09 June 2010
BEIRUT: Electricite du Liban (EDL) unions on Tuesday voiced their rejection of any attempt to privatize the electricity sector or even consider any form of partnership with the private sector.
The unions made the statement following a meeting with heads of departments at EDL who also expressed similar views.
“Just as we rejected privatization of electricity in the past we also reject any partnership with the private sector. Contrary to what some people think, the privatization or a partnership will be an additional burden on EDL and its employees,” the statement said.
Citing an example, the statement said that private maintenance companies that oversee the operation of Zahrani and Der Ammar power plants charge LL60 billion ($40 million) each year.
It added that the entire EDL staff, estimated at 2,000 full time employees, cost $40 million a year.
The statement said that it is more advisable to hire more employees to carry out the same duties of private companies as this step is far less costly than passing all the power plants and installations to the private companies.
EDL has become a real burden to all successive governments which allocated nearly $1.4 billion each year to cover the losses of the company. – The Daily Star
Copyright The Daily Star 2010.
