Social Affairs Minister Richard Kouyoumjian said Sunday that the path to overcoming the political and economic crisis is simple and can be realized through a joint partnership between the private and public sectors.
Referring to the annual budget and the need for reform measures, Kouyoumjian considered that "reform is through partnership between both sectors, since all the burdens shouldered by the government are known, such as the electricity issue or the infrastructure and roads projects."
He added that the state has been incurring huge costs in the electricity sector that have reached around 40 billion dollars for many years, at a time when this sector could have been privatized or at least a partnership could have been ensured between the private and public sectors, in order to save this huge sum. "The same applies for the tele-communications sector, as well as the infrastructure and roads issue," he said.
Kouyoumjian's words came during his patronage of the opening of a new center by the "Ray of Hope" Association in the region of Moallaqa in Zahle, in the presence of the Belgian Culture and Education Minister, Alda Grioli.
Kouyoumjian voiced full support to social bodies and associations, vowing to remain by their side in light of the significant services they provide to the Lebanese community.
For her part, the Belgian Minister talked about her relation with the founders of the Association's Center, expressing her joy to partake in its opening following her previous visit 10 years ago.
"We are celebrating the peace and dignity of the human being," she said, recalling her experience with the children of "Ray of Hope" Association when she visited them for the first time as she assumed her duties of international cooperation within "Chertienne Mutualite".
She added: "If we are people with special needs, parents, association members, politicians or believers, we should have hope and remember every morning that we have people like the founders of this association that inspire us."
TWEET YOUR COMMENT