Lebanon’s trash crisis reflects the bankruptcy of the country’s political class, Independence Movement leader Michel Moawad said Monday.

“People have had enough.  But they should be aware that corruption among the country’s political class is not the only reason behind their problems. The structure of our centralized government represents another obstacle that prevents us from transforming our individual success into a collective effort to build state institutions,” Moawad argued.

Moawad was speaking at a dinner at his residence in Zgharta in honor of renowned Lebanese sculptors Nayeh and Raymond Alwan upon their return from the Italian city of Cascia where they carved Saint Rita’s statue on stone. St Rita’s statue received the blessings of Pope Francis last month in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican City.

The dinner was attended by a number of municipal and local officials in addition to members of the Independence Movement.

“We gather here today to honor artists Nayef and Raymond Alwan who have preserved Lebanon’s image and raised its name high thanks to their innovation,” Moawad said.

The Alwan brothers praised Moawad for his support and reiterated their belief in Lebanon as a country where art meets beauty and holiness.

Moawad said Lebanon is “facing a struggle between those who seek to promote art and innovation on the one hand, and those who plunged the country into the trash crisis and extremism, which doesn’t resemble us.”