AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday renewed his call for a fruitful and genuine partnership between the public and private sectors.
His Majesty made his remarks during a meeting with industrialists hosted by Ayman Hatahet, president of the Jordan Chamber of Industry, at his residence in Amman. The meeting was part of a series of off-the-record encounters with various groups of society, where all issues of concern to the sector and the nation are on the table.
A source who is familiar with the conversation told The Jordan Times that the King emphasised the importance of the industrial sector’s role in the economic revival plans and job generation, noting that he understands that local industries are vulnerable to the economic challenges facing Jordan.
The meeting came almost three weeks after a new electricity tariff went into force, prompting industrialists to cry foul as their competitiveness is wearing away due to higher costs.
Industrialists entered 2014 by keeping a wary eye on government policies, which, according to sector leaders, are manufacturers’ biggest worry.
In previous interviews with The Jordan Times, they said that policies related to energy and labour always affect the performance of the industrial sector, indicating that the new round to hike electricity tariffs will hurt the competitiveness of Jordan-made products.
Under a five-year government plan, economic sectors –– except for the agricultural sector –– and relatively high-spending households will continue to see gradual increases in electricity prices of nearly 15 per cent every year in an attempt by the government to bring the state-owned National Electric Power Company to cost recovery by 2017.
Indicating that around 1,100 factories quit the market since 2012, either closed down or left for other countries, the sector leaders expressed fears that 2014 losses could be higher if the government continues “to neglect the energy woes of industries”.
They called on authorities to consult the private sector before making economic decisions, particularly in the fields of energy and labour.
