Transcription
From: Faysal El-Khalil
Subject: It has been too long
Date: 21 april 2021
To: A.D.Dirkzwager
Dear Aadje and Vera,
I pray that this mail finds you both and your loved ones in the best of health. The last time I heard from you was during May 2019 as you were visiting Cyprus, yet it seems that it has been much longer given what is going on in the world and in our country, Lebanon.
First, as you will notice, that my email address has changed and based on what my IT people told me that all the contacts in my address book have been notified.
Just as an update, and as if the Corona pandemic was not enough to distort the world economy and our way of life, Lebanon has finally catapulted into a desperate state of chaos, economic depression, social disruption, etc...as a consequence of the mafia that is ruling the country and the political choices they have taken. The corruption that has been going on and still going on by the ruling mafia supported and protected by the guns of Hezbollah, who in turn get their instructions and finances from the Mullahs of Iran has bankrupted our treasury and put the country under the pressure and burden of close to a hundred-billion dollar debt that Lebanon cannot repay without a massive support package from the World Bank and others, all leading to a massive
devaluation of the Lira. When you visited us, one Dollar was exchanging for 1,500 Liras, the exchange rate now is closer to 12,000 and further devaluation is expected.
We, my family, obviously have not been spared from the
socio/economic impact of what has happened but are fortunate in the sense that most of our operating assets are outside Lebanon and continue to perform reasonably well given the circumstances.
On the health side, we all contracted Corona but thankfully the
symptoms were mild and were able to recover within a reasonable period of time, though full recovery will take longer as we have been informed by our doctors.
I just wanted to touch base again with this brief update, not the most joyful, and look forward to hearing from you.
Stay well and safe, Faysal
