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AMMAN — Jordan on Monday announced an increase in prices of electricity and various types of oil derivatives following a rise in crude prices globally.

The government implemented a 13.3 per cent increase in electricity prices as of May 1 for all sectors and segments of the population, excluding households that consume 300 kilowatt-hours (kWh) or less per month, according to Farouq Hiyari, chief commissioner of the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission.

The price of kWh will increase from 15 to 17 fils until the end of May, he told The Jordan Times over the phone, stating: “We decided to increase the prices of electricity following a rise in crude prices globally as the average of barrel exceeded the $55 cap set by the government to keep electricity tariffs unchanged.”

Electricity prices are announced at the end of each month based on the average price of crude oil recorded over the three previous months.

Also on Monday, the government decided to increase prices of various types of fules as of May 1, according to a Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources’ statement sent to The Jordan Times.

Price of unleaded gasoline 90 octane has been increased from JD0.78 per litre to JD0.81 per litre, while the price of unleaded gasoline 95 octane has risen from JD1.005 per litre to JD1.050 per litre.

Diesel prices have gone up JD0.57 per litre to JD0.61 per litre, while kerosene was increased from JD0.52 per litre to JD0.061 per litre, according to the statement.

Vice chairman of the Jordan Chamber of Industry Mohammad Bitar condemned the decisions, as they “will hurt all economic sectors”.

“I do not understand how such decisions are made.… What is the logic behind them?” Bitar ask The Jordan Times.

The industrial sector, which suffers from the repercussions of various challenges, will witness an additional burden with the increase in prices of fuel and electricity, he said, saying: “There is a need for supporting the industrial sector and not increasing the difficulties on the sector. This will push up in the cost of energy and, consequently, increase the cost of Jordanian products and reduce their competitiveness.”

“This is disastrous and we cannot tolerate repeated price hikes …how will we be able to create jobs as we have around 70,000 graduates from universities annually and many factories are shutting down because of the continued rise in cost and other challenges,” he asked.

AMMAN — Jordan, along with most countries around the world, on Tuesday observes Labour Day, where millions of labourers stop working to consider their conditions and achievements.

On the occasion, His Majesty King Abdullah took to Twitter to commend the achievements of Jordan and Jordanians. “In Labour Day, I salute all working men and women of our homeland and I invite you to make this day a motive for more giving and faithfulness, all at their position. With our collective efforts and work, our homeland will be more prosperous.”

Marked annually on May 1 it is a special moment for countries to highlight the pioneering role of the working class in societies' prosperity and progress, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Labour Minister Samir Murad on Monday said that the government has adopted recruitment over employment to address poverty and unemployment, according to a strategy that focuses on enhancing and stimulating economic growth and finding jobs for Jordanians.

Speaking ahead of Labour Day, he said that economic growth cannot be achieved without cooperation and coordination with professional associations in their capacity as workers' representatives, according to Petra.

The minister noted that the government activated a number of partnerships with the private sector, enhanced the concept of self-recruitment and supported youth recruitment through establishing small enterprises, helping them achieve decent living conditions.

Murad stressed that the ministry is re-assessing and re-organising the labour market, intensifying inspection campaigns and following up on the amended draft Labour Law that was referred to the Lower House, noting that the amendments were made in consultation with the three entities involved in the productive process: workers, employers and the government. 

Labour Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Khatib noted that the ministry will hold a ceremony on the occasion of Labour Day to honour workers who contribute to the prosperity of the Kingdom.

President of the Independent Federation of Jordanian Trade Unions Azzam Smadi said that this year's Labour Day comes at a time when workers have "never been more worried about their futures", according to Petra.

He noted that unemployment rates are still increasing due to failure to generate jobs in the public and private sectors and a lack of investments.

The minimum limit of wages has not achieved anything for workers, despite several demands to increase it, especially in light of high prices of main commodities and the decline in purchase power among limited income classes, including the workers, Smadi noted.

May 1 is a national public holiday in many countries worldwide, in most cases known as "Labour Day", "International Workers' Day" or similar names. Some countries celebrate Labour Day on other dates significant to them, such as the US, which celebrates Labour Day on the first Monday of September.

The date was chosen by a pan-national organisation of socialist and communist political parties to commemorate the Haymarket affair, which occurred in Chicago on 4 May 1886, according to online sources.

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AMMAN — The women’s movement in Jordan will organise a march on May 3 to demand more equality for women in all fields on the occasion of International Labour Day.

The march, called by “Coalition Rights”, will take place in Jabal Lu-weibdeh at 2:30pm and take participants on a walk to Parliament to call for equality in all laws regulating and affecting women’s economic participation, said Sadaqa executive board member Sahar Aloul.

“The idea behind this march is to highlight the latest amendments that the women’s movement managed to introduce to the draft Labour Law and to lobby the MPs to endorse the suggestions,” Aloul told The Jordan Times.

Comprised of nine women organisations, unions and labour entities, “Coalition Rights” was launched earlier this month with the aim of lobbying parliamentarians and the government to amend certain articles of the Labour Law.

The coalition aims to eliminate discrimination against women and boost their participation in the labour market, according to its representatives.

Jordan was ranked 142 out of 144 countries in women’s economic participation in the Gender Gap Index published by the World Economic Forum 2017. The index highlighted that most women in the Kingdom do not enter the job market or pull out for varied periods of time due to the barriers posed by the lack of daycares, access to transportation and pay inequity.

In February, the Lower House’s labour committee amended provisions in the draft Labour Law that ensured pay equity, the presence of daycare centres at workplaces and the introduction of paternity leave.

Aloul called on anyone interested to join the march on Thursday. 

AMMAN — Her Majesty Queen Rania on Monday visited a carnival organised by the Madrasati initiative, joining 300 students from around the country at Millennium Park in Amman to celebrate the achievements of the initiative’s Masahati student club programme, a statement by Her Majesty's Office said. 

Masahati consists of five student clubs which develop youth’s intellectual and technical skills, and aim to empower students to become responsible citizens, promoting solidarity and collaboration between youth and the community at large. 

Throughout Masahati’s recently concluded two-year cycle, a total of 15,641 students, including more than 3,000 Syrian youth, took part in 40 Masahati student clubs, which were hosted at 50 schools across ten of Jordan’s governorates. 

Her Majesty toured the carnival alongside Madrasati director, Tala Sweis, who explained how Masahati creates physically, socially and emotionally safe learning environments for Jordan’s youth. 

By encouraging students to innovate and express themselves Masahati develops their interests and creativity, helping them become proactive members of their communities. The programme seeks to empower students to manage their own spaces, as well as provide a link between schools and their communities.

Queen Rania stopped at a number of the carnival’s recreational stations, each of which encouraged students to tap into skills developed in Masahati’s student clubs.

At the challenge space, students joined members of the men’s and women’s national football teams to take part in a variety of physical activities. Meanwhile, at the thinking space, students demonstrated their acquired artistic skills, expressing themselves through painting and drawing and taking part in an interactive science activity.

Her Majesty also stopped by the talent space, where students had the opportunity to showcase their acting, graffiti art, and comedic abilities. 

Masahati offers a variety of activities in accordance with student needs, with each school hosting between four and six activities. The programme strives to reinforce teachers’ role in fostering students’ growth, thereby helping transform schools into drivers of development. Throughout the two-year cycle, Masahati trained 1,000 teachers and counsellors, allowing the programme to be executed long-term at a number of schools.

The Madrasati initiative was launched by Her Majesty in 2008 to improve learning environments in Jordanian public schools.

MARKA — Victims of regional conflicts have been Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) Amman Reconstructive Surgery Hospital, where teams of surgeons help them regain a chance at life.

Nahla Fadel, a patient from Iraq, arrived in 2013 and underwent 24 surgeries at the facility. "When I arrived, the mobility of my severely burned hands was so limited that I couldn't comb the hair of my child or even feed him," she recalled, adding that "now, after two years of surgeries with MSF, my hand mobility is almost back to normal".

Nahla is one of the 4,745 patients who have been admitted to the facility specialising in war wounds caused by bomb blasts, bullets, shrapnel and burns, which has performed over 11,500 surgeries since its opening in 2006.

Regaining sense of normality 

The reconstructive surgery hospital on Monday inaugurated a new social and recreational area aimed at providing a safe and easily accessible recreational space for men, women and children patients to socialise. 

“We believe this space will both improve the patients’ physical safety and expand the holistic care MSF strives to provide to our war-wounded patients from across the Middle East,” said Deputy Head of MSF Mission in Jordan Anneliese Coury.

The inauguration ceremony, which included a show by the International Red Noses and a local artist who designed wall paintings to beautify the area, witnessed the attendance of the private donor Fehmi Hannachi, MSF representatives and patients.

The area, which includes a playground, a classroom for young patients, a private space dedicated to women and a common social area, was built in coordination with the physiotherapy and psychosocial department as well as the patients themselves, who shared their expectations through group discussions. 

“This area will be used for physiotherapy exercises and occupational activities such as games and gardening, while educational and recreational activities will be available for children who represent 20 per cent of our patients, all the while taking into account all physical disabilities [and] differences in gender, age and origin,” Maria Al Fadel, the hospital’s communication officer told The Jordan Times.

“The creation of the social and recreational area is a great opportunity for us to launch a new dynamic within the hospital which should help us improve the quality of our services for the benefit of our patients. Having this outdoor area is a crucial improvement in the quality of their stays,” Coury highlighted. 

Growing need 

amidst regional crises

The Reconstructive Surgery Programme (RSP) was established in 2006 to offer orthopedic, maxillofacial and plastic surgery, as well as physiotherapy and psychosocial support to victims of war and violence from Middle Eastern countries. 

“When we initially opened this hospital, nobody thought we were going to stay 10 years,” recalled Marc Schakal, MSF head of mission for RSP, adding, “but, after over 11,500 surgical interventions, it is clear that we have work for the next 10 years, and one hospital is not enough”.

The programme, according to Schakal, was established after victims of war in Iraq were unable to access the necessary medical attention needed, and has continued due to ongoing conflicts in the region and the lack of appropriate healthcare facilities in war-torn countries. 

"While they may receive initial care for their wounds, our patients do not usually have access to such specialised surgical procedures in their home countries, which are mostly at war," said head surgeon Dr Ashraf Al Bostanji, adding, "these hard-to-reach services include orthopedic, maxillofacial and plastic reconstructive surgery, which we provide at no cost to the patients and lower running costs than the private sector."

Renewed hope 

Four-year-old Ibrahim was finally able to open his mouth for the first time in two years, after undergoing multiple rounds of maxillofacial and plastic surgery, said Sajdi, who has been working with him on mouth opening and scar healing techniques at the hospital.

In May 2015, Ibrahim’s family fled bombing in Yemen’s Sanaa, seeking refuge in his grandmother’s house outside the capital. There, Ibrahim drank from a bottle of drain cleaner, which burnt his mouth and fused his lips together, leaving him unable to open his mouth, speak or chew food. 

“We use different creative approaches adapted to Ibrahim’s young age, such as teeth brushing, singing or screaming exercises. We also ask him to do inside-mouth massages for himself so he feels like it’s a game. Basically, we try to create an atmosphere for him to be able to conduct the exercises on his own and benefit from them,” he said, as Ibrahim, who is now able to pronounce full words, gave him a thankful hug after an exercise. 

State of the art facility

RSP aims to become a global leader in reconstructive orthopedic, plastic and maxillofacial surgery, a national and international referral centre and a training and research hub to develop and document knowledge and innovation in reconstructive surgery, according to MSF website. 

"The surgical techniques adopted in this project are world-class," Al Bostanji said, citing microsurgeries which involve free flaps, nerve grafting and hand surgery. “What makes this project stand out is implementing such a high level of technical expertise for war victims in the humanitarian medical field," he pointed out.

First established in 2006 to care for victims of war in Iraq, the MSF facility later expanded to receive patients from Iraq, Gaza, Yemen and Syria, in addition to a mother and healthcare project in Irbid and an emergency trauma project in Ramtha, close to the Syrian border.

MSF also runs clinics in Irbid for non-communicable diseases and a step-down unit in Zaatari camp for Syrian refugees, according to its website. 

AMMAN – Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat, on Monday inaugurated the 10th annual international Warrior Competition at the King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Centre (KASOTC), which features 40 teams from 25 friendly countries, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

KASOTC Director General Col. Osama Zu'bi explained that the centre is the main focus of advanced technologies, rehabilitation and preparation of qualified units armed with knowledge and tactics to work in areas of conflict.

He said that the competition is an important military event which provides a real opportunity to build friendship and partnership between the participating teams at the individual and collective level, commending those who are working hard to protect their countries and peoples around the world.

Group photographs were taken of Freihat alongside all participating teams featured in front of the podium with their national flag.

The ceremony was attended by the KASOTC chairman, ambassadors and accredited military attachés to the Kingdom, officers of Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army, security services and civilian officials. 

The Warrior Competition is an international event held annually to promote joint work and team spirit, and to measure ability and endurance factors under psychological and physical pressure factors, Petra reported.

AMMAN — The Jordanian Federation of Independent Trade Unions (JFITU) on Monday organised protests in front of Parliament to press for their voices to be heard on the occasion of Labour Day.

"We celebrate this day by gathering here and chanting slogans that call for the freedom of forming trade unions, their plurality, just taxation laws and the protection of the social security money," JFITU President Suleiman Jamaani told The Jordan Times. 

Without explaining how, the JFITU, in a statement sent to The Jordan Times, claimed that the Labour Law contradicts the provisions of the Constitution, international criteria and charters and agreements, as well as declarations on human rights.

The federation added that the Lower House's Labour Committee is drafting an amended version of the Labour Law which would "tighten the grip" on the workers' freedom over the formation of trade unions and unions' pluralism.

"All sectors are suffering from the current situation. These tight restrictions and the limitations on discussing workers' rights are adversely affecting their living conditions," Belal Naimi, one the protesters, said, adding, "we are not calling for luxury demands, but for the basic rights of any worker".

"Workers are the country's main pillar and leaders of change, so if they are given decent labour rights, they will greatly contribute to the development of their country," he explained. 

The federation also called for more protection of the Social Security Corporation's assets. 

The protests also witnessed the presence of females workers who raised banners that read "female workers are women, not slaves".

"The situation of women in the labour market is moving backwards, so we seek better improvements to increase their participation," argued Wijdan Abu Ghanam, president of the women’s committee at JFITU, adding, "the huge number of women who participated today [Monday] reflects an increased awareness among female workers who are willing to call for their rights themselves, right next to their male counterparts".    

For Fatema Ofeishat, one of the protestors, "women are not only half of the society, but all the society, so we stand here to call for our rights of equality and to put an end to the labour violations on women".

"Workers are experiencing despair and frustrations in light of the lack of social justice and decent employment policies," JFITU Vice President Ahmad Meri told The Jordan Times, adding, "the fact that workers are still crowding to echo their claims is a positive indication that they still have hopes of making a constructive change."  

AMMAN — The two Houses of Parliament on Monday endorsed the 2016 medical accountability law and the 2017 amendments to the higher council for the youth law during a joint session.

Heading the session, Senate President Faisal Fayez highlighted the importance of further coordination between senators and MPs to best serve the interests of the Kingdom and its citizens, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The Senate on Thursday insisted for the second time on its amendments to the medical accountability and the higher council for the youth laws.

If any of the Houses of Parliament insists on its amendments for a second time, then senators and MPs must meet in a joint session to resolve the disputed matter in a two-thirds vote, according to the Constitution.

Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh said that partnership is crucial for the public interest, noting that the current ordinary session witnessed disputes between the two Chambers over 11 draft laws.

Head of the Senate's health committee Senator Yousef Goussous stressed that the 2016 medical accountability law, "which has been waited for 16 years, includes scientific medical jurisprudence".

The higher council for the youth law stipulates establishing a "fund for supporting the youth and sports", and to be financially and administratively independent, where it can own movable and immovable assets necessary to achieve its goals, execute all legal actions and be represented before courts by the civil general attorney. 

The new fund will be tasked with collecting necessary financial resources for the youth and sports and distributing them according to certain standards.

AMMAN —  Movies do not only inspire us, they also help us figure things out, said HRH Princess Rym, member of the Royal Film Commission (RFC) board of commissioners on Sunday.

During a ceremony held at the RFC premises to announce the launch of the Screen Buzz workshop, HRH said that the film industry exists in Jordan thanks to the widespread willingness existing at so many levels.

“When my husband HRH Prince Ali created the film commission almost 15 years ago, he pursued the idea of the youth being able to tell their stories freely. But it also came as an answer to a need. Like everywhere in the world, our media landscape was changing fast and we had a bit of catching up to do in the field of audio-visual storytelling,” she recalled. 

The ceremony saw the launch of Screen Buzz's professional workshop series, powered by America Abroad Media (AAM), bringing together top Hollywood writers, directors and producers to the region to support local storytellers in the creation of original, purpose driven content for global audiences, according to an RFC statement e-mailed to The Jordan Times. 

Nine Arab TV projects were selected to participate in Amman's first edition of the workshops, involving between 10 and 12 people, said founder and president of AAM Aaron Lobel.

“We have to keep the workshops relatively small to be able to work with each other individually. But hopefully we will do a few of them this year,” he told The Jordan Times. 

“We all have a need to express ourselves somehow. We all have a need to relate to one another, and understand our problems and our joys, sometimes by seeing them projected somewhere. In Jordan, there are ancient cave paintings — a very primitive but clear form of storytelling, as our Arab ancestors were famous for their storytelling skills and poetry. Now, of course, there is film,” Princess Rym said, noting that "films that matter usually tackle questions of concern to us such as 'how do we cope with life’s many challenges?' and 'what are the values we hold so dear we would fight for them?'"

She stressed that seeing a film even on a tiny phone screen is "better than not seeing a film at all". 

“But I am proud to say that the RFC still believes in the impact of public screenings where you can sit next to a friend, a relative or even a complete stranger and absorb a story, react to it and maybe interpret it completely differently,” she added. 

 HRH described the launch of the regional workshops as “exciting”. “We are thrilled as Screen Buzz offers a new perspective and expertise,” she said, commending "the Hollywood talents who have kindly agreed to travel all this way to lead us in this competitive world".

The programme is also reaching out to government schools and children in various governorates via a number of screening and training programmes. 

“I hope that one day we will be able to include films as part of the school curriculum. Hopefully we will see many storytellers emerge from these efforts, so that young people can use their talents and not remain passive viewers but instead become active content generators as well,” she continued. 

Lobel highlighted Jordan's importance in the region and globally amidst the regional trauma. 

Workshop participants will have the opportunity to develop their projects through direct interaction with three Hollywood experts: executive producer Lindsay Goffman (The Good Doctor), writer and producer Mark Goffman (Bull, The West Wing), and writer and producer Daniel Knauf (Supernatural, Spartacus: Blood and Sand). 

Participants will also practice pitching their projects to the Hollywood mentors during one-on-one meetings. 

Screen Buzz workshops are held under the supervision of AAM’s Middle East advisory council, which includes prominent Arab figures in the industry such as UAE Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development Noura Al Kaabi, Princess Rym, who is also the founder of the Jordan Media Institute, and actress and director Nadine Labaki, among others.

A member of the advisory council, Jordanian actress and producer Saba Mubarak stressed the need to focus more on quality content. 

“We are very lucky to have so many unique stories unfolded by very talented script writers who are constantly looking forward to having their projects exposed  to international audience, which is why Screen Buzz decided to be entirely dedicated to script writers this year,” she said.  

AMMAN — Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat on Monday inaugurated the expansion project of the kidney dialysis department at the King Hussein Medical Centre. Accompanied by businessman Ziad Manaseer who donated 35 kidney dialysis devices, Freihat toured the facility to check on the progress made in the department, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Royal Medical Services (RMS) Director Maj. Gen. Muin Habashneh briefed Freihat on the services presented at the department which was established in 1973. Col. Munther Hijazat, head of the kidney diseases at RMS, said that the department presents services to more than 300 patients through 3,200 kidney dialysis sessions each month.