AMMAN — Owners of farms that are used as venues for festive celebrations have been trying for months to reach the appropriate government entity that could grant them permits regulating their work, not an easy undertaking since this authority was transferred from the Ministry of Tourism to the Ministry of Local Administration, whose officials, when contacted, seemed unaware of the new assignment they have been tasked with.
اضافة اعلان
President of the Federation of Farm Owners Mohammad Al-Saket said he was sent back and forth however, not knowing exactly which ministry would lend a hand to them to complete the necessary legal procedures.
Farm owners found themselves in a bind after the Ministry of Tourism issued, last July, a decision whereby people who rent their farms without official permission will be taken into administrative detention.
The Crime Prevention Law will apply in this case, decrees the decision, as these persons “endanger the lives of citizens” by renting their farms where there are pools, and, consequently, there is the possibility of drowning and other accidents. According to the government, the decision is aimed at protecting human life and at guaranteeing that farm owners apply the highest safety measures.
Saket told
Jordan News that the farmers’ federation, formed in 2019, wishes to be a bridge between farm owners and the government, “as it was the only way left for us to gather all together and try to get in touch with the government”.
He said that the government decision was confusing, as “at first, we used to communicate with the Ministry of Tourism and we had agreed on some points in the interest of all, and then we were informed that the Ministry of Local Administration will be responsible for issuing licences/official permissions for farm owners to be able to work legally, but the latter ministry is not coordinating with us”.
He added that the federation members are committed to complying with all government decisions and that they will pay close attention to all the details to ensure the safety of tenants, bemoaning the lack of cooperation shown by the government.
“I wonder why the government disregards us even though farms helped revive the economy,” he said stressing that farms employed Jordanian manpower and helped “turn the wheel of the economy”.
“Farm owners will be forced to terminate their contracts with all their workers in the event their work has to stop if they are unable to obtain licenses and carry out all the other necessary legal procedures,” he said.
Mohammad Adwan, a farm owner, told Jordan News that the COVID-19 pandemic affected the work of farm owners, and that they need the support of the government so they can organize their work in a proper manner and try to attract customers back to farms again.
He said that he and his colleagues agree with the need to have licences and official permissions to continue their work, “however, we do not know which door we should knock on, and which ministry is responsible for helping us”.
Adwan also said that farm owners do not get basic services, such as having the areas of their farms cleaned or the streets asphalted, but “we are doing these things from our own budget and this is really hard, especially during the hard economical circumstances we are facing”.
However, a source from the Ministry of Local Administration told Jordan News that “the ministry’s door is always open for the farm owners; we are ready to help them and issue the licences they need, and to respond to all their demands”.
Read more National News
.jpg)
.jpg)
