Jordan Times
Wednesday, December 22, 1999
Economic council sets deadlines for state
institutions to present reform strategies
By Saad G. Hattar
AMMAN — Chaired by His Majesty King Abdullah, the Economic Consultative Council on Tuesday set deadlines for different branches of the state to come up with mechanisms, timetables and action plans needed for economic, administrative and legislative reforms recommended at the First Economic Forum held late last month at the Dead Sea.
Officials said the government received deadlines ranging from one to three months during which it pledged to present the council with blueprints detailing its strategy for reforming the body of economic legislation.
The private sector and other related branches were also asked to present their views on such plans within a similar framework.
Earlier in the meeting, the King stressed the need for laying down clear-cut action plans and timetables for the implementation of economic reforms.
“The time factor is very essential,” the King said “while the challenges are big, the opportunities are good, and we have to rise to the level of challenges ahead of us,” he added.
The King called on all parties to avoid “sensitivities” warning that he “will not accept from anyone to place hurdles” on the path of the much-needed reforms.
The council decided to proceed immediately towards making Saturday, instead of Thursday, as the second day of rest in addition to Friday, the traditional weekend.
“A Cabinet decision is expected soon to amend its previous choice of Thursday,” the official told the Jordan Times. “The new two-day weekend arrangement will go into effect after `Eid Al Fitr” in the second week of January.
The Dead Sea forum, which gathered 160 public and private sector representatives at the King's request, came up with a consensus “action plan” for much-needed reforms in different areas of social and economic life.
The Dead Sea recommendations cover financial, legislative, administrative and judicial reforms.
By Jan. 21, the government will recommend different incentives to different sectors in order to enhance economic growth, explained the official.
The council also asked the government to present it with all privatisation blueprints for consultation and discussions on the framework and ways of exploiting privatisation dividends.
“The council will have an input into those schemes before final endorsement by the government,” the source added.
The government also agreed to produce plans for the exploration and implementation of megaprojects related to waters, oil shale and gas.
The source stressed that such a process will ensure sustainability that will not be affected by the change of government or ministers.
The government and the private sector will also set timetables and action plans on how to upgrade and reform in other fields of education, health and justice.
The participants agreed that the government should prepare by the end of February a general framework for draft laws on the income tax, investment promotion law, stamps law, free trade zones, industrial cities' zones, agents and brokers' law, the landlords and tenants law and the Jordan Valley Authority law.
The council will convene again in two weeks to discuss the issue of water. The following session will be devoted to discussing Aqaba Region development plan.