Jordan Times
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
PM delegates media sector
authorities to Khader
AMMAN (JT) — Prime Minister Adnan Badran on Tuesday delegated his authorities
over the media and press to Culture Minister Asma Khader.
The Jordan News Agency, Petra said Khader was handed the authorities of the
prime minister over the media sector. A Royal Decree was issued in November
2003, delegating authorities held previously by the minister of information to
the premier. The decree, which stipulated that the prime minister would hold the
portfolio of the scrapped ministry of information, said he could delegate the
authority to any of his Cabinet members.
Khader, who handled the same portfolio during the former government of Faisal
Fayez, told The Jordan Times she would be in charge of the media and press and
publication as well as the recently launched Jordan Information Centre.
Khader was also the official spokesperson for the Fayez government.
However, the culture minister said she wanted to focus more on the tasks at
hand.
“Being the official spokesperson requires full- time attention, and I already
have other responsibilities I need to work on,” she added.
The abolished decades-old ministry of information, had three levels of
operations or a trinity of responsibilities through its role as policy maker,
regulator or censor (the Press and Publications Department), and media operator
(the Jordan Radio and Television Corporation and Petra).
The cancellation of the ministry was seen as a positive move towards openness
and transparency.
Khader also said the government was still training people in ministries and
public departments to become spokespersons for their departments to ensure
improved access to information.