Jordan Times
Tuesday, July 21, 2004
PM embarks on series of
meetings with parliamentarians
AMMAN (JT) — Prime Minister Faisal Fayez on Tuesday embarked on a series of
meetings with parliamentarians and key figures from civil society institutions
to acquaint them on the progress and future prospects of the Socio-Economic
Transformation Plan (SETP).
Meeting deputies and senators from the northern region, the premier said the
government “seeks constructive criticism of its plans so that it can rectify its
policies.” He said he would be meeting the next two days with parliamentarians
representing the central and southern regions, to be followed by meetings with
the leaders of civil society institutions, including the professional
associations.
Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Bassem Awadallah briefed the
meeting on projects planned under the SETP for 2004-2006.
Launched in 2001, the SETP was designed to achieve reforms in the fields of
human resources development, basic government services, regional development and
poverty alleviation. Awadallah noted that SETP allocations for the central
region between the years 2002-2004 stand at JD213.8 million, while JD87.353
million is earmarked for the northern region and JD110.962 million for the
southern region.
At a recent meeting with representatives of donor countries, Awadallah said
Jordan needs $1.26 billion to offset a funding gap in socio-economic reforms for
the next two years.
He said the Kingdom is expected to spend $4.4 billion by the end of 2006 on the
plan. Around $2.2 billion of the amount was already secured, he added.
At the meeting with the parliamentarians, the minister made reference to other
development programmes, namely the Social Security Package Programme and the
Productivity Enhancement Programme, which the Planning Ministry supervises.
The two programmes, he noted, have been combined into one, but each will keep
its original sources of funding. They are now known as the Socio-Economic
Programmes Unit.
Under the social security package, the government spent JD124 million by the end
of the first quarter this year.
The MPs and senators at the meeting objected to the fact that the government had
not involved them in the policy making when the reforms plans were designed.