AMMAN — Prime Minister Omar Razzaz on Monday issued a circular regulating travel of government employees on official missions, in order to control and rationalise spending.

 

The new regulations apply to the prime minister, ministers and those with equal ranks, as well as those with other jobs mentioned in the special group of Article (3 / A / 1) of the Transportation and Travel By-law No. 56 for 1981, who must undertake air travel via economy class on trips with durations of five hours or less.

 

In the event that the duration of the trip exceeds five hours, the officials are to travel via business class, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

 

The decision includes senior government employees, senior members of the military and security services, heads of entities and directors of companies in which the government or a public institution has a 50 per cent or greater share. 

 

An exception is made for official delegations whose travel costs are borne by the host countries.

 

The circular also stipulated that the travel of other delegation members, including the directors of companies in which the government or a public institution has a 50 per cent or greater share, should be via economy class, regardless of the duration of the trip.

 

The prime minister stressed that all government employees on official missions should travel via the national carrier Royal Jordanian. 

 

He also instructed the minister of finance and the Audit Bureau to monitor the implementation of the rules for travel, and to withhold payment for any claims that are not consistent with the new regulations.

 

During his announcement of the 2019 government report last week, Razzaz noted that the government intends to place more constraints on the travel of ministers and senior government officials in order to cut spending.