Lebanese politicians hit back at the World Bank on Wednesday, a day after the international financial institution warned it may suspend financing for Lebanon’s vaccination programme if allegations of cronyism are proven.
The controversy, which involved lawmakers jumping the vaccine queue, prompted several MPs to publicly apologise – but others remained defiant.
Deputy parliament speaker MP Elie Ferzli called Saroj Kumar Jha, the World Bank Regional Director for the Middle East, a “liar” and accused him of politicising the incident.
“Upon confirmation of violation, World Bank may suspend financing for vaccines and support for Covid-19 response across Lebanon!!” Mr Kumar Jha tweeted on Tuesday.
But the World Bank's spokeswoman for Lebanon doubled down on Mr Kumar Jha's earlier comments, telling The National the institution was committed to "helping countries provide fair, broad and fast access to vaccines to save lives" but was also prepared to take action in case of breaches.
“The World Bank confirms that if necessary, it is prepared to suspend financing for vaccines and the Covid-19 response across Lebanon, following reports of violations of the National Deployment and Vaccination Plan and the legal agreement underpinning the Bank’s support,” Zeina Khalil said. She also said the world body would issue a full statement on the situation soon.
Mr Ferzli denied any breaches, saying his inoculation along with other MPs aged 70 and older took place in Parliament in co-ordination with the Health Ministry and under the observation of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent, which the World Bank asked to monitor the process.
IFRC regional spokeswoman Rana Cassou told The National two monitors were sent to parliament on Tuesday morning to observe the process and to report back to the World Bank.
The monitors were sent after the federation was told of the chosen vaccination site in the daily report filed by the Health Ministry, Ms Cassou said.
“We’re a neutral agency. According to our role and mandate, we only monitor and record our observations. The final call is up to The World Bank,” Ms Cassou said.
The World Bank previously said it was working with IFRC to ensure the transparency of Lebanon’s vaccination campaign.
But Tripoli MP Nicolas Nahhas criticised the World Bank’s reaction.
He said its officials ought to have communicated any concerns through official channels.
Mr Nahhas, 74, said he had fully complied with the programme’s criteria and registered to receive the vaccine using the official platform two weeks earlier.
He said Parliament Secretariat requested the inoculation of MPs on site for logistical and security reasons.
Others lawmakers were less critical of the World Bank, yet insisted they shouldn’t be accused of flouting the rules.
MP Yassin Jaber, a member of Speaker Nabih Berri’s parliamentary bloc who sits on the budget and finance parliamentary subcommittee, said his medical condition and the nature of his work justified the shot. He said it occurred in line with standard protocol.
“Four members of the subcommittee which are regularly meeting to study a new public procurement law have contracted Covid-19, along with several administrative staff, which reflect the high-risk exposure that lawmakers are facing,” Mr Jaber said.
Lebanon has received a total of 60,000 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine doses, in two batches, since February 13.
More than 22,000 vaccines have been administered through the national vaccination platform, with 60 per cent of the shots going to healthcare workers. But tens of thousands of registered frontline health workers and elderly Lebanese aged 75 and above have yet to receive the vaccine.
Lebanon has secured a total of 2.1 million doses from Pfizer through funding from the World Bank, which had approved the reallocation of a $34 million loan under the existing Lebanon Health Resilience Project to support vaccines for Lebanon. The remaining batches are set to arrive gradually this year.
Abdul Rahman Bizri, head of the national Covid-19 committee, described the vaccination of politicians as “unacceptable” on Tuesday.
Mr Bizri, who asked for clarifications on why parliamentarians received preferential treatment, said the committee will meet this evening to discuss the matter.
After 24 hours of silence from the Ministry of Health's end, outgoing minister Hamad Hassan appeared in a TV interview on Lebanon's state-owned channel, TeleLiban, to touch on the national vaccination strategy and his role in liaising inoculations for parliamentarians.
According to Mr Hassan, the vaccinations were "not a violation", but rather a "sovereign" decision that he took in return for the parliament's efforts in passing an emergency vaccine law.
Based on the ages of the vaccinated lawmakers, he believes the ministry did not "defy logic" by allowing for their inoculations.
"This was not a mistake, but rather a loophole that gives us perspective for the future," he said.
He also admitted to discrepancies that took place in several vaccination centres, explaining that "rare are the countries that achieved just vaccine distribution" and asking citizens not to judge the vaccine drive so soon.
His justification was met with public fury as many criticised MPs for skipping the line and securing their vaccine doses ahead of priority groups.
As of Thursday morning, 77,774 healthcare workers were registered on IMPACT, the ministerial platform, and only 14,851 have been vaccinated.
What went into the film
25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
3,000 technicians
10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
New sound technology, named 4D SRL
BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
GROUP RESULTS
Group A
Results
Ireland beat UAE by 226 runs
West Indies beat Netherlands by 54 runs
Group B
Results
Zimbabwe tied with Scotland
Nepal beat Hong Kong by five wickets
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
Sui Dhaaga: Made in India
Director: Sharat Katariya
Starring: Varun Dhawan, Anushka Sharma, Raghubir Yadav
3.5/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
MATCH INFO
Maratha Arabians 107-8 (10 ovs)
Lyth 21, Lynn 20, McClenaghan 20 no
Qalandars 60-4 (10 ovs)
Malan 32 no, McClenaghan 2-9
Maratha Arabians win by 47 runs
The biog
Prefers vegetables and fish to meat and would choose salad over pizza
Walks daily as part of regular exercise routine
France is her favourite country to visit
Has written books and manuals on women’s education, first aid and health for the family
Family: Husband, three sons and a daughter
Fathiya Nadhari's instructions to her children was to give back to the country
The children worked as young volunteers in social, education and health campaigns
Her motto is to never stop working for the country
Hot%20Seat
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Timeline
1947
Ferrari’s road-car company is formed and its first badged car, the 125 S, rolls off the assembly line
1962
250 GTO is unveiled
1969
Fiat becomes a Ferrari shareholder, acquiring 50 per cent of the company
1972
The Fiorano circuit, Ferrari’s racetrack for development and testing, opens
1976
First automatic Ferrari, the 400 Automatic, is made
1987
F40 launched
1988
Enzo Ferrari dies; Fiat expands its stake in the company to 90 per cent
2002
The Enzo model is announced
2010
Ferrari World opens in Abu Dhabi
2011
First four-wheel drive Ferrari, the FF, is unveiled
2013
LaFerrari, the first Ferrari hybrid, arrives
2014
Fiat Chrysler announces the split of Ferrari from the parent company
2015
Ferrari launches on Wall Street
2017
812 Superfast unveiled; Ferrari celebrates its 70th anniversary
Company%20profile
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday Hertha Berlin v Union Berlin (11.30pm)
Saturday Freiburg v Borussia Monchengladbach, Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Dortmund, Cologne v Wolfsburg, Arminia Bielefeld v Mainz (6.30pm) Bayern Munich v RB Leipzig (9.30pm)
Sunday Werder Bremen v Stuttgart (6.30pm), Schalke v Bayer Leverkusen (9pm)
Monday Hoffenheim v Augsburg (11.30pm)
Plan to boost public schools
A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.
It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.
Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.
Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.
If you go
Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.
Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com
A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
