George Okais to "Dialectic": Less than 10% of MPs have knowledge in legislation.

As a member of this parliamentary committee, George Okais discusses the projects being implemented by the committee. "We took on two of the 17 goals from 2019-2020. The first goal is 'to eradicate poverty,' and the second is Goal 16, 'peace, justice, and strong institutions,'" he explains. "Regarding the first goal, the committee chairwoman, Dima Jamali, proposed the Sustainable Development Goals Law, which not only targets 'the eradication of poverty' but also the second goal of eliminating hunger." From the Food Waste Prevention Law, Okais opens the discussion on the legislative requirements for effective action in the Lebanese Parliament.

What is the legal and legislative importance of the Food Waste Prevention Law?
In Lebanon, there are many social initiatives of this kind. Therefore, the goal of this proposed law is to frame and institutionalize these initiatives. Perhaps the most important aspect of this law is the creation of a Food Bank. I also believe that during the discussions in the subcommittee, we will review laws from other countries that have implemented similar measures. For instance, some countries have laws related only to canned goods, but in Lebanon, the focus is primarily on cooked food due to the excess seen on tables and the widespread presence of Lebanese restaurants across the country, which generate a large amount of food.

To apply this law properly later, it requires the establishment of Food Bank branches in various regions that are qualified to communicate with warehouses, consumer cooperatives, and restaurants, as well as providing modern, refrigerated transport and creating a two-way distribution network—both from the producers of these foods to those in need, based on lists of families or associations that handle distribution after verifying their eligibility to receive food. In this context, funding must be allocated to ensure the desired results are achieved.

People are not aware of what food waste prevention is or its importance. Shouldn’t awareness campaigns be launched about this law?
For me, and I might be wrong, there is a certain level of awareness about this issue due to ongoing and long-standing initiatives, which makes the groundwork ready for introducing and implementing it. It may be useful to focus on enhancing awareness about the importance of food waste prevention after the law is passed, so everyone is informed about its details. This law contributes more to eliminating hunger than poverty. Poverty doesn’t only mean a lack of food, but also a lack of heating and other basic life necessities.
Do we need the judiciary to ensure the implementation of the law after its approval?
We may need the judiciary in one case: if penalties are imposed on those who violate the application of the law. As of now, I am not sure what direction the subcommittee will take in this regard, but personally, I do not prefer to impose an obligatory nature. In my view, this project should adopt a spirit of solidarity and volunteerism from a humanitarian standpoint, as we cannot force someone to practice humanity or punish them for it. I believe that the easier the implementation mechanisms are, the more people will respond.

Based on your parliamentary work, how do you contribute to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically regarding the two goals you mentioned?
My parliamentary work is mainly focused on achieving Goal 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals, i.e., 'peace, justice, and strong institutions.' It is worth noting that I am one of the MPs who proposed and signed the draft law on judicial independence. Goal 16 largely focuses on a fair judiciary. In my opinion, this law forms the backbone of reform, and it is the first time it has been presented in Parliament since 1996.

I am also working on the issue of the right to access information and transparency in the oil and gas sector.
Trust between citizens and MPs is almost nonexistent. How will you convince people of the legislative work you are doing?
One of the basic conditions for the success of the parliamentary experience, in my opinion, is that the MP should be at least minimally knowledgeable about legislative work. Unfortunately, I can say that the percentage of MPs who have a legal background or experience does not exceed 10%. Also, it is essential to automate everything to track laws and legislation and make them accessible electronically. Third, it is important to appoint or bring in legal interns or university students to work in MPs' offices, especially those who want to present themselves as legislators but lack a legal background. We have the competencies to achieve this, as between 800 and 1,000 graduates emerge annually from universities.
It is also crucial to develop a strategy for legislation and to evaluate the impact of each law, known as Impact Assessment.
Therefore, it is necessary to form a large specialized body to measure the impact of laws, and this is not the responsibility of MPs. For example, a traffic law was passed in Lebanon, yet the number of accidents increased, which raises questions about the law's failure. This is where the importance of evaluating the impact of each law comes in—to study the effectiveness or failure of any law and the reasons behind it. In the case of the Food Waste Prevention Law, this mechanism will allow me to monitor the law's effectiveness, ensuring food reaches families in need appropriately, whether the money saved is invested elsewhere, and to monitor whether restaurants and establishments involved are adhering to the law correctly.