Over 1,000 Jordanian construction contractors will cast their votes next month to select their association’s council, association members said on Saturday.

Nine Jordanian Construction Contractors Association (JCCA) members announced their candidacies for JCCA elections last week as part of a bloc called “Change”.

Ahmad Yousef Tarawneh is running for president of the association. He leads the “Change” coalition along with Obaid Sbeitan, who seeks to become deputy president.

The list of “Change” candidates also includes Hamza Murrad, Khalid Mrayat, Ibrahim Sabti, Ahmad Yaqoubi, Marouf Qananim, Riyadh Haymour and Bashir Abu Rashed.

Change became the first bloc to announce candidates for the JCCA elections, according to several association members.

“It is time for change in the JCCA,” Jordanian contractor Ahmad Abu Zaid said.

“The association must move forward and adopt new methods in dealing with our issues,” JCCA member George Gammo added.

Members of the “Change” bloc called on their colleagues to judge their performance based on a “code of ethics” the bloc announced last week.

In the code, Tarawneh committed to “preserve the rights of contractors”, and pledged to “create a strategy for the JCCA’s work by institutionalising its performance”.

According to Tarawneh, the “Change” bloc aims to resolve the issue of government interference in contractors’ hiring decisions, which he claimed hinders the work of a majority of JCCA members.

Established in 1972, the JCCA serves more than 1,300 members. Its council comprises the president, deputy president and eight other members, according to the JCCA law.