Subcommittee on Public Works Follows Up on Cracked and Collapsing Buildings File

The subcommittee derived from the Committee on Public Works, Transport, Energy, and Water, tasked with examining the issue of cracked and collapsing buildings with relevant parties, held a session at eleven o'clock presided over by MP Ibrahim Menemneh, attended by MP Adnan Tarabulsi.

Also present were Justice Ministry representative Judge Elie Maalouf, Beirut Governor Judge Marwan Abboud, Mount Lebanon Governor Judge Mohammad Makawi, Secretary General of the Higher Relief Council Brigadier General Bassam Nabulsi, Secretary General of the National Council for Scientific Research in Lebanon Shadi Abdullah, Director General of the Public Housing Institution Roni Louhoud, and Director General of Local Administrations and Municipalities in the Interior and Municipalities Ministry Faten Abu Hassan.

Attending were also the Dean of Engineers in Beirut Engineer Fadi Hanna, the Dean of Engineers in Tripoli Engineer Shawqi Fattaf, representatives of the Internal Security Forces Directorate General Colonel Bahaa Al-Samad and Major Bassam Richa, representative of the Mayor of Tripoli Engineer Mustafa Fakhr al-Din, and Acting Director of Social Development in the Social Affairs Ministry Marie Ghiya.

Also present were Head of Projects Management at the Council for Development and Reconstruction Engineer Ibrahim Ibrahim, Head of Buildings Department at the Council for Development and Reconstruction Engineer Zeina Srour, Head of Special Annexation and Division Department in the Civil Engineering Directorate General of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport Josette Awad, Head of Buildings Department in Beirut Municipality Hani Al-Arab, and Head of Monitoring Department in Beirut Municipality Ghassan Elias.

The committee listened to opinions and observations from various concerned parties regarding the reality of cracked and collapsing buildings and mechanisms for addressing them, noting that it would continue completing the discussion in subsequent sessions.