Jordan Times
Monday, May 3, 2004
Prime minister underlines youth role in political development
AMMAN (Petra) — Prime Minister Faisal Fayez said
comprehensive political development and the efforts aimed at enhancing democracy
must not stop despite the regional turbulence and the “explosive conflicts“
surrounding the country.
The prime minister's remarks were made at the opening ceremony of the first
forum of youth clubs, organised by the Ministry of Political Development and
Parliamentary Affairs and the Higher Council for Youth, on political
development.
Fayez, who was accompanied by a ministerial team and other senior officials,
underlined the role of the youth in political development and that of their
clubs and organisations in providing them with opportunities for more active
participation in public life.
Participants in the event, which took place in Al Hussein Youth City, discussed
a number of working papers.
The first paper, presented by Baker Khazar Majali, tackled the role of youth
organisations in political development. Majali, who is the president of the
Great Arab Revolt Club, said the basic principle of the political development
process is to accept and respect others' opinions.
The researcher noted there are 263 clubs in the Kingdom, half of which are
located in Amman, Karak, Irbid, while the rest are scattered in the other parts
in the country. He called for a better distribution of such facilities
nationwide.
MP Mustafa Amawi submitted a working paper on the role of the Parliament in the
political development process, in which he called for new laws and amendments to
existing ones with the aim of ensuring compatibility between youth-related
legislation on the one hand, and the political development constants in Islamic
Sharia (law), the Constitution and international agreements, on the other.
Minister of State and Government Spokesperson Asma Khader also contributed a
paper in which she underlined the role of media in the process.
President of the National Constitutional Party Ahmad Bushnaq pointed out the
obstacles facing political reform plans.
Bushnaq's paper, entitled, “The culture of Jordanian parties,” attributed the
imbalance in the Kingdom's politics to the lack of major political streams in
the country.
In his comments on the opinions presented in the discussions, the premier said
youth organisations should protect the younger generation from straying off the
right path through education and participation in public life. He said the
government is about to issue new laws to govern youth clubs, noting that the
Higher Council for Youth is under a restructuring process, which would ensure a
larger role for the council in political development.
Also Saturday, Minister of Political Development and Parliamentary Affairs
Mohammad Daoudiyeh delivered a lecture on political development in Aqaba, upon
an invitation from the General Federation of Jordanian Women.
In the lecture, he refuted claims about the process, including allegations that
the process was launched as a response to external pressure or to marginalise
the Islamic opposition.