Prime Minister Dr. Jafar Hassan: The Royal directive letter is clear about moving forward with the political modernization project and developing local administration.
Prime Minister: Progress in the democratic approach is fundamental in this dialogue to review the legislation governing the work of municipalities and provincial councils; in preparation for the upcoming local elections.
Prime Minister: The new bill will focus on three main pillars: governance of municipalities' operations and their management, achieving financial and administrative discipline, and improving services provided to citizens, especially in the provinces.
Prime Minister: Dialogue about the local administration bill continues with the other parliamentary party blocks, stakeholders, and in the provinces in cooperation with members of the parliament; to reach the highest levels of consensus on the draft law and send it to the parliament this year.
Khaberni - A series of dialogues about the local administration bill started today, Wednesday, at the prime minister's office, initiated by the government with a meeting of the Union of Centrist Parties parliamentary bloc.
And Prime Minister Dr. Jafar Hassan said in his intervention during the meeting that the Royal directive letter to the government is clear about moving forward with the political modernization project and the development of local administration, which is the second entitlement in this system, confirming that progress in the democratic approach is fundamental in this effort through a national dialogue to review the legislation governing the work of municipalities and provincial councils; in preparation for the upcoming elections.
The prime minister pointed out that the purpose of the local administration bill is to empower municipal councils to carry out their responsibilities with mechanisms for supervision, evaluation, and accountability, ensuring best practices that serve the citizen and enhance participation, adding: "It is essential to dot the i's and cross the t's regarding responsibilities and duties."
The prime minister said that the municipalities are the core of local development, and we are committed to reactivating their role and enhancing it through these legislations, confirming the active and essential representation of youth and women in these councils and our efforts to enhance it in the new law.
He pointed out that the government will take necessary measures for governance of the local administration sector, increasing the efficiency of its staff, and automating services; to improve its essential services to citizens, as previously committed in its response to the Royal directive.
The prime minister pointed out that the new law will focus on three main pillars we aspire to improve and enhance, represented in governing the operations of municipalities and their management, through approving a clear legislative framework that governs the relationship between the municipal council, the executive structure, and the citizens, achieving financial and administrative discipline, and focusing on improving the services provided to the citizens, especially in the provinces.
He noted that a significant part of the municipalities' problems are administrative, emphasizing the need for legislation to put an end to nepotism and favoritism, which have been practiced at the expense of the municipalities' roles and their financial sustainability, and contributed to the increase in debt and wastage and the administrative bloat that has prevailed for many years.
He also highlighted the need to focus on providing suitable services that citizens deserve with all efficiency, fairness, and transparency, noting that digital transformation is essential for this purpose.
The prime minister pointed to the fact that the dialogue on the local administration law continues institutionally with the other parliamentary party blocs, and with stakeholders from institutions and civil bodies, as well as in the provinces in cooperation with members of the parliament; in order to reach the highest degrees of consensus on the draft law, and build on discussions and dialogues that took place previously with members of the parliament and related institutions and civil bodies, and then send it to the parliament this year.
In turn, the Minister of Local Administration Engineer Walid Al-Masri presented the main pillars and foundations of the new law that were reached through discussions and dialogues that lasted over the past months, including dialogues held with members of the parliament and several concerned entities, explaining that the government is open to any ideas and proposals to enhance the draft law.
During the meeting, a broad discussion took place wherein the head of the Union of Centrist Parties parliamentary bloc, MP Zuhair Al-Khashman, and the members of the bloc, presented a number of ideas and proposals about developing the draft law in various aspects, contributing to the improvement of local administration and municipal work and enhancing the services provided to citizens.
Also present at the meeting were the ministers: of Public Works and Housing Engineer Maher Abu Al-Samn, of Government Communication Dr. Mohammad Al-Momani, of Political and Parliamentary Affairs Abdulmonem Al-Oudat, and State for the Prime Minister's Office Abdul-Latif Al-Najdawi.
