The decision by the Lebanese government to postpone the start of daylight saving time has caused controversy in the country. Several institutions, including the Maronite Patriarchate, have announced their disapproval of the decision. The matter took a sectarian turn, which has resulted in the general public taking to social media to voice their opinions. Lebanon usually adheres to Universal Summer Time, which is due to begin on Sunday, March 26th. However, this year, the Council of Ministers extended the winter time work until the night of April 20th-21st. This has led to confusion among several institutions, including Middle East Airlines and communication companies such as “Alfa” and “MTC”. The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC) and MTV channel have both announced their non-compliance with the decision, citing the impact it might have on their business. The Maronite Patriarchate has also decided not to implement the decision and will instead adhere to Universal Daylight Savings Time. The situation has caused unrest among the general public and has led to a sectarian divide, resulting in sarcastic comments on social media. Commentators have deemed the decision as unjustified, especially with Lebanon currently undergoing a financial crisis.
A government decision to postpone daylight saving time is causing controversy in Lebanon
Saturday – 3 Ramadan 1444 AH – March 25, 2023 AD
The clock tower in the square of the coastal town of Jdeidet al-Matn, north of Beirut (AFP)
Beirut: «Asharq Al-Awsat»
The government’s decision to postpone working in summer time until following the month of Ramadan sparked widespread controversy and discontent in Lebanon, with several institutions, led by the Maronite Patriarchate, announcing their lack of commitment to it.
The decision took a sectarian turn, which sparked sarcastic comments on social media.
Lebanon adheres annually to the Universal Summer Time, which begins this year on Sunday, March 26, but the Lebanese Council of Ministers decided, according to what was announced Thursday, to extend the work of winter time “exceptionally” until the night of April 20-21.
Activists on social media circulated a video showing a dialogue between Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati regarding extending winter time beyond Ramadan.
The government’s decision resulted in confusion among several institutions. And the Middle East Airlines announced, “Advancing the departure times for all flights departing from Rafic Hariri International Airport by one hour,” following it issued its travel cards according to the World Summer Time timings.
“Alfa” and “MTC” communications companies asked subscribers to manually adjust the clock settings on their cell phones to avoid changing the time as programmed according to daylight saving time.
Several institutions announced their non-compliance with the decision, such as television stations, including the MTV channel and the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International (LBC), which indicated that non-compliance with the global clock “will affect our business.”
Pierre Daher, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation, told Agence France-Presse: “If the state had taken its decision months ago and not 48 hours ago, there would have been no problem.” The worst thing is that the decision to adhere to daylight savings time or not took a sectarian turn.
The Maronite Patriarchate announced that it would not implement the decision, and that it would adhere to Universal Daylight Savings Time. In a statement, her media office criticized the decision-making “without consultation with the rest of the Lebanese components, and without any regard for international standards, and for the confusion and damage at home and abroad.”
Lawyer Walid Ghayyad, media advisor to the Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Beshara Al-Rai, told Agence France-Presse that the Patriarchate’s decision is “a position so as not to increase Lebanon’s isolation.” He added, “Such a decision must be reported a year ago, because it causes harm to people, and it is not taken over a cup of coffee.”
Both the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces party, the most prominent Christian party, objected to the decision.
Commentators on social media ridiculed the exaggerated reaction and its sectarian turn, considering it unjustified, especially in a country exhausted by crises and witnessing an economic collapse that has left 80 percent of its population below the poverty line.
One of them wrote: “Apart from the insignificance of the summer time decision, we see an exaggerated reaction and an excuse for sectarian exhaustion.”
Another mocked, saying: “Do you see that tomorrow when our children study history (they will find) that the civil war in Lebanon broke out in 2023 because the clock was not brought forward?”
Commentators also considered that the decision will not change anything in the life of the fasting person during the month of Ramadan, since the number of hours of fasting will not change. And one of them wrote in a tweet: “The idea is to break your fast early, knowing that you do not have (money) to break your fast with.”
Lebanon
Lebanon News
The decision to postpone daylight saving time in Lebanon has caused controversy and dissent among various institutions, with many failing to comply with the government’s decision. The issue has taken on a sectarian tone, sparking sarcastic remarks on social media. The confusion and damage caused by the decision have only added to the existing crises in the country. Ultimately, the decision to postpone daylight saving time was seen as unnecessary and unjustified, given the significant challenges the country is already facing.
