Jordan Times
Monday, August 14, 2006
King highlights private
sector role in development
By Mohammad Ghazal and Khaled Nuaimat
AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday
reiterated his support for the private sector, commending its role in pushing
the socio-economic development forward and enhancing the national economy.
During a visit to three national institutions yesterday, King Abdullah also
underlined the social responsibility of the private sector and its role in
alleviating unemployment and poverty.
During the King’s visit to Fastlink, Asaad Banwan, CEO of the Kuwait-based
mobile telecommunications company, which owns 96.5 per cent of Fastlink,
announced the company will increase its annual grants to university students
from 22 to 42, of which 20 will be allocated for residents of poverty pockets.
According to the company, they will be distributed in coordination with the King
Abdullah II Fund for Development.
Fastlink also announced it would create, within the coming two years, two
handset maintenance training centres located in poverty pockets to provide free
mobile phone maintenance training to young people.
Upon completion of the course, the trainees receive certificates that enable
them to open mobile phone maintenance shops.
During the King’s visit to the Arab Bank yesterday, the Bank’s Chairman and
General Manager Abdul Hameed Shoman announced an initiative to combat poverty in
the southern part of the country. According to Shoman, the bank would contribute
JD2 million to the King’s project of building housing units for needy citizens.
King Abdullah said 600 housing units are completed and 2,000 more are expected,
adding that the bank’s funding “would help us to accomplish this project in the
coming six months.”
King Abdullah also visited Rubicon, a Jordanian company specialising in
multimedia e-education and 3D animation.
Rubicon CEO Randa S. Ayoubi said Rubicon’s future plans entail the creation of
institutes in the field and cooperation with concerned authorities in the
country such as the Vocational Training Corporation to train students on this
industry.