The privatization of public sectors would boost economic output and public access to services, Lebanese President Michel Sleiman said Saturday. “We need to think seriously about re-studying subsidies policies in addition to adopting the right privatization methods in some sectors to improve productivity and reduce the burden for citizens,” he said. This is the first time Sleiman has raised the issue of privatization since he took office almost six years ago.

 

Observers believe that privatization is not expected to take place this year as Lebanon will be preoccupied with the presidential and parliamentary elections as well as key security issues. “We need to hasten the adoption of the partnership law between the private and the public sectors while setting the adequate framework for directing foreign and local investments toward services sectors instead of focusing only on bank deposits and the construction sector,” Sleiman added. [Link]