Minister of Interior Mazen Faraya chaired a meeting Monday to discuss ways and means to crackdown on beggary, including stiffer judicial action and updating anti-vagrancy legislation.
The meeting, which was attended by the Ministers of Justice and Social Development and the Amman Mayor, tackled proposals and deterrent measures, including assigning liaison officers at the Social Development Ministry, tightening procedures for the bailing of beggars, especially organized begging, and intensifying joint patrols by concerned authorities to nab beggars and refer them to the judiciary, in addition to conducting social studies to look into “the root causes of the phenomenon.”
“The phenomenon of begging has taken different forms and manifestations besides direct beggary, including vending at traffic signals, which causes traffic disruptions and requires taking action to curb this phenomenon in its social, legal, security and economic dimensions,” Farayah told the meeting.
Minister of Social Development Ayman Mufleh said that his ministry’s anti-vagrancy efforts are ongoing around the clock through its cadres in cooperation with the concerned authorities in the Ministry of Interior and the Amman Municipality, adding that 10,000 beggars were arrested this year. He also said a number of people were apprehended yesterday after being caught gambling in a human trafficking case.
Source: Jordan News Agency