Jordan Times
Monday, December 11, 2006
Lower House elects
permanent committees
By Mohammad Ben Hussein
AMMAN — The Lower House elected four of its 14
permanent committees on Sunday and deliberated the draft reply to the Speech
from the Throne, delivered by His Majesty King Abdullah at the inauguration of
the current ordinary session.
Observers anticipated the election process would run smoothly after eight blocs,
who represent 86 of the 108 House members, reached a consensus on power-sharing.
They agreed on 14 lists containing 11 names for each of the committees in order
to avoid a drawn-out election process.
The legal, financial, Arab and international and education committees were
finalised yesterday.
House Speaker Abdul Hadi Majali adjourned the session until today to proceed
with the elections of the remaining committees.
Deputies will also listen to the government’s 2007 draft budget today, to be
read by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Ziad Fariz.
In their response to the Speech from the Throne, MPs pledged their commitment to
help the government fight poverty, corruption and unemployment.
They also vowed to “work relentlessly” to endorse necessary legislation to
further economic development and promote democracy and freedom.
During their deliberations on the draft, MPs called on the government to review
its privatisation policies and enhance the social security net.
Islamic Action Front deputies said the reply must include a paragraph calling
for “an immediate end to the political and economic sanctions” imposed on the
Hamas-led government.
Deputies are expected to attend a meeting with the King where Majali will read
the reply in the presence of the government and members of the Senate.
According to the Constitution, Parliament must respond to the King’s Speech from
the Throne, delivered on November 28, within two weeks. During the current
session, which concludes in April 2007, several important pieces of political
and economic reform legislation are awaiting endorsement, including the
political parties and municipalities draft laws and amendments to the sales tax
and press and publications bills.
In the speech, the King stressed the importance of endorsing pending legislation
and underscored the need to implement economic policies to alleviate poverty in
the country.
“I would like to affirm the importance and necessity of finalising the laws sent
to your honourable Parliament, especially those regulating political parties,
municipalities, media and freedom of information,” the King told senators and
deputies.