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AMMAN — For the first time in almost seven years, MPs on Tuesday will discuss the Audit Bureau’s report in full at a Lower House session, after such an issue was conventionally the task of permanent committees.

The House is scheduled to discuss its Financial Committee’s notes on the bureau’s reports for the years 2009 to 2012.

In January of this year, the Law Interpretation Bureau ruled that the House cannot directly ask the attorney general to investigate violations listed in the Audit Bureau’s annual report.

The bureau said the Chamber can refer any violations to the prime minister to take the necessary measures; however, if a minister is involved in reported violations, the House is authorised to investigate, collect evidence and refer the minister to court.

In previous remarks to The Jordan Times, MP Mahmoud Kharabsheh (Balqa, 1st District) said, constitutionally, the Audit Bureau is the House’s “monitoring arm” and should keep MPs informed even “daily and weekly” of violations committed by public agencies. 

According to Article 119 of the Constitution, “An audit office shall be set up by law for controlling the state’s revenues, its expenses and the manner of expenditure.”

Paragraph A of the article also reads: “The Audit Office shall submit to the Chamber of Deputies at the beginning of each ordinary session, or whenever the Chamber demands, a general report embodying its views and comments and indicating any irregularities committed and the responsibility arising there from.”

AMMAN — Despite the impact of regional turmoil on the Kingdom’s tourism sector, plans are still under way to develop it, while investments have not stopped over the past five years, according to Tourism Minister Nayef Al Fayez.

“The tourism industry’s development has not stopped,” Fayez told The Jordan Times in an interview on Sunday, acknowledging that the regional turmoil has taken its toll on the sector since the Syrian crisis started five years ago. 

This development, he said, did not help achieve the indicators of the (2010-2015) National Tourism Strategy, but helped reduce the projected regression in the number of tourists and the sector’s revenues.

The minister said the five-year strategy was aimed at increasing tourism receipts to JD4.2 billion in 2015. 

This target could not be achieved due to the conditions surrounding Jordan and because of other reasons related to the impact of the economic crisis on some European countries and the US, leading to reducing the number of arrivals from these countries.

Sector revenues by the end of 2015 stood at JD2.9 billion, said Fayez, noting that the measures adopted last year and the government’s support to the sector helped alleviate the impact of regional crises on tourism.

The Cabinet decided last year to increase the budget of the Jordan Tourism Board to enable it to promote the Kingdom’s tourist attractions in regional and international markets.

Campaigns launched last year included television and radio commercials, in addition to advertisements on billboards, taxis and railway stations, in countries such as France, Germany and the UK.

The minister explained that expectations at the beginning of 2015 were too low and “we expected a JD550 million drop in revenues compared to a year earlier”.

However, due to the government’s support and intensified campaigns, the drop stood at JD220 million, compared to 2014, when tourism revenues were JD3.1 billion, according to Fayez.

As for tourist arrivals, the minister said, the number of overnight visitors has not witnessed a huge drop in 2015, compared to 2009, when tourism was “doing well”.

He noted that 3.8 million overnight tourists visited Jordan last year compared to 3.9 million in 2009.

The drop was more pronounced in the number of one-day arrivals, according to Fayez, who noted that they decreased to 1 million in 2015, compared to 2009, when 3.3 million same day tourists visited the country.

Meanwhile, the minister announced that a committee has been recently formed to draft a new tourism strategy.

The panel, which includes representatives from the private sector, will draft the strategy taking into consideration regional challenges, and it will be in line with the 2025 vision. 

AMMAN — A website on the Great Arab Revolt’s centennial was launched on Monday by the executive committee for the Revolt’s anniversary celebrations.

The website () offers visitors and researchers information on historical events connected to the Revolt, providing “a wealth of information and documents in multimedia formats”, a Royal Court statement said.

In addition, the website carries up to date news and announcements related to activities celebrating the Great Arab Revolt centennial throughout this year.

The website’s main sections include a timeline of pivotal events in the Great Arab Revolt’s history, especially the years 1916-1918. 

“Additional sections showcase some of the Revolt’s heroes and historical figures, who contributed to the foundation and development of several modern Arab states,” the statement added.

The website, operated by the Royal Heritage Directorate, also features a multimedia library of old and new photos and videos; timetable of activities marking the centennial over the current year; memorable quotes from the Revolt’s heroes and historians; the Revolt’s banner illustrated in images and videos; and highlights of the major principles that drove the Revolt.

Moreover, it includes an information hub for media material on the centennial; a media kit; and a “Share Your Story” section — an interactive window enabling visitors to share stories, photos, historical records and memorabilia about the Revolt.

Tayseer Abu Arja, dean of the faculty of media and journalism at Petra University, described the website as a smart platform that can reach all audiences effectively, especially young people, by giving photos and videos of historical significance new relevance through multimedia technology, according to the statement.

For his part, Mohammad Younes Abbadi, director of the National Library Department, said that highlighting the Revolt’s major events and principles through an electronic platform offers “an opportunity to view its ideology of renaissance from a comprehensive perspective, shedding light on its call for liberty and independence”.

Abbadi voiced hope that young people will read about the “rich history of their nation and the achievements of the Revolt”, according to the statement.

Jordan marks the centennial of the Great Arab Revolt — led by Sharif Hussein Bin Ali, His Majesty King Abdullah’s great grandfather — through a series of public and military events throughout the country.

An executive committee chaired by the Royal Court’s secretary general and including representatives of public and private entities, has been formed to supervise the celebrations.

AMMAN — The Jordan Water Company (Miyahuna) on Monday announced there will be one-time changes in water distribution programmes in some parts of the capital due to maintenance work on reservoirs.

Pumping water in Marka’s areas of Abdallat, airport, military hospital, Mazare, Al Wannanat Al Murtafi, and the driver and licensing department will start on Thursday morning instead of Wednesday morning.

Hashemi areas of Hai Al Zahraa, Wadi Al Marbat, Naqawa Circle and Zaghatit Housing will receive water Tuesday morning instead of Wednesday morning, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

AMMAN — Amman Customs Department personnel have foiled an attempt to smuggle 12,000 tasers and sharp weapons whose import is illegal, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Monday.

The pieces were confiscated and the suspect was fined around JD60,000.

AMMAN — The Labour Ministry’s inspection department on Monday launched a WhatsApp service using the number 0790955557 to help citizens and workers file complaints, according to inspection director Abdullah Jubour.

The department will receive complaints round the clock, and will process them if they include sufficient details in terms of names of those who filed the complaint, their phone numbers and the address of the accused party, Jubour said in a ministry statement.

AMMAN — The Interior Ministry’s Political Parties Affairs Committee on Monday approved the licensing of four political parties.

The decision raises the number of licensed political parties in the Kingdom to 43. The new licensed political parties are: Al Ahd Party, Jordanian Future Party, Free Jordanians Party and the Jordanian National Approach Party.

AMMAN – The Department of Statistics (DoS) said on Monday that a group of institutions and private companies are working falsely under its name to run surveys and studies without official permission.

In a statement, DoS urged people to ask for the researchers identification cards and not to give them any information if they do not carry the official badge issued by the department. 

AMMAN — Five people were injured on Monday in a two-vehicle collision in Marj Hamam, according to a Civil Defence Department (CDD) statement.

CDD cadres took the injured to Karak Public Hospital where they were listed in fair condition.

Four people were also injured in a two-vehicle collision in Sweileh. West Amman CDD cadres administered first aid to the injured and took them to Al Hussein Medical City where they were listed in fair condition.

AMMAN — Border Guards on Sunday night foiled an infiltration attempt by a foreigner who was trying to cross from Jordan into Syria, an official source at the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army said Monday.

Border Guards executed rules of engagement taken in such cases, arrested the suspect and referred him to the concerned authorities.

Also on Monday, the army said Border Guards received 104 Syrian refugees during the previous 24 hours. The troops transferred the refugees to shelters and camps, according to an army statement carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra.