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Elie Hasbani responds to Mar Mikhael works suspension article

Elie Hasbani, former Beirut city Counselor sent L'Orient Today a clarification note regarding the article titled: MP denies 'political' intervention after Mar Mikhael works suspended, published on June 6, 2023.

The message Hasbani sent to L'Orient Today is as such:

With reference to the article entitled: "MP denies 'political' intervention after Mar Mikhael works suspended," where Jad Tabet accused me of wrong doing mentioning some wrong facts, I would like to underline some clarifications:

The local residents had signed the first petition rejecting the project and recommending some alterations and registered it in the Municipality on 15th April 2023.

Failure to achieve any results, they arranged for a second petition with many more signatures and approached me explaining their concerns and asking me for help to get the Municipality to listen to them and to take them seriously because I’m a previous member of Beirut Municipality Council. They also spoke to the local MPs.

A meeting was first held with Urban Lab director to understand the project then The Governor called for a meeting in his office on 16th May 2023. MPs Hasbani and Terezian were present as well as Urban Lab Leaders including M. Tabet and the contractor with Municipality officials and local residents, which resulted in the Governor ordering the halt of the works until necessary amendments are carried out.

In your article, Mr Tabet made false accusations about me and the processes by which the project was planned.

I would urge Mr Tabet, and all concerned parties, to read the signed petition carefully.

I would also repeat asking him and the Municipality to produce the documents they keep talking about for the sake of truth and credibility! :

1- The alleged Traffic Impact Report on which this decision was based.

(Or was it simply an opinion?!)

2- The alleged Professional Public Hearing. (or was it merely a marketing exercise ??)

3- The related report of the Traffic Management Department in the Municipality which we understand was not in favor of the project (and has never been in favor of narrow roads for the last decades..)

4- The Municipality decision with a copy of the related City Council Minutes of Meeting showing the signatories names. As we understand, they do not include those of the present protesters.

Their credibility is on the line !


Elie Hasbani

Former Beirut City Councilor  

Elie Hasbani, former Beirut city Counselor sent L'Orient Today a clarification note regarding the article titled: MP denies 'political' intervention after Mar Mikhael works suspended, published on June 6, 2023.The message Hasbani sent to L'Orient Today is as such:With reference to the article entitled: "MP denies 'political' intervention after Mar Mikhael works suspended," where Jad Tabet...