Like a leaky boat, information on the new cabinet changes to Samir Rifai’s government have spilling out, specifically on electronic news sites, which seem to be beating mainstream media to the punch once again. According to Ammon, the changes include seven ministerial replacements as follows:
Minister of Education & Deputy Prime Minister: Dr. Khaled Karaki
Minister of Justice: Hisham Al Tal
Minister of Tourism: Suzan Afaneh
Minister of State: Suheir Ali
Minister of Media: Ali Al Ayed
Minister of Agriculture: Mazen Al Khasawneh
Minister of Labor: Sameer Murad
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs: Tawfeeq Kreeshan
Minister of State for Prime Ministry & Judicial Affairs: Dr. Ibrahim Amoush
Meanwhile, it was also reported that Dr. Omar Razzaz of Social Security was replaced by Dr. Maen Nsour earlier this morning. I have no immediate thoughts on the changes as of yet, as I’m waiting to see the names being confirmed. However, at a first glance one could place this in a certain context. A rising Jordanian nationalist sentiment, to say nothing of increased tribalism chatter unfolding on the streets, and an upcoming parliamentary elections that is likely to swing swiftly in that direction, to say nothing of the Jordanian good will tour the government has been on this summer initiated promptly after HM King Abdullah’s speech to the army. Moreover, the trouble that has loomed over some of these ministries, including Jordanian teachers (of the nationalist kind) facing off with the Ministry of Education, and the corruption charges at the Ministry of Agriculture. These are just some of the elements at play, and might help shed some light on the names suggested above – especially when one considers what influence these factors might have on the elections.
Always premature changes. They neither respect ministers nor do they give them enough time to prove themselves. They talk about openness while cabinet changes come with no explanations whatsoever.
At least mention why you’re sacking the ministers out of respect to citizens.
Cabinets are meant to last as long as the government lasts and what they’re doing is not right IMO.
@Yanal: “At least mention why you’re sacking the ministers out of respect to citizens. ”
But in many cases, they are sacking the ministers out of respect to some citizens (or citizen pressure).
Although I for one am troubled by the change of the minister of education. I am not familiar with Khaled Karaki, but I personally would’ve liked to see the previous minister complete a more proper term. While I’m not opinionated on the conflict with the teachers, I was very much pro the ministry’s actions when the IAF was complaining.
But otherwise, seeing changes in some cabinet members as well as modifications to the entire cabinets are not uncommon, and can be seen in most if not all democracies and autocracies.
surely Suzanne Afanah would have been better placed as Minister of Media and Communication due to her extensive media background??
ya that was a new low: a TV newsreader becomes the Minister of Tourism !!! and you still think there is hope in this god-forsaken country…
BUT its clear from looking at the Surnames of those who were sacked out of a job – Razzaz, Oudeh , Masri , Shareef etc. and those coming in – Karaki, Khasawneh, Nsour and Kreshan the REAL reason behind the change, its definitly not competence….
Behold the magic of the Veterans, Teachers and Judges. Another victory to the New Jordanian National Movement .. Long Live Jordan .. Long Live The King.
A hardcore victory indeed putting a news presenter as Minister of the second most important sector to the economy, i strongly suggest the PM’s personal fitness instructor to become Minister of Health next..
On Suzy Afaneh, I am not sure how media is not related to tourism? The minister will not run the ministry by herself, she will set strategies and monitor performance. I don’t know Miss Afaneh, but media and tourism are very intertwined. My two cents.
But minister of state? Seriously? What does a minister of state do?
lol come on man, anyone can see that this happens far more often in Jordan than in other countries. The average turnover for a minister in Jordan is what .. a year or a year and a half?
@Hamzeh: sure, but the low average turnover is mostly due to the fact that the average turnover of a typical Jordanian Government (a.k.a entire cabinet) is rather quick. Cabinet changes within the lifecycle of a single government under the same head of government, however, are not really excessive.
And the reason I bring this distinction is because there IS a distinction, it /is/ a problem that the average lifecycle of a head of government in Jordan is short, and more so that heads of government are often “recycled”, contributing to the observation that there is a lack of change or motion in a given direction. Howeve,r under the same head of governemnt, shuffling cabinets can be a healthy sign of internal accountability, self-assessment, etc.
Can someone explain any of the brochure talk below in layman terms?
عمون – اعلن مكتب رئيس الوزراء ان مسؤوليات منصب وزير الدولة لشؤون مجلس الوزراء الذي استØدث ÙÙŠ التعديل الوزاري ستشمل توÙير الدعم والتخطيط الاستراتيجي ووضع الاولويات Ùيما يتعلق بالمواءمة بين القضايا والقرارات التي تعرض على المجلس وتنÙيذ الخطة الØكومية والمØاور الاستراتيجية السبعة الواردة ÙÙŠ برنامج عمل الØكومة من خلال التنسيق مع الوزارات كاÙØ© .
وسيضطلع وزير الدولة لشؤون مجلس الوزراء بالشؤون المتعلقة بمأسسة وتعزيز آلية القرار ÙÙŠ مجلس الوزراء وتØديد اولويات المواضيع المدرجة على اجندة المجلس ومتابعة تنÙيذ القرارات المتعلقة بها ØŒ كما سيشكل الوزير ÙˆÙÙ‚ هذه المهام Øلقة وصل قوية بين السياسات والممارسات ØŒ الامر الذي سيسهم ÙÙŠ تØقيق نتائج ملموسة لتنÙيذ البرامج والمشاريع الØكومية .
and NO info on university degrees!!
سوزان عÙانة
تمتلك عÙانة خبرة تزيد عن 19عاما ÙÙŠ مجال العمل الاعلامي عملت خلالها مع عدد من القنوات الÙضائية المØلية والعالمية ضمّت التلÙزيون الأردني، وقناة الـ«إم بي سي» والـ«سي إن إن».
وبدأت عÙانة عملها كصØاÙية ومذيعة للأخبار ÙÙŠ التلÙزيون الأردني ÙÙŠ العام 1991. وخلال عملها كمراسلة سياسية، تنقلت عÙانة بين العديد من عواصم العالم لتغطية الأخبار لاسيّما Ùيما يتعلق بعملية السلام ÙÙŠ الشرق الأوسط.
تبوأت منصب رئيس تØرير الأخبار ÙÙŠ التلÙزيون الأردني لتشغل بعدها بÙترة قصيرة وهي لم تتجاوز الـ29 عاما، منصب مدير عام القناة الÙضائية الأردنية لتكون أول إمرأة ÙÙŠ الوطن العربي تتولى هذه المهام ÙÙŠ مثل هذا العمر.
وخلال عملها كمراسلة تلÙزيونية، عملت عÙانة ÙÙŠ قناة «سي إن إن» الدولية، Øيث شاركت ÙÙŠ برنامج «التقرير العالمي الØائز على جائزة «إيمي». ÙˆØازت على جائزة «أÙضل تقرير سياسي» للعام 2000.
كلÙت جلالة الملكة رانيا العبد الله، عÙانة، ÙÙŠ العام 2002 من بين نخبة من السيدات الأردنيات، لتكون عضوا ÙÙŠ اللجنة التنÙيذية لقمة المرأة العربية، Øيث ساهمت ÙÙŠ إنشاء شبكة الاعلام العربية.
كانت تشغل عÙانة منصب نائب الرئيس التنÙيذي للإتصال والمعلومات والمسؤولة الاجتماعية ÙÙŠ شركة زين، كبرى شركات الاتصالات الخلوية ÙÙŠ المملكة.
وتولت عÙانة كذلك منصب نائب رئيس مجلس إدارة مؤسسة الاذاعة والتلÙزيون الأردنية كما أنها عضو ÙÙŠ مؤتمر القيادات العربية الشابة وعضو مجلس إدارة المعهد الاردني للاعلام، Ùˆ عضو مجلس إدارة مؤسسة نهر الأردن Ùˆ إنتاج.
وكانت آخر وظيÙØ© لعÙانة نائبا للرئيس التنÙيذي للإتصال والمعلومات والمسؤولية الاجتماعية ÙÙŠ شركة زين
عÙانة متزوجة Ùˆ لديها 3 أبناء
الى متى سنبقى مثل العنزه التائه ØŒ لقد Ø£Øتقرونا لزمنأ طويل هذه الØكومه تÙتقد لمصداقيه مثل كل الØكومات السابقه ،لقد أبديت رأي ÙÙŠ السابق وها أنا أبدي برأي مرة أخرى ØŒ Øكومات سو٠تجلب لكم الويلات والمصائب والتاريخ سو٠يثبت ما قلته
Well it’s different names, under the same relentless policy will it be any good? Only time will tell.
Will it be somewhat a “hold em back”/soft containment tactic; as several popular people were assigned to governmental posts and now are totally forgetting their previous opposition views, being more defensive of the government’s actions than the government itself, therefore becoming less popular… let’s hope this is not the case here…
What is interesting though, is that our new Minister of State for Media and Communication Affairs was formerly the Ambassador of Jordan to Israel. Good luck with that:)
” BUT its clear from looking at the Surnames of those who were sacked out of a job – Razzaz, Oudeh , Masri , Shareef etc. and those coming in – Karaki, Khasawneh, Nsour and Kreshan the REAL reason behind the change, its definitly not competence….”
do i smell a bitter “Jordanian of “other” decent” in our midst oh “Londoner”. Actually Dr. Khaled Al Karaki is a highly qualified person and is very competent.
omar razzaz was always the right man for the job. he is an amazing man and it hurts jordan to see him leave. no one could do what he has done for our country.