Local

AMMAN — The Jordan Dental Association (JDA) has put forward demands for the Health Ministry to address issues mainly of retired practitioners' association membership issues, insurance scams and unemployment in the field, among others.

One of the main demands presented by the JDA focused on amendments to the incentives by-law, which were proposed by the association and a Health Ministry dentists committee. The amendments were approved by Health Minister Saad Jaber during a meeting with heads of professional associations.

The amendments include removing the word "dentist" from the incentives by-law and replacing it with "doctor", which should refer to both doctors and dentists, according to a JDA Facebook post shared on Monday.

In the post, the JDA said the sources of incentives were “determined clearly”, and the amendments removed the cap set on incentives, which the association said is "a big and just achievement", attaching images that show all the details related to the amendments. 

In regards to other issues facing the JDA, there are 150 dentists who are retired but still practice dentistry and are deprived of their rights to join in the general assembly meetings or run as candidates for association elections, JDA President Azem Qaddoumi told The Jordan Times on Monday over the phone.

If retired dentists above 60 years of age do not pay their financial dues, which include retirement fund, health insurance and profession practice fees for six months, they lose their association-related rights, according to Qaddoumi.

Qaddoumi said the association rejects this article in the JDA law and is working to amend it, "as it violates all humanitarian concepts to deprive dentists from their association rights because they did not commit to paying their fees for six months, even if they have paid them for over 30 years".

Another issue that faces dentists is the “scammers” who, according to JDA, act as door-to-door salesmen and convince individuals to subscribe to a sort of dental insurance for an annual fee, giving them a card that they can use at certain doctors and clinics to receive treatment at lower prices. 

The JDA president said that the association council has met with the industry and trade minister, forming a committee that will follow up on the issue of fake insurance and work on raising awareness about the negative effects of this phenomenon.

In cooperation with the ministries of health and industry and trade, legal measures will be taken to combat salesmen who promote fake cards and dental insurances as well as doctors who deal with them, Qaddoumi said.

As for unemployment, Qaddoumi said that after activating the retirement law, which allows all those over 60 years of age or those who completed 30 years of service in the ministry to retire, the next phase will witness a “wave of employment” to bring replacements.

The JDA general assembly currently comprises around 10,000 dentists, Qaddoumi said, noting that the number is very high compared to the overall population, "if not the highest in the world".

The association president said that the council has a vision to increase job opportunities through building a hospital for dentists, while also demanding that the concerned authorities expand the construction of dental clinics. 

The association voiced hope that there will be a hospital designated for dentistry at the Royal Medical Services or the Health Ministry, which will increase the “status of the profession” in the Kingdom and increase income for these institutions. 

AMMAN — The Jerusalem Awqaf Department (JAD) is the sole institution responsible for administrating the affairs of Al Aqsa Mosque, and is not subject to the Israeli occupation or to any of its regulations, Awqaf Minister Abdul Nasser Abul Bassal reasserted on Monday. 

Abul Bassal, in a statement carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, also highlighted that all employees at JAD and the Jerusalem Awqaf Council and the guards of Al Aqsa Mosque are administratively affiliated with the Awqaf Ministry.

The minister warned the occupation forces against repeated attacks on Islamic affairs employees, utterly rejecting the summoning of JAD’s Jordanian Director Muhammad Azzam Tamimi for investigation.

Abul Bassal, during a phone call with Tamimi earlier that day, highlighted his utmost support for the Jerusalem Awqaf Council and its employees, including guards and imams.

He condemned the provocative practices and attacks carried out by settlers against Al Aqsa Mosque with the use of force and weapons, calling on Israel to put an end to such aggression, which provokes Muslims around the world.

Stationing large numbers of Israeli forces inside Al Aqsa Mosque is merely an attempt to change the historical and legal status quo of the holy site, Abul Bassal said.

He added that banning Awqaf guards from carrying out their duties is an attempt to terrify them and pave the way for Jewish settlers to break into the mosque, hindering the efforts of the department and its guards to protect the mosque and document all attacks. 

The minister holds Israel accountable for any construction damages to Al Aqsa Mosque, especially the Bab Al Rahma (Gate of Mercy), as a result of its continuous ban on Aqsa reconstruction department employees to renovate the historical gate, which dates back more than 1,400 years. 

AMMAN — A number of Ramtha dignitaries and representatives of “Bahara” on Monday stressed their rejection of any form of law breaking, demanding stern action against those who assault security personnel. 

Condemning the recent incidents in the northern town, the notables noted that such people do not represent the stance of Ramtha’s residents, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

“Bahara” is the Arabic term for sailors, used to describe drivers of vehicles carrying passengers to Syria, Iraq and other countries.

In a meeting on Monday, the dignitaries and representatives reiterated their stance behind the nation, its Hashemite leadership and its security authorities in combating crime, especially smuggling. 

AMMAN — The Cabinet on Monday appointed Jumana Attiyat as director general of the Housing & Urban Development Corporation, Wisam Tahtamouni as secretary general of the Ministry of Transport and Bashar Omari as director general of the Land Transport Regulatory Commission.

The appointments were made in view of the scores achieved by Attiyat, Tahtamouni and Omari, which were the highest among the candidates interviewed by the ministerial committee designated to make appointments for administrative positions, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

AMMAN — Members of the Jordanian Businessmen Association (JBA) and Director of Italian Trade Agency (ITA), Amman, Filippo Covino discussed means to enhance commercial and investment relations between the two countries on Monday.

JBA President Hamdi Tabbaa expressed hope for Italian investors and businesspeople to establish projects in “promising” sectors, mainly the ICT, education and tourism, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

JBA members Abdulrahim Biqai and Yusri Tahboub highlighted the progress Jordan has made in the healthcare sector, which opens a “wide scope” for cooperation between the Kingdom and Italy.

For his part, Covino said that the Italian private sector seeks to increase investments in Jordan, as Rome considers Amman a gateway to the region. The commercial exchange volume in 2018 stood at around $665 million, including $37 million in Jordanian exports to Italy.

AMMAN — Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission (EMRC) Chief Commissioner Farouq Hiari and Moroccan Minister of Energy, Mining and Sustainable Development Aziz Rabbah on Monday discussed cooperation in energy and minerals regulation.

The two sides agreed to exchange expertise in the fields of organisation, price monitoring and standards that should be considered while issuing licences in the energy and minerals sector, according to an EMRC statement.

Rabbah reviewed the structure of the energy and minerals sector and organisational frameworks followed in Morocco, while Hiari acquainted the minister with sector conditions in the Kingdom and laws regulating its work, highlighting the role of the commission in monitoring prices to guarantee the provision of safe, stable and high quality services with reasonable prices.

AMMAN —  The Court of Cassation has upheld a December Criminal Court decision to sentence a 28-year-old man to 20 years in prison after convicting him of killing his friend in Amman in August 2015.

The Criminal Court handed the defendant the maximum sentence after convicting him of shooting and killing his friend on August 11 while emptying his gun.

Court documents said the defendant and the victim were old-time friends.

On the day of the incident, the court maintained, the defendant contacted the victim and asked him to go for a ride with him.

On the way, court documents maintained, the defendant “saw a man in the street with whom he had constant feuds”.

The defendant pulled a gun and fired one shot in the air but the gun jammed, according to court papers.  

The defendant pointed the gun towards the victim, who was in the driver’s seat, and attempted to remove the jammed bullet “but the gun was fired and the bullet struck the victim in the chest”, according to court papers.

The defendant fled the scene and hid the weapon in a secluded area, court documents said.

Meanwhile, the victim was rushed to a nearby hospital where he died shortly afterwards, court papers said.

The defendant was arrested shortly after the shooting incident and “ushered police to the place where he hid the gun used in the shooting incident”, court transcripts added.

The victim's family members refused to drop charges against the defendant, the court papers added.

The Criminal Court’s attorney general had asked the higher court to uphold the sentence against the defendant, stating that the court had abided by the proper legal procedures when sentencing the defendant.

The defendant, through his lawyer, contested the court’s ruling arguing that he “should benefit from a reduction in penalty because he had no intention of killing the victim”.

“The bullet was accidentally discharged from the defendant’s gun and it struck and killed the victim. There was no intention to end his life by my client,” the lawyer argued.

However, the Cassation Court ruled that the Criminal Court’s judgement fell within the law, that the proceedings were proper and that the sentence given was satisfactory.

“The defendant realised the dangerous act of pointing a loaded gun towards an individual and was not careful enough when handling his weapon and his actions ended in killing a human being," the Court of Cassation ruled.

The Court of Cassation judges were Mohammad Ibrahim, Yassin Abdullat, Majid Azab, Hamad Ghzawi and Bassim Mubeidin.

AMMAN — The government does not adopt “painkiller policies” when addressing economic challenges, but works based on a structural reform approach, Prime Minister Omar Razzaz said on Sunday.

During a meeting with the president and members of the Jordan Chamber of Commerce, Razzaz added that it is the government’s duty to revise laws, standards and procedures in a way that can serve the commercial sector, “an important pillar of the national economy”, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The premier pointed out that problems are arising in the country’s taxation system due to relying on indirect levies, noting that the government seeks to address such faults through relying more on direct taxes as part of a “fair and progressive tax system”. He said the results of recent taxation measures will not be immediate, and require waiting till the end of the year to be evaluated.

Responding to inquiries about recent incidents in Ramtha, Razzaz said that “reality requires wisdom from all parties involved”, stressing that Jordan is a state of law and protecting borders is a national priority.

The premier emphasised his confidence in Jordan’s ability to overcome the economic difficulties and challenges it currently faces, saying that there is “no doubt” the Kingdom can surmount challenges through action and partnership that is based on “positive evaluation”, according to Petra.

For his part, JCC President Nael Kabariti highlighted the need for finding solutions to pressing challenges that face the commercial sector in the Kingdom, noting that coordination between the JCC and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply has witnessed progress in decision-making.

As per the draft amendments, heirs of a military subscriber who dies from a work-related injury would receive a pension amounting to 75 per cent of their total salary, while the current figure is 60 per cent.

The modifications also changed the way military subscribers’ pensions are calculated. Currently, military personnel’s pensions have been based on their last few years of service, while the new bill would calculate pension from the most recent salary only, according to Petra.

Monthly subscription fees for military personnel would increase under new amendments by 1.5 per cent to reach 28 per cent of the total salary by 2021, while the total deductions for subscribers in the public sector are set at 19.5 per cent of their salaries.

AMMAN — MPs on Sunday passed the 2019 amendments to the Social Security law, raising the age of early retirement and endorsing pension benefits for themselves as well as senators. 

Under the new amendments, early retirement age for men was raised to 55 from 50, provided that each member rendered at least 21 years of service, while the earliest age women can get their benefits is 52 with at least 19 years of service, whereas in the current law women can retire at any age as long as they have subscribed to social security for 19 years.

According to the amended bill, deputies and senators are eligible for old-age, disability and death insurances upon their request, with deductions calculated according to their monthly stipends, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Another major amendment to the new bill allows Jordanian subscribers to dip into their social security savings to cover the costs of their children's higher education or pay for medical treatment expenses for themselves or members of their families.

A social protection programme related to maternity insurance was also introduced, stipulating that the Social Security Corporation (SSC) allocates 25 per cent of maternity insurance subscriptions for that purpose. 

Meanwhile, deputies rejected an article exempting institutions from paying the subscriptions of old-age, disability and death insurances during maternity leave.

The new amendments require that for an inheritor to claim death benefits, the deceased subscriber must have completed at least 10 years of service.

The bill also introduced a provision granting the heirs of security personnel who die in the line of duty a monthly salary equal to 100 per cent of the security member’s salary, instead of the current 60 per cent.

In remarks to the press following the meeting, Kabariti said that presidents of chambers of commerce brought up challenges that require cooperation between the public and private sectors to find solutions that can contribute to increasing growth rates and commercial activity. 

The top challenges discussed during the meeting were related to customs, technical standards, multiple monitoring over commercial facilities, the construction law and issues outside Amman, such as development zones, the statement said.

AMMAN — The 2019 Eager Lion military drill commenced on Sunday with the participation of 8,000 personnel representing 29 countries. 

Brig. Gen. Mohammad Thalji, the drill’s spokesperson, said that the event contributes to developing the capability to align the armed forces with those of participating countries so as to realise strategic and tactical goals that can enhance cooperation and preparedness amongst participating countries in anti-terrorism efforts, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

During a press conference at the King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Centre (KASOTC), Thalji added that the drill simulates joint action and training on conventional and non-conventional operations, as well as procedures for command and control and cybersecurity.

The spokesperson said that the event is part of the strategic efforts exerted by the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF) to boost and enhance relations with participating countries in all military fields, mainly those pertaining to training. 

The drill, which will last until September 5, seeks to enhance JAF’s ability to work through field training and forums, in addition to enhancing coordination mechanisms with crisis management institutions, he pointed out.

Thalji noted that the Eager Lion is among the most important and biggest drills that JAF implements, in terms of the nature and volume of participating forces and countries, highlighting that this ninth edition is executed with 8,000 land, marine and air forces.

For his part, US Central Command’s Director of Exercises and Training Maj. Gen. Bradley A. Swanson said that the ninth version of the drill is held to face joint threats, noting that its importance lies in demonstrating commitment to partnerships to defend “our countries” with swift preparedness and response under unstable security circumstances.

Swanson added that the joint training helps reduce the threat percentages through developing new ideas and scenarios that can improve countries’ abilities to assess their operation environment. 

Military liason — whether through practical training, summits for high ranking officers or public visits — are effective ways to ensure “our full understanding” of strategic and operational opportunities, he noted.

Swanson said that drills in particular highlight the importance of working in unfamiliar environments, which increases the value and benefit of collective action and joint training.

The major general praised JAF’s efforts in planning and preparing for the drill, which would positively reflect on each phase and help achieve targeted goals. 

In addition to Jordan, forces from the US, Australia, Austria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Oman, Italy, Cyprus, Bahrain, Qatar, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Spain, the UAE, the UK, Tajikistan and Norway are taking part in the drill.