Speech of Her Excellency MP Mrs. Sethrida Geagea

Speech of Her Excellency MP Mrs. Sethrida Geagea

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

I first would like to thank the government of Cyprus represented by H.E. the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism and all Cypriot Officials who made this event a success.

Today, I represent the Head of the Lebanese Forces Executive Committee who strongly wishes he were with us and who extends his warm greetings to you all. The basic message he needs to convey is that the same way the Lebanese Forces struggled for long years during the war; today it is maintaining the struggle, though with different means. In the framework of its commitment to live up to people’s expectations, the Lebanese Forces is determined to put in tremendous efforts to help restore normal socio-economic and political life to Lebanon. It is hoped that this conference will constitute a step forward in boosting the Lebanese economy at the hands of businessmen and businesswomen like you.

A major observation is worth making on the close link between the political and socio-economic conditions of Lebanon. In fact, the economic challenges we have been facing for a long time now, are the product of the protracted unstable political situation that has marked our existence.

We hope that a new era will begin in Lebanon and will create a new opportunity for us to establish a political and an economic agenda that releases Lebanon from the prison into which it has long been thrown, especially in the last two years. Indeed, the struggle for sovereignty and for freedom will definitely be translated into political and economic gains. Once the political situation improves, and once balance in particular is restored to the power-sharing process, this improvement will automatically be extended to the economic sector. The achievement of balance is a gradual, lengthy, and continuous process that starts with the election of a new president and that involves the formation of a new government and the enactment of a new electoral law, to name but a few.

This conference provides a forum for fruitful discussions among experts in the field, in order to come up with new ideas and initiatives that help alleviate our socio-economic problems.

Needless to say, a comprehensive economic plan should be formulated by taking into account the participation of both the public and the private sectors in handling our crises. The public sector should be freed of huge and unproductive costs while wise measures need to be adopted to increase its revenues.

As for the private sector, Lebanon has always been known for enjoying a very favorable climate attracting local and foreign investment. Such a climate can even be ameliorated with the introduction of reforms to the relevant institutions and regulations. Investment will contribute to the creation of new job opportunities, higher per capita income and higher national income, a surplus in our balance of payments, and an early settlement of our massive public debt, among other benefits.

In its struggle and recovery, Lebanon relies not just on its resident population, but also on its expatriate population that is spread in the four corners of the world. We count on the enormous potential of our expatriates who represent an integral part of Lebanon’s gifted population.

Let our joint efforts expended in the economic sector complement our ambitious political agenda and benefit from its historic achievements.

We hope we can all meet soon in a genuinely free, democratic and prosperous Lebanon that is the fruit of our own labor.

 

Thank you