Local

AMMAN — Despite the reopening of the Turaibil border crossing, the commercial exchange is still weak, due to security concerns of Jordanian merchants and truck owners, an official at the Iraqi embassy in Jordan said.

Abdel Ameer Aziz, the Iraqi commercial attaché to Jordan, said that around four to five trucks cross the Jordanian-Iraqi border daily, while the rest of the trade is carried out through the Saudi Arabia-Kuwait-Busra road, although no security incident has been recorded on the border since its reopening. 

However, Aziz said he expected the activity to increase within a month or so. 

The official confirmed that an Iraqi delegation will be in Jordan on Saturday to put the final touches on the decision to exempt Jordan from the 30 per cent tax that Iraq imposes on exporting countries.

Iraq has set three conditions for the exemption including  that Jordan provides a list of Jordanian factories’ production capacity to ensure that products imported from Jordan are not reexported products, and that at least 40 per cent of the production process happens in Jordan.

Aziz noted that Saturday’s meeting will list the products exempted from customs tax.  

Last week, an Iraqi committee and Industry, Trade and Supply Minister Yarub Qudah announced the establishment of a joint Jordanian-Iraqi industrial estate on the newly reopened border between the two countries.

The Iraqi and Jordanian governments are currently conducting a  feasibility study, Aziz stated. 

During its visit, the Iraqi committee also visited Jordanian factories where they were briefed on the Jordanian experience in industrial zones like Sahab. 

Meanwhile, Mohammad Dawood, president of the Jordan Truck Owners Association, said that Iraq "did not provide enough trucks" to move products from Jordan to the Iraqi side which is slowing the commercial activity on the border.

Regarding transportation of products through Al Omari border crossing between Saudi Arabia and Jordan, Dawood said on Wednesday that Jordanian merchants ordered trucks loaded with fruits and vegetables going through the Saudi border to take the Turaibil border crossing.

AMMAN — UN Secretary General António Guterres on Wednesday night announced the launch of a new High-Level Advisory Board on Mediation which will comprise 18 internationally recognised personalities, including former foreign minister Nasser Judeh.

Reiterating his call for “a surge in diplomacy”, Guterres announced the board that will comprise personalities “who bring experience and skills, deep knowledge and extensive contacts” to this task, according to the UN website. 

"When I took office, I called for a surge in diplomacy for peace. Since then, I have increased my own engagement and worked to improve our institutional capacity to conduct mediation," the secretary general noted, as quoted by the UN website.

The formation of the board comes within the framework of efforts to reform the UN and strengthen its role through diplomatic mediation. 

Ramtane Lamamra, former Algerian foreign minister, is also among the new 18-member board, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

AMMAN — HRH Prince Raad on Thursday inaugurated a project for the treatment of visually impaired children in Al Diaa charity organisation with a grant from Lions International Association, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The one-year project aims at the early detection of visual in children in Jordan and the rehabilitation of children’s vision through the use of various visual aids and devices that were identified in cooperation with Al Diaa for the education of visually impaired children. Secretary Al Diaa Amra Abu Zeid said that the organisation  so far has, a clinic designed to rehabilitate the sight of children equipped with optical devices and aids.

The opening ceremony included the signing of a cooperation agreement for the implementation of the project for the visually impaired and the distribution of bags, school supplies for students and white canes, according to Petra.

AMMAN — Deputising for HRH Princess Sumaya, chairman of the Board of Trustees of Princess Sumaya University for Technology (PSUT), Minister of ICT and Minister of Public Sector Development Majd Shweikeh on Thursday attended the graduation ceremony of the 23rd class of PSUT, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

In a speech delivered on behalf of the princess, Shweikeh reviewed the important achievements of the university that gained international and local acclaim, including the accreditation by the American Council for Engineering and Technology in Computer Science, Electronic, Computer and Communications Engineering, as well as receiving the Order of Independence of First Class in 2014, in recognition of the advanced level it reached.

She pointed out that the ceremony comes in line with this year’s scientific activities aimed at achieving sustainable development, which made it Jordan’s Year of Science, according to Petra. 

AMMAN — The Ministry of Municipal Affairs on Thursday approved the regulations concerning the licensing of home-based businesses within the boundaries of municipalities, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The regulations stipulate that businesses should not involve machinery, manufacturing processes or services that would produce noise, smoke, dust, or smell. They also stipulate not to use or produce hazardous materials that would jeopardise the public’s health. Under the regulations, the location has to be licensed and the business must not exceed 15 per cent of the home’s area. 

AMMAN — Deputising for His Majesty King Abdullah, Her Majesty Queen Rania attended the Hope Gala fundraising event, organised by the King Hussein Cancer Foundation and Centre (KHCF/KHCC) to mark the opening of the centre’s new buildings.

The event was also attended by HRH Prince Talal Bin Muhammad, special adviser to His Majesty and HRH Princess Ghida Talal, chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the KHCC/KHCF, according to a statement from Her Majesty’s office.

In her opening speech, Princess Ghida expressed her gratitude to the King and Queen for their continuous support of the foundation and centre.  

“The story of the King Hussein Cancer Centre is a humanitarian story. It is the story of a man who dreamed of establishing a state-of-the-art hospital that would give Jordanians and Arabs a real chance at surviving cancer,” the princess said. 

“This man lived for and by his people. This man is His Majesty King Hussein Bin Talal, God rest his soul, who unfortunately did not live to see the centre that bears his name. Nonetheless, it was his dream that became the mission of His Majesty King Abdullah II, who oversaw the centre’s transition into a centre of excellence, in fulfillment of his father’s vision”. 

Princess Ghida also expressed her appreciation for the many loyal supporters of the KHCF for their generous donations every year.  

AMMAN — Following the wave of enthusiasm generated by its first July edition, the founders of Art at the Park have launched a new round of events, to take place on September 22 and 29. 

The three friends (Hind​ ​Joucka,​ ​Faisal​ ​Tutunji and​ ​Hanna​ ​Matalka) did not expect such a turn-out when they set up their first edition in July. 

“The number of people who showed up exceeded by far what we had in mind,” Joucka told The Jordan Times on Wednesday, adding “because kids under 12 got in for free, the word spread out and families turned out in mass”.

“After the event, we got a tremendous amount of positive feedback through social media, with people even calling every Friday asking us for directions to the park,” she recalled.

Building upon that popular request, the trio decided to launch a September edition, with some new twists to the initial formula. “This time, we are incorporating the dance element, to make the event even more comprehensive of all cultural components,” the 24-year old said.

A holistic approach to art is the idea that initially pushed those three young Jordanians to create Art at the Park: ““It offers a different concept, because it is merging all different components of culture in a spontaneous, collaborative way,” Joucka explained.

“We offer people the chance to come together and enjoy themselves in an open-air, creative environment,” she added.

Spontaneous jump sessions, live clay sculpting, open air library are among the many activities proposed by local artists.

“Our main aim is to promote all forms of local talents,especially those who need a platform to start,” Tutunji said, adding “we had some artists who were scared to sing in public but they dared to do it with us.”

Galyna Pryklonska, a student at the National Music Conservatory, did not hesitate when the trio asked her to come back for the second edition. “I love the idea of bringing music into a public space and to get to know different musicians while seeing how the public reacts to what we are playing,” the vocalist said.

“Everything about this event is really ‘outside the box’: the location, the collaborative and spontaneous mindset, the positive energy; it brings a ray of sunshine into our daily lives,” she added.

This probably comes from the friendly, open-minded atmosphere that floats around the park, where the public is encouraged to meet the artists, exchange ideas with them and even, end up being artists themselves by picking an instrument and tagging along, the trio said. 

With “Amman on Canvas”, attendees are encouraged to reach out on a large canvas with an art medium of their choice -chalk, watercolours, acrylic, among others — creating a collaborative piece reflecting the “spirit of Amman”, the trio said in a statement. 

Ghaith Bahdousheh and his famous 1970s Mercedes car, which goes around the neighbourhood displaying custom made books and offering storytelling sessions, will also be part of the showcase. 

“We want to encourage people to read, speak with the ​librarian to learn more about the local literary scene,” she said, adding “we have so many talents that are too often overlooked. This is a platform for them to spark their creativity and make themselves known to the public.”

Organised at the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts’ park in collaboration with Kawon, Waragami World and Yamaha Music Square, the event will display a selection of homemade handcrafts, food outlets offering organic and heritage ingredients and young business owners who started their own family business.  

“We want to encourage people to go out, to step away from the mentality of sitting in a coffee shop to instead go enjoy an outdoor setting within their community,” Matalka explained. 

“There is a brighter side to everything that happens around us, we want people to forget the grimness of everyday life and, maybe, we can help in raising awareness on the importance of outdoor settings for the community,” she concluded, citing the trio’s fledging idea of using proceeds towards the rehabilitation of local parks.

The event will be​ ​open to the public​ ​from​​ ​​10am​ ​to​ ​7pm​ ​in​ ​the​ ​garden​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Jordan​ ​National​ ​Gallery​ ​of​ ​Fine​ ​Arts.

AMMAN — When her husband was named Minister of Health in 1970, Haifa Al Basheer came to the realisation that a big issue was threatening the future of the nursing sector-Back then, families in Jordan still believed that nursing was not a dignified profession, being the only sector where men and women worked together — and thus, female nurses were practically non-existent. 

In an interview the NGO HelpAge International shared with The Jordan Times, Basheer recalled a night in the 70s when a television show aired members of the religious clergy denouncing the profession. “My husband got frustrated and angry, so he challenged me and asked me to lend a hand,” she said. 

Basheer did not hesitate, and, the next morning, she was hosting a gathering in her house to address the issue. Pharmacists, wives of doctors and many other women coming from various professions made it their goal to back the female nurses and encourage them to be part of the profession. 

“I went to every governorate in Jordan and spoke about the importance of this profession. A nursing school then opened and offered monetary support for young women to enter the sector. After that, it just blossomed,” said Basheer, recreating on the grassroots efforts that led to the creation of the White Beds Society. 

Her early days defending the female nurses shaped the future career of Basheer, who grew to become a King Hussein medal recipient, recognised for her volunteer work founding the Golden Age Home, the Senior Citizens Forum and the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Centre. 

The aforementioned organisations were the result of a second inflection point in her career, when the late prime minister Wasfi Al Tal urged people not to forget the elderly in society. 

“That is when we made ‘helping senior citizens’ one of our goals,” said Basheer, who started attending international conferences and seminars in order to “provide input on the overall situation in the Middle East and learn how to take care of the elderly.” 

After she made sure it suited the culture and environment of the Arab world, the residential facility Golden Age Home was inaugurated in 1979.

However, it did not start off as well as she expected. “I was faced with harsh criticism as it was not accepted by society,” Basheer recalled, noting that she “appreciates the great family structure in Jordan and was not trying to break it”. 

“It took society nine years to accept the Golden Age Home,” she continued, explaining that some progress was made after “making it clear to society that this was purely a home for those who needed assistance, and not for families trying to get rid of the elder”. 

Thirty-eight years later, the Golden Age Home is now at full capacity. 

“This is the best choice I have ever made,” said Um Sumaya, who decided to move to the Golden Age Home after her husband passed away.                    

“I have no children and I did not want to be a burden for my siblings, so I came here and I can say that it is the best that could happen to me,” she said, noting that she gets to spend her time practicing her passion for gardening while having access to healthcare and all necessary medical attention.

“I chose to live with dignity and Mrs Haifa allowed me to do so,” she said.

“But the White Beds Society did not stop running,” said Basheer, noting that the shift in the trends from the extended to the nuclear family led them to initiate the Seniors Citizens Forum — a non-profit day care centre where elders can socialise and meet their peers. 

Stephanie Yousef, Regional Head of HelpAge International in Jordan, told The Jordan Times that the NGO holds “high appreciation” for Basheer’s work in the country, qualifying her as “the miracle for the elderly”. 

“Not only is she focused on the elders who are unable to take care of themselves, but she also organises meetings to make sure that the government takes care of the elderly and that their voices are heard,” Yousef concluded. 

AMMAN — A Royal Decree was issued on Thursday appointing Kamal Ali Saleh Smadi as president of the Higher Sharia Court as of September 20, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. Another Royal Decree was issued ending the service of Issam Arabiyat from his post as president of the Higher Sharia Court.

AMMAN — The Judicial Council on Thursday promoted Judge Ihsan Zuhdi Barakat to the highest rank, making her the first woman to reach the highest position in the judiciary.

Barakat assumed several posts before, including judicial inspector, judge at the Amman Court of Appeal and president of the Arab Women’s Legal Network, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

She was the first woman to be appointed as Amman’s attorney general and the first female to chair the West Amman Court.