When it comes to reform, having legislative changes and new rules in place is
one thing; implementation on the ground is another.
Reform
comes with resistance. That is a fact. There will always be those whose
interests and gains will be affected by change.
اضافة اعلان
Regardless
of who those people may be, the positions they hold and the clout they enjoy,
allowing them to hinder the process or full implementations of the schemes
approved constitutionally and at grassroots level is not an option. They should
be held accountable, in an effective and transparent manner.
Our
leadership is fully aware of where the resistance is coming from and why, and
who the potential spoilers are. During His Majesty King Abdullah's meeting
earlier this month with the Senate’s president and committee heads, he said
that "there are parties that want the modernization process to fail",
but voiced confidence in success, due to the "strong will of
Jordanians", and stressed that "Jordan is moving forward with the
reform process without hesitation", noting that "the upcoming stage
requires the hard work and dedication of all".
The
way ahead, His Majesty said, requires "collective action, based on genuine
partnership". He called on parties engaged in the ongoing process of
effecting the envisaged changes "to accept differences in opinion and
overcome personal disagreements in the service of national interests".
Reforming
the public sector is undoubtedly a key pillar in the modernization process, and
a prerequisite for the success of other drivers of political and economic
reforms.
Speaking
of the public opinion as a driving force behind the makeover, it should be acknowledged
that the people, or a significant percentage of them, expect the ongoing
endeavors to rectify the situation at civil service agencies first and foremost.
It
should also be expected that when people see failure, they will, as usual,
raise questions about who is to blame for aborting the process or hampering the
efforts.
The
government is busy nowadays preparing the plan of action for administrative
reform, which is only the start. The public will be watching for tangible
results that it can feel in its daily life, in the services provided to them
and the way they are treated by providers of these services.
And
in the same package, they expect oversight and law-enforcement agencies to do
their job of identifying and bringing to justice, or subjecting to penalties,
the enemies of reform. Enforcement should be tough enough to deter unfavorable
actions before they are committed.
On
the other hand, the reforms that legislators endorse must not be strictly
associated with the incumbent government, and then be left on the back burner or
shelved the moment the serving prime minister and his team leave office. There
has always been a consensus that the country needs cross-government reforms,
and now is the time.
We
share with our leadership the optimism that the ongoing modernization drive is
destined to succeed and its conviction that enough is enough for anti-reform
elements.
Former
US president J. F. Kennedy once said: "The time to repair the roof is when
the sun is shining." Jordan's sun shone when His Majesty gave the go-ahead
to the modernization process. The ball is now in the court of all stakeholders who
need to get things done and meet the expectations of the leadership and the
people.
2022
is the year of comprehensive reform, on the political, economic and
administrative fronts. All should work accordingly, and remember that there is
no time to waste.
The
writer is a former advisor at the Royal Hashemite Court, a former director of
media and communication at the Office of His Majesty King Abdullah, and
works currently as a senior advisor for business development at Al-Ghad and
Jordan News.
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