In 2003, the manufacturing sector witnessed some improvements, mainly related to healthier exports. By and large, though, 2003 has not been much different from previous years. The fact remains that Lebanese manufacturers are still operating in a moribund economy. Furthermore, mixing politics and economics is adding to our woes. Lebanon doesn’t know in which direction it is heading. The Lebanese Government has run out of ideas on how to promote growth, as was clear most grievously in the tariff-lowering decisions of the year 2000, when the death sentence was passed on the Lebanese manufacturing sector. However, the last wish of the condemned was not even granted, when, upon lowering tariffs, the government reneged on a promise to create a ministerial committee to assess and bring down the costs of production, to offset the damage resulting from lower tariffs. In fact, instead of bringing down costs of production, the government burdened
