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Collecting unpaid debts from quarry owners: Groundbreaking initiative announced by Nasser Yassin

This announcement by the caretaker Environment Minister could yield half a billion dollars if completed.

Collecting unpaid debts from quarry owners: Groundbreaking initiative announced by Nasser Yassin

A quarry carves out the mountains near the village of Ain Dara, in July 2019. (Credit: Joseph Eid/AFP)

Could this be the start of a thorough reform of the quarry sector? The statement made by the caretaker Environment Minister Nasser Yassin from the Faculty of Law and Political Science at Saint Joseph University (USJ) on Thursday, seems to suggest so. "This morning, we sent the first official reports to quarry owners who need to settle their dues to the state," he announced.

These debts to the state that quarry operators need to settle are unpaid taxes, compensation for environmental damage and fines for the use of illegal sites. An action plan aiming to recover $2.4 billion in unpaid debts from quarry operators was announced by the minister in September 2023, following a study conducted with the Lebanese Army.

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Yassin explained to L’Orient-Le Jour on Thursday that "this first wave of official reports was intended for the owners of 450 quarries who have a tax number with the Ministry of Finance, and who account for the overwhelming majority of the largest quarries in terms of area." He estimates that these unpaid debts, if all collected, would amount to over $550 million.

This money is expected to be channeled to the Ministry of Finance, which, according to Yassin, has not agreed to create a specific account. "However, we have reached an agreement with the Ministry of Finance that this money will go to environmental projects in areas heavily damaged by these quarries," he added. "After that, we will have to address the quarries operating entirely illegally, which will be another challenge, but it must be tackled."

Dean Marie-Claude Najm, USJ Rector Salim Daccache, and Minister Nasser Yassin presenting a certificate to one of the participants in the Youth4Governance program on Thursday at the Faculty of Law at USJ. (Credit: Suzanne Baaklini/L’Orient-Le Jour)

The minister already expects appeals from the main parties involved, often individuals connected to the political establishment. "They have the right to retaliate, but this should not delay the payment of debts, and it will then be up to judges to decide, knowing that the law is clear," he emphasized.

The contribution of young people

This measure is, therefore, the first practical phase of implementing the 2023 plan. It was announced from USJ because a team of young people from the Youth4Governance program, established through a collaboration between the Faculty of Law and Siren Associates since 2021, tackled this issue within the Ministry of Environment this year.

During the internship program within the ministry, data was collected into a single platform, fieldwork was conducted with populations suffering from the proximity of quarries, public perception of this sector was surveyed and students created an interactive map based on satellite images and artificial intelligence.

Among the figures collected by the students and placed on a platform dedicated to this topic, the total number of quarries to date is 1,474, with only one operating under a proper permit and in compliance with laws. Over 198 million cubic meters of raw materials were extracted, and nearly 4,000 law violations by quarry owners were recorded.

The site where the data on quarries is now located, featuring a map based on satellite photos and artificial intelligence to track progress on sites, will henceforth allow officials as well as judges deciding potential complaints by disgruntled operators to save time and energy to resolve these issues.

"We are proud of this program because it is based on a strong vision, the bet on public service and the common good," said Marie-Claude Najm, Dean of the Faculty of Law and Political Science at USJ. "The path is long and complex, and we need to work on the long term to rehabilitate the law. That is our wish for the action of the forming government," added the former Minister of Justice.

As for Carole Charabati, founder of Siren, she emphasized the professionalism of the young people, who worked in close synergy with each other and in perfect collaboration with ministry officials, offering a good lesson in governance.

Maria al-Tom and Georges Younes, two students from USJ who participated in this year's career program. (Credit: Suzanne Baalkini/L'Orient-Le Jour)

"We faced many challenges, especially at the beginning," said Maria al-Tom and Georges Younes, two students who participated in the program, to L'OLJ. The information was difficult to find and incomplete, even at the ministry level, and it took several months to gather everything. They also faced skepticism and resignation from those they approached. Tom said that "the public remains generally unaware of the details of this issue."

But they are especially proud of their work. "I am honored to serve my country at such a young age, and in such a significant area," said Younes. "We learned a lot in a short time," added Tom.

Could this be the start of a thorough reform of the quarry sector? The statement made by the caretaker Environment Minister Nasser Yassin from the Faculty of Law and Political Science at Saint Joseph University (USJ) on Thursday, seems to suggest so. "This morning, we sent the first official reports to quarry owners who need to settle their dues to the state," he announced.These debts...