Day: December 13, 2021

Speaker of the Lower House of Parliament, Abdel Karim Al-Dughmi, received representatives of Lafarge Jordan Cement’s workers, who carried out a sit-in today in front of the parliament to demand labor rights.

In the presence of Labor Minister, Nayef Steitieh, Al-Dughmi called for finding radical and immediate solutions to protesters’ demands and meeting the rightful of which, saying: “They are our sons and we are keen that they obtain their rights,” a Lower House statement said Monday.

Steitieh said the ministry initiated negotiations with the company in this regard, as the company, also known as “Jordan Cement Factories”, presented a set of solutions, and the Lower House Speaker, the Parliamentary Labor Committee and protesters will be briefed on these solutions in order to reach satisfactory agreements for both parties.

For his part, head of the Parliamentary Labor, Social Development and Population Committee, Hussein Harasis, said that the committee is available for everyone and will spare no effort to ensure that rights are given to their owners, and grant justice to workers who file complaints with the committee about their demands.

Source: Jordan News Agency

His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday attended an event marking the 20th anniversary of the King Abdullah II Fund for Development (KAFD).

The event, held at the King Hussein bin Talal Convention Centre at the Dead Sea, showcased KAFD’s major milestones since its establishment in 2001, including the fund’s programmes, projects, and initiatives.

During a tour of booths set up by KAFD’s young beneficiaries, King Abdullah listened to an overview of their accomplishments and projects, as well as their ideas and suggestions.

The King was briefed on two of the projects implemented by KAFD, the Parliamentary Fellowship Project and the Media and Information Literacy Project, which aim to empower youth in parliamentary action and raise their awareness on countering misinformation and rumours.

Addressing the youth in attendance, His Majesty reaffirmed the importance of the upcoming period in the process of political modernisation and development through enacting a number of laws.

“You have a key role and voice in the modernisation process and changing the culture towards political reform,” the King told the young Jordanians.

His Majesty noted the importance of integrating economic, political, and administrative reform, adding that improving the economic situation and strengthening the middle class will accelerate political reform, which Jordan is actively pursuing and whose success requires a prominent role for youth and women.

The King noted that the goal is achieving a qualitative leap in political life and giving youth and women a bigger role in decision-making, which requires their active participation in platform-based partisan action.

Highlighting the fund’s strategy, KAFD Chairman Nasser Lozi said it covers all governorates, with a focus on young people and enabling them to contribute to Jordan’s development.

Lozi said KAFD’s objectives include starting and developing productive development projects across governorates and providing technical support and guidance.

The fund also promotes vocational training, provides support for excelling students, supports scientific projects, and helps empower local communities to improve their living conditions, he added.

For his part, KAFD Director Saeb Al Hasan said the fund invests in Jordanian human capital through initiatives and programmes aimed at increasing productivity and nurturing creativity and innovation; and establishes development projects to help mitigate poverty and unemployment.

Royal Hashemite Court Chief Yousef Issawi and Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan attended the eve

Source: Jordan News Agency

HRH Princess Ghida Talal, chairperson of the King Hussein Cancer Foundation (KHCF) and Centre (KHCC) on Monday signed two agreements with the Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) Secretary-General, Ambassador Ali bin Hassan Al Hammadi.

The agreements aims at enhancing cooperation between the two entities to support the KHCF’s efforts, by covering the treatment of cancer patients among Syrian refugees and underprivileged patients at the KHCC.

Princess Ghida thanked Qatar and expressed her appreciation for the QRCS for its belief in KHCF and KHCC’s missions, and for its humanitarian stances in supporting cancer patients for whom there is no entity that covers the costs of their treatment as well as granting them a real opportunity for treatment and recovery.

Qatar’s ambassador to Jordan, Sheikh Saud bin Nasser bin Jassim Al Thani, who attended the signing ceremony, said this cooperation between the QRCS and the KHCF reflects a humanitarian duty that lies on everyone.

He underlined Qatar’s ongoing firm position in supporting humanitarian issues around the world, providing various forms of necessary support, and strengthening Jordan’s efforts in these humanitarian works, especially since Jordan has always hosted a large number of refugees, which necessitates providing constant support to it.

For his part, Ambassador Al Hammadi said that this agreement comes within the framework of consolidating mutual friendship, and is based on QRCS and KHCF’s leading role to meet needs of vulnerable groups in society.

He added that the two sides see eye-to-eye on supporting the treatment of cancer patients through QRCS’s projects, offices and missions, transferring diagnosed cancer patients to the KHCC in Jordan, and boosting joint efforts in terms of mobilizing resources and support in Qatar to contribute to the treatment of these patients.

The visit included a tour at the KHCC to examine its latest medical technologies in providing holistic treatment for cancer patients from all over the Arab world.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Lower House Monday held an oversight session, chaired by Speaker Abdul Karim Doghmi, in the attendance of Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh and cabinet ministers.

The legislature dealt with 11 queries by lawmakers, including one by MP Inad Al-Fayez on energy agreements that were signed with various companies, but was postponed for two weeks during which Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Saleh Kharabsheh will brief the House’s Energy Committee on his ministry’s plans and strategy on the energy issue and present the MP with all the documents and agreements.

Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Wajih Owais replied to a question by MP Bilal Momani on the Teachers’ Housing Fund and easing the terms for obtaining housing loans, and promised to hold a joint meeting on the issue.

Minister of Health Firas Hawari replied to a question by MP Osama Qawabah on opening Tafileh Government Hospital and providing it with medical equipment, saying that the tenders for medical devices had been forwarded to companies, while the health facility will be up and running during the first quarter of the new year.

On a question on the Dana Reserve by MP Omar Nabir, Energy Minister Kharabsheh, who is also Acting Minister of Environment, denied there was a memorandum of understanding on copper extraction with any company, noting that the previous memorandum had expired and that there are no feasibility studies in this field.

Minister of Public Works and Housing replied to a question by lawmaker Ali Khalayleh to merge the Urban Development Corporation and other independent units as part of administrative reform.

Asked by MP Mohammad Bani Yassin on the recovery and growth of the tourism sector, which was hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Nayef Al-Fayez said indicators point that Jordan surpassed expectations about the number of visitors, which exceeded 2.1 million so far this year.

State Minister for Media Affairs Faisal Shboul replied to a question by MP Dirar Al Harasis on the appointment of the Director General of the Media Commission without a prior announcement and his demand to amend relevant legislation.

Other queries related to appointments in government companies and the public sector, the governorates’ budgets, tourism in Madaba, registration of properties in the Aqaba Special Economic Zone, education and health services and infrastructure and sanitation, among others.

Source: Jordan News Agency