The Grand Serail in downtown Beirut. (Credit: Nabil Ismaïl)
On Monday, Facebook posts emerged about a mutual agreement contract between the Lebanese government and the cleaning company C-Plus for garden and building maintenance at the Grand Serail.
“$14,430 per month, over-the-counter contract, in a bankrupt country, to clean the gardens of the Grand Serail, seat of the [cabinet] which no one visits, not even the ministers!!!,” posted Lina Hamdan, a former candidate for the legislative elections in Beirut II. “Cleaning the … gardens from the Palace of Versailles would not cost as much!!!!”
The news sparked outrage among some Lebanese.
L’Orient-Le Jour secured a copy of the contract between C-Plus and the Directorate General of the cabinet, dated Feb. 16, 2023.
In the contract, the monthly fee amount is LL1.443 billion (or $13,700 at Tuesday’s parallel-market rate of LL98,000 to the dollar).
“It is true that the fee is indicated in Lebanese lira, but I wanted to convert the amount into dollars to show that the figure is abhorrent,” Hamdan told L’Orient-Le Jour.
Payments are made in lira via bank transfer, according to Aymane Jezzini, the lawyer representing C-Plus.
“Once transferred to our account, we are unable to collect the amount in full, given the bank situation in Lebanon,” Jezzini said.
The amount listed in the contract was revised by the cabinet.
“Before, we were paid less and in lira as well,” Jezzini added.
L’Orient-Le Jour could not independently verify the previous cleaning fee.
Is it indeed a mutual agreement?
C-plus issued a press release explaining that its contract with the Lebanese government is not actually a mutual agreement, adding that it was concluded in 2018 and is renewable on an annual basis.
However, the contract agreement reviewed by L’Orient-Le Jour did in fact include the phrase “by mutual agreement,” meaning without any call for tenders.
A Cabinet source told L’Orient-Le Jour that the contract follows regulations, explaining that it was published on the Public Procurement Authority website. L’Orient-Le Jour verified that the contract is on the website..
A source within the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) explained that “the contract is based on Article 46, paragraph 4 [of the public procurement law], which allows, for reasons of security and state, to be carried out by mutual agreement.”
What does the cleaning fee cover?
According to Jezzini, C-Plus was hired to clean the Grand Serail complex and maintain the garden by spraying pesticides. It is also responsible for providing detergents and hygiene products such as soap, hand gel and tissues, among other items.
“C-plus also pays the salaries of the 47 employees hired to clean the Grand Serail and its buildings. The area we cover is 40,000 square meters,” said Jezzini.
A PPA source confirmed that, in addition to maintaining the garden, as indicated in the contract, C-plus also undertakes “the cleaning of the Grand Serail, including the prime minister’s office.”
Why is C-Plus requesting to be paid in ‘fresh dollars?’
The company issued a press release stating that the amount in lira is no longer sufficient to cover its expenses and that it is working at a loss due to the constant fluctuation of the national currency against the dollar.
“We have to pay our employees and pay for all products in cash; no supplier accepts bank checks,” Jizzini said. “That’s why we are asking that the contract be revised and that we be paid in fresh dollars.”
The company has reportedly asked the Grand Serail to agree on an amount to be paid in fresh dollars and will terminate its services if it does not receive the money. The cabinet has so far refused the request.
This article was originally published in French in L’Orient-Le Jour. Translation by Sahar Ghoussoub.
