(MENAFN- Alghad Newspaper)
Rumours leave no place for optimism when it comes to new ideas. Especially the government's idea of a fresh new start. In truth, there is a real chance for us here to start over, so to speak, with an all new city, a New Amman, which is not entirely a bad thing, to be honest!
Sadly though, ideas like that are just as soon sunk in disbelief and doubt, and maybe —at least in this case— rightly so!
Lack of preparation and short sightedness; that's where the government went wrong!
They just did not really think it through!
More so, it seemed as though they were somewhat dismissive of the public's negative mood, and the general distrust.
There is a widening ridge between the government and the people.
With such an inconclusive, unclear, ambiguous proposition, no wonder why the people were quick to dismiss it as another 'scheme.
Obviously, the government thought an announcement of such sorts would help their case and maybe help raise approval rates, but alas, even the 'best laid plans go to waste! Not to say this is was even a good plan for starters!
The government announced New Amman to the whole world, and then left us all stranded in limbo!
Naturally, given the public's relationship with the government, the people will not take it well.
The public's reaction on social media was very indicative of this.
The moment the news broke, Jordanians began worrying about land prices and the profiteering that comes with it!
Despite the novelty of the proposition and the idea behind it, which was to lift the people's morale and spirits for the future, it all went south. Then again, we know what roads to where are paved with good intentions!
I mean, surely, the government wasn't talking about replacing the Amman we all love, home to some five million people!
To think that the government is looking into founding another capital is just absurd!
No city will replace our beloved Amman; the cornerstone of our national and historic identity, and the government is not planning to!
That much we know is true!
The point of the proposition was never to replace Amman, but to look forward and plan for the future of our city.
Obviously, the idea in and of itself was never the problem, but rather the immaturity of its proposition.
The New Amman plan is far from ready.
There are far too many unknown variables, which is never a good thing when there is doubt in the equation and a degree of public distrust in the state institution!
Unfinished aspects of the proposition left many blanks spaces for the public to fill out on their own, which in turn gives way to rumours and speculation for the millions of questions Jordanians rightly ask!
My only explanation for this immature declaration is that the government was overly excited about the idea that they rushed into it, without even considering the repercussions of the countless unanswered questions!
Typically, some Jordanians were just cynical about it all, while others saw it as an uncalculated adventure, at best.
The government should have explored the idea more thoroughly before announcing to the people that there is a new Amman underway!
What fate awaits East Amman? There is an unbelievable gap in the quality of life, services and housing between East and West Amman. How and when will the government begin addressing this widening crater?
According to the government, we'll soon have three Ammans; East, West, and New Amman, which will be different from 'old Amman how exactly?!
The proposition and the planning it entails is important, yes, but the government's justifications and explanations are unconvincing!
Will this New Amman be a government complex or an actual city? How habitable is it, really, if the leaks turn out to be true and it was actually to be centred some 80 kilometres away from the Amman we know? Will it be further to the south or to the north?!
Those just some of the questions that need to be answered, but it seems no one has enough information to process the government's many statements.
It is safe to say that the government may be just as confused as the citizens, which has not helped much in terms of ambiguity.
Statements like 'Only five people know about it and 'it will be built on state-owned lands…etc. only add to the confusion.
Now, to be clear, planning for the development and expansion cities is nothing new.
Major cities in the West and other parts of the world have gone through all this alread. How else how they overcome traffic, overpopulation, and planning failures!
We need to keep an open mind to the concept, given its countless successes around the world, before we tear the whole idea apart and throw it away!
In the meantime, we should not get all tangled up in this. We have various pressing economic and fiscal issues to address.
We need to focus on the major issues we are dealing with now.
New Amman has become the centrepiece of so much rumour and analyses, thanks to the many questions awaiting answers!
Instead, let us have our answers and be done with this, so we can focus on the pressing issues at hand!
This article is an edited translation of the Arabic version, published by AlGhad.
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