Jordan Times
Friday, October 22, 2004
Gov't serious about administrative development process — Fayez
The plan to upgrade the public sector adopts
competence and qualifications as the only criteria for civil service
appointments
AMMAN (Petra) — Prime Minister Faisal Fayez said the government is serious about
the administrative development process, stressing that he will resist all
pressures and challenges posed by opponents of the process, which, he said,
receives special attention from His Majesty King Abdullah.
During a meeting with secretaries general of political parties on Thursday,
Fayez said the plan to upgrade the public sector mainly seeks to improve
services offered to citizens. The scheme adopts competence and qualifications as
the only criteria for civil service appointments, the premier told the
politicians.
The meeting was part of a series of meetings the prime minister is holding to
discuss the upcoming Cabinet reshuffle and the government's future plans. This
week he wrapped up a series of discussions with members of parliamentary blocs.
Fayez highlighted the two new ministries that will be created through the
reshuffle: The Public Sector Development Ministry and the Government Performance
Monitoring Ministry, stressing that the latter would monitor ministries and
institutions rather than ministers.
He rejected as baseless reports of a planned abolishment of the Ministry of
Political Development, saying it would remain in place.
The premier said the government would not relinquish its political development
plan, emphasising that this process should be seen through the wider perspective
of comprehensive development. The concept of political development, he said,
does not only entail political parties and elections laws, but also has to do
with disseminating a sound political culture among the public at large.
Fayez expressed regret that the discussions he held with representatives of the
country's official and private institutions were not followed by dialogue within
these organisations.
On Wednesday, the premier reviewed the same issues with the Senate.
During the meeting, Fayez reiterated that the administrative development plan
and public sector upgrading programmes would be neither at the expense of
citizens' social security and job rights nor at the expense of political
development, which the government would not go back on.
Fayez stressed that such programmes do not affect the role of the Cabinet or
jeopardise the powers vested in the prime minister, or result in the abolishment
of the Civil Service Bureau. He stressed that decentralisation will be a basic
part of the administrative development process.
The premier underlined the importance of enhancing the democratic culture so as
to render the political development process a success, noting that advanced
political parties and elections laws are keys to such success. The envisaged
political parties law should pave the way for the establishment of powerful and
proactive parties, he said, while a modern elections law is expected to keep up
with the political, economic and social development the country is undergoing.
Fayez pointed out that double portfolios would be separated due to the fact that
they constitute too heavy a burden for one minister to shoulder.
President of the Senate Zeid Rifai expressed his appreciation for the premier's
initiative to consult with Senate members to acquaint them on the reshuffle and
voiced the Senate's support to the government's plans.