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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - The government has decided to increase the price of governmental advertisements in newspapers from JD0.25 to JD0.55 per word, an official said on Sunday.

During a press conference at the Prime Ministry to outline the government's measures, Minister of State for Media Affairs Mohammad Momani said that the decision came to help the sector cope with the financial challenges facing print media, which have seen at least one local newspaper out of business and the others suffering cash shortages, amid an international crisis.

Momani told the press that the decision was a response to the sector's demand. The Jordan Press Association issued a statement later lauding the move.

Before the measure was taken, the annual cost of governmental advertising stood at JD3.5 million, while now the newspapers' revenues from the official ads will reach around JD8 million in total, according to the minister.

Meanwhile, the government also decided on using the Hijaz Railway to connect Aqaba Port to the planned Maan land port temporarily, pending the laying down of a permanent track as part of a plan of to have in place a network that connects development zones with sea and land ports with a length of 970km, according to Momani, who is also the government’s spokesperson.

The decision will reduce the cost of transportation and will activate the role of Maan port, said the minister.

The Cabinet also decided to distribute JD100 million to municipalities to help them settle part of their debts.

The funds will be paid by the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM), as a result of amendments made to the Law on Forming Courts, the minister explained.

According to the decision, GAM will pay back the amount in installments over 10 years through the Cities and Villages Development Bank.

The fourth decision was training 330 graduates of ICT to help residents at post offices learn how to apply some services electronically that will not be available through conventional application methods by the end of this year.

These services include renewal of professional licences, queries about property tax, traffic fine payment queries, e-complaint system, tree pruning requests, lighting maintenance and dumpster replacement and placement requests.

The minister noted that according to relevant committee recommendations, the electronic services will not be more expensive than when they are sought through conventional ways.

The government also approved a memorandum of understanding between the Planning Ministry and the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to establish a fund with a cost of £3.5 million.

The fund will be named “Newton Khalidi” after the late Jordanian scholar Osama Khalidi, who had a long career as a biochemistry researcher.

The fund aims to support researches that are related to energy, water, agriculture technologies and bio-energy.

The government was briefed on the preparations for the upcoming elections of municipal, local and governorates “decentralisation” councils, which will be held on Tuesday, by the relevant ministers, Momani said.

He said that Prime Minister Hani Mulki decided that Tuesday will be a day off to enable Jordanians to participate in the elections.

On supporting Palestinians and their rights, Momani reiterated Jordan’s demand of Israel to commit to preserving the status quo at Jerusalem, noting that such a pro-Jerusalem stand stems from the Kingdom’s responsibilities under the Hashemite Custodianship on the Muslim and Christian holy places in the city.

The minister expressed appreciation for the US role in supporting a holistic and just peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis.