Aqaba authority slams false reports on new appointees

AMMAN — Social media users and news websites have been circulating a copy of the appointment letter of six officials at the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), claiming that their salaries are too high. 

News websites and social media users also claimed that one of the appointees graduated in 2013 and has no experience at all, criticising Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour for signing the appointment decision.

The reports claimed that the new appointees are each paid monthly salaries of JD2,500. 

The controversy over the recent appointment prompted ASEZA to speak out by issuing a statement on Wednesday detailing the academic and professional history of the six appointees, who were assigned to the positions of assistant commissioners and economic analysts. 

As the details circulated by news websites and social media users turned out to be incorrect, ASEZA Deputy Chief Commissioner Yusuf Mansur said the authority reserves the right to sue those who circulated the rumours.

An ASEZA statement said the six officials have long experience in their fields and are PhD or master's degree holders. 

Facebook users and some news websites claimed that Nelly Batshoun, who was appointed as economic and investment analyst was a graduate of 2013 with no experience, but ASEZA documents showed that she completed her master's degree in economics from Harvard University in the US in 1982 and that she has worked as an adviser for the World Bank. 

ASEZA said the recently appointed officials were among 247 people who applied for the job in response to an advertisement in local dailies to announce the vacant positions. 

The authority added that they were appointed after sitting for job interviews, noting that the announcement for the vacancies was through the Civil Service Bureau, the agency in charge of filling vacancies at public sector departments. 

Commenting on the circulation of false information, some social media activists criticised news websites and Facebook and Twitter users for being "sensational" and misleading. 

Taghreed Risheq wrote on her Facebook page that some people just try to find a chance to circulate rumours. 

"Sometimes you say that qualified people should remain in the country to develop it and now you criticise a Harvard graduate with distinguished expertise," she added. 

Ahmad Al Salem commented that news websites focused on "sensationalism" just to attract readers. 

"Is it jealousy or what?" he asked, adding that qualified people deserve fair pay.