Local

AMMAN — Jordan has asked for more US assistance next year as the two countries plan to negotiate and endorse a three-year assistance plan for the years 2018-2020.

Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Imad Fakhoury, who has concluded a visit to the US in which he met with senior officials in the administration and the US Congress to renew the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two countries, which governs economic and military assistance to Jordan, and discussed US aid to the Kingdom for 2018.

The two sides are expected to sign the new MoU in the first quarter of next year, the official announced, as quoted in a ministry statement. 

Fakhoury said that he discussed the issue during meetings with senior officials of the US administration (the White House, the State Department and the Ministry of Finance), senior officials of the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives and the Senate in the US Congress, as well as the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The aid agency is carrying out development projects in the Kingdom worth about $1.2 billion, the largest worldwide.

In this regard, Fakhoury stressed the importance of increasing the level of aid to Jordan for the coming period compared to the current sum stipulated in the memorandum of understanding, which ends this year and includes an annual aid ceiling of $1 billion for the period 2015-2017, in light of the “pivotal role of Jordan, the immense challenges facing the Kingdom and the burdens shouldered by the state”. 

He cited the regional instability in the region, and the need to support Jordan’s reform and development plans for the next five years, especially the National Programme for Economic and Financial Reform, a component of the Jordan 2025 blueprint designed to stimulate economic growth in the period 2018-2022. 

The minister said that Jordan received an additional $275 million in US aid in 2016, exceeding the $1 billion ceiling set in the memorandum of understanding, while Washington has pledged an additional $279 million for 2017, and the agreement will be officially signed within the coming weeks.

The talks with US officials came as Fakhoury took part in the joint meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC. On the sidelines of the event, the minister partook in a donors meeting to discuss progress in the Global Concessional Financing Facility, which was launched in 2016 to support refugee hosting countries, including Jordan and Lebanon. 

The ministry statement said that Denmark, Norway and Canada pledged during the meeting additional $80 million to both countries.

AMMAN — Police Chief Maj. Gen. Ahmad Faqih on Wednesday stressed that the Public Security Department (PSD) will never tolerate any use of “unnecessary force” by its personnel when dealing with citizens.

 “I stress over and over when I meet with our police forces that I will never tolerate the use of unnecessary action.  No one at the PSD has the right to brutalise any citizen regardless of their rank or reason,” Faqih said.

His remarks came during a meeting at the PSD’s headquarters organised by human rights coordinator Basel Tarawneh and attended by diplomats, representatives from the local and international civil society, senators, deputies and lawyers.

“I can assure you that we have no torture incidents at our detention centres and if there ever was excessive use of violence, it was an individual incident. There are only five incidents of alleged police brutality currently being investigated,” the police chief told the gathering.

Faqih added that any individual who faces abuse by police is “more than welcome to file for complaints as we have a comprehensive justice system that deals with complaints against our forces and a police court that would investigate any complaint and try anyone who is found accountable”.

Regarding the Kingdom’s correctional facilities, the police chief said that the PSD is constantly upgrading its infrastructure and the services provided.

“Our 17 correctional facilities, including two for women, are overcrowded. They should hold up to 12,000 inmates but they’re now housing over 14,000.  Each inmate costs the PSD budget JD750 per month.  It is a big burden on us,” the police chief said.

Faqih said that the PSD is currently examining the possibility of allowing inmates to continue “their university education and is discussing the option with one of the Kingdom’s universities”.

The meeting aimed at discussing fruitful cooperation between the civil society and the PSD to strengthen the application of human rights and to ensure justice for all, Tarawneh told members of the gathering.

“The PSD has proved to have a transparent and open-door policy by holding regular meetings, while allowing us and other civil society organisations to visit detention and correctional centres without prior coordination,” he said, citing the 230 visits to detention facilities since the beginning of the year.

President of the Jordanian Women’s Union Amneh Zu’bi commended the meeting, saying it would “further boost the cooperation between the police and civil societies in Jordan”.

“We are going through many challenges and we should be open to building up real partnership with the police in order to protect the vulnerable people in our society,” Zu’bi said.

Meanwhile, head of the Freedom’s Committee at the Professional Unions Lawyer Walid Udwan said that many attorneys are still facing difficulties “in meeting with their clients after they are arrested”.

“Many lawyers are unable to attend the preliminary investigation procedures at the police stations,” he said.

Lawyer Samih Jarah also called on Faqih “to ensure enhanced training of police officers on how to deal with citizens in accordance with the international conventions”.

For her part, President of the General Federation of Jordanian Women Nuha Maaytah called on Faqih to consider the inmates’ classification.

“We hope that the PSD will ensure classification of prisoners according to their offences because there are some individuals with minor offences kept in the same cell as convicted murderers and other major offenders,” Maaytah said.

Faqih promised to take all comments into consideration and pledged to constantly work on improving prison facilities and other services provided by the PSD.

“We just call on our citizens to cooperate with us and abide by the law. Then, we will all find ourselves in a much better position,” Faqih concluded.

AMMAN — The Jordan Water Company (Miyahuna) on Wednesday called on households to swiftly remove drainage pipes connected to street manholes ahead of the rainy season to avoid fines.

The practice of disposing drainage water via pipes connected to manholes in the streets is illegal and causes crises during winter, an official at Miyahuna noted.

“The company’s teams started conducting daily checkups on the state of manholes across the capital and is reporting violators,” the official, who preferred to remain anonymous, told The Jordan Times.

The official said that Miyahuna will take the necessary legal measures and issue fines to those who fail to respond to its instructions of removing the illegal pipes.

“The sewage network overflows causing traffic jams and sometimes losses in properties every winter because some people do not adhere to our instructions regarding this illegal practice,” the official underscored.

Jordan usually witnesses its first rain of the season in mid-September or early October, with the wet season continuing until February, according to the Jordan Meteorological Department.

Miyahuna also called on residents to carry out regular maintenance to their water tanks to avoid leakage, to check the efficiency of floating water valves and to inspect household plumbing systems for improving supply and reducing water bills. 

Miyahuna has 30,000 subscribers in Madaba, 150,000 subscribers in Zarqa and 600,000 subscribers in Amman.

AMMAN — “My job is to get photographs by Jordanian participants for two categories: those under and those above the age of 18, with a maximum of ten participants in each category,” said the coordinator of the Image Colleague Society (ICS) on Tuesday. 

The remark came during an exhibition organised by ICS, the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP), and the World of Photography Group (WPG) that showcased the work of 20 photographers who participated in a global photography competition.

ICS coordinator Abdalrahem Alarjan, who is also a photographer and an art distributor, said the contest was an initiative by the Saudi photographer Najla Angawi gathering photographers from 22 countries around the world, including Jordan.

Six of the 48 Jordanians under 18 who applied for the competition were approved under the technical conditions posed by the organisers, which barred the use of Photoshop editing, while ensuring “aesthetics and the delivery of a meaningful message,” he noted.

“Our biggest challenge was to find participants under 18 since very few of them know how to use the DSLR camera required by the contest, which is also very expensive,” he added, recalling his visits to many local schools and universities, including Philadelphia University, the German-Jordanian University, Mayar International Schools and the Modern American School.

Fares Al Husban, a 15-year-old student at the American Excellence School, delivered a speech at the exhibition opening, where he explained his reason for participating in the competition.

“I always keep my camera next to me wherever I go and when I hopefully enter the field of engineering, I would love to continue taking pictures on the side” the youngest participant said.

The exhibition, held under the patronage of Culture Minister Nabih Shuqum, contained documentary, studio, conceptual, landscape and portrait photos. 

Mohammad Al Qaraleh, a 43-year-old press-photographer for Al Ra’i Newspaper, took his photo at a school in Tafileh, showing a child’s torn-up shoe.

“I took this photo during one of my visits to the school. I noticed the children’s dirty clothes, and that some of them did not have shoes on,” he recalled.

Al Qaraleh, who won a prize for the same  photo earlier this year, donated the award’s money to open a therapeutic centre for children in Tafileh and Maan, and is now planning to launch a third one in a different  governorate.

“We are planning to hold this exhibition in various governorates around the Kingdom, which is why we have searched for participants outside Amman, and included photographs such as the one taken in Petra during winter,” Alarjan said.

He said the organisers aim to showcase Jordanian talent in larger photo events around the globe within the next few years.

AMMAN — When Sarah was born, she had narrow chances of receiving foster care due to her birth defects, but that did not stop her from finally finding a place in the hearts of her new foster family.

Sarah (some names in the story were changed for privacy concerns) is an 11-month-old abandoned infant who suffers from hip dislocation, eyesight and hearing problems from birth. 

“The first time we saw her, she stole our hearts and when I found out about her medical issue, I insisted on bringing her home,” Ali Ayham, the foster father, told The Jordan Times over the phone. 

Abeer Hawari, the director at the Department of Foster Care at the Ministry of Social Development’s (MSD) Family and Childhood Directorate (FCD), said that Jordanian community has become more accepting of foster care, which gives victims of disintegrated families and abandoned children the opportunity to live within a family, rather than growing up in a care centre.

Hawari noted that the programme that began in 2011, faced a lot of challenges, one of them being the search for appropriate foster families.

However, the initiative, funded by UNICEF in partnership with other governmental and nongovernmental institutions, has found loving homes for over 180 children, and currently has 150 other families on its waiting list, said Hawari. 

The foster care programme was developed after a study conducted by the government, UNICEF and Columbia University found that children living in foster families have less emotional and behavioural difficulties than those in care centres. 

Hawari said that the programme aims to place another 100 children in foster care by June 2018.

Yara Musleh, the child protection programmes director at Jordan River Foundation, said that a family’s home is the “best place for a child to live, where love, care, attention and protection are given better than any other place.”

“Different from adoption, which is forbidden in Islam, foster parenting [in which the child retains his or her original family name, or the one given by the state] is the best way to provide the child with the needed love,” Musleh added.

A specialised committee evaluates foster families by studying their social and psychological status as well as their ability and willingness to raise a child in a healthy environment, said MSD’s Spokesperson Fawaz Ratrout. 

“If the family is found eligible, the juvenile court must approve the placement of a child with the caregiver [foster family] to protect his or her rights,” Ratrout noted. 

Musleh said the child would stay with the foster family unless he or she is found to be abused or neglected during follow-up visits. 

Childless families, families with children and even single-mothers that have the willingness to provide foster care for children can apply to the programme, she continued. 

Around six single-mothers — widowed, divorced or unmarried women — have become foster caretakers to fulfil their maternal instinct, Musleh noted.

“My entire life has changed, my life had no meaning before him,” Diana, a foster single-mother said, describing her feelings after becoming a foster parent. 

The 42-year-old mother said that Sanad, her new infant, has filled her “previously empty life”. “My father, aunt, and friends encouraged me to take this step… being a mother is the best feeling ever,” she added.

The project’s psychologists and social workers teach foster parents ways to reveal the truth about the child’s background gradually, within a working plan that starts during preschool years, Hawari said. 

“Storytelling, drawing and simply talking to them are some of the ways this can be done,” she explained.

“The child might suffer serious psychological problems if he/she discovers the truth late. This could result in depression, drug addiction or suicide,” the director stressed. 

The programme also offers caregivers with a monthly subsidy to help them provide the child with basic needs.

However, many families prefer to save the children’s subsidies for when they grow older, Hawari noted. 

Family disintegration victims in foster care

This year, 15 victims of disintegrated families who suffered from parental negligence, abuse or waived custody by both parents, were moved from care centres to kinship care, according to CFD director Mahmoud Jboor. 

Reintegration of children suffering from negligence or abuse by their families is another branch of the programme, Jboor noted.

“Usually three or four siblings are victims of negligence or abuse. Sometimes, due to the lack of space in one centre, they are distributed across various care centres, which affects their psychological and social growth,” Jboor explained, stressing the importance of the family’s rehabilitation through social, psychological and financial support.

Reunion with biological mother 

Hawari noted that the programme coordinators clearly explain to foster families about the possibility of a biological mother taking back her child once she requests for reunion. 

Two mothers were reunited with their biological children under foster care after they proved their ability to provide their child with a secure life, Jboor said.

However, Sarah’s foster father Ayham said that he “can’t imagine what would happen if Sarah’s biological family came back requesting her custody”.

“I try to throw these thoughts away because I cannot imagine my life without her… people think she needs us but the truth is that we need her more,” Ayham concluded. 

AMMAN — HRH Prince Feisal, president of the Jordan Olympic Committee, stressed the importance of meeting the needs of Jordanian athletes, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

He noted that the team committee will investigate any cases related to the players and will work on finding solutions to enable them in completing their careers without external pressures.

Regarding the provision of leaves for players who are still studying, Prince Feisal emphasises the importance of paying attention to the education of every athlete as it is a “starting point” for their future, especially once they finish their sport careers. Prince Feisal also noted that the Jordanian team is a “national pride”, appreciating its efforts in representing Jordan internationally.   

AMMAN — Canadian Ambassador Peter MacDougall on Wednesday visited Al Mallaha Family Care Clinic in Deir Alla where he was briefed on the renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements implemented on site with support from the governments of Canada and Jordan.

The improvements, which include a solar PV system, a solar water heater, and highly efficient air-conditioners and lighting, were implemented through the Sustainable Energy and Economic Development Project (SEED).

The visit was attended by the governor of Deir Alla and the mayors of New Deir Alla and Muaddi municipalities. Ambassador MacDougall also visited one of SEED’s “Dream Houses” which was selected to receive a similar package of sustainable energy solutions free of charge. Mohammad Ramadan, SEED’s team leader, said that the project aims to raise awareness of sustainable energy solutions. 

AMMAN — A Jordanian delegation participated on Wednesday in the Forum of Ministers of Technical and Vocational Education, which was held at the WorldSkills International Competition in Abu Dhabi, the UAE, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The delegation included Adnan Badran, chairman of the National Centre for Developing Curricula’s higher council as well as Education Minister Omar Razzaz.

Both countries agreed on extending the cooperation agreements and signed memorandums of mutual understanding within the education sector, while enhancing bilateral relations. The Jordanian delegation was also briefed on UAE’s skills in various sectors, such as the way to develop education and the national standard testing system.

AMMAN — The German embassy in Amman on Wednesday handed over medical equipments and medicines to Jordanian and Syrian non-governmental organisations and other institutions affiliated with the World Health Organisation, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

German Ambassador Birgitta Siefker-Eberle presented medical equipment worth JD360,000 to the Caritas Foundation, the World Health Organisation and two Syrian NGOs, the Syrian American Medical Society and the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organisations in the Caritas-Jordan building.

The Ambassador commended the long lasting cooperation with the Jordanian Caritas charity. General Director of Caritas Jordan Wael Suleiman expressed his appreciation for Germany’s assistance to the Foundation, which was originally established in Germany 50 years ago.

AMMAN — HRH Princess Dana Firas, president of the National Association for the Conservation of Petra and UNESCO Goodwill ambassador, participated in the 2017 International Tourism Economy Forum, which concluded on Tuesday in Macau, China, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

She outlined the efforts made to promote the cultural heritage of the city of Petra, which was listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985, through the implementation of several projects that emphasise the site’s importance.

The Princess stressed the importance of heritage protection within local communities, pointing out that the Association focuses on raising awareness through educational programmes for children, schools and teachers.