Authorities will jail people who rent their farms without licences — official source

AMMAN — Farm owners who rent their farms without official permission will be taken into administrative detention, said an official source at the Ministry of Interior.اضافة اعلان

The source, who spoke to Jordan News on condition of anonymity, said the provisions of the Crime Prevention Law will apply in this case as these persons “endanger the lives of citizens” by renting their farms, where are pools, and consequently the possibility of drowning and other accidents.  

The governmental decision according to "aims to protect human life and to guarantee that farm owners are applying highest safety measures," the source said.

"The Ministry of Health is the prime authority that is responsible of placing the right criteria and standards for the highest safety measures", the source said, adding: "We work together to ensure that everyone is safe, and that they enjoy their time without accidents."

Farm owners protested the decision, insisting that the make sure that their tenants remain safe as they use the facilities.

Ahmad Bello, a farm owner, told Jordan News that "I have been renting my farm for 2 years now and I have never recorded any incident. All my visitors trust me and that I apply the highest safety measures on my farm; it is even forbidden to bring alcohol to the farm."

"I believe that such decisions will scare people off,” he said, and harm the business, at a time when some owners rely on the income from the rent to spend on their families. These include Mohammad Huneiti, who quit his job years ago and lives on revenues from the farm, where families for JD100-200 on average spend leisure time in privacy, especially that utilities in public picnicking sites are lacking or in a bad shape.

"I can say that government does not want to see us happy; whenever we enjoy doing something, they come up with some bad decisions that contribute to destroying our sources of income at some point."

Bana Ghassan, a frequent farm visitor, told Jordan News that "I and my friends enjoy spending times together at farm, because we find our privacy there, especially since we do not swim in mixed pools."

Ghassan added that "we have never faced any incidents and that is why we always choose to go to farms, in Salt, Jerash or the Dead Sea. “I believe that going to a farm and taking care of your family’s safety should be on your own responsibly, not anyone else’s."

Read more National