Conflict Incident Report

BEIRUT: Greater Beirut’s waste contractor Sukleen promised to pay garbage truck drivers for their services, following a protest outside one of their offices south of the city Friday. Lebanon’s Traffic Management Center reported that trucks blocked the road outside the eastern side of Sukleen’s center in the Choueifat district. The road was reopened after more than an hour of protests, the TMC later tweeted. Local media said the demonstration was held because Sukleen hadn’t paid employees their salaries. The truck drivers, who had delivered trash from Choueifat to the now-closed Naameh landfill, threatened escalatory measures if they were not paid, local media added. Sukleen later issued a statement promising to pay the truck drivers as soon as it receives earnings from the government. “Sukleen wants to clarify that it has not fallen behind paying its debts, but because of the huge amount of the accumulated trash and the need to collect it very quickly, in line with the Lebanese government’s plan, which required a lot of work, the company is waiting for the due payments from the Lebanese state,” the statement read. “The amounts will then be paid to the contractors and truck drivers, without interruption.”