BEIRUT: Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri criticized Wednesday the Cabinet’s approach to the issue of increasing the minimum wage, saying it reflected division among ministers.

“The mishandling of [the] minimum wage and salary scale issue reflects the lack of vision and direction of [the] current Lebanese [government],” Hariri said on his Twitter feed.

On Dec. 22, the Cabinet endorsed Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas’ proposal to increase the minimum wage over Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s own suggestion, which ministers voted in favor of weeks prior.

Under Nahhas’ proposal, the minimum wage was hiked to LL868,000 – a sum that includes a LL236,000 transportation allowance that the government added to the basic salary.

Mikati’s bid, however, stipulated that salaries under LL1 million would see an LL200,000 increase. Salaries between LL1 million and LL1.5 million would see a LL250,000, and salaries above LL1.5 would increase by LL300,000.

Both Nahhas and Mikati’s proposals have been contested: the former was rejected by the Shura Council while the latter was opposed by labor groups who had threatened to reactivate a strike.

Speaking on the country’s economy, Hariri said ministers were competing for popular support rather than creating job opportunities.

“Instead of growing the economy and creating jobs for Lebanese graduates, they are competing among themselves in buying popular support,” Hariri said.

“The current Lebanese government is also delaying the reforms to modernize the economy,” Hariri added.

Hariri, head of the Future Movement, left Lebanon months after March 8 ministers resigned from his government, forcing its collapse.

He has reconnected with his supporters over the social networking website Twitter, where Hariri answers questions and usually posts comments regarding local and regional developments.