Jordan Times
Sunday, August 7, 2005
Ministry ends Global
Village activities
Festival exceeded authorised deadline without official approval
By Rania Hindi
Amman — The Ministry of Industry and Trade decided to terminate the activities
of the Global Village festival as of yesterday after the organisers continued to
hold its activities beyond the licensed deadline without an official approval.
A request by the festival organisers to extend the activities was rejected by
the ministry.
Minister of Industry and Trade Sharif Zu'bi said the contract signed between the
two sides stipulates that the one-month festival concludes by the end of July
and that the ministry will have to take measures against the organisers.
“The law applies on everybody with no exception,” the minister said, noting that
the organisers will be fined for extending their activities without an approval.
“They were given until the end of Saturday to conclude their activities and take
the procedures necessary to close the village.”
Zu'bi said that the decision not to allow any extension was taken to safeguard
merchants' interests, with some complaining that it had a negative impact on
them.
Some of them complained to the ministry that they had to rent spaces at the
village to make up for losses they sustained, the minister said.
Two days ago, Amman Governor Saad Wadi Manasir announced that the ministry
turned down the extension request.
Meanwhile, merchant Saeed Omari said that the decision not to extend the
festival's duration will give Jordanian retailers the chance to sell their
merchandise during the remaining period of the summer.
He also charged that the Global Village was a waste of the state money. “Through
the village activities, some of the country's hard currencies are channelled to
other countries,” he said.
Omari complained that Jordanian labourers at the village receive low pay and are
facing unpleasant work conditions.
One of the traders said the direct sales “by bulk traders at the village cause
recession, adversely affecting the retailers' sales.”
Traders usually await the summer season to try to increase their sales volume,
but what happened this year was the opposite because of the village,
particularly since its goods are exempted from tax and customs, one trader, who
did not want to be named, said.
Ministry of Industry and Trade Secretary General Muntaser Oqla said the
extension request was rejected because there are other activities and
exhibitions that are scheduled to begin during this month.
The Global Village board chairman, Ahmad Masri, said the village contributed
JD1.5 million in direct and indirect revenues to the state treasury, in addition
to JD85,000 that are paid annually in return for the leased land.
The village also provided 1,500 job opportunities, he said, pointing out 45 per
cent of the participants are Jordanian.
He added that the board is currently examining the possibility of taking the
village activities to Bahrain.