AMMAN - The new government is facing an uphill task to restore the confidence of the public and prove its seriousness in realising political reform, observers said on Wednesday, as the new Cabinet was sworn in.

They said that the new team of ministers includes new faces that are well known to the public for their integrity and a good track record in terms of efforts to address public concern in their respective fields.

"It is clear that there has been considerable effort to bring together a government team that is expected to win public respect and popularity for they are known at the grass-roots level for their integrity and credibility, partly because they do not mix between public posts and business," MP Jamil Nimri (Irbid, 2nd District) told The Jordan Times yesterday.

Such profiles, he said, are likely to help the government fight corruption with new momentum.

The only problem Nimri and others highlighted is that the new list of ministers “went a little far to include figures that might deal with their jobs with the mentality of 60s”, which, according to Nimri “could lead to a slow pace in progress at a time when the country is struggling with challenges that require openness and a positive stand on the envisioned comprehensive reform”.

But since there is a political will at the highest level of leadership to go on with the reforms whatever it takes, he said, “the political reform package may find its way into the light, but the challenge lies in the administrative and economic reform, which may face a major failure”, Nimri added.

He explained that the government might take steps to appease the public and contain its anger over the economic situation by avoiding raising prices of commodities or imposing further taxes.

“But this would only be tolerable for a short time as later the deficit in the state budget will grow wider and unemployemt will increase, leading eventualy to more frustration among citizens,” Nimri noted.

The Muslim Botherhood, for their part, tended to wait and judge the new government by their action. However, they agreed with Nimri that the new members of Bakhit’s team enjoy credibility and integrity.

“We received assurances from the government that it would make tangible changes in the political process and take serious steps towards comprehensive reform,” a key figure at the Islamist group, Irhayel Gharaibeh, told The Jordan Times.

He added that the movement welcomes the engaement of representatives from various civil society institutions as a gesture of good intention.

“The economic situation in the Kingdom is a complicated issue as a result of failed policies of successive governments. We think, based on our meetings with Bakhit, the governmnet will do whatever it can to improve the situation,” he said, adding that the movement has handed a list of demands that are needed to be taken as soon as possible as prerequisites to achieving comprehinsive reform.

Expressing optimism over the new government, Secretary General of the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW) Asma Khader said, however, that they expected women’s representation to be stronger in the new government.

“Nevertheless, we think that he is aware of the challenges of the coming phase and the importance of engaging more women in the decision-making process since they constitute half of the society,” Khader told The Jordan Times.

She underlined the importance of maintaining security and stability in the country and thus carefully studying any decision that might affect peace on the internal front.

Like Gharaibeh, Khader said achievement will speak for itself, also praising the selection of the new Cabinet.

Al Urdun Al Jadid Research Centre President Hani Horani said the new government is a step forward towards serious political change in the Kingdom.

“It is a diverse Cabinet indeed, which combined traditional with progresssive names and this can work in favour of the government,” he said, adding that the new government could bridge between the people and state institutions after the trust between the two has been shaken lately.

The observers agreed that the economic challenge, in light of the budget deficit and meagre resources, is the toughest task facing Bakhit and his team.

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