Time is the newest matter of confusion for the people of Lebanon. Read to know more as the nation’s government is pushing to introduce daylight saving time.
What is Daylight saving time? Why is it confusing people?
Daylight saving time (DST) is the practice of setting your clock forward by an hour. The practice helps in making the best use of daylight since the darkness falls later than usual. Similarly, the clocks are moved back by an hour in the winter. Several nations including the UK, US, Canada, EU, and Australia follow the practice. Across the world, the move is implemented on a Sunday so that schools and businesses have an easier transition.
This time around Daylight Saving Time comes into force by the end of Ramadan. Hence, the decision is creating chaos across the nation as everyone is not on board with it. While some institutions have moved their clocks ahead, several have not. Hence, the citizens are baffled. Children are no longer sure about their school time and adults are either late or early to work.
More on the chaos in Lebanon
Ideally, Lebanon should have begun Daylight Saving Time this Sunday. People were ready as it is standard practice to move their clock ahead on the last Sunday of March. However, the Lebanese government decided to change the rule. On Thursday, Najib Mikati decided to push it to April 21 without giving any reason. Mikati is the nation’s caretaker prime minister. A leaked video shows Nabih Berri, a parliament member in discussion with Mikati to postpone it. This is going to help Muslims break their fast an hour earlier.
While government institutions follow the guidelines, the situation is not the same with private bodies. Currently, all flights scheduled to depart from Beirut Airport have been advanced by an hour. Two mobile phone networks also messaged people to alter the settings to manual to avoid the automatic time change
