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AMMAN — Jordan neither imports natural gas from Israel nor plans to do so, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Ibrahim Saif said on Tuesday.

In response to a question by MP Rula Hroub during Tuesday's Lower House oversight session, Saif said the issue of importing natural gas from Israel "was halted and the deal with the American company shelved".

The minister added that the liquefied natural gas imported and stored at the terminal in Aqaba covers 85 per cent of the electricity companies' needs of the substance. 

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour announced that talks between Jordan and Noble Energy to buy natural gas from Israeli fields were put on hold “until the US company settles its ongoing legal dispute with Israel”.
State-owned National Electric Power Company signed a letter of intent in late 2013 with Noble Energy, which owns 39 per cent of the Leviathan natural gas field in Israel, to buy gas over a period of 15 years at a total cost of $15 billion starting late 2017. The deal was expected to be signed in November.

Hroub’s question was on the authenticity of rumours about planned construction of a pipeline to pump natural gas into Jordan from Palestinian territories occupied by Israel.

Hroub said she was not satisfied with the minister’s response and will turn her question into an inquiry at the right time.

Also during the session, Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Mohammad Momani said that Alquds Alarabi newspaper will resume its printing in Amman in a few  days, saying that the government supports press freedoms and has “shining” relationship with media outlets. 

Responding to a question submitted by MP Khalil Atiyeh, Momani added that the decision to suspend Alquds Alarabi’s publication in Jordan was purely of an administrative nature, saying that violations by the newspaper are being fixed so that it can resume printing. 

In previous remarks to The Jordan Times, Jordan Media Commission (JMC) Director General Amjad Qadi said Alquds Alarabi needs only to renew its expired printing permit to resume its publication in Jordan.

In a statement published on its website, Alquds Alarabi said it received the decision to suspend its publication in Jordan with “shock and surprise”, accusing unnamed parties of targeting its freedom.

Alquds Alarabi also claimed that it received no official notification prior to the suspension decision, describing it as “martial, arbitrary and unlawful”.

Qadi added that the JMC has contacted the newspaper to submit a new publication request to be then approved but “they have not done so yet”.

AMMAN — The national census process has progressed to cover almost 85 per cent of residents in some of the country’s governorates, two days ahead of its completion.

Mukhallad Omari, the Department of Statistics’ spokesperson, said the process might be, however, extended in Amman and some other places.

“We will announce tomorrow [Wednesday] if there will be an extension,” Omari told The Jordan Times.

He added that the preliminary results of the national census will be announced by the end of December, while the final results will be announced in February after they are endorsed by the Cabinet.

The national census started on November 30, with around 22,000 field researchers and schoolteachers making field visits to the homes of Jordanians, residents and visitors to gather vital data from respondents.

The 10-day count is critical for the Kingdom’s fact-based approach to infrastructure and facilities development, including schools, hospitals and water resources, Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour said in a previous statement.

Even though the country has been reeling from the impact of hosting 1.4 million Syrians, the premier stressed that the census does not have political aims and is not related to any nationals residing in the country, be they Syrians, Egyptians, Iraqis or of other nationalities. 

AMMAN – Economists on Tuesday put forward several suggestions the government can adopt in order to increase its revenues and avoid raising tax rates or hiking prices on Jordanians to address budget woes.

In separate interviews with The Jordan Times, experts said that as the government's approach over the past three years focused on short-term measures to raise domestic revenues and address financial challenges, and achieve monetary stability, it is time for decision makers to draw up medium- to long-term strategies to boost the economy and generate high income for the Treasury. 

Economist Jawad Anani, former Royal Court chief and former minister, said attracting foreign and local investors through revisiting taxes on investments in key sectors and through a stable legislative environment for businesses is the solution to generate higher revenues, create jobs and stimulate economic growth. 

"The investment environment is still not attractive for investors. This should be addressed immediately," Anani said. 

As the government is facing financing strains, it should prepare a list of large strategic projects that can be implemented by the private sector or foreign investors, he said, adding that only large development schemes can absorb unemployment among Jordanians and reduce demand for jobs in the public sector. 

The economist believes that raising tax rates will no longer be helpful for the government to increase revenues, citing the Laffer tax curve to explain the fiscal policies in Jordan over the past years.  

The Laffer curve shows that increases in tax rates will increase the government’s tax revenue; at some point, however, when the rates become high enough, further increases in tax rates will decrease revenue. 

This occurs because higher taxes become strong disincentives against earning or declaring taxable income.

Zayyan Zawaneh, former adviser at the International Monetary Fund and Finance Ministry, said the government has failed to utlise Jordan’s stability and its “good” relations with regional and international countries to promote the Kingdom as a hub for investments. 

In order to curb expansion in taxation policies, Zawaneh said the government should reduce its spending, particularly operational expenditure, which, he said, is covered by loans on many occasions. 

Cutting government spending can be achieved by reducing the size of the public sector by merging and cancelling a number of independent public agencies, estimated at 60 entities. 

Another move Zawaneh suggested to help stimulate the country’s economy is to work out a mechanism to address tax evasion.

Although there is no accurate figure about the size of tax evasion, official and non-official reports suggest that it is estimated to be around JD800 million, he added.

“The government should come up with a certain mechanism to collect what it can of these funds,” he said. 

President of the Economic and Social Council (ESC) Munther Shara made a number of suggestions as growth drivers. 

Enacting the decentralisation law without delay coupled with a comprehensive developmental programme would enhance redistribution of national income among regions, increase production and productivity in development zones, create new projects and jobs, and, subsequently, generate extra budgetary revenues, he said. 

Adopting a smart national ID for citizens would channel subsidies only to households that deserve government support, which means it could save the Treasury hundreds of millions of dinars paid every year, he added.

Administrative flaccidity, red tape and corruption must be checked, the ESC chief said, describing lack of enthusiasm among public employees as disastrous to government efforts to enhance productivity and better service provision to the public.

Shara also cited stability and consistency of investment legislation as a prerequisite for encouraging and attracting not only foreign investors to invest in Jordan, but to lure back Jordanian investors as well. 

He stressed that it is high time for policy makers to start thinking of new methods of financing transportation mega-projects such as highways and railroads through public-private partnerships. 

Head of the Lower House’s Financial Committee MP Yousef Qorneh said the government has taken short-term measures to reduce budget deficits and achieve monetary stability in the past three years. But now, he said it should provide growth and development-oriented budgets for the upcoming three years. 

The government should focus on large development schemes as a generator of higher revenues and jobs, the lawmaker said, adding that development projects should mainly target governorates to bridge the gap with Amman. 

Qorneh urged the government to speed up the establishment of the national investment fund –– proposed by His Majesty King Abdullah in his Speech from the Throne that was delivered at the opening of the 17th Parliament’s third ordinary session on November 15. Such a fund, the deputy said, will boost economic development in the Kingdom. 

He said the government should look at similar experiences in this field such as in Singapore and India and to draft its legislation in a way to render the Kingdom more attractive to investors. 

Economist Ziad Dabbas said the government should initiate constant communications with Jordanian expatriates to integrate them in the development process by attracting them to invest in the Kingdom. 

The Central Bank of Jordan, Dabbas said, should work on launching bonds targeting expatriates to finance lucrative and strategic projects. 

AMMAN — The authorities on Tuesday were questioning a man who allegedly appeared in a video that went viral showing him beating up and abusing a female domestic helper.

The video shows a man in a suit hitting a woman, later confirmed to be an Asian domestic helper, who was wearing sports pants and crawling on the floor trying to avoid his abuse at an office.

The clip captures the man reportedly dragging and pushing the woman, who was crying and asking him to stop, then using his arms and legs to hit and kick her on various parts of her body, including her face. 

In one instance the man is allegedly seen pulling her scarf and attempting to strangle her with it.

Basel Tarawneh, the government coordinator on human rights, denounced the incident saying that his office was in constant contact with the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) at the Public Security Department (PSD).

“We are coordinating with the AHTU because we care for the well-being and human rights of any individual who is residing in the Kingdom regardless of their nationality.” 

Tarawneh stressed the government’s commitment to safeguarding the human rights of domestic helpers and — at the same time — “we will not hesitate to punish anyone who abuses them.” 

Khaled Hseinat, president of the Domestic Helpers Recruitment Agencies Association (DHRAA), voiced his outrage over the incident captured in the video.

“We are upset about this incident and condemn it. We do not accept such practices and we want the perpetrator to be punished for what he did when it is proven in court,” Hseinat told The Jordan Times.

He added that the DHRAA formed a committee immediately after news about the video surfaced and the individual was identified, the AHTU was notified.

“The individual was an agent at a recruitment agency and the AHTU officers arrested him when we provided them with his identity,” Hseinat said.

He noted that the DHRAA will follow up on the case and “if the individual is proven to be guilty, we will refer him to the Ministry of Labour for further action and he will be prevented from working through our union in this field.”

Tarawneh added that the victim was called to the AHTU on Tuesday and was able “to positively identify the man as the individual in the video that abused her”.

“This incident took place a month-and-a-half ago and the police are currently questioning the suspect and will issue a statement in the coming days regarding this incident,” Tarawneh told The Jordan Times.

PSD Spokesperson Lt. Col. Amer Sartawi and officials from the AHTU were unavailable to comment on the incident or provide details on the ongoing investigations.

Meanwhile, the video was widely shared on social media and dozens of people denounced its content.

Nazar Samarrai wrote on his Facebook page: “I hope that the person in the video will be tried on charges of attempted murder so he will learn a lesson. This is a disgusting act.”

Another Facebook user, Fares Khalifeh, commented on the clip saying that it was “a savage act without any feelings or respect for human rights”.

Naela Tamimi described the act as a “form of slavery... against Islamic teachings that call for preserving the dignity and rights of all human beings,” in a Facebook comment.

In August, the government announced several procedures to safeguard the rights of domestic helpers in Jordan, who numbered more than 49,000 by the end of 2014.

The new measures, which also seek to combat human trafficking, are believed to be providing better protection to domestic workers and a work environment in line with international standards, Tarawneh said at the time.

The new regulations give the labour minister the authority to immediately close down domestic helper recruitment agencies proven to violate human rights, while work is under way to establish shelters for those who face problems with their employers.

In addition, the ministry has revisited the unified contract for domestic workers to safeguard the rights and duties of all involved parties in cooperation with their embassies.

The ministry has also reached out to the PSD to urge police stations not to return domestic helpers to their employers unless through a representative from their respective embassies.

The measures also include initiating a hotline in five languages for domestic helpers to receive their complaints.

A total of 14,382 Filipinos, 5,759 Sri Lankans and 22,433 Bangladeshis were working as domestic helpers in Jordan in 2014, according to official figures.

In 2003, Jordan became the first Arab country to use a unified standard contract for domestic workers, and in 2008 it included domestic workers under its Labour Law.

In 2009, the government issued regulations specifying labour protection, such as a maximum of 10 hours of work per day, a minimum of eight hours of continuous rest daily, a weekly day of rest, and regular salary payments.

That same year the government ratified the Anti-Human Trafficking Law and formed a national committee to draw up policies and plans to prevent human trafficking.  

AMMAN — Jordan has pledged to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 14 per cent by 2030 and to double the proportion of renewable energy in the total energy mix by 2020, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Tuesday.

Speaking at the opening of the High Level Segment meeting at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21), Environment Minister Taher Shakhshir said climate change impacts every living creature on the planet.

Shakhshir highlighted the impact of regional unrest and the ongoing refugee crisis on Jordan, coupled with difficult economic conditions, noting that these conditions make it difficult to focus on safeguarding the environment in the region.

Nevertheless, he said, Jordan is committed to the global Sustainable Development Goals, which cover the period 2015-2025, by working to merge its economic goals with them, focusing on the concepts of green economy, gender equality, human rights and education.

The minister noted that Jordan was the first country in the region to produce a National Climate Change Policy, under which it can reduce its greenhouse emissions by 14 per cent, provided that international funding is provided to enable the Kingdom to reduce 12.5 per cent of that total percentage.

Jordan will commit to covering the cost of reducing emissions by 1.5 per cent, he added.

Shakhshir also highlighted the private sector’s role in increasing dependence on renewable energy, noting that the adoption of solar and wind energy is aimed at protecting the planet and supporting Jordan’s economy.

He stressed the need to reach fair and binding commitments for all participants in COP21, which concludes on December 11, to reduce greenhouse emissions, which is a collective effort that cannot be undertaken by one country on its own.

In remarks at the opening of the conference last Monday, His Majesty King Abdullah said climate change cannot be addressed in isolation.

“No geographical region, no economic sector can protect itself from the impact of global threats,” the King said.

“If global climate change continues on today’s trajectory, the challenges will increase exponentially. These harsh realities are why Jordan has been integrating energy and environmental approaches into a sustainable, long-term national development strategy,” he added.

AMMAN — Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour on Tuesday said the government is handling the country’s affairs with utmost care and sensitivity in light of the critical state the region is going through.

Ensour added that handling the country’s affairs currently requires zero tolerance for error, especially “with the presence of super powers’ jets only 50km from the Kingdom’s airspace”.

The premier made the remarks during the Lower House’s oversight session in response to MPs’ calls on the government to employ more prudent policies.

Ensour said his government is not exaggerating the gravity of the current situation, assuring lawmakers that Jordan is strong and resilient thanks to the army and other security agencies.

He added that criticism of the government should be within a larger context and not picky, focusing on one single aspect, stressing that the government is not seeking to harm anyone by increasing prices but is only navigating the current difficult stage.

MPs called on the government to improve the living conditions of civil servants and military personnel, criticising its economic policies and the rise in unemployment rates.

The House decided to postpone looking into a question to the government on the increase of water prices submitted by MP Rula Hroub (Stronger Jordan list) because Water Minister Hazem Nasser was not present under the Dome.

Finance Minister Omar Malhas said he will provide information to MP Mahmoud Kharabsheh (Balqa, 1st District) who submitted a question to the government on the rise in public debt from 2012 to 2015. 

Kharabsheh said he will maintain his right to change his question into an inquiry if not convinced with the answers.

An individual MP or a coalition can, under the Constitution, ask for a vote of no confidence against a minister or the government if they are not satisfied with the answers to their queries on certain issues.

AMMAN — Housing developers are planning to organise a sit-in this month as negotiations with the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) have reached a "dead end", according to a sector leader.

Although a date has not yet been set, the sit-in will take place during the second half of this month at the Jordan Housing Developers Association (JHDA), and will witness the participation of representatives of some 50 sectors "negatively affected by GAM practices", JHDA President Fawaz Al Hassan said.

"Our sole demand is the implementation of the new building codes by-law under which the municipality does not specify the number of apartments in a building," he told The Jordan Times over the phone on Tuesday, adding that the association will stage other sit-ins in front of the Prime Ministry, Parliament and GAM headquarters if there is no response from the authorities.

During the first 10 months of this year, some 20,000 residential units were licensed, while the Kingdom's annual need of units is 45,000, Hassan said, citing a 55 per cent decline in the number of building permits issued over the same period.

"It is time to recognise the housing sector as Jordan's oil," Hassan said, describing GAM's measures as "discouraging for investments", leading to scores of companies relocating to more incentive-oriented markets such as the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Turkey.

Meanwhile, he highlighted the association's official request to the Department of Land and Survey to make exemptions to the first 150 square metres (sq.m.) of apartments sized up to 200sq.m. permanent, so that more buyers can benefit from these incentives. 

Imad Hiyari, deputy city director for planning affairs at GAM, was not available for comment, but in previous remarks to The Jordan Times he said that some 30,000 apartments are sold every year across the Kingdom, while some individuals build their own homes.

He added that certain areas in west Amman are classified as “special housing zones” limited to villas and semi-villas only, which means a limited number of apartments are allowed, whereas developers can build five-storey residential buildings in other areas in west Amman, such as near Zahran Street.

AMMAN — HRH Princess Ghida Talal, chairperson of the board of trustees of the King Hussein Cancer Foundation (KHCF), participated in the 2015 Knowledge Summit in Dubai this week, highlighting her interest in mobilising support for the foundation and the fight against cancer. 

The princess was a keynote speaker at the “Scientific Research, Innovation, and Development” session at the summit, which opened on December 7, according to a KHCF statement released Tuesday.

“I was extremely pleased to participate in a session that examined the role of scientific research in medical care services as part of the activities organised by the Knowledge Summit,” the statement quoted Princess Ghida as saying.

“I was particularly pleased with the discussions that ensued around the progress made by the King Hussein Cancer Centre (KHCC), which has earned high regard as a model of success in this domain, and the credit to which will ensure the progress and continuation of the comprehensive services that KHCC provides to cancer patients from all corners of the Arab world,” she added.

The princess noted that the summit “allowed for the exchange of ideas between experts in various domains, while shedding light on the need for our Arab nation to enable our societies to adopt the ideals of innovation and creativity as a culture and way of life”.

The theme of the 2015 Knowledge Summit is “The Way to Innovation”, and it is reflected in discussions of topics such as education and information technologies, scientific research, and innovation in the media and film industry, the statement said.

The event features the participation of Arab and international decision makers and thinkers as part of an effort aimed at building a global movement towards knowledge-based societies, as well as addressing how to disseminate the ideals of creativity and innovation in the Arab world, the statement added.

AMMAN — Prices of vegetables in the local market are set to increase as an ongoing frost spell damaged crops planted on thousands of dunums in the Ghor area, Jordan Valley Farmers Union President Adnan Khaddam said on Tuesday.

The frost spell, caused by a cold and dry air mass that started affecting the Kingdom on Thursday, brought temperatures to a low of -5ºC in the usually warm Jordan Valley, according to Khaddam, who said that potatoes, zucchinis and eggplants were hardest hit by the freezing temperatures.

"A total of 3,000 dunums of potato and zucchini crops in the northern Jordan Valley were completely damaged due to frost, while 40-60 per cent of both crops were affected in the central parts of the Ghor," he told The Jordan Times over the phone. 

"In addition, 35 per cent of eggplant crops were damaged and 10 per cent of tomatoes grown upside down were also hit by frost," Khaddam added.

The freezing temperatures not only damaged crops, he said, but also reduced the productivity of crops.

"The fact that frost damaged large amounts of vegetables and slowed down the productivity phase of several crops means that fewer quantities will be available in the local market, which will cause prices of vegetables to increase," Khaddam underscored.

Noting that 300-350 tonnes of tomatoes enter the local market daily during this time of the year, he said the amount dropped to 100-110 tonnes per day due to the freezing temperatures.

The frost arrived early this year, according to Agriculture Ministry Spokesperson Nimer Haddadin, who said the ministry's technical teams have started examining the magnitude of crop damage in the Jordan Valley.

"The teams were dispatched to the northern, central and southern regions of the Jordan Valley to assess farmers’ losses due to the frost spell,” Haddadin told The Jordan Times.

He noted that while the teams are expected to submit their reports to the ministry within a few days, farmers are advised to continue taking precautionary measures to minimise the impact of frost on their crops as around-zero temperatures are still expected this week.

Frost warnings are issued when clear skies are coupled with temperatures near or below zero and southeasterly winds, according to the Jordan Meteorological Department.

During frost spells, Jordan Valley farmers should warm up greenhouses during the day and close them at night to preserve the heat. When temperatures dip to around zero, they should also burn dry grass near the crops and irrigate them slightly to minimise the impact of frost.

In addition, cattle breeders should visit the ministry’s directorates and veterinary clinics to receive vaccines and instructions on how to keep newborn animals inside barns, and secure water and fodder for them, according to the ministry.

Meanwhile, the JMD said on its website that frost is still expected until Thursday night.

Temperatures between Wednesday and Friday will range between a high of 15ºC and a low of 3ºC-6ºC, according to the department's website. 

AMMAN — Interpol’s office in Amman during the past two weeks moved two convicted Jordanians separately from prisons in China to continue their sentence in prisons in Jordan, a Public Security Department statement said Tuesday.

Two security delegations were sent to China and brought the two prisoners to Jordan based on a request from their families, according to the statement.