Remains of the day

The March 26 bomb blast that ripped through the Sid el Bouchrieh industrial district destroyed at least six furniture manufacturers and reduced an already struggling business zone to a row of burnt out shells and rubble. By mid-April, one of the main thoroughfares was still blocked, as soldiers in yellow plastic helmets erected scaffolding to begin the rebuilding of the area. In and around Beirut, three other blasts occurred, that, while small by comparison to the explosion that killed former prime minister Rafic Hariri, hit both small businesses and individuals hard, causing damage worth an estimated $10 million. The explosions highlighted not only the fact that war and terrorism related damage generally fall outside insurance coverage, but also shows that while Lebanese business owners generally have health and accident insurances, many are reluctant to buy fire and property packages. According to expert estimates some 50% of Lebanese businesses, especially those