Lebanon's Labor Minister Ali Qanso locked horns with Finance Minister Fouad Siniora Wednesday, recommending that his cabinet colleague stick to his own job and not interfere in the affairs of the Labor portfolio, reported the Daily Star newspaper.
"Ministerial solidarity has its own governing rules," Qanso said, "and one of these involves the respect for institutions. It's impermissible for a minister to take the place of another in any matter related to the (original) minister."
The dispute surfaced on Tuesday during parliament's discussion of the 2001 budget, when the Qanso objected to a government plan to privatize the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), said the paper.
Siniora said that "there is no mention of privatizing the NSSF in the justifications.
There's a difference between capitalization and privatization. This proposal isn't binding, and the minister can oppose it." - Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
