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Today, the president of the Progressive Socialist Party, Walid Jumblatt, delivered to French President Emmanuel Macron, at the Pine Palace, a reform document prepared by “Progressive”, which emerged after the start of the government formation process after the assignment of the ambassador Mustafa Adib to the authorship task, and the focus was on the work stage in the reform process that must begin without delay as soon as the training is completed.
The newspaper placed the Progressive in the custody of the new government, as well as in the custody of all political forces, parliamentary blocs, parties and civil society.
Here is the “Progressive” reform document, and here are its highlights:
An introduction
Traditional approaches falter in the face of the acute crisis in Lebanon, and remedies based on monetary, financial, economic and technical recipes are hampered by the wall of political accounts. The plans were unanimously implemented on the reform as a mandatory input to realize the solution and restore confidence.
Is it possible that the desired reform will see the light in light of the permissibility of the electricity sector, legal and illegal crossings, and other state facilities and sectors, which aggravate the losses of the treasury? All this happens while the process of serious reform stagnates under a political system with which it is impossible to effectively hold the existence of sectarian and partisan reserves responsible.
Therefore, the party returns to present the most important issues of the political and economic structural reform that Lebanon needs to emerge from its crisis that is unprecedented since the establishment of the state of Greater Lebanon.
First:
• The formation of an independent government whose program is based on two basic points: reforms and early parliamentary elections, according to a new non-sectarian law.
On the subject of early elections:
• Change the current electoral law, which contradicts the aspirations of the Lebanese youth and hinders the real reform process.
• Approval of a law for elections outside the sectarian restriction.
• Establish a Senate that preserves the rights of minorities in accordance with the provisions of the Taif Agreement.
Secondly:
Stop waste and rationalize public spending
• Radical reform of the electricity sector to stop financing the deficit.
• Close illegal crossings and prevent smuggling.
• Prevent customs evasion and control tax evasion.
Reform of the electricity sector
• Quick action for the control of technical and non-technical waste.
• Establish laws and regulations that sponsor the electricity sector in rapid implementation, especially the establishment of the Electricity Sector Regulatory Authority.
• The constitution of the “National Electricity Company” as a public limited company, whose shares are subsequently listed for public subscription and listing on the stock market.
• The participation of the Lebanese Electricity Corporation in its assets in the National Electricity Company.
• Invite Lebanese investors to participate in the “National Electricity Company”, provided they apply all international standards that guarantee compliance, trust and transparency. Encouraging the liberal professions unions to contribute to this investment through their funds.
Strengthening and development of the health sector
Strengthen and develop the health sector, with government hospitals prioritizing addressing the Corona pandemic and other health challenges.
Promote and develop the education sector
• Prepare the ground for distance education thanks to the Crown, with the need to ensure fast and free internet, train teachers and ensure access to all students, especially in remote rural areas.
• Modernization of educational curricula.
• Help private schools to ease the financial burden on student parents and ensure continued payment of teacher salaries.
• Support formal industrial vocational schools and institutes, improve the quality of vocational education and training, and strive for greater efficiency by developing relationships between schools and the labor sector.
• Raising the political hand of the Lebanese University and regaining its independence.
Develop a new vision of higher education that restructures universities and their specializations according to the requirements of the labor market.
Reform of the telecommunications sector
• The cellular sector is managed directly by the ministry.
• Activation of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.
Public sector reform
• Abolish public institutions, municipalities and useless funds such as the Left Foundation, the Displaced Persons Fund, the General Corporation for Consumer Markets, the Libnor Foundation, the General Organization of Alternative Cultures, the General Organization of Olive and Olive Oil, the General Organization for the financing of large sports tournaments and others, and the merger of the rest.
• Establish a comprehensive descriptive study for public sector workers from which short and medium-term needs will be determined and surplus employment will be addressed.
• Develop e-government at a faster pace to reduce the scope of corruption in the administration.
• Submit all public institutions to prior control in the Audit Bureau and submit their obligations to the Bidding Department.
• Conduct a comprehensive study and assessment of state properties and assets and develop a plan to benefit from them.
• Counting all the different types of employment in the Civil Service Council.
Reform of the tax system
1. In tax reforms
• The introduction of a uniform tax on all income with progressive rates, including interest on bank deposits, while exempting low-income families from income tax.
Reduce indirect taxes and consumption taxes.
Elimination of tax exemptions.
2. On taxes that must be applied and activated quickly
A wealth tax.
• Work on setting and complying with public, maritime and river property rates, with a review of the percentages and estimates imposed.
• Impose a high tax on all activities that pollute the environment.
• Impose a tax on uninvested property.
• Impose a tax on religious foundations and entities.
Legal reforms
The most important immediate reforms can be summarized as follows:
The independence of the judiciary.
• Public procurement law.
• Implement banking and monetary laws that allow the Banque du Liban to restructure the banking sector.
• Set up the regulatory bodies and administration councils of the sectors, in accordance with current laws.
• A law that obliges parties, associations and organizations of all kinds to declare aid and donations.
• Immediate implementation of the Illicit Enrichment Law 154/1999 and the Law 318/2001 on the Fight against Money Laundering and its amendments, including a clear mechanism for identifying stolen funds.
• The property rental law.
• A law to select candidates from all categories for vacant positions through the active participation of interested regulatory bodies.
• Adopt swift legislation that allows military leaders to invest all assets that belong to the military in a way that provides sustainable income.
Monetary policy correction
Full cooperation with the International Monetary Fund to achieve the following:
• Emphasize the protection of all bank deposits and not violate them as a fundamental right enshrined in the Lebanese constitution.
• The need to respect banking and monetary laws and allow Banque du Liban to implement them.
Reduce interest on existing bank deposits and loans.
Stimulate productive sectors
• Develop a master plan for all subsectors of the industrial, agricultural and knowledge technology sectors, identifying priorities.
• Rapid action for the establishment of a customs protection plan and review of existing customs agreements in order to protect national products.
Exemption of workers in the productive sectors from all types of taxes and fees for a period of up to ten years.
• The application of total or partial exemption of all import duties and taxes on raw materials required for the productive sectors.
• Activate the “single window” mechanism to facilitate the work of investors.
• Support industrial, tourist and agricultural loans through the reactivation of industrial, tourist and agricultural banking.
• Promote work to provide industrial workers with exchange rates for export.
Reform of pension and benefit systems
• Approve a unified modern retirement system and unify guarantor institutions and public sector funds.
• Preserve and guarantee the rights of members of the National Social Security Fund.
• Approve a universal health coverage system for all Lebanese.
• Application of the Defense Law in relation to exceptional measures.
Abolish the assignments of former presidents and representatives.
Poverty, unemployment and the social safety net
• Increase spending on health and education while developing a rapid program for universal health coverage for those below the poverty line.
• Do not violate the deposits of the National Social Security Fund and pay the arrears accumulated by the state.
• Develop the national program for targeting and reducing poverty to make it more sustainable.
• Allocate a substantial part of the sums that will be saved as a result of the reform and control waste and smuggling to establish an “unemployment benefit” to support youth.
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