Municipalities and decentralisation bill referred to joint parliamentary committee

AMMAN — The Lower House on Wednesday referred the 2021 municipalities and decentralisation draft law to a joint administrative and legal parliamentary committee.

Lower House Speaker Abdulmunem Oddat, during the session, said that the Chamber is undertaking a first reading of the bill, adding that the administrative committee will launch a national dialogue on the draft law, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

The Lower House, as per its discretionary power, has the right to open the door for discussion and to approve or disapprove the draft, Oddat added.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Local Administration Tawfiq Kreishan said that the Lower House has previously the bill under the name “The Local Administration” law, but the government has withdrawn it to address a number of imbalances, noting that the name of the draft law has also been changed to “The Municipalities and Decentralisation” law.

The role of municipalities is providing services, while decentralisation entails development, Kreishan added, pointing out that the House has the right to amend the provisions of the bill to serve public interest.

The minister also revealed that the ministry is conducting a study on reconsidering separating and merging a number of municipalities, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

The 2021 municipalities and decentralisation draft law aims to enhance public participation in decision making and implement decentralisation at the governorates level. It also aims to strengthen the complementary role between the governors and the municipal councils, Petra added.

The objectives also included assigning the tasks and powers of governors, executive and municipal councils, as well as distinguishing the functions and authorities of the municipal council and the municipality.

Additionally the bill aims to highlight the tasks and powers of the municipalities’ mayors and CEOs, in addition to establishing a centre to provide training for the heads, members and staff of governorate and municipal councils, as well as including representatives of the industrial, commercial, agricultural and women sectors in governorate councils.

Also on Wednesday, the Lower House referred amendments of the 2021 Aqaba Special Economic Zone Law to a joint “finance, economy and investment” parliamentary committee.

In response to deputies’ remarks, Finance Minister Mohamad Al-Ississ said that the amendments are aimed to improve services and enhance investment climate in the Aqaba Special Economic Zone.

Al-Ississ also added that the current law stipulates the existence of two bodies in charge of dealing with taxes and customs duties, which opens the door for tax evasion, highlighting the need for a unified legal reference for tax and customs duties.

Meanwhile, the Chamber rejected a draft law amending the 2021 Money Exchange Business Law.

Deputies, taking into consideration MP Abdul Karim Dughmi’s proposal to reject the bill, said that the amendments pose threats to investment and stiffen penalties on investors through a number of financial and investment laws, according to Petra.

In response to MPs remarks, Minister of State for Legal Affairs Mahmoud Kharabsheh said that the draft law is intended to encourage investment climate, stressing that it came for regulatory purposes.

Kharabsheh said that the amendments prevent unlicensed agencies from issuing remittances, but he was unable to convince the deputies who ultimately rejected the bill.