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AMMAN — Funds allocated to the Cerebral Palsy Foundation (CPF) are not enough to support its eight centres located around the Kingdom.

The foundation, established in 1977, provides care to children suffering from cerebral palsy, which damages the brain as it develops, affecting children’s cognitive and physical abilities, CPF President Nisreen Otaibi told The Jordan Times on Thursday.

She added that the CPF has five centres for physical, occupational, audiology and speech therapy and three schools to educate children with disabilities in different governorates around the Kingdom. 

Of the 21,528 children benefitting from the foundation, 9,959 children receive care in Amman’s centre, 3,992 in Zarqa and 3,630 in Irbid, according to the CPF’s statistics. 

In cooperation with the health and education ministries, the foundation aims at rehabilitating children with special needs, spreading awareness about cerebral palsy, providing high quality medical care, helping people with disabilities become active members of society, helping them to enter public schools and universities, Otaibi said. 

She added that the foundation hires more therapeutic than administrative staff members in order to “provide higher quality services”. 

“The national support is low,” Otaibi said, noting that the CPF’s financial struggle forced one of its centres to shut down.

Society should be made aware of cerebral palsy and give children affected by the medical condition “as much attention as they give orphans” in terms of financial and social support, said the official.

For his part, CPF Financial Manager Emad Shbool said that the foundation is funded by contributions made by different entities, ministries, individuals and private companies. 

He added that the CPF aspires to have more high-quality centres, staff members and services, expressing hopes for adequate funding to achieve these goals.

AMMAN  — Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) on Thursday welcomed SaudiGulf Airlines’ inaugural flight to the Kingdom, which will be followed by four trips each week between Amman and the Saudi capital of Riyadh.

Upon arrival, the flight received the customary “water arch” salute and was greeted by representatives of Airport International Group, the Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission, the Jordan Tourism Board, Petra Travel & Tourism Company and SaudiGulf Airlines, as well as the airline’s ground handler, Royal Jordanian Airlines, according to an Airport International Group statement.

“By welcoming SaudiGulf Airlines onboard, we are actively growing our existing airline network and offering our passengers an even wider range of travel choices, ultimately encouraging tourism and stimulating economic development, while bringing us one step closer to our goal of solidifying QAIA’s position as Jordan’s prime gateway to the world,” Kjeld Binger, CEO of Airport International Group, was quoted in the statement as saying.

Wael Kawar, managing partner of Petra Travel & Tourism Company, commented: “We are pleased to commence the regular operation of flights between Riyadh and Amman through our partnership with SaudiGulf Airlines. This mutual collaboration not only presents passengers with enhanced service levels via a brand new fleet and premium products for both business and economy classes, but will also strengthen bilateral relations between Jordan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

Airport International Group is a Jordanian company that harnesses the airport management and construction expertise of regional and international partners in order to rehabilitate, expand and operate Jordan’s premier gateway, QAIA. 

Airport International Group was awarded its 25-year Build-Operate-Transfer concession in 2007 by the Jordanian government after an open global tender overseen by the International Finance Corporation, according to the statement. 

AMMAN — Fifty women from Karak and Al Muwaqqar have received graduation certificates on their successful completion of a one-year veterinary training programme.

The programme, funded by the Department of States Middle East Participatory Initiative, was executed by the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST), according to a JUST statement.

The objective of the programme was to train 50 unprivileged bedouin livestock owners to recognise, prevent, control and report transboundary animal diseases, improving their chances of increasing sales, whether from cheese-making or the sale of healthy livestock, said Programme Director Nabil Hailat, according to the statement.

It also aimed to increase the capacity of these women in effective food safety, dairy production and marketing, leadership and taking advantage of economic opportunities, said Hailat, who is a professor in the faculty of veterinary medicine at JUST.

By the end of the programme, the trainees were able to form a Community Animal Health Workers (CAHW) platform to help serve their communities, he added. 

This platform hopes to help bedouin women produce higher-quality animal products, increase their sheep sales and establish household markets. To ensure its sustainability, four brochures, a booklet and a website will be created for the programme. 

The platform activity falls under the main objectives of JUST, which include reaching out to underdeveloped communities and helping them to participate in national development while enhancing their livelihoods, said the statement.

John Heshmeh, assistant cultural affairs officer at the American embassy in Amman, expressed appreciation for the programme’s outcomes, mentioning that they “reflect the fruitful cooperation” between the American people and the people of the region, according to the statement.

The certificates were granted under the patronage of JUST President Saeb Khreisat and with the representation of Mohammad Khalefeh, dean of the faculty of veterinary medicine, and the attendance of Wasim Barham, director of the Consultation Centre at JUST.

Following is the full English translation of the His Majesty King Abdullah’s Speech from the Throne during the inauguration of the fourth ordinary session of the 18th Parliament on Sunday:

“In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful,

Prayers and peace be upon our Prophet Mohammad,

Honourable Senators,
Honourable Representatives,

Peace, God’s mercy and blessings be upon you,

In the name of God, and with His blessings, we inaugurate the fourth ordinary session of the 18th Parliament. It is an ordinary session taking place in extraordinary times, which require transparency and courage, and hard work and achievement in equal measure.

I speak to you today from the very podium where I vowed, 20 years ago, to preserve the Constitution and to remain loyal to the nation. Al Hussein, may his soul rest in peace, pledged me for this nation, and I have only ever been its loyal servant.

Honourable senators,
Honourable representatives,

I salute every Jordanian man and woman who have contributed to the nation’s progress and development, each from their post. I especially salute my brothers and sisters in arms, who carry the badge we all hold dear, at the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army and security agencies, active and retired. To them, we express our full appreciation and pride.

Honourable senators,
Honourable representatives, 

Jordan has moved steadily forward, maintaining its steadfast positions. We have made reform and the consolidation of the democratisation process a consistent approach. Our national positions on the Palestinian cause are steadfast, supporting our Palestinian brethren to establish their independent state on the June 4, 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital. There will be no compromise on safeguarding Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, despite increasing dangers and threats.

I hereby call on Muslims and Christians to step up the protection of these holy sites, and support us in safeguarding them and ensuring the preservation of their legal status. Today, I also announce the expiration of the Peace Treaty annexes on Al Ghamr and Baqura and the imposition of our full sovereignty over every inch of those lands.

Honourable senators,
Honourable representatives,

I am not here today to list achievements, nor to extend platitudes, when I see the concern in the eyes of my fellow Jordanians. I see it in the eyes of a father who wants to put bread on the table, the unemployed young man worried about his future, and military and civilian pensioners.

In response to many questions, I say, I know and feel with every one of my dear, fellow Jordanians. Every one of you has a family to provide for, and I am responsible for an entire nation.

We are all aware that the crises surrounding us have cast a shadow over Jordan in various aspects of life, especially the economy. We have paid a heavy price because of our historical positions. We have undertaken bold reforms, even in the most difficult of circumstances, and have demonstrated to the world, time and again, that Jordan, whatever the challenges, does not know the impossible.

Jordanians, as always, have stood firm safeguarding their homeland and its achievements, for Jordanians do not back down in the face of adversity; they endure and persevere, having inherited the spirit of resolve and dedication, generation after generation.

Honourable senators,
Honourable representatives,

I know that today, many are asking where we are headed. To them I say Jordan is moving steadily forward. The most difficult reforms are behind us, and the promising future lies ahead. We are marching confidently towards that future to realise the aspirations of the people of this nation.

Last month, the government presented an economic programme, to be implemented in phases and along four pillars, aimed at reviewing salaries and wages, stimulating the economy and incentivising investments, improving the quality of services provided to citizens, and administrative reform and public finance.

The government has launched the programme’s first package, and will announce other detailed packages, including a review of regulations and legislation related to taxes and customs, in order to facilitate business and reduce the burden on citizens.

Therefore, I hereby direct the government to work vigorously and efficiently to take further bold measures to advance the national economy. But today, no government can proceed on the path of reform and achievement without a supportive legislative power, an impartial judiciary, an active private sector, and citizens confident in themselves and in the future of their country.

No venue is more appropriate than this one here to urge the three branches of government to carry out their duties. Today, you are all responsible, and tomorrow, you are all accountable. We all have no choice but to take action and achieve results. 

Honourable senators,
Honourable representatives,

I do not address you today fearing for our nation. I speak to you out of my faith in our country and in you, and with a clear vision of the opportunities before us. Our youth are qualified; our sectors are promising; investors are keen; and the world believes in Jordan and its potential.

Let us arise to build a new reality in which growth can be doubled, creating thousands of opportunities for every aspiring Jordanian — for those who work and persevere, for those who have hope, for those with infinite ambitions, for those who make something out of nothing and do not expect results without putting in the effort. Our awakening has no place for those who surrender to pessimism and gloom.

Honourable Senators,
Honourable Representatives,

We derive our optimism and determination from our people. May God grant us all success and pave our way towards achievement and good deeds.

Peace, God’s mercy and blessings be upon you.”

AMMAN — Authorities are still waiting on the release of medical reports to determine the charges they will level against a 31-year-old man who allegedly gouged his wife's eyes in Jerash last week, senior official sources said.

The 25-year-old woman, a mother of three, was reportedly left 100 per cent blind following a domestic dispute with her husband at their home on November 6.

"The husband gouged the victim's eyes and she was rushed to a nearby hospital where attending doctors ruled that the woman had lost her vision entirely as a result of the assault," a source told The Jordan Times on Saturday.

The woman is still recovering at King Hussein Medical Centre, official sources said.

"Once the medical reports are out, the case will be sent to the Criminal Court's Prosecution Office in Amman for further legal action," a senior judicial source told The Jordan Times.

The source added that the prosecution office "is very concerned about the case and will investigate the incident thoroughly to determine the appropriate charges for the suspect".

A second official told The Jordan Times that the victim and her husband had constant marital problems and she ended up returning to her family's home for several days. 

On the day of the incident, the second source told The Jordan Times, the woman returned home and shortly afterwards "her husband drew a knife and threatened to kill her and her children".

The source added that the husband allegedly jumped on his wife, “pinned her to the ground and gouged her eyes with the knife”. 

The husband then headed to his neighbour and informed him of what he had done, while his wife crawled outside looking for help from other neighbours, the source added.

 The victim's husband was ordered to be detained on Thursday by the Jerash Criminal Court prosecutor, according to the judicial source.

 The charges could range from attempted murder to the crime of causing a permanent disability, the judicial source said, adding that the prison term for causing a permanent disability could range from five to 10 years.

The incident sent shockwaves across the Kingdom, with many Jordanians taking to social media to express their anger and disbelief and calling for the suspect to be given a stiff punishment. 

Mizan Law Group Executive Director Eva Abu Halaweh told The Jordan Times: “We visited her and we will provide her with psychological and legal support.”

"We spoke with her and she will not drop charges, and wants him to get the most severe punishment possible. We will file a case against her husband on her behalf," Abu Halaweh added. 

Meanwhile, the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW) on Sunday called for a sit-in in front of the Prime Ministry this coming Saturday under the theme "Enough”.

"We should stop voicing our objections via social media and instead we should take concrete action to say no to gender-based violence," the JNCW statement said.

The statement added:  "We call on every Jordanian who cares about our true societal values and basic human rights to join us to express their rejection of all forms of violence."

Sisterhood is Global Institute (SIGI) on Sunday issued a statement condemning the episode as an "ugly incident in Jerash that caused a wife to allegedly lose her sight by her husband".

"This is a monstrous crime against humanity that the Kingdom has not witnessed in a long time," the SIGI statement said.

Secretary General of the JNCW Women Salma Nims also condemned the incident in a statement she published on her Facebook page and other media outlets.

"This is an inhuman and grave incident that was practiced against a Jordanian woman… [it] is a form of a patriarchal society that is exercising its authority against women," Nims said in her statement. 

AMMAN — In the context of a comprehensive follow-up to olive oil exploitation, the Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) has launched a new security measure to protect consumers against fraud.

This measure places a thermal label on the lids of olive oil containers, which indicates the serial number and the name of the mill that produced it. “Once the lid is opened the label is torn, which will immediately indicate that the olive oil has been cut with cheaper oils,” Director of the Regional Directorate at the JFDA Musa Abadi told The Jordan Times on Sunday.

“The anti-fraud mechanism was first launched on November 9 in Irbid, which hosts the largest number of olive oil mills in Jordan. Next, it will be launched in Madaba, Airport Road and Salt, then in all areas of the Kingdom,” Abadi added.

Corruption in the olive oil industry is a result of cutting olive oil, which is costly and takes time to make, with cheaper vegetable oils, such as sunflower oil. The JFDA, together with the Royal Department for Environmental Protection, will assure that the thermal labels are implemented across the Kingdom’s olive oil mills, Abadi stated.

“The JFDA’s part will be technical, and the Royal Department for Environmental Protection will monitor and control the mills,” the director said.

The campaign, which identified and introduced the different-coloured labels, aimed at “distinguishing between fact and fiction” in the olive-oil business, Abadi said, noting that each area has a different label colour. 

“So far, we have decided that blue will represent Irbid mills and green for Madaba and Salt,” Abadi added.

“These different colours will enable access to olive oil mills by the simplest possible means, and this is a very important step in making sure that the customer is receiving 100- per cent pure olive oil,” Abadi said.

The JFDA is always available to help citizens who want to ensure that their olive oil is not fraudulent, as it is the official body tasked with evaluating and testing the oil to confirm that it meets the legal grades, Abadi said.

AMMAN — A third of Jordanians — 31 per cent — refer to more than one news outlet to check the accuracy of information, while a fifth of Jordanians get information about public events from their friends and families.

An opinion poll conducted by the University of Jordan’s Centre for Strategic Studies (CSS) from November 4 to 7, which surveyed Jordanians across the Kingdom, showed that a third of Jordanians believe that dialogue is the ideal way to express opinions.

When asked about sources of information on events that take place in the Kingdom, 27 per cent of the surveyed Jordanians indicated that news outlets are one of their main sources of information, while 18 per cent said they receive information from friends, 13 per cent from family members, 12 per cent from neighbours and 7 per cent from co-workers. 

The most trusted sources were media outlets, coming in at 57 per cent, followed by family at 18 per cent, while 16 per cent of the sample said that they do not trust any source for information on events in the Kingdom.

Political figures, news websites and social media platforms were in the last place as trusted sources, with a very small percentage. 

When determining the authenticity of information, 31 per cent of respondents said that they consult multiple sources, 21 per cent said that they accept news items if they are announced by more than one source at the same time and 15 per cent said that they consider news reliable if it comes from official and government sources.  

When asked about the most common sources of local news, TV was the most common, at 55 per cent, followed by Facebook at 23.8 per cent and news websites at 12.7 per cent. 

AMMAN — The commercial clothing and footwear sector has called on the government to remove the 5- per cent service charges imposed on customs declarations since 2017.

“The commercial clothing and shoes sector is suffering from a four-year accumulative recession,” Representative of the Clothes, Shoes and Jewellery Sector at the Jordan Chamber of Commerce Asad Qawasmi told The Jordan Times on Sunday.

Demanding that the government provide incentives to the sector by removing the 5-per cent service charges that have exhausted it, Qawasmi said that the charges were not imposed by law but through instructions from the Prime Ministry, which can be revoked. 

He said that cancelling the service charges would reduce operational costs of commodities, encourage sellers to decrease product prices and direct the 5-per cent charges back to citizens’ pockets.

The commercial sector also demands a 50-per cent reduction of sale taxes, which would have a direct impact on consumers, revitalise the commercial sector and encourage tourist shopping, the representative added.

Reducing prices for consumers would enable Jordan to attract more tourists and compete with neighbouring countries that have low sales tax, Qawasmi said.

For his part, President of Jordan’s Textile and Readymade Clothes Syndicate Munir Dayyeh said that the sector is calling for reducing the burdens imposed on the commercial sector, especially after a notable fallback in sales. 

“Applying [the service charges] creates an unbalanced situation, as some imports are exempted from charges while the charges are applied to others,” Dayyeh added.

The cancellation of customs service charges would enhance the commercial sector and the country’s economy in general, as economic sectors would be prompted to work and produce in larger amounts, he said. 

He added that to encourage citizens to purchase from the local market, the burden on the commercial sector should be lowered to enable it to sell products at affordable prices. 

AMMAN — The areas of Baqura and Al Ghamr are “agricultural lands of very good quality and value”, and the agricultural sector is “thrilled to dig into them”, said President of the General Union of Jordanian Farmers Odeh Rawashdeh.

The agricultural sector, which the union represents, “sends its deep appreciation and respect to His Majesty King Abdullah, who was adamant on taking back the lands down to their last metre”, Rawashdeh told The Jordan Times over the phone.

The government has not yet shared its plans for the lands, however, Rawashdeh expects them to “be given back to their rightful owners if they are individuals, or taken into government custody”.

“These lands are agricultural treasures. In the case that the lands are taken into government custody, I am sure they will either be rented or sold to farmers, or adopted for government agricultural projects, as they are very fertile and therefore perfect for agricultural use,” he added.

Citrus fruits, bell peppers, palm trees, tomatoes, eggplants, beans, cucumber, squash and melon can all be planted on these lands, according to the union president.

In addition to their fertile soil, the two areas have the advantage of being surrounded by water sources, according to farmers of the union. 

“Located next to the Jordan River, as well as having abundant amounts of wells and springs, the areas’ water supply should be of no problem, in contrast to other farms in Jordan,” Vice President of the Union Mahmoud Nour El Deen told The Jordan Times.

He added: “In water-deprived Jordan, such a strategic placement of agricultural land is precious. If the latest agricultural technology is used, Baqura and Al Ghamr will be very important contributors to the national economy.”

AMMAN — Jordan will not extend or renew the lease of its lands in Baqura and Al Ghamr to Israel, said an official source from the Foreign Ministry on Sunday.

In October 2018, His Majesty King Abdullah announced the Kingdom's decision to terminate the annexes on the Baqura and Al Ghamr areas in the Peace Treaty with Israel at the end of their legal term in October 2019.

Under the 1994 Wadi Araba Peace Treaty with Israel, Jordan was required to make a decision this year to either renew or terminate an agreement that placed thousands of dunums in Baqura, in the northwestern corner of the Kingdom, and Al Ghamr, south of the Dead Sea, at the disposal of Israeli farmers.

The Kingdom decided to terminate the annexes and return the lands to Jordanian sovereignty.

The source added that Jordan has exercised its legal right as per the agreement not to renew the two annexes, pointing out that Jordan respects the legal obligation to observe rights arising from the Peace Treaty, which are restricted to respecting private ownership in Baqura and allowing farmers to harvest the crops that were planted before the termination of the annexes, in accordance with Jordanian law. 

The Peace Treaty recognised the private ownership 820 dunums of land in Baqura by Israelis, the source said, adding that Jordan will respect the ownership rights in accordance with Jordanian law and allow any Israeli citizen who proves ownership to enter the Kingdom via the official border after the issuance of a visa from the Jordanian embassy in Tel Aviv.

The 4235-dunum Al Ghamr lands are owned by the Jordanian Treasury, the source said, noting that under the peace agreement, Israel was given the right to use the lands — a right that is no longer valid as of Sunday, when termination of the two annexes went into effect.

As per of its legal obligations under the agreement, Jordan will allow Israeli farmers to harvest what was planted before the expiry date of the annexes, in accordance with Jordanian law. 

Jordan will grant visas, for one time only, to farmers to access the planted lands for the harvest of the crops, but without the exceptions previously granted in the two annexes.