Nothing illustrates the state of renewable energy in Lebanon better than the solar panels dangling on the wall of the second floor of the building adjacent to Executive’s offices. Four randomly fixed solar panels on the facade constitute the latest addition to an already cluttered scene filled with ill-arranged electricity wires, loose TV cables, dripping air conditioning split units, water tanks, satellite dishes, and unevenly clustered balconies. Each represents the individualism of the vulnerable which feeds on desperation and leads to random asynchronous behavior, and opportunity losses that can never be recovered.
The obvious comparable parallel is the electricity generator business situation. An industry that mushroomed, feeding on citizens’ hunger for a missing living essential and exploited by greed, fraud, and chaos. Absence of regulatory oversight is the ideal environment for shady, corrupt, and irresponsible practices at the expense of helpless citizens who are predisposed to adopt short-term solutions.
It is this virtue at the heart of our survival instinct that is our worst enemy. We have become masters in dealing with catastrophes, relying only on our collective yet individualist problem-solving knacks which seem to have subdued our power to stand up for what is right and confront those responsible. How many more of our rights are we willing to surrender before we realize that our escapist voyeur attitude is what is allowing our corrupt and inept political class to keep coming for more?
To Executive’s neighbor and proud owner of the new solar panels, mabrouk for now, but never forget why you had to invest in this system, and hopefully never forgive those who drove you to do so.
