LEBANON: Youssef Magid Saad has been Mayor for almost 60 years

CHOUF (Daily Star), May 14, 2004: This is a love story between one man and a village - a story that has endured for what even the most reasonable observer would say is an extraordinarily long time. For almost 60 years now, Youssef Magid Saad has been the mukhtar of Kneiseh in the Chouf qada of Mount Lebanon. According to an official statement of the Interior Ministry, he is the longest-serving mayor in Lebanon. Elected mukhtar in 1948, Saad has never faced an opponent and always enjoyed unanimous support. "I was born in Brazil in 1914," said the 90-year-old patriarch, who still speaks with the eloquence and coherence of a 40 year-old-man. "I came back to my native village of Kneiseh in 1922 where I continued my study of French and Arabic." Back then, Saad said, the village "school" was an oak-tree beneath which "classes" were taught by a single teacher. At the age of 30, Saad moved from Kneiseh to Beirut, where he studied for three years before taking the Brevet - the official government exams held at the end of intermediate classes. "At that time," Saad said proudly, "holding a Brevet degree was regarded as a respectful academic achievement." Holders of such a degree, the mayor said, were allowed to teach in public schools. And so he did. "I taught primary classes in a school in Beirut for four years before going back to Kneiseh where I assisted my uncle, who was mukhtar at the time." At his uncle's death, Saad's father was elected mukhtar. "But my father was a merchant, a very busy man," he said, "and he didn't have much time to dedicate to his activities as a mukhtar, so I offered my assistance and represented him in most of his public work." Seven years later, at 44 years of age, Saad officially became Kneiseh's mukhtar. And with that, his long reign began. "I've constantly been re-elected since then, unopposed," said Saad, who won another six-year term in the recent 2004 Mount Lebanon elections. "To be honest, I was not eager to be re-elected this year," he said, "I wanted to rest, but the people in my village refused. They wanted no one else but me to be their mukhtar." Again, that sweet mixture of pride and modesty quivered in the old man's voice. Since Saad has been mukhtar, he has undertaken many development projects, transforming his native village from an abandoned rural area to one of the most beautiful and visited country areas. "To begin with, my village lacked every kind of proper infrastructure," Saad said, "no roads, no electricity or mains water supplies." Gathering the necessary funds, Saad obtained the Interior Ministry's help - and blessing - to construct proper asphalt roads and water channels all over Kneiseh, an accomplishment which led to other improvements in the area. With a dynasty of four sons, three daughters, 17 grandsons, seven granddaughters and five great-grandchildren, Saad's complete control of his faculties at his advanced age seem to have been developed by his ongoing effort to satisfy his village's needs. "Throughout his 60 years of service, my father strived to be fair, equitable, and caring," Abdo, one of Saad's sons, told The Daily Star. "He has steered his village through the years with love, perseverance, tireless effort and dedication, all while maintaining excellent relations with neighboring villages." Not surprisingly, the love story goes on between a village that has risen from the ashes a few times to be rebuilt and improved and the 90-year-old man who has loved it for better or worse. By Jessie Chahine Daily Star Staff Copyright (c) 2005 The Daily Star