US embassy cable - 03AMMAN4891

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 004891 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/05/2013 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, KDEM, SOCI, JO 
SUBJECT: JORDAN LOOKS TO REHABILITATE MUNICIPAL SECTOR WITH 
CASH, TECHNOCRATS 
 
REF: A. AMMAN 4737 
     B. AMMAN 4629 
     C. AMMAN 4251 
     D. AMMAN 4189 
 
Classified By: A/PolCouns Eric Carlson, per Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). 
 
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Summary 
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1.  (U)  In line with GOJ's new Municipal Elections Law, 
which empowers the GOJ to appoint all mayors and up to 50 
percent of the seats in the country's 99 municipal councils, 
the Cabinet recently announced the names of mayors and 
non-elected municipal council members (see reftels for more 
information on the municipal electoral process and results). 
Seeking to improve service delivery nationwide, the 
government has appointed an engineer as mayor in every 
community.  These officials will have at their disposal 
supplemental government funds, totaling more than 50% of 
combined annual municipal budgets, with which to finance 
municipal activities.  End Summary. 
 
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All Mayors Engineers 
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2.  (U)  Days after Jordanians went to the polls July 26-27 
to elect roughly half of their municipal council members, the 
government appointed a cadre of technocrats to fill the 
remaining municipal council seats and all mayoral offices in 
each of Jordan's 99 towns and villages.  Every mayor 
appointed holds a degree in engineering, including three that 
have doctorates.  One woman was selected to be mayor of the 
Hassa Municipality in the Tafileh Governorate.  In Amman, the 
Cabinet gave incumbent mayor Nidal Hadid a new term and 
announced the names of 20 Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) 
council appointees, two of whom are women. 
 
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Additional Resources for Local Government 
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3.  (U)  The government has announced an ambitious three-year 
plan to enhance the performance of the country's 99 
municipalities and the services they offer citizens.  The 
government's JD54 million (about $77 million) injection into 
local coffers will "be in addition to the municipalities' 
annual budgets of nearly JD100 million" ($142 million), said 
Municipal Affairs Minister Abdul Razzaq Tbeishat in an August 
1 press account. 
 
4.  (U)  The plan is a joint program of the Ministry of 
Municipal Affairs and the Planning Ministry, with the goal of 
continuing "efforts to assist municipalities in offering 
efficient services to citizens," announced Tbeishat.  Annual 
budgets will support critical infrastructure rehabilitation 
projects, including road repair, street lighting, and the 
clean-up of public spaces, while the additional JD54 million 
will be used for more specialized programs.  These could 
include the construction of commercial and industrial zones, 
as well as produce markets that will spur economic growth. 
Tbeishat also said the supplemental funds would go toward the 
construction of public gardens, complete with library and IT 
facilities for children. 
 
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Comment 
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5.  (C)  Despite the public's bland reaction to the latest 
municipal elections cycle, the government seems eager to 
deliver on promises of additional resources for local use as 
tangible proof of its willingness to invest in municipal 
infrastructure and human development.  The pace of providing 
improved services and public resources will be key to win the 
support of a population long tired of an ailing municipal 
affairs sector.  As for the appointment of engineer-mayors, 
the government appears to be following through on its 
commitment to install qualified and service-oriented 
professionals in municipal councils across the country.  Of 
course, an engineering degree is not enough to guarantee the 
end of the corruption and cronyism common to many municipal 
governments.  Yet, the appointments may appease naysayers 
who, on the one hand, brand the appointment of local 
officials as anti-democratic but, on the other, prefer 
services over politics. 
GNEHM