Jordan Times
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Legislators support
regions plan
AMMAN (JT) — Parliament on Monday replied to His Majesty King Abdullah's Dec. 1
Speech from the Throne, concurring on the need to strike a balance between a
friendly investment environment and an effective security strategy.
At meetings with members of both Chambers at
Raghadan Palace, the King listened to the replies from the Senate and House.
Senate President Zeid Rifai said the strategy should address challenges posed by
new developments, including an anti-terror law and plans to combat the culture
of takfir.
House Speaker Abdul Hadi Majali said the deputies were prepared to take swift
legislative action on the law.
In opening the ordinary session of Parliament on Dec. 1, less than a month after
the terrorist attacks in Amman that left 60 people dead, King Abdullah said “a
security strategy capable of dealing with these changed circumstances and
containing these challenges is in order.”
“This requires the drafting of legislation that serves this strategy to ensure
that Jordan will remain as it always has been; an oasis of security and
stability and a haven for freedom where human rights are respected,” the King
told the legislature.
Rifai also said the Senate agreed with the plan to divide the Kingdom into
regions where locally elected councils decide on development programmes for
their communities.
Describing the plan, presented in late November to the King and later to
Parliament by a Royally-appointed commission, as “pioneering,” Rifai stressed
the need to engage grassroots in the decision-making process and in setting
priorities and needs for their regions within an “overall balanced development
plan.”
Majali said the House also would support any measure to institute the regions
plan.
Both Chambers also gave their full backing to the National Agenda as the
document setting the terms of reference for development plans.