Press syndicate criticises ‘negligence’ of Ad-Dustour crisis

AMMAN — The Jordan Press Association (JPA) on Sunday warned of a humanitarian and professional crisis at Ad-Dustour daily, where employees have not received their salaries for seven months.

Many of the daily’s workers are unable to fulfil their financial obligations to banks and are currently being sued as the newspaper has not transferred their salaries, the JPA said in a statement e-mailed to The Jordan Times.

“Recent decisions taken by the government have not secured the cash needed to pay employees at the newspaper and ensure the continuity of its publication… The newspaper is dying slowly due to disregard for the humanitarian and professional aspects of its crisis,” the JPA said.

In late April, the Cabinet raised the public advertisement rate in newspapers from 100 fils to 250 fils per word. It also exempted newspaper production inputs from customs duties for a period of two years, and agreed to allow public institutions to increase their subscriptions to newspapers by 100 per cent.

The state-owned Social Security Investment Fund owns nearly 30 per cent of the Jordan Press and Publishing Company, which publishes Ad-Dustour, while the Jordan Engineers Association owns 18 per cent and the newspaper’s employee fund owns 5 per cent. Other shares are owned by private shareholders.

The country’s oldest newspaper, established in 1967, witnessed the layoff and voluntary resignation of scores of staff members over the past few months amidst the ongoing financial crisis, according to Ad-Dustour journalists.

“Why has this situation at the newspaper been left unresolved? If shareholders want it shut down they should inform the entire staff but they should not leave us without salaries for seven months,” Lama Abseh, deputy managing editor at the daily, told The Jordan Times.

“Many of my colleagues and I have financial obligations to banks. Many of us are being sued for not being able to pay instalments to these banks. How can we work in such an environment and do our job as needed?” Abseh asked.

“Unfortunately, no one seems to care about the newspaper and its staff. There is a serious situation at the newspaper. Many of the employees do not have other sources of income. This is a disaster,” she added.

The JPA called on the government and major shareholders in the newspaper to shoulder their responsibilities and find an immediate solution to the situation.

The association said it will not remain silent on this issue and is working with all involved parties and Ad-Dustour employees to resolve it.