In collaboration with the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics (FBAE) at Notre Dame University- Shouf Campus (NDU-SC), Radio Free Lebanon (RFL) broadcast its Hiwar Beirut program live from campus on May 19, 2016, moderated by journalist and presenter Rima Khaddaj Hamadeh, the program dealt with the topic of Corruption in the Public and Private Sectors.
Ms. Khaddaj Hamadeh first welcomed the guests and provided a brief history of the university. Fr. Hanna Tayar, Director of NDU-SC initiated the discussion with pertinent questions about corruption while asking guest speakers to probe possible solutions.
Guest speakers, Antoine Zahra, parliament member and member of the Lebanese Forces party, Dr. Elie Menassa, Dean of FBAE at NDU and Mr. Nasser Assrawi, Unit Director of Technical Cooperation at the Office of the Administrative Development Minister, discussed the aspects and consequences of corruption.
MP Zahra enumerated the social consequences and economic cost of corruption stressing the need to limit it and highlighting the role of the Lebanese Forces party in fighting it. Despite the aggravated state of corruption in the country, MP Zahra insisted that eradicating it remains possible if coupled with an individual will and commitment to transparency and integrity.
Dr. Elie Menassa distinguished between corruption in the public sector and the private sector. He pointed out that the first refers to the misuse of entrusted power and authority of public officials in their daily interactions with citizens and includes bribery, clientelism and embezzlement whereas the second refers to scam and fraudulent acts and includes tax evasion and avoidance, collusion, money laundry, favoritism…
Mr. Nasser Assrawi, explained that the problem of corruption in Lebanon is multifaceted thereby making the path of reform cumbersome but not impossible. He emphasized that the main obstacle to reform in the public administration is not the absence of projects or expertise but rather the absence of collective will and the resistance of some groups in power for change.
The second part of the forum was devoted to the questions and comments of the audience. Journalists Mr. Walid Al Dahouk, Ms. Sanaa Daou, Mr. Salman Nasr and Mr. Bassam Daou, Lawyer Pierre Adwan, Dr. Wael Dbeissy, Mr. Ghazi Saab and NDU instructors and students participated in the discussion, asked valuable questions and expressed their opinions on the appropriate ways to initiate reform in the public realm.
Concluding the event, Mrs. Rima Khaddaj Hamadeh thanked the audience for their attendance and Dr. Talie Al Kassamany, the Coordinator of FBAE at NDU-Shouf Campus, as well as Father Hanna Tayar, Director of NDU-Shouf Campus.
The event was followed by a distribution of shields of honor as a gesture of appreciation from the university’s administration to the guest speakers and Mrs. Khaddaj Hamadeh.