In Times Of Crisis, Lebanese Squabble Over Clock Change

Beirut, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Mar, 2023 ) :Wracked by a crippling economic meltdown and political deadlock, Lebanon on Sunday added a seemingly odd question to its growing list of woes: "What time is it?" A last-minute decision to delay daylight savings by a month has left the small country divided between two time zones after the move was met with opposition from the influential Maronite Church.

Lebanon's caretaker government announced Thursday its decision to delay rolling clocks forward until April 20, instead of the last week of March as is usually the case in the country and many others in the northern hemisphere.

Institutions including the church, as well as some schools and media outlets instead insisted on turning their clocks forward at midnight (2200 GMT on Saturday).

While the government has not explained the move, a video shared widely on social media may provide an explanation.

It shows a discussion between caretaker prime minister Najib Mikati and parliament speaker Nabih Berri, who asks the premier to delay the clock change until the end of Ramadan, in an apparent attempt to cater to Muslims who fast daily until sunset during the holy month.

Education Minister Abbas Halabi said Sunday the eleventh-hour decision had "inflamed sectarian discourse", arguing a cabinet decision was required to make the change.

In a statement on Twitter, he said schools and universities should observe daylight savings time as initially planned -- but some institutions had already said they would abide by the roll-back.