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Written by Musa Alshuqairi.

In a recent daily column Jordan’s most prominent financial analyst/commentator suggested that the real solutions needed to reduce Jordan’s record budget deficit must be “surgical” solutions. These surgical solutions come from Fahed al-Fanek as a call for the government to step away from its duties in:

• Securing employment for its citizens by not only suspending employment in the public sector including health and education (because afterall public schools and hospitals are not seriously understaffed!) but by terminating the jobs of some of those currently drawing paychecks from the government (because if they were qualified in the first place they will find better jobs!!).
• Subsidizing any kind of product or services, as he argues that a government suffering from massive deficit threatening the economic stability and debt cannot offer to pay for “private services” and all they can provide is public services like security and infra structure.

It is still debatable whether these measures would be enough. Take for example the cooking gas debate: reports suggest that the treasury is “bleeding” 6-7 million dinars a year to keep the cooking gas container at a fixed price despite the fluctuations in oil prices. The total cost of subsidising a product that is simply essential to lower and middle class citizens does not exceed 60-70 million dinars – or simply a mere 5-6 percent of the 1.5 billion deficit.

Following the above advice that conventional methods are not going to be enough, here are three suggested resources that we can dip into that could cut up a much higher percentage of the deficit – without having to fire 40,000 public sector employees making 250 dinars a month to save a few millions here and there:

– The Royal Second private plane: $250,000,000+ source.
In 2008, the Royal Jordanian welcomed a brand new Airbus A340-642 to its fleet. The A340-600 is a 380 to 419-passenger long-range aircraft. It is the longest Airbus airliner in operation and the most expensive one in its A340 range. The 250 million dollar cost is for the standard model and not for the royally-tricked out one, which according to some planes fan’s forums could fetch up to 350 million. With the excessive amount of traveling (to discuss economic projects that never materialise or spread the insightful message that the region needs peace now), one can’t argue with the need of a private plane.

But the other private-customised A340-200 (also long-range, wide-body with 239-261 passengers) was not that bad. It is only a 2001 model and was formerly used by the Sultan of Brunei, plus it is reportedly laying in storage right now ($45-60 million).  Maybe treating oneself to such a exorbitant toy (without even factoring in the operational costs) sounded like a good idea when the visionary economic plan has not failed miserably yet (maybe those financial advisors knew what they were talking about when they said “tsk”), but in the current situation it has a feel like a homeless man investing in a 3500-dinar suit. Being one of only two private A340-642s ever made (the other owned by the Saudi SAAD airways), there will be no shortage in potential buyers.

– The Royal Automobile collection: $100,000,000
How hard would it be to find some fanatic Gulf-based prince who would be happy to pay that sum for one of the most exclusive car collections in the world. (Or in Jordanian government speak: How hard would it be to introduce a strategic partner to invest in making the Royal Automobile Museum a global phenomenon and a world-famous attraction). The car collection has no sentimental value, and it is not like Jordan will be auctioning off Petra. Actually, after selling off Aqaba, the phosphate and potash mining companies, al-Abdali, potentially Dabuq and the sole oil refinery…., giving up a bunch of over-priced meaningless cars should not be a big deal. If anything, the museum is a testimony of the Jordanian people’s legacy who managed to afford to finance the assembly of such a collection by a man who once had to sell his tricycle, then pay an entrance fee to happily look at it. Imagine the level of appreciation that the Jordanian citizens will hold for the late king if they realize how he managed to help them out of their financial crisis even postmortem. So just contact a corrupt sub-Saharan African dictator, Jay Leno, Mohammad bin Sulayyem or the Hariri offspring who is into cars and make him an offer he can’t refuse.

The Royal subsidy: 24,000,000-61,000,000
If the government is too broke to support the population’s basic needs, then the population in return is too drained to fund the luxurious lifestyle that is not remotely proportional to the country’s means and resources. Ordering the government to violate the parliament-approved tightly-crafted budget laws every now and then for publicity stunts in the form of charitable donations of 50 dinars becomes even more absurd when it is collected back within months by multiple folds through new taxes and price hikes. Instead, relieving the budget of the 23-27 million burden in the form of a personal stipend and palace expenses ( (with a potential 37-42 million dinars saving in the form of staff expenses (ie. the court)) for one or two years is a genuine initiative that would be felt by every Jordanian. It is not like anyone is asking for a full disclosure of the value of the crown jewels (yet) but maybe dipping in those “personal” funds in such tough times is the least the people who have contributed to that wealth are owed.

These are not semi-sarcastic suggestions (like say, auctioning off the one-and-done collection of Haute Couture gowns or the Marcos-esque shoe collection) and they are not even drastic measures that could affect the stability of the regime (like say, reconsidering the military share which sucks up to 50 per cent of the whole budget that is dispersed in the form of unearned benefits to high ranked officers whose minimum contribution is evident by the average waist size of all red collar officers).

These are nothing more than effective actions that will give the impression that we are all aware that we are unfortunately not a rich state and set the example that we should not feel entitled to the lifestyle of one.

[Editor’s note: The leading photograph was changed to more accurately reflect the article and discussion. Also, a link was added as a source for the Airbus A340’s price.]