a prostitution network operating in the capital and Mount Lebanon, the ISF statement said. As a result of intensive surveillance and investigation, a patrol from the Police Unit detained two Syrian girls who were with the minor, along with the Syrian driver, 20 years, who drove them to the suspicious hotels, and the Lebanese man, J.K. Investigation, the statement concluded, is ongoing under a competent judiciary to capture culprits still at large. (Al Mustaqbal, August 3, 2017)

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In its issue of today, Al Mustaqbal newspaper brought to light the making of straw chairs in Saida, with a special focus on the Kuusa family atelier located on the water front of the southern capital facing the fish market. The artisan studio, Al Mustaqbal wrote, attracts passersby with its distinctive chairs, antiques, traditional engraving items, as well as, tents and curtains beautifully handmade from a merge of wood, straw and bamboo by skilled craftspeople. What distinguishes the Kousa family, and other families of artists still working in the craft, is their reliance on manual labor, while employing primitive tools, such as saws, from time to time, Al Mustaqbal said. The traditional trade which stayed alive in specialized stores in Old Saida district, is now threatened with extinction if it does not receive the proper official and cultural support by encouraging people to decorate their homes with heritage pieces. The newspaper pointed out that artisan families have demanded placing the traditional craft studios on the local tourism map in Saida and Lebanon to contribute to the development and restoration of the sector, thus preserving it as a cultural heritage and identity of the city and, at the same time, sustain a livelihood resource for many families. (Al Mustaqbal, August 3, 2017)

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