Cabinet honours fallen officer

AMMAN — In a session chaired by Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh, the Cabinet mourned the death of martyr Col. Abdulrazzaq Dalabeeh, who died in the line of duty in the Al Husseinieh area of Maan on Friday.

“Dalabeeh is the martyr of the entire nation, and we all receive condolences along with his Bani Hassan family and relatives,” Khasawneh said.

In this regard, the Cabinet decided to posthumously promote Dalabeeh to brigadier general and to refer the decision for approval by a Royal Decree.

The Cabinet also expressed wishes for a speedy recovery for those injured during the brutal attack by vandals and outlaws, which claimed the life of Dalabeeh and injured a number of Public Security Directorate personnel.

Khasawneh praised the efforts of state agencies, institutions and administrations, and all those who prioritised the public interest, including community leaders, deputies, private sector representatives and various members of society.

He also lauded the role of security forces working to guarantee the comfort, security and safety of the Kingdom and its people.

The right to express one's opinion is guaranteed under the Constitution, but the rule of law can never be compromised, he stressed. In cases of an assault on roads, public and private property, or security personnel, perpetrators will be dealt with firmly in accordance with the law, the PM said.

The prime minister confirmed that the government has responded in a timely manner to the legitimate demands of workers and companies in the transportation sector by amending wages and cargo tariffs on phosphate, potash and bromine.

He also voiced the government’s keenness, under the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah, to ease burdens on people, by structural reform frameworks and the general modernisation vision that aims to benefit the public in the medium and long terms.

There is a discrepancy between what the government wants to do and what it can do for people, he said.

There is a constant desire on the part of the government to support people and subsidise commodities, but this is not possible in light of current economic conditions, he said.

He stressed that the government is always striving to take targeted mitigation measures that do not detract from or affect the economic reform programme.

He pointed out that failure to reflect global fuel prices is a large economic risk that causes deficits and severe damage to the Treasury and the national economy, referring to the high inflation rates in neighbouring countries and in the world at large.

He also reaffirmed the government’s acknowledgement of the suffering of people.

“We do not want to expose people to future economic risks by adopting temporary policies,” he said, stressing that “the government's duty and responsibility obliges it to take necessary measures to protect the Kingdom and its people against these risks”.

Transport Minister Ahmad Maher Abul Samen and Interior Minister Mazen Faraya confirmed that the public transport sector has returned to work in all governorates of the Kingdom, and that the movement of trucks to and from the port of Aqaba has returned to normal as of Sunday.