PM urges quality of schools

Manama : The Education Ministry will prepare an inventory of schools rented by the government to ensure they are compatible with the standards set for public schools in the Kingdom.

The move comes in line with the directives of Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa.

The authorities will also study the capacity of the Qalali primary schools to check whether they can meet the present and future needs as per the demographic and urban growth in the area.

Chairing the regular weekly Cabinet session at the Gudaibiya Palace yesterday, the PM briefed about his recent field visit to Sanabis village where he inspected some of its facilities, including the Sanabis Girls’ Primary School.

HRH Premier directed the Ministerial Committee for Urbanisation and Infrastructure to follow up on the plan to revamp the area between the Shaikh Isa and Shaikh Hamad causeways. The panel will coordinate with the ministries and relevant parties in this regard.

The Prime Minister also directed the committee to submit proposals regarding the naming of the facility, Secretary General of the Cabinet Dr Yaser bin Isa Al Nasser said in a statement following the session.

The Cabinet also endorsed 10 agreements signed with friendly countries. Among these, five were signed with Turkey. These include a deal on legal cooperation in civil, commercial and criminal matters, a cooperation protocol between the University of Bahrain and Emre Institute, an executive programme in education, an executive programme in the cultural field and an MoU in the field of youth and sports.

Three MoUs were signed with Pakistan in agriculture and marine wealth, youth and sports, and air transportation, while two were signed with Russia on setting up a joint panel for commercial, economic and scientific cooperation, and the exchange and mutual protection of classified information.

Major decisions

Preparations ahead of the pilgrims’ departure to the holy lands for Hajj discussed

Adoption of the new international standards on the automatic exchange of information to be effective by the end of 2018

Procedures to support the work of licensed transaction clearing offices endorsed

Draft law on ratifying the Unified System (Law) for Consumer Protection in GCC countries endorsed

MoU to strengthen friendship relations between the cities of Manama and Shenzhen in China approved

Recommendations of the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs on a draft law to replace article on the statute of the Council of Representatives reviewed

Recommendations to amend some provisions of a law on CBB and financial institutions reviewed

Proposals discussed

Establishing a renewable energy agency

Implementing projects to avail of solar energy 

Construction of a solar-powered electricity station

Role of Bahraini youth hailed

Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa yesterday emphasised the crucial role of Bahraini youth in achieving the goals of sustainable development.

In regard to the UN International Youth Day, the PM also underlined his pride in their contributions in various fields, and their effective participation in nation-building.

Prince Khalifa also expressed his keenness to fulfil their needs, develop their skills and empower them to achieve the youth-oriented goals set in the Government Action Plan.

The PM lauded the role of HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, HM the King’s Representative for Charity Work and Youth Affairs, Supreme Council for Youth and Sports (SCYS) Chairman and Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) President, and HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, SCYS First Deputy President and President of the Bahrain Athletics Association, for encouraging the Bahraini youth to be creative and participate effectively in efforts to raise the national banners.

The Premier also hailed the efforts of the Youth and Sports Affairs Ministry to implement the government’s strategy aiming to upgrade the youth sector.

International norms on automatic exchange of information get nod

The Kingdom’s adoption of the new international standards on the automatic exchange of information will be effective by the end of 2018. 

This come after it received nod from the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes. 

Though the Kingdom did not have a tax system, Bahrain’s international commitments required it to adopt such standards.

The Cabinet commissioned the Finance Ministry to be the competent authority in the Kingdom to be responsible for the automatic exchange of information with the relevant authorities in member states.

This is in coordination with the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB).