Jordan Times
Tuesday, June 7, 2005
Privatisation shares to
be allocated to officers
AMMAN (JT) — His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday directed the government to
allocate a percentage of shares in companies that will be privatised and offer
these shares for sale to personnel and pensioners of the military, public
security, intelligence and civil defence forces.
The King said the shares should be sold at
preferential prices and that arrangements for instalment payments be introduced.
Speaking at a Royal Court meeting with senior officers from the four branches,
King Abdullah stressed that the members of these institutions must be guaranteed
a solid livelihood and future. He said their “dedication to and sacrifices for
the country” merit these standards.
“I realise that every male and female citizen, foremost among them, the members
of Arab Legion, Public Security, the General Intelligence and the Civil Defence,
should benefit from the gains of development,” King Abdullah told the meeting,
which was held to mark Army Day and Arab Revolt Day, celebrated annually on June
10.
Jordan has adopted a multitrack privatisation approach, including a method by
which the government sells its stake in public shareholding companies directly
to investors.
Examples are the Jordan Cement Factories Company, Jordan Telecommunications
Company and Royal Jordanian Duty Free Shop.
There are other such transactions on the drawing board or already in the
process, according to the Executive Privatisation Commission, which has handled
the programme since its inception in 1996.
King Abdullah told the top brass that the Armed Forces and the security agencies
are expected to “protect the reform process” under way in the country, adding
that this process is “irreversible.”
The King said the past six years have seen several achievements realised in
Jordan at the socio-economic and political levels.
“Attempts to diminish our national accomplishments, libel, character
assassination and trading accusations mar the bright image of the country,” he
said, calling for an end to such practices.
For his part, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff General Khaled Sarayreh sent
a message of thanks to King Abdullah, vowing that the Jordan Armed Forces will
always be the protector of the reform process and the achievements of the
country.