In light of confusion that prevailed over state decisions regarding a new full lockdown, the Lebanese rushed on Monday to supermarkets and shopping centers to buy food and other necessities.
Photos spread on social media of citizens queuing in front of supermarkets and others showing empty shelves in a number of stores.
Chaos resulting from the government’s management of the Coronavirus crisis is not something new, according to Professor of Policy and Planning at the American University of Beirut (AUB) Nasser Yassin.
“It falls within an approach adopted by the Lebanese authority in managing all of its crises,” he said.
This approach is mainly based on “making random decisions and taking actions that are not based on scientific foundations, but rather on reactions that cannot establish general policies with clear paths and goals.”
In comments to Asharq Al-Awsat, Yassin gives as an example the state’s handling of the financial crisis.
“[The government] first decided to conduct a study of losses ahead of the negotiations with the International Monetary Fund… then withdrew the idea due to pressure, to later talk about criminal auditing,” he remarked.
Yassin considered that confusion and contradictory strategies have become a feature of dealing with various files, especially the important ones.
He noted that the mismanagement of the Covid-19 crisis was remarkably clear in two stages: The first was the failure to establish a mechanism and a plan to track those coming from abroad after the reopening of the airport, which subsequently led to a societal spread; while the second stage was the decision not to impose a lockdown during the holidays in December, despite the serious epidemiological situation.
Moreover, Yassin stressed that the citizens have lost their confidence in the authorities that are managing the health crisis, especially as pictures spread about ministers breaching prevention measures where people were seen attending private events and dinners.
