Jordan Times
Friday, July 23, 2004
PM pledges to review
domestic issues highlighted by King
AMMAN (JT) — Prime Minister Faisal Fayez on Thursday pledged to review areas
which His Majesty King Abdullah highlighted on Tuesday as requiring immediate
attention.
In his reply to King Abdullah's letter, Fayez said his government is taking
steps to meet the Royal expectations in the areas pointed out in the letter,
adding that the Cabinet will take the directives as a guideline in an evaluation
process scheduled for November.
The King told Fayez in the letter that priority of his mandate to the government
was to “improve the living standards of citizens.”
In his reply, the prime minister said a national conference to address poverty
and unemployment is expected in September this year. He added that a national
recruitment centre, to be launched early August, would serve as a link between
job seekers and employers, noting that a database on employment is under way.
King Abdullah expected the authorities to “boost investment in the Kingdom,” and
said he wanted to see the pace in this arena stepped up and bureaucratic
obstacles removed.
According to the premier, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and
Trade Mohammad Halaiqa is to work on revamping the Unified Investment Window and
restructure investment-related institutions. Fayez pledged transparency and
objectivity in dealing with investments.
Fayez said a ministerial committee was formed to set up an immediate programme
to implement the King's calls to streamline and modernise the public
administration system, decentralise authority as well as enhance transparency
and accountability on how public funds are utilised.
By September, the government is expected to wrap up a medium-term plan on
administrative reforms that will also tackle decision making mechanisms.
A ministerial team headed by Fayez will also work on the Monarch's directives to
achieve tangible progress in the fields of human resources development and
school and higher education. Meanwhile, Minister of Water, Irrigation and
Agriculture Hazem Nasser was tasked with raising the institutional capacity of
the Agriculture Ministry and empowering it to carry out its plans and address
challenges facing the sector.
Other ministries will also exert similar efforts to tackle obstacles to the
development of municipalities, tourism, rural development, healthcare and youth
empowerment.
In his letter, King Abdullah explained that the country's Muslim clerics should
assume a greater responsibility in guiding their congregations in appreciating
and promoting the genuine values and principles of Islam. He called on them to
reinforce the ideals of tolerance, moderation and interaction.
The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, the premier said, will activate the
Preaching and Guidance Council to involve mosque preachers in issues of national
concern. The clerics, in turn, are expected to communicate with people,
especially youth, and motivate them to be part of the development process. Fayez
said a conference on Islam is scheduled to be held in Ramadan to address such
issues.