Lebanon Government's last minute decision to delay putting clocks forward ... trends now

Lebanon Government's last minute decision to delay putting clocks forward ... trends now
Lebanon Government's last minute decision to delay putting clocks forward ... trends now

Lebanon Government's last minute decision to delay putting clocks forward ... trends now

A last-minute decision by the Lebanese Government to delay the start of daylight-saving time until the end of Ramadan next month has caused mass confusion throughout the country.

Prime Minister Najib Mikati made the decision on Thursday and many institutions have implemented the change while others have refused, causing thousands of Lebanese to juggle work and school schedules in different time zones.

The 55-mile-wide Mediterranean country normally puts its clocks forward an hour on the last Sunday of March in line with Europe and other regions but it has been pushed back until April 21.

Although no reason was given for the decision it was widely seen as attempt to allow the country's Muslim population fasting during Ramadan to break their fasts an hour earlier.

But it has caused mass confusion provoked sectarian sensitivity with many Christian and private institutions, including the Maronite Church, schools and TV stations, refusing to recognise the move.

The 55-mile wide Mediterranean country normally puts its clocks forward an hour on the last Sunday of March in line with Europe and other regions, but has been pushed back until April 21. Pictured: The landmark clock tower of the Lebanese Government Palace

The 55-mile wide Mediterranean country normally puts its clocks forward an hour on the last Sunday of March in line with Europe and other regions, but has been pushed back until April 21. Pictured: The landmark clock tower of the Lebanese Government Palace 

Mr Mikati, a Sunni Muslim, announced the decision after a meeting with Shi'ite parliament speaker Nabih Berri, who repeatedly insisted on the change, according to a video of the meeting published by Lebanese outlet Megaphone.

Mr Berri said in the video: 'Instead of it being 7 o'clock, let it stay 6 o'clock from now until the end of Ramadan.'

Mr Mikati responds that he had made a similar proposal but goes on to say that implementing the change would be difficult as it would cause problems in airline flight schedules, to which Mr Berri interjects, 'What flights?' 

Lebanon's state airline, Middle East Airlines, said the departure times of all flights scheduled to leave from the Beirut airport between Sunday and April 21 would be advanced by an hour.

The country's two cellular telephone

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