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AMMAN — Raghadan Tourist Complex, which was designed for public transport, still has not been used for that purpose. The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) is now increasing focus on revitalising the complex and taking advantage of the area, Transport Operations Director at GAM Khalid Abu Oleim told the Jordan Times on Sunday.

The complex, located near the Hashemite Plaza and the Amman Roman Theatre, was built in 2004 by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to develop several facilities and shops in downtown Amman, reduce traffic density and serve the tourism sector, Abu Oleim added.

“We are currently finalising our plan to reorient some types of transport, such as tourist and organised transport,” he said.

Abu Oleim noted that the complex will not be used for public transportation due to Raghadan’s location. However, it will soon function as a starting point for tour buses leaving Amman and heading north or south. Trips will include routes from Amman to Aqaba and other areas, he added.

The complex’s large space can be utilised to make Raghadan a main desti  for tourists, where they can be exposed to Jordanian culture through handicrafts that represent the Kingdom’s traditions, fabrics, antiques, jewellery, herbs and spices as well as live performances, GAM’s official added.

According to Abu Oleim, the complex also includes different entries, parking and many other facilities that in the past were a place where public buses and shared taxis used to park, but then during the project were transferred to other areas temporarily, which led to complaints from bus drivers and merchants. 

Riad Hanini, a shop owner near the Raghadan complex said business since 2004 has been getting worse, and he still has not received compensation for the project, adding that many shops have closed down because of market stagnation, affecting many families.

“We thought that it was an interim period, that’s why we sacrificed our interests, but what happened was a catastrophe which has lasted for more than 15 years,” Hanini told the Jordan Times on Sunday.

The complex is nearly deserted and buses use the main streets as stops, but if the complex goes back to work with certain bus routes available, the area will flourish again, Hanini added.

“The citizens want the bus stop brought back to the complex, so the area will become accessible and known,” he said.

It is very important to develop this area as it is in the heart of Amman, where tourists and visitors come to enjoy an “exquisite” experience. No one will come back if there is a transport shortage, Hanini expressed.

AMMAN — The Ministry of Agriculture has decided not to allow the export of olives this year in order to achieve a balance among farmers, merchants and consumers, Ministry Spokesperson Lawrence Majali said on Sunday.

Majali told the Jordan News Agency, Petra, that the decision also aims to provide enough quantities for the local market with prices that are suitable for consumers and farmers.

The spokesperson said that the decision is in line with the ministry’s plan to protect the local produce, organise the needs of the local market and guarantee reaching the operational capacity of olive presses as the olive season, which usually starts in mid-October, approaches.

The ministry official stressed that olive exportation will not be allowed at all. He also said that the ministry will follow up on attempts to sell and market fake olive oil through partnership with all relevant monitoring institutions.

He added that all news about exporting olives this year is baseless, according to Petra. 

Olive trees cover 72 per cent of the agricultural land in Jordan, according to the Department of Statistics (DoS).

Approximately 10.5 million olive trees are planted over 560,000 dunums, most of which are located in the northern region of the Kingdom. Jordan is also ranked 8th internationally in olive oil production, according to DoS data.

DoS figures also show that the sector’s investment volume amounted to JD1 billion in 2018 and has created job opportunities for more than 80,000 Jordanian families.  

AMMAN — Students are set to resume classes on Sunday following a deal between the government and teachers under which the latter agreed to end their one-month strike having their demands for an apology and pay raise met.

Following a meeting that extended until late hours Saturday, a government's team and the Jordan Teachers Association (JTA) reached a deal to end the strike under which teachers were granted pay raises ranging between 35 per cent and 75 per cent depending on the rank. 

Teachers have demanded a 50 per cent pay raise and an apology from the government as their conditions to end the strike, which began on September 8.

During a press conference in the early hours of Sunday,   JTA Vice President Naser Nawasrah described the deal as “historic”, valuing the government’s efforts to end the “longest work stoppage in the Kingdom’s history.”

Nawasreh said that the new pay raises will come into effect as of January 1, 2020 according to the deal under which first, second, third and fourth-rank teachers will receive 35 per cent, 40 per cent, 50 per cent and 65 per cent salary increases respectively.

Nawasreh said that a new “lead teacher” rank was created under the agreement to be granted 75 per cent pay raise.

He called on teachers to resume their duties actively on Sunday and receive their students with “sweets”. 

In a letter he sent earlier on Saturday to the JTA occasion of the World Teacher’s Day,   Prime Minister Omar Razzaz commended teachers and their efforts, saying, "Teachers’ dignity is our dignity and we do not accept offending or disrespecting them."

In the letter, the JTA received as an apology, Razzaz expressed the government’s regret for any act that might have affected teachers’ dignity, pledging to take action once results of the investigation and the National Centre for Human Rights’ report are out.”

The JTA has requested an apology from the government for the way it handled the sit-in they staged in Amman on September 5, during which the syndicate claimed its members were subject to violations.

The Public Security Department denied the allegations, but confirmed that 50 teachers were detained during the protest for “illegally forcing their way through to the government’s headquarters on Amman’s Fourth Circle”, which was the location designated by the JTA for the protest.

The Administrative Court issued a ruling last week, ordering an “immediate” suspension of teachers’ nationwide strikefollowing a lawsuit filed by parents. But the JTA insisted that the strike is legal and that the Administrative Court’s ruling is not abiding, as it can be challenged.

However, the Supreme Administrative Court ruled that contesting the verdict does not require stopping its implementation unless the court orders otherwise.

The JTA announced last Thursday the withdrawal of the legal challenge it logged against both courts’ verdicts on the strike but said a new strike would start on Sunday if the government responds negatively to their demands.

AMMAN — Prime Minister Omar Razzaz on Saturday conveyed His Majesty King Abdullah’s regards to the industrial sector for its support to the National Employment Charter. 

Addressing members of the industrial sector at a meeting organised by the Jordan Chamber of Industry (JCI), the premier said that under King Abdullah’s directives, he was attending the meeting held to familiarise the industrial sector with the charter, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra. 

“The National Employment Charter is the top economic priority,” Razzaz said, highlighting the industrial sector’s commitment to the charter. 

Razzaz said that the employment of Jordanians requires time and cannot be achieved “overnight”, adding that it should not be separated from the incentives bundle that is required by the national industry, whether related to energy costs or “routine procedures”. 

The government has been receiving complaints regarding measures, “the least of which is precautionary attachment that is carried out without firm rationale or following protocol”, Razzaz said, voicing dismay at the fact that the attachment by customs and taxes could cover an entire institution.

Such procedures inflict harm upon national institutions, which produce and export, Razzaz said, adding that despite these obstacles, Jordan has achieved positive economic indicators through a rise in the volume of exports and the improvement of Jordan’s ranking according to international institutions.

“According to Moody’s Corporation, which ranks global economies, Jordan’s economy is neither shrinking nor experiencing a slowdown, and is rather in recovery,” the premier said. 

“Rejuvenation and recovery require cooperation, listening to the industrial sector and resolving problems as they arise,” Razzaz highlighted, reiterating the importance of joint efforts to employ youth in view of high unemployment rates. 

Razzaz said that, despite issues in the educational sector, and the teachers’ strike, “our differences fall under the national and constitutional umbrella, and we refer to the law to solve our disagreements and prevent escalation”.

For his part, Labour Minister Nidal Bataineh said his ministry is working to achieve “real partnership” with the private sector that “brings the public more comfort and stability”.

He noted that the government is adhering to Royal Directives on communication with the private sector and benefitting from its experiences and capabilities, which requires the facilitation of procedures to boost growth and provide training to Jordanians. 

“This also requires the provision of a suitable work environment for Jordanian labourers by offering more social insurances and appropriate wages that match the skills and experience of workers, within reasonable hours in accordance with current legislation,” he said. 

The labour minister called on the industrial sector to benefit from the National Service Programme recently revamped by the ministry, as a component of the National Employment Charter, which was founded by the government in cooperation with the public and private sectors.    

AMMAN — Bedouin poetry represents one field of intellectual interest for an American scholar specialising in comparative literature and Arabic.

The political potency of bedouin poetry drew the attention of William Tamplin when he came to Jordan in 2013/14 as a Fulbright scholar from Harvard, he told The Jordan Times in a recent e-mail interview, adding that when he searched YouTube, one of the first videos that came up was of Muhammad Fanatil Al Hajaya reciting a poem written from the perspective of George W. Bush.

“Hajaya is a Jordanian bedouin poet born in Mhayy, in the Karak province, and raised in the nearby hills and in Wadi Al Hisa,” noted Tamplin, who is writing a dissertation about apocalypticism in the modern Arab novel.

“I found Hajaya's imagining of Bush as a bedouin sheikh hilarious and creative in its incongruity. After I watched that video, I watched another in which Hajaya addresses a love poem to Condoleezza Rice and includes a harsh critique of American foreign policy,” Tamplin elaborated.

“After I saw Hajaya's poems, I was hooked and knew that I wanted him to be a part of whatever I ended up writing during my Fulbright year. I began studying those of his poems available online with a tutor from Syria who, like me, had trouble understanding the bedouin words in the poem,” noted the scholar, who published a book on Hajaya that includes interviews, poet’s political songs and photos.

Tamplin in February of 2014 met the Jordanian bedouin poet Yasir Al Bashabsheh, who invited him to present his project to the Jordanian bedouin poetry community on LelitGasid, a weekly TV show dedicated to bedouin poetry. 

“After I presented my work on the show, bedouin poets began reaching out to me and inviting me to visit them,” he remembered, adding that he and Hajaya built a real friendship such that each year he visits Hajaya at least once.

Regarding Hajaya’s style, it is characterised by both strict adherence to traditional bedouin tropes, vocabulary, rhyme and metre and an incisive analysis of and commentary on timely issues, Tamplin said.

“Hajaya has one foot in the past and one in the present. Our mutual friend the poet Ali Ubayd Al Saai once told me that Hajaya's poetry is remarkable for its wide vocabulary and his extensive knowledge of bedouin culture.”

AMMAN — The 55th Annual International Diplomatic Bazaar, held on Saturday under the Patronage of HRH Princess Basma at Al-Hussein Youth City, saw the participation of a number of embassies from the region and around the world.

During the inauguration, Princess Basma said that the 55th edition highlights the desire of the Jordanian society and the international community, through the various participating embassies, to support Mabarrat Um Al Hussein, a home that provides education and a safe space for young boys from the ages of 6-18 who come from “challenging” backgrounds, according to a statement from the princess’ office. 

"With continuous support by Jordanians and the diplomats in the Kingdom, everyone serves humanity and young people to have a better future," she said. 

The princess expressed her joy at this year's expanded organisation of the event, giving special focus to the Palestinian embassy, whose staff she said exerted a lot of effort to be able to take part in the bazaar.

The event not only contributes to Mabarrat Um Al Hussein, but also sees the wide attendance of the Amman community and international visitors, who are able to browse the costumes, products, handicrafts and food of over 50 countries, supported by diplomatic missions and sponsors, according to organisers.

"India has always participated in this bazaar and we have very traditional handicrafts, clothing, garments and other such items, which are very popular," Indian Ambassador to Jordan Anwar Haleem told The Jordan Times at the event.

The Palestinian booth showcased various products, including clothing, trays, cushions, books and other small jewellery and small boxes, all handmade by women seeking to support their families, staff at the booth said, noting that there are 500 women contributing. 

At the Egyptian booth, the staff drew attention to products made from 100-per cent Egyptian cotton, and types of handmade clothing that can only be found in Upper Egypt, alongside other handmade purses and clothes, all of which are made without machinery.

One of the visitors, Shereen Faouri, said she visits the bazaar every year to check the wares and products of Japan, Lebanon, Turkey, Russia and Ukraine, in particular.

"I like the various products of the many countries here, but, of course, we end up buying Jordanian ones as well every time, especially the sweets," she noted.

At the Chinese booth, the staff said that they have participated in the diplomatic bazaar multiple times, every time showing products that reflect their culture, such as Chinese tea and panda toys, in order to contribute, as well as teach people more about their culture. 

Mahadi Maidin, Brunei's ambassador to Jordan, said that this is Brunei's first time participating in the international diplomatic bazaar, which he said would help support the children of Mabarrat Um Al Hussein, as well as show people that Brunei has a presence in Jordan.

"We have handicrafts and many local foods made by our staff and even some from my wife," he added.

Japan ranked second in regards to the contributions to Mabarrat Um Al Hussein in the 54th edition, Koji Fukuzaki, head of protocol and culture at the Japanese embassy in Jordan, said.

"We are selling Japanese products, such as lunchboxes, plates and chopsticks, which are for daily use, but are made with the traditional Japanese techniques," Fukuzaki said, noting that in the food section, there is also sushi and some Japanese sweets and tea as well.

Turkish Ambassador to Jordan Murat Karagoz said, "We have good cooperation between the embassy and the Jordan-Turkish committee and others, and we brought products from tablecloths to sweets to lamps and other materials."

He added, "We know Jordanian people like Turkish art and culture, and we aim to make a good contribution for the Mabarrat, especially as our participation increases each year."

"I visit the bazaar every year,” said Najwa Al Bdour, who came with three daughters. “I enjoy it a lot with my daughters, and knowing that the money is raised for Mabarrat Um Al Hussein motivates me to be here," she said, noting that she likes viewing the products of Turkey, China and the Philippines, among others. 

AMMAN — It never ceases to amaze the world how much the art of graphic design can change people’s perspective of world issues through highlighting the injustice and the beauty around us by combining pictures, symbols and unwritten words, believes Sara Abdulnasser Jaber, a young artist.

“In all honesty, what gets me eagerly going is trying to make a difference in this world, even though I am portraying painful issues— but I want people to be aware of them,” she told The Jordan Times on Saturday.

Jaber, who is 24 years old and studied architecture at Philadelphia University in Amman, said that she took a course in graphic design that led her to teach Photoshop to others while she was a student, and eventually to become a graphic designer.

She started connecting graphic design with her surroundings after she realised that the world, now with its “rapid evolution”, is more interested in watching rather than reading, adding that her art has other dimensions, which speak out “strongly” without any words.

Jaber expressed her belief that art is a key ingredient in spreading peace, so in her decorative arts she combines symbols, lines, pictures and colours that connect to tell a story.

One of her major designs, she said, was a graphic she created of an enthusiastic young Palestinian girl, Israa Gharib, whose life was cut short because of her own family, noting that this piece has been the cornerstone of her career.

“I am proud that I was one of the reasons that helped the story of Gharib reach people all around the world,” she said.

“The yellow dress that Gharib is wearing expresses her beautiful soul that has been taken away, the background is the hospital where she spent her last days, the black smoke is her family who murdered her,” Jaber explained, referring to the graphic.

The large Arab and global reaction to Israa’s graphic surprised her, she said, and sent her off “with excitement” to start making a difference by introducing the world to other stories, such as Balqees Bani Hani’s story of her fight against cancer and a burning Amazon picture.

“I never believed that perseverance would pay off that much, so my advice for the youth is to invest in what they love, because maybe these few moments that they invested everyday would turn out to be their assets.”

AMMAN — The Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) forecast a slight drop in temperatures for Sunday, with mild weather conditions prevailing in most areas and relatively hot temperatures in the Dead Sea, Jordan Valley and Aqaba.

Monday will bring in similar mild temperatures, with low-altitude clouds during the early hours of the morning, and moderate southeasterly winds veering into southwesterly winds, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Maximum temperatures over the next three days are expected to hover between 33 and 30 degrees Celsius in Amman and the northern region, while minimum temperatures will range between 19 and 16 degrees.
In the southern highlands, the highs will remain in the 30-degree range, while the lows will be slightly cooler, dropping to 14 degrees at night. 

Highs in Aqaba are predicted to range between 40 and 38 degrees, and lows between 28 and 26 degrees Celsius, the JMD added.

AMMAN — The Finance Ministry on Saturday denied allegations that it disputed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) about the financial reform programme. 

In a statement, carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, the ministry said that the IMF mission that concluded a visit to the Kingdom last week held several meetings with various ministries to discuss strategies and plans that are part of the current financial reform programme. 

The ministry added that there were discussions with the new IMF mission chief to Jordan about financial and economic indicators and procedures related to the economic reform programme.

Talks also addressed procedures aimed at enhancing economic growth and their impact on controlling the increasing debt in light of a failure to achieve the targeted economic.

The ministry also denied allegations that the IMF mission meetings had discussed the allocation of funds to ministries and public departments, according to Petra.

It stressed that the third review of the programme is scheduled to take place during a visit in November. 

An IMF mission visited Amman from September 17 to September 26, during which the new mission chief for Jordan, Chris Jarvis, was introduced and assessed recent economic developments in the Kingdom.

A mission to complete the third review of the IMF's Extended Fund Facility (EFF) will take place after the IMF holds its annual meetings in October.

In addition to conducting the third review of the Jordanian economy, the IMF mission is scheduled to discuss the Kingdom's fiscal and economic indicators, Finance Minister Ezzeddine Kanakrieh said last month.

In August 2016, to support the Kingdom’s economic and financial reform programme, the IMF Executive Board approved a three-year extended arrangement with Jordan under the EFF for an amount equivalent to SDR514.65 million (about $723 million, or 150 per cent of Jordan’s quota).

AMMAN — The Italian government on Saturday extended 85 million euros of support to the general budget.

Minister of Planning and International Cooperation and Minister of State for Economic Affairs Mohamad Al-Ississ and Director General of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation Giorgio Marrapodi signed the agreement, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The agreement aims at contributing to the implementation of the 2016-2025 National Strategy for Human Resources Development through expanding enrolment in early childhood education, enhancing vocational and technical education and rehabilitating Ajloun Technical College at Balqa Applied University, according to Petra. 

Al-Ississ expressed appreciation for the continuous support of Italy to Jordan through offering this assistance to the general budget in a way that contributes to maintaining the investment expenditure necessary for the development, supporting key sectors in the Kingdom and alleviating the repercussions of the Syrian crisis on the budget. 

For his part, Marrapodi praised the “strong partnership” between the two countries, referring to his country’s commitment to support Jordan in a way that helps preserve its economic resilience under these “difficult and exceptional” circumstances and to enable the Kingdom overcome the consequences of the Syrian refugee influx, Petra said.