Local

AMMAN — HRH Crown Prince Hussein on Tuesday stressed the importance of developing a holistic strategy for youth to be implemented within a fixed timeframe, a Royal Court statement said.

During a visit to the Youth Ministry, the Crown Prince also stressed the need for “unconventional” training and development programmes at all youth centres across the Kingdom, as well as evaluating performance and achievement of such programmes every two months.

His Royal Highness highlighted the importance of partnership between the public and the private sectors to support youth initiatives, which, he said, contribute to the empowerment of youth, stimulate creativity and lead to better investment of young people’s potentials and the activation of their role in the comprehensive development process.

During the visit, Youth Minister Hadithah Khreisha briefed the Crown Prince on the progress made in the drafting of the National Strategy for Youth 2018-2025, expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Khreisha said that the ministry has formed consultative and technical committees with members from ministries, local community and relevant institutions.

The minister noted that young people were also involved in drawing up the strategy, as 60,000 young men and women have responded to a questionnaire that targeted the age categories of 12-18 and 19-30.

The questionnaire focused on the needs and ambitions of young people, according to the minister.

Khreisha expressed the Jordanian youth’s pride of the prince’s recent speech that he delivered at the UN General Assembly meeting, which reflected the ambitions and concerns of youth.

The minister outlined the ministry’s programmes and activities concerning the youth centres it oversees across the Kingdom.  

He also noted the ministry’s efforts to build youth potentials and pioneering skills.

The briefing also included the ministry’s programmes to protect young people from extreme ideologies and drugs. 

AMMAN — Prime Minister Hani Mulki has said that all subsidised commodities are being currently under study regarding the sales tax, stressing that only citizens should benefit from subsidies. 

Speaking at a meeting with municipal council presidents held at Al Hussein Cultural Centre on Tuesday, Mulki said that it is unacceptable for non-Jordanians to benefit from tax exemptions, which affect the Jordanian economy and citizens, especially in light of the fact that about one-third of the Kingdom’s population are non-Jordanians and they benefit from tax exemptions on goods.

The meeting was part of a dialogue initiated by the government with stakeholders to discuss solutions to the economic challenges facing Jordan.

The prime minister reviewed the main features and the pillars of the financial and structural reform programme, pointing out that the economic challenges that Jordan has been going through for several years are due to different reasons, including external ones like the Syrian refugee influx, and internal reasons like the unjustified sales tax exemptions.

He stressed that the main goal to be achieved at this stage is self-reliance, noting that the reform measures initiated by the government last year contributed to keeping the debt ratio to gross domestic product unchanged, noting that it reached 95.2 per cent last year, while it stands now at 94.7 per cent.

On the amendments to the Income Tax Law, Mulki affirmed that the government is committed to the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah to protect the middle- and low-income classes, and that there will be no change in the segments related to individuals and families.

He stressed that the amendments of law aim to raise the efficiency of tax collection and to harshen the penalties on those convicted of tax evasion, a practice that is “a crime against Jordan”.

The prime minister noted that severe penalties will be imposed on cases of tax evasion up to imprisonment that is irreplaceable with fines.

He announced that a special investigation unit is being established for tax related violations.

The meeting was attended by Minister of Political and Parliamentary Affairs and Minister of State Musa Maaytah, Minister of Municipal Affairs Walid Masri, Minister of State for Media Affairs Mohammad Momani, Minister of Transport Jamil Mujahed and the Mayor of Amman Yousef Shawarbeh. 

AMMAN — The Jordanian Electric Power Company (JEPCO), the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission (EMRC) and a joint force of public security and Gendarmerie departments’ personnel have put an end to the “biggest electricity theft” in the history of the Kingdom, which included  installations worth JD300,000.

A JEPCO source told the Jordan News Agency, Petra, that a technical inspection showed that the theft, located in the Hallabat area, 120km east of Amman, included installing three-kilometre-long high voltage cables without receiving necessary licenses from the company.

The theft included illegal installing of invertors and connections , the source said, estimating the cost of such installations at more than JD300,000, not including the cost of the stolen electricity.

JEPCO’s employees are currently estimating the value of the stolen electricity in the location — which includes a farm and a factory — and of the equipment used for the connections, the source added, noting that the facility served by the installations extends over 1,000 dunums and includes large water pumps that operate on electricity.

During the raid, electric inverters were confiscated, and a suspect who was working on a power inverter was arrested, the source said, adding that the suspects involved in the case tried to stop the inspection team by blocking the road leading to the site. However, the source continued, the security force intervened and facilitated the job of the inspectors.

The case has now been referred to the concerned judicial authorities, the source said, stressing that JEPCO, EMRC and security forces are continuing their campaign to spot any illegal access to electricity and refer violators to court.

JEPCO called on subscribers to report any cases of power thefts or attacks on the power grid, stressing its keenness to present the best services in normal and emergency circumstances.

AMMAN —State Minister for Investment Affairs Mohannad Shehadeh said foreign direct investment (FDI) in Jordan rose by 87 per cent during the 2nd quarter of 2017 compared to the same period of last year.

The remarks came during a discussion panel organised by the American Chamber of Commerce in Jordan (AmCham) and attended by the chamber’s Chairman Mohammed Bataineh, the US Chargé d’Affaires in Amman Henry Wooster and representative from the US embassy and USAID, in addition to representative of the Jordanian public and private sectors.

During the panel, Shehadeh outlined the ministry’s measures to encourage investment including the establishment of a fast lane for investors at the Queen Alia International Airport and reducing the number of security approvals and registration procedures. 

The measures also include facilitating the process to obtain driving licences for investors that carry investment cards, the minister added.

The ministry, in cooperation with USAID, prepared a new promotional strategy that identified the countries and priority sectors that will be targeted, according to Shehadeh.

He noted that a specialised team from the ministry launched the investment strategy of Irbid, 80km north of Amman, and will visit the rest of the governorates during the next two weeks in a roadshow to complete the process.

Shehadeh said that the Jordan Investment Commission is working on opening new markets for Jordanian exports, especially in Africa, noting the negotiations with an African company to benefit from Jordan’s trade agreements that were signed with the US, Canada and the EU. 

He also stressed the “important” role that Jordan will play in Iraq and Syria’s reconstruction process. 

AMMAN — Her Majesty Queen Rania on Tuesday visited the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation (AHSF), where she was introduced to the foundation’s various cultural programmes, a statement from Her Majesty Office said.

Located in Jabal Amman, AHSF is a non-profit organisation dedicated to investing in cultural and social innovation. The foundation’s work focuses on the advancement of thought leadership, literature and arts, and employment and innovation within local communities.

Her Majesty was received by AHSF Chairman Sabih Al Masri, Arab Bank General Manager Nema Sabbagh, and AHSF CEO Valentina Qussisiya, who took her on a tour of the Abdul Hameed Shoman public library. 

Aiming to instill a culture of reading among Jordanians, the public library is home to a variety of cultural activities, including book signings, training workshops, panel discussions and film screenings. Under its efforts to serve a larger segment of society, a second branch of the library is to be launched in East Amman.

Queen Rania and the AHSF team joined a number of Jordanian innovators and startup founders at the library for a discussion on building identity through culture. The conversation focused on the vital role culture plays in identity formation, as well as its ability to drive innovation and entrepreneurship among the nation’s youth.

During the conversation, participants addressed the necessity of enriching Arabic digital content catered to young children and the benefits of encouraging both creative and critical thinking from an early age. They also highlighted the importance of universal access to the arts, mentioning the need to support the musical sector, encourage local photographic talents and use cinema to address social issues.

The conversation then turned to AHSF’s various cultural programmes, including AHSF Cultural Days, held across Jordan’s governorates, as well as Jabal Amman Cultural Week. 

Qussisiya reaffirmed AHSF’s ongoing commitment to supporting culture, education and science, particularly through the Abdul Hameed Shoman Fund for Scientific Research and the Abdul Hameed Shoman Award for Arab Researchers.

Her Majesty then stopped by the AHSF’s children’s library Knowledge Path, where children were engaged in storytelling, musical and innovation-promoting activities. 

Under its collaboration with the Ministry of Education, AHSF aims to expand its programmes into local schools, in addition to establishing school libraries and book clubs, enhancing school librarians’ training, and supporting technology and literacy-based student awards.

AHSF was established by the Arab Bank in 1978. The foundation offers a vast selection of programmes supporting creativity, scientific research and cultural enrichment, which are aimed at positively impacting local communities, according to the statement.

AMMAN — The Queen Rania Foundation (QRF) on Tuesday presented a study on the economic implications of investing in early childhood care and education (ECCE) in Jordan, stating that every dollar spent on ECCE under the National Human Development Strategy would yield $9 in the form of labour market and life expectancy benefits. 

The study was introduced by QRF CEO Haifa Dia Al Atta, who pointed out that “traditional household education is not sufficient”, expressing hopes for the report to “influence the decisions of Jordanian families in the future”.

In this regard, Atta highlighted that “80 per cent of children from four to five years old don’t have a chance to access ECCE programmes, while 48 per cent of the families don’t think that it [ECCE] has a positive effect”, adding that “these figures need to change”.

The results of the report were presented by researcher Helena Pylvainen, who explained that QRF partnered with two Harvard professors and an economist at the University of Jordan after the publication of several international studies showing that each dollar spent in early childhood development could generate private and social returns valued between $6 and $17. 

The study relied on pre-existing datasets including standardised tests, a demographic and health survey, a labour market survey, and census data to link ECCE participation to educational attainment, employment and earnings and life expectancy. 

The study also assessed a second scenario based on a “less ambitious” programme which provided universal kindergarten 1 (KG1) and kindergarten (KG2), where every $1 invested would generate labour market and life expectancy returns valued at $20. 

Pylvainen highlighted that providing children with three years of ECCE would produce an increase of 0.7 years in average secondary and tertiary educational achievements, and an increase of one year in life expectancy. 

Regarding the financial benefits, the study found that three years of ECCE access would produce an increase of $23,000 in average lifetime earnings, $1.7 in tax revenues per each dollar spent, and 30,000 jobs for educators and caregivers. 

The benefits were estimated under the recommendations from the Jordan’s National Strategy for Human Resources Development, according to which children born in 2016 would enter nursery at age 3, complete one year of preschool, and two years of kindergarten before starting first grade. 

In this regard, Pylvainen pointed out that “the real benefits of ECCE are likely to be much higher than those estimated in the study, since the report assumed a conservative economic growth in the Kingdom.”

QRF representative Ruba Samain outlined the implications that an ECCE expansion would have in terms of policy, stressing the need to increase KG1, KG2 and nursery capacity and enrolment through the encouragement of the private and non-governmental participation. 

Minister of Education Omar Razzaz wrapped up the presentation by pointing out the benefits that ECCE can have in children, highlighting the need to “make parents not only understand, but ask for those services”.

Razzaz noted that the ministry is willing to “invest and go in this direction”, calling the private sector to “collaborate for the achievement of these goals”.

AMMAN — In a public school environment and a community that are “less than supportive”, rewarding a teacher’s effort goes a long way, long-time teacher Rajaa Khatib said.

Since she won the Queen Rania Award for Excellence in Education in 2014, Khatib’s teaching style has transformed, now based on a less teacher-dominant, 21st century oriented classroom.

Scholarship opportunities, continuous improvement lectures, workshops and voluntary work experiences provided by the award’s association have “opened new horizons” for the English teacher, who is starting her master’s soon, she said.

Launched in 2005 by Their Majesties King Abdullah and Queen Rania in partnership with the Education Ministry, the Teacher Award seeks to “set a national standard of excellence in teaching” and to “celebrate, encourage and honour those who reach it”.

 “An excelling teacher is always modernising and renewing,” said 12-year teacher Fadia Ibrahim, another awardee who described herself as “untraditional” when it comes to her teaching style.

The award is a chance for teachers to evaluate their personal performance and find out what they are doing wrong, Ibrahim said, noting that this is a “vital” step for everyone to take regularly to achieve success.

Also an English teacher, Ibrahim said her subject seems to “scare parents” who find it difficult to teach their children at home something that is not really a part of their daily lives. It is therefore up to her to find new ways to incorporate the language in her students’ lives inside the classroom.

Motivation provided by the Queen Rania Award is very valuable for Ibrahim in her “high pressure” field. She added that her secret is “faith in my role in building society”.

While the award and motivation filled her with a sense of “pride and responsibility” towards her community, Ibrahim believes she can do more to improve the education experience for students.

Although the award committee is always organising events and workshops for the awardees, the Ministry of Education is not taking advantage of the “treasure” of distinguished teachers around the Kingdom, she stated.

With four awarded teachers in her Princess Rahma school, Abeer Tahboob said both students and their parents have gained more confidence in the school’s ability. With support from the school’s management, even technology has taken back seat compared to “a teacher who is willing to give”.

Tahboob, who is also an award-winning teacher herself, believes that recognition is a motivation to work harder, as the community is always looking up to the winners in order to see their next achievement.

AMMAN — The value of personal and car loans granted by banks working in Jordan, both commercial and Islamic, decreased in 2016, while housing loans registered a “remarkable” increase in the same year, according to the Association of Banks in Jordan (ABJ).

ABJ data showed that the value of personal loans went down by 1.1 per cent to JD1.333 billion in 2016, compared with JD1.348 billion in 2015, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Tuesday, citing the 2016 ABJ annual report.

In 2016, interest rates for personal loans ranged between 4.5 and 13.5 per cent in commercial banks, while the murabaha rates for Islamic banks ranged between 2 and 7.75 per cent. 

The report showed that housing loans in 2016 increased by 24.5 per cent to JD977.3 million, compared with JD784.8 million in 2015.

ABJ said that banks approved 164,194 applications for personal loans, out of a total of 210,861 applications, with an approval rate of 77.8 per cent. 

Interest rates for housing loans ranged between 3.75 and 9.5 per cent at commercial banks, compared to murabaha rates that ranged between 5.5 and 8.75 per cent at Islamic banks.

The total of housing loans in 2016 stood at 39,642 applications, 31,170 of which were approved, marking an approval rate of 78.6 per cent.

The value of vehicle loans in 2016 declined by 10.2 per cent to JD487.1 per cent, compared with JD542.8 per cent in 2015, the ABJ report showed.

Interest rates at commercial banks for car loans ranged between 3.99 and 12 per cent, while Islamic banks offered murabaha rates ranging between 3.5 and 6.75 per cent, with a commission of 1 per cent and repaying period of up to 10 years.

Banks agreed to give car loans for 49,265 applications out of a total of 68,062 applications they received in 2016, marking an approval rate of 72.4 per cent.

AMMAN — A section for Chinese books will open on Wednesday at the headquarters of the Amman International Book Fair, marking the beginning of a series of Chinese cultural events in Jordan over the next two months, according to the cultural department of the Chinese embassy.

The events, which include film screenings, exhibitions and music performances, will take place in various cultural centres and facilities in the Kingdom, starting off with an exhibition of traditional Chinese paintings in Shmeisani’s Culture Street on Thursday.

The film “The Master” will be screend at the Amman International Book Fair on Friday, where the film’s adirector will be present for a discussion after the screening, , the cultural department at the embassy of China said in a statement sent to The Jordan Times on Tuesday.

Two other Chinese films will be screened at the Royal Film Commission, “Silent Witness” on Sunday, and “The Postmodern Life of My Aunt” on Monday. 

Other Chinese films will also be screened during the next month in Zarqa’s King Abdullah II Cultural Centre.

On Saturday, Jordanian singer Caroline Madi will perform alongside the Traditional Chinese Music Salon at the House of Culture and Arts.

The schedule will also include performances by prominent Chinese musicians in Amman’s Talal Abu Ghazaleh Centre, Zarqa’s King Abdullah II Cultural Centre and Maan’s Prince Hussein Cultural Centre, according to the statement.

On October 14, the Chinese-Jordanian literature forum will hold a session under the theme “Land and Water Pathway of Silk” at the Jordanian Writers Union.

An exhibition by Chinese children will start on November 11 at Zaha Cultural Centre.

The cultural events will conclude with a lecture on the artistic achievements of Chinese children at Zaha Cultural Centre and Al Mashreq International School after the exhibition, according to the Chinese embassy.

AMMAN — Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat on Tuesday received the German military attaché in Amman at his office, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. The two sides discussed cooperation and coordination on issues of common interest to the armed forces of the two countries.