Lessons to be learned

The government did well to re-examine, and re-adjust, its recent decisions that hiked cooking gas cylinder prices and amended vehicle licencing fees.

Ever since the two decisions were taken last week, they caused an uproar among citizens, with many calling for the government’s ouster.

The timing of hiking gas cylinder prices, which was coupled with lowering other fuel prices, was bad. It coincided with the onset of the winter season, a time when many Jordanians use gas cylinders for heating purposes.

This made a majority of Jordanians feel targeted by the decision to raise the gas cylinder price from JD7 to JD7.5.

This decision, coupled with one amending vehicle licencing fees, which was intended to target big-engine gas-guzzling cars, gave fuel to government critics.

Over the past several days, these two decisions were discussed in political and social settings. They were also reflected in social media circles, with many users calling for the dismissal of the government of Abdullah Ensour and the need of a better Lower House that protects the interests of the people.

Defending the government was a minority that was being slammed by the majority.

Opinions on the decisions were openly expressed, which is a credit to any democratic system, and it seems that the government, fully aware of the impact of last week’s decisions on the public, was observing these views, which led it to take Sunday’s decision.

Still, the government needs to also study the reasons for the stiff public resistance and objections that met its latest decisions.

The first thing Cabinet members might think of is that political opponents worked overtime this weekend to inflict as much damage on it as possible.

Such thought, however, should not disregard the fact that citizens have their own reasons, which they were expressing through various means and which officials should be studying seriously.

Social media reactions show that people feel that whatever taxes and fees they are paying are not being used wisely to improve services — mainly health, education, infrastructure, municipal services, public transport, cutting red tape, etc. — and that any money they pay is being used mainly to pay salaries of civil servants.

This the government should take into consideration, and realise that people judge the immediate reality, without paying as much attention to fiscal or economic figures or statements that the Cabinet is trying to ameliorate.

People feel they are overtaxed, that they receive few services in exchange for the tax money they are paying, complain that little is being done to fight corruption, big or small, of favouritism, nepotism, deterioration in the level of services and the absence of a light at the end of the tunnel.

Many seem to suspect all government decisions — not just this government, but any government — even though the focus of criticism now is the person of the current prime minister who is being widely viewed and depicted by opponents as a shrewd politician whose aim is only to milk the Jordanian people’s pockets.

To his credit, the premier seems to have taken this harsh criticism in stride, focusing on the big picture, belying the widely held opinion that he ignores people’s views, an opinion reinforced by the decisions the government took last week.

In view of these and other factors, Sunday’s revision of these decisions was a wise step that hopefully will be followed by others after carefully examining people’s grievances and apprehensions. 

The government should pay careful attention to public opinion regardless of how correct it might think its decisions are. These are tough times our people and region are going through and the stakes are too high for any uncalculated steps.