Jordan Times
Friday - Saturday, November 16 - 17, 2001
Jordan is 'endowed to be a free zone trading area'
By Ludwig Wahbe Tamari
WHILE RUNNING the risk of sounding as if this is an attempt to denigrate future plans to increase the number or enlarge the areas of the present free zone outlets, I feel prompted to laud such future plans only to the extent that they recognise the awareness of the needs to liberalise the national economy, but certainly not because of the long-term effectiveness of such symptomatic measures to accommodate the increase in Jordan's volume of international trade.Jordan's economic musts are evidenced in their overall potentials, namely as a transit area, a storage area and a pivotal landmark in regional and international trade, with emphasis on tourism. Ever keeping within focus the untapped super rich basin of minerals in the Dead Sea area and beyond; meaning, the Herculean plans, now under serious consideration, to connect the Red Sea with the Dead Sea. These plans, when realised, would transform Jordan and the neighbouring countries into a biblical “Garden of Eden”. And by virtue of its unique geographical location, an economically strong and stable Jordan will be the one country most qualified to serve as the catalyst of goodwill between the members of the family of nations in the region.
Here lie Jordan's absolute economic advantages along with its comparative economic potentials. No secrets are involved in knowing how, where and when the dictates of the absolute economic advantages should be given priority over and above the comparative economic rewards or vice versa. If anything past economic misapplications and lack of proper synchronisation between the two economic advantages could, with patience and zealous leadership, be put back on the right track. Nonetheless, in the light of the recent economic socio-political realities which are gripping the area, Jordan can no longer afford but to think Jordan. Gone are the days when Jordan had to choose to eke out a living of voluntary impoverishment. Now is the time for Jordan to exercise its national prerogatives of egotism and self-interest.
Only a Jordan free from artificial economic and political encumbrances can be able to negotiate terms of mutuality of interest with others. Only a viable strong Jordanian economy can genuinely render help unto itself. And when Jordanians are found helping one another, and in the process, their country, others will show readiness to help whenever help is sought. Only Jordan, the front door to the Holy Land, the melting pot of tribalism, particularism and sectarianism, the oasis of peaceful coexistence could, by example, help to bring peace and meaningful moral sustenance to the land of peace after four thousand years of no peace.
Having said this, we ought to be reminded that political liberalisation is sternly concomitant, in particular, with economic liberalisation. Therefore, the decision to increase the number of free zone outlets in the country could hardly qualify as a function of political liberalisation, let alone of any marked enhancement to the absolute and comparative economic advantages of the country. By definition, economic liberalisation, in any form or formula, is prompted by the need to accommodate the ever changing, socio-political demands and challenges in any society. Economic liberalisation, in principle, is never meant to cure past economic ills, but is a surgical approach to present and existing economic waywardness. And without mincing words, these endeavours to increase the number of free zone outlets should, at best, be viewed as temporary streamlined extensions of the customs areas, a new haven for furthering the ranks of already underpaid civil servants; and if the truth is to be told, no mean achievement in the art of a temporary cosmetic dress-up to stave away an impending array of socio-political problems.
Such problems will remain Jordan's lot, unless and until Jordan takes to think Jordan by declaring itself a free zone trading area in its political boundaries; from there, the country becomes the market and the market the country. Isn't this what the WTO and GATT are all about, and that the preconditions of which are what Jordan should strive to realise? When and if this comes to pass, Jordan will find itself and, I trust, will be ready and able to cope with the challenges of self-imposed policies of day to day economic rewards, and years and years of unsavoury neglect of its providentially endowed economic musts.
There and then, Jordan, once “the King's Highway” one of the marvels of imperial Rome, will, like the Arabian phoenix, will resume its role as the harbinger of peace and security, and eventually the nucleus of a free zone trading area for the whole region to follow suit. Jordan's raison d'Ítre in this part of the world is tantamount to an act of faith in its destiny. Jordan, the land of practised democracy and freedom of speech, should also become the land of equal opportunity. Jordan, the free zone trading area in the region, can no more tolerate to remain pawned to bureaucratic red tape. Jordan, the land of free economy, will find itself liberated from the stronghold of the centres of economic power.