Kataeb Metn Department held a handover and takeover ceremony between the former head of the department, Lawmaker Elias Hankach, and the new head Roger Abi Rached at the party leader’s office Samy Gemayel in Bikfaya.

On the occasion, the former head of the department, Lawmaker Elias Hankach, praised the efforts made by all comrades through joint work and cooperation in the Metn region.

“We experienced difficult challenges, especially during the Coronavirus outbreak and the Beirut port explosion. But we also achieved important successes during this difficult phase. According to the desire of the Kataeb leader, Samy Gemayel, we helped the comrades in the region to establish an emergency committee, which in turn secured about 600 oxygen concentrators during the Corona outbreak, and provided hospital, educational services, in addition to Food rations and diesel,” he said.

"We did many sports activities, and a project to sort organic and inorganic waste. The project was funded by the region, and today about 110 homes and families are participating in this campaign,” he noted.

Hankach stressed the importance of everyone being aware that the challenge has increased a lot, especially in light of the difficult circumstances Lebanon is experiencing. 

“The problem of electricity, water, gasoline, bread and jobs... It is unacceptable to adapt to these crises, and we have to confront because the main problem of the Lebanese people is their adaptation to calamities,” he added,

Hanakach thanked the Kataeb leader Samy Gemayel, and said: "I thank President Samy Gemayel for the confidence he gave me by taking over and managing this region, and who preceded me in managing it by many senior party men such as President Amine Gemayel, Maurice Gemayel and comrades George Kassis, Toufic Dagher, Tony El Hajj, Mounir El Hajj, Hanna El Ghoul, Joseph Bou Abboud, Pierre Jalkh.”

He also wished the new head, comrade Roger Abi Rached, success in his new duties, thanking all the comrades who accompanied him in his journey.

For his part, new Head of Kataeb Metn department, Roger Abi Rached, began his speech by thanking the party’s leader and leadership for their trust.

“I know that the stage is difficult, the challenges are many and the work required of us is great. We, as comrades in the Kataeb Party, are accustomed to the principle that when we are asked for a certain task, we salute and go immediately to implement it. This is what I did and starting from today we will start implementing together,” he noted.

“I was handed the leadership of Metn region, and we all know what this region represents and its value. The equation is simple: each of us bears his responsibility as if he is the head of the region, and in this way we succeed and integrate,” he said.

The Kataeb Leader Samy Gemayel also praised Lawmaker Elias Hankach for his efforts, referring to his work and his activity that led to his candidacy and election. 

He also called on all comrades to participate in the 40th ceremony to commemorate the martyrdom of Bachir Gemayel and his comrades in Achrafieh, Sassine Square on the 14 of September at 6:00 PM.

The ceremony was attended by Deputy Head of the Kataeb party Georges Jreij, the party’s Secretary General Serge Dagher and political bureau member Joelle Bou Abboud.