Gov’t cannot ‘perform miracles’, but will take new approach for coming phase — Ghunaimat

AMMAN — The government is aware of the magnitude of challenges and pressures on the Kingdom and seeks to serve Jordan and its citizens to meet their aspirations, Minister of State for Media Affairs Jumana Ghunaimat said on Friday.

In an interview with the Jordan Television’s 60 Minutes programme, Ghunaimat said that the government will not perform miracles, but will launch a national development project to start a new phase with a new approach, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The minister, who is also the government spokesperson, called for assessing the government according to achievements, performance and actions it will fulfil during its first 100 days, noting that the government, during Prime Minister Omar Razzaz's conference last week, pledged to implement several obligations connected to citizens' lives.

She also said that the government will reduce some expenditures of JD150 million through a package of procedures that include cancelling current and operational costs and non-priority projects. 

Ghunaimat noted that the health minister will soon announce procedures and mechanisms to implement the Cabinet's decision regarding cancer patients.

On the income tax draft law, the minister highlighted the importance of launching a national dialogue to reach an agreement on the bill, noting that the government will review the real tax burden, including direct and indirect impacts on taxation, in a way that achieves justice and addresses tax evasion in a successful way.

On the mechanism of pricing fuel derivatives, she said that the government will clarify the pricing method for citizens through acquainting them with costs of purchase, transfer, production fees and taxes, stressing that each penny collected from fuel goes to the budget and is used to support municipalities and other sectors. 

Answering a question on ministers' pensions, Ghunaimat said that ministers cannot receive pensions for lifetime after serving for a short period, referring to the possibility of associating service time to pensions. 

On His Majesty King Abdullah's visit to the US, she said that it is focused on regional issues and the Mideast peace process, where the Jordanian stance is clear through calling for a sustainable, comprehensive peace that leads to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.