Samir Geagea calls for forming a popular ‘brigade’ to protect the Bekaa area

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea declared  Friday that his party  would support the creation of a popular brigade to defend border towns in the Bekaa area against any jihadist attack, while stressing that such a paramilitary force should only operate under the supervision of the Lebanese army.

In a speech in Maarab during a Lebanese Forces  ceremony, Geagea called for “preventing the movement of arms and gunmen convoys across the border and halting some parties’ continued involvement in the Syrian conflict.”

Samir Geagea  was apparently referring to Hezbollah, which has dispatched fighters into neighboring Syria to bolster Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime against an Islamist-led uprising.

He suggested that the Lebanese state “exert strenuous efforts with the relevant regional and international sides in order to deploy international observers along our eastern border to help the army in the mission of controlling and defending the border.”

Samir Geagea said he supports  vigilante groups that have been created in some eastern border towns to fend off any attack by Syria-based extremist groups  “if it is making the residents feel reassured and safe, ” but he stressed that such groups must operate under the army’s supervision, and “not for the benefit of political parties that brought the Syrian war to Lebanon’s gates.” In another reference to Hezbollah .

Samir Geagea proposed the formation of “a brigade from the Lebanese army supporters, comprised of the sons of the Bekaa border towns who are seeking to guards their towns and villages .”

In reference to the presidential vacuum he underlined that “the fate of four million Lebanese and their political and economic life” should not remain suspended over “the equations in the region and Iran’s share in them.”

“Impeding the presidential vote has not brought a strong president but rather vacuum,” Samir Geagea pointed out, warning that the protracting presidential void might “undermine the political, security and monetary stability.”

“The only way to restore the regularity of the work of institutions … is the immediate election of a president, a president representative who also has the ability to reassure all Lebanese,” he added.

Source:
http://yalibnan.com/2015/07/11/geagea-suggests-forming-popular-brigade-to-protect-the-bekaa-area/

Samir Geagea: E-government would help stamp out corruption

BEIRUT: Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea touted electronic government as an answer to Lebanon’s corruption and bureaucratic red tape Friday, adding that his party’s lawmakers have already prepared a draft law to establish an “e-government.”

Samir Geagea, who spoke from Maarab at a conference entitled “Electronic Government: For a Better Society,” said an electronic government could reduce costs, enhance the productivity of the public sector and facilitate better, faster services for citizens.

“We all know that finishing administrative paperwork takes all day,” he said, lamenting the lost time and corruption when citizens go to renew official documents.

In April, Geagea called for the creation of an e-government as an answer to the country’s notoriously inefficient and corrupt public sector.

At the conference he pressed the point further, alleging that several state institutions are corrupt, and pointing to Lebanon’s rank of 136 out of 175 on the global Corruption Perceptions Index. The Index estimates that corruption costs the state around $800 million a year.

“A draft law has been prepared for an electronic government,” Samir Geagea said. “And our seminar today aims to be a starting point, with practical steps for when the legislative process gets back on track.”

The legislative branch has largely been paralyzed due to the deadlock over Lebanon’s presidency, with Parliament unable to exercise its duties.

“Electronic government is a process to simplify and facilitate governmental proceedings through the Internet in the framework of the state’s general administration, especially at points of interaction between the administration and the citizen,” explained Ghassan Hasbani, an adviser to the LF leader.

Lebanon has the human resources to develop an e-government that rivals those of developed countries, Hasbani explained. “As for infrastructure and digital services, there’s still a long way to go.”

Minister of State for Administrative Development Nabil de Freij explained that e-government could increase investor trust in Lebanon, allowing companies to continue their work without interruption.

MP Mohammad Hajjar, who sits on Parliament’s Information Technology Committee, said that an e-government draft law had been introduced in 2004 by then-MP Ghinwa Jalloul. In 2011, former Prime Minister Najib Mikati created a committee to study it. After making it to the General Assembly, the law was referred to the Parliament’s joint committees, and a subcommittee was created, according to Hajjar. “What’s delaying the draft law is technical barriers, not [opposition] from political parties,” Hajjar said. “Work is currently in process to [ensure the] protection of personal [information] so that it doesn’t reach parties who can use it for suspicious aims.”

Hasbani read a list of recommendations at the conference, which included replacing the government’s paper files with electronic records, implementing electronic bill payment for state fees, developing informatics and communications infrastructure, and involving the private sector and civil society in the formation of a new e-government system.

“Electronic government will not succeed if each administration does not [embrace technology] and have it become the heart of administrative work,” he said.

Lebanese Forces lawmakers prepare e-government draft law: Samir Geagea

BEIRUT: Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea revealed Friday that his party's lawmakers have prepared a draft law to establish an "e-government."

Geagea, who was speaking from Maarab during a conference under the slogan "For a Better Society," said that an electronic government scraps the heavy load of fees that the state is burdened with by giving better services and enhancing the productivity of the public sector.

"The purpose behind today's seminar is to establish a breaking point until legislation is back on track."

Geagea called in April for the creation of an e-government as an answer to the country's notoriously inefficient and corrupt public sector.

"We shouldn't waste time... the creation of an e-government reduces corruption, " Geagea added.

Geagea clarified that several state institutions are corrupt as Lebanon ranks 136 out of 176 on the Corruption Perceptions Index, which annually costs the state around $800 million.

Source:

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2015/Jul-03/304972-lebanese-forces-lawmakers-prepare-e-government-draft-law-geagea.ashx

Samir Geagea Visits Gemayel, Stresses Need for Communication among All Forces

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Thursday visited the newly-elected chief of the Kataeb Party MP Sami Gemayel at the latter's headquarters in Saifi.

“Bringing together the political forces is necessary in any attempt to make a change and this is the aim of the current contacts,” Geagea announced after the talks.

“The visit is mainly aimed at congratulating MP Sami Gemayel” on his election as Kataeb president, the LF leader added.

Commenting on controversy regarding the so-called Christian poll that the LF and the Free Patriotic Movement have recently proposed, Geagea said: “I don't understand all this uproar over the survey, as every party has the right to organize a survey and the issue must not be blown out of proportion.”

“We have not reached a common vision regarding the presidency or the issue of sovereignty, but we will continue with dialogue,” Geagea said, referring to the LF-FPM dialogue.

“We always discuss certain topics with Kataeb but we agree 99% on the political agenda,” he noted.

He described the dialogue with the FPM as “very good,” hoping it will continue to “move forward.”

For his part, Gemayel told reporters after the meeting that Kataeb supports “any rapprochement between any two parties.”

As a suggestion to resolve the presidential crisis, FPM leader MP Michel Aoun has recently proposed organizing a survey to determine which Christian party or parties are the most influential in the country. His idea has garnered the support of Geagea and Marada Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh amid reservations by Kataeb.

Baabda Palace has been vacant since the term of President Michel Suleiman ended in May last year.

The rivalry between Aoun and Geagea is partly to be blamed for the presidential deadlock.

The two leaders had announced earlier this month a declaration of intent, which as a first step, will likely be put into effect through the implementation of Aoun's proposal to carry out the poll.

Source:http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/183729

Samir Geagea: 'We agree with Kataeb on 99 pct of matters'

BEIRUT: The Lebanese Forces and Kataeb Party remain firm allies, the leaders of both Christian groups said Thursday, dismissing rumors of a rift between them.

They also insisted that their alliance would not be shaken by LF’s rapprochement with the Free Patriotic Movement.

“We agree on 99 percent of matters in terms of political vision and agenda,” LF leader Samir Geagea said in a joint news conference with Kataeb’s newly elected chief Sami Gemayel.

“With the Kataeb, we agree on the strategic issues and disagree on some tactical ones,” Geagea said. “While with FPM, we agree on tactical matters and disagree on strategy.”

Gemayel, in turn, expressed support to any rapprochement between Lebanese political groups, especially between Christian parties.

He hoped that all “personal ambitions and partisan interests” would be put aside to find an exit to the country’s political crises.

Geagea explained that the FPM-suggested poll to determine the most popular presidential candidate is not an official referendum, but rather a poll that does not require government approval.

“Nobody can stop others from holding opinion polls,” he added. “It is not a constitution[al amendment] and does not force anybody to do anything.”

He praised the progress already achieved with the “declaration of intent” between his party and the FPM, saying the relationship between two had reached “level zero” after the announcement, climbing from level “minus 70.”

Source:

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2015/Jul-02/304828-geagea-we-agree-with-kataeb-on-99-pct-of-matters.ashx

Samir Geagea : Le sondage proposé par Aoun n’est pas contraignant

Le chef des Forces libanaises, Samir Geagea, a estimé que « le sondage proposé par le chef du CPL, le général Michel Aoun, n'est pas ciblé contre des partis politiques, qu'ils soient chrétiens ou non, car il n'est pas contraignant et ne va pas à l'encontre de la Constitution ».

M. Geagea a tenu ces propos devant une délégation des Forces libanaises de Aley, venue lui rendre visite à Maarab. Il a indiqué qu'il « est possible de venir à bout de la vacance à la tête de l'État ». « Il faut dans ce cadre que les députés se rendent au Parlement et votent au plus tôt pour un nouveau président de la République, a déclaré Samir Geagea. Nous irons ensuite tous féliciter le gagnant », a-t-il dit, appelant « les parties qui bloquent le processus à ne pas attendre des signes ou des développements qui viennent de l'étranger pour agir ».

Sur un autre plan, le chef des FL a estimé que « l'adhésion à des partis politiques constitue l'unique moyen de changer les choses au Liban ». Il a aussi noté que « les chrétiens du Liban se portent bien et cela malgré tout ce qu'ils ont enduré sous la tutelle syrienne ». « Il est temps, a-t-il indiqué, qu'ils retrouvent leur rôle de premier plan. »

Kataëb

Par ailleurs, commentant l'initiative du CPL au sujet du sondage présidentiel, le parti Kataëb a implicitement rejeté la proposition de Michel Aoun, soulignant dans un communiqué publié à l'issue de sa réunion hebdomadaire que « la seule voie qu'il faut prendre pour élire un nouveau président de la République est celle qui est prévue par la Constitution ». « Il faut que les députés qui boycottent actuellement les séances électorales se rendent au Parlement pour choisir un président et toute action qui ne respecte pas cette mesure fait détourner l'attention de l'échéance présidentielle », a souligné le parti Kataëb.

Source:

http://www.lorientlejour.com/article/932358/geagea-le-sondage-propose-par-aoun-nest-pas-contraignant.html

Le sondage d'opinion proposé par Aoun n'est dirigé contre personne, estime Samir Geagea

Le leader des Forces Libanaises (FL) Samir Geagea a estimé mardi que "l'idée du sondage d'opinion proposée par Michel Aoun n'est dirigée contre aucun parti politique, qu'il soit chrétien ou non".

Ce sondage d'opinion "ne porte pas atteinte à la Constitution", explique le chef des FL, ajoutant qu'il n'était pas "contraignant".

Dans un entretien publié vendredi par L'Orient-Le Jour, le leader du Courant patriotique libre (CPL) , le général Michel Aoun avait annoncé qu'il comptait organiser un sondage à grande échelle auprès des chrétiens pour mesurer la popularité de chacun des présidentiables, celui qui recueillerait le plus d'opinions favorables étant censé être désigné "candidat des chrétiens".

Source: 

http://www.lorientlejour.com/article/932229/le-sondage-dopinion-propose-par-aoun-nest-dirige-contre-personne-estime-geagea.html