Joint Parliament session expected as Senate insists on Tawjihi requirement for police promotion

AMMAN — The Senate on Wednesday insisted for the second time on its version of the 2016 amending draft law for the Public Security Department (PSD).

The dispute between both Chambers of Parliament emerged after the Lower House rejected and the Senate insisted on a Tawjihi (General Secondary Education Certificate Examination) certificate or its equivalent as a requirement for promotion from warrant officer to second lieutenant.

The previous law stipulates that a PSD member must have a certificate for passing the ninth grade or equivalent, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Both Houses have to hold a joint session, as stipulated in Article 92 of the Constitution, to reach an agreement on the bill.

At the beginning of the session, Senate President Faisal Fayez, in the presence of Prime Minister Hani Mulki and Cabinet members, warned against moving the US embassy to Jerusalem.

Fayez said such a move would undermine opportunities to reach just and comprehensive peace and would further fuel terror groups.

On behalf of the Senate, he condemned the two attacks that targeted a Saudi frigate and a mosque in Quebec, expressing condolences over the loss of life in the two incidents. 

Senators also endorsed the draft Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission (EMRC) law, which will be referred back to the Lower House, which had previously rejected it, Petra added.

The bill, according to its mandating reasons, follows the renaming of the electricity sector regulatory commission to EMRC. 

It also aims to identify the commission’s goals, tasks, legal specialisation and authority, as well as to form a board of commissioners. 

The Upper House also approved the draft amending law for the National Centre for Human Rights, as referred from the Lower House. 

The bill aims to enable the centre to achieve its goals of enhancing and protecting human rights in the Kingdom.

The Senate endorsed the election of Senator Yousef Jazi as head of its Media and National Guidance Committee, and approved the membership of Senator Hussein Majali in the committees of Arab, regional and expatriate affairs, and energy and mineral resources.