His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday directed the government to scrap two public holidays to help “boost productivity and dedication” starting this year.

“I hope that Jordanians can celebrate the two occasions [the Monarch's birthday on January 30 and King Hussein's birthday on November 14] by enhancing national economy,” the King told Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit in a letter.

The King asked the government to set a clear calendar, pointing out public holidays and daylight saving time for the coming five years to “help public and private institutions set well-defined and long-term plans."

The Jordan Times