Harb pays visit to Labor Ministry in opposition stronghold
Transfer of office ceremonies were held at the Environment, Energy and Water Resources, Youth and Sports, and Administrative Development ministries on Friday. Newly appointed Labor Minister Boutros Harb from the parliamentary majority Lebanon First bloc visited his ministry located in the Beirut southern suburb of Msharafieh on Thursday.
He is expected to officially take office during a ceremony on Saturday.
Media reports circulated earlier this week said that Harb might request that the headquarters of his ministry be re-located, fearing for his own safety at the current headquarters which are located in a Hizbullah stronghold.
Harb, however, reported for duty Friday and held a meeting at his ministry with newly appointed Social Affairs Minister Salim Sayegh, who represents the parliamentary majority-aligned Phalange Party in the new government.
The Social Affairs Ministry is also located close to the capital’s southern suburbs.
Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced the new Cabinet line-up on Monday after nearly five months of tough negotiations with his rivals in the Hizbullah-led alliance.
Following his meeting with Sayegh, Harb told reporters that the ministerial committee tasked with drafting the government’s platform must not be afraid of tackling all problematic issues.
He added that various groups represented in the government have agreed “to work together as one team” in order to facilitate the task of the government.
Harb said he informed Sayegh of the minutes of the committee’s first meeting held on Wednesday, so as to bring Sayegh, who missed the first meeting, up-to-date.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Rahhal took office on Friday at the Environment Ministry, Jebran Bassil at the Energy and Water Resources Ministry, Mohammad Fneish at the Administrative Development Ministry and Ali Abdallah at the Youth and Sports Ministry.
On Saturday, more ceremonies are expected to take place at the Social Affairs, Labor, and Tourism Ministry, where newly appointed ministers Sayegh, Harb and Fadi Abboud will take office respectively.