Letter to Abdullah Ensour on Amending the Civil Retirement Law

In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate

Your Excellency Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour,
Peace, God’s mercy and blessings be upon you.

In line with our deeply established vision and keenness to ensure justice for all segments of our dear society and serve the public interest for the sake of present and future generations, by sparing the state budget any additional financial burdens and protecting public funds, and in accordance with the power vested in me by the Constitution, I have decided to reject the annulment of temporary Law No.10 for the Year 2010 amending the Civil Retirement Law.

Accordingly, I direct the government to prepare a comprehensive study of all aspects of the civil retirement issue, with the aim of ensuring justice, transparency and objectivity. This study is meant to lead to a new law that governs all issues related to the retirement system pertaining to the three branches of government: the executive, legislative and judicial. The envisioned law is expected to address all the distortions and confusions that have resulted from the frequent amendments to the existing law over past decades and the developments that have brought about differences in the interpretation of the law and the way it should be implemented. This situation could entail a breach to the principles of justice and equality in legal terms in general. It should also be guaranteed that no party manipulates the drafting process to gain unjust pension-related and financial benefits that might adversely affect the public interest.

This task should be handled as a top priority and you are expected to draft a clear action plan that ensures that the draft law is ready before the end of January, so that it will be presented to Parliament with an urgency status.

This requires the coming House of Deputies to process this piece of legislation with a high sense of responsibility and objectivity and endorse it as soon as possible, especially that the House’s handling of this law will be closely monitored by voters, who should hold their representatives accountable on the basis of their stand on this law, among other laws of national priority in the coming stage.

I pray God to grant us all success in serving Jordan and our faithful, proud and giving people, who are always the source of our pride.

Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein
Amman, 19 November 2012