PM gives directive to study government subsidy programmes

Manama : His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa yesterday gave directives to conduct a study on the subsidy programmes to low and medium income citizens to ensure that they continue to receive government aid and support, instructing ministries to follow up on the 

matter. HRH Prime Minister gave the directives while chairing the regular weekly Cabinet session, which was attended by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier, at the Gudaibiya Palace yesterday.

The government subsidies to families and citizens have reached BD382.5 million ($1.1 billion) in 2017, benefiting low and medium income citizens to improve their living conditions through various programmes such as social insurance, living costs allowance, the housing allowance, allowance to improve the retirees’ living standards, the housing allowance and the cash compensation allowance paid for the citizens after lifting the subsidies on meat.

Tackling development issues, HRH Premier was informed about what has been achieved so far regarding his earlier directives to meet the needs of the Sanabis villagers regarding services, including housing.

Commenting on statements by the Housing Minister and the Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister on the matter, HRH Premier gave directives to fulfil the housing needs by meeting their demands within the Northern City. The Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry was also requested to meet the needs of the Malikiya villagers and verify their remarks regarding the sufficiency of sanitation networks, particularly in the new areas.

HRH the Prime Minister gave directives to the Ministry of Health to address any shortage of medicines provided to citizens in health centres and to avoid any shortcomings in this regard. He also instructed it to increase the diagnostic devices in government hospitals to avoid waiting lists.

Bahrain-Kuwait ties

HRH Premier informed the Cabinet about his talks with the Kuwaiti Amir, HH Shaikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, during his recent visit to the State of Kuwait.

The session lauded the level of the long-standing solid brotherly Bahraini-Kuwaiti relations and highlighted the importance of the Premier’s visit in boosting bilateral relations and consolidating the march of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a statement by the Cabinet Secretary-General, Dr Yasser bin Isa Al-Nasser, said.

National Guard

The Cabinet paid tribute to the National Guard, marking its 21st anniversary, praising the role it is playing and the advanced level it has reached in terms of training, competence and readiness to carry out the patriotic tasks assigned to it, thanks to the continuous support of the leadership and the tremendous efforts being exerted by its commander and affiliates.

Cabinet decisions

The Cabinet approved, based on recommendation by the Executive Committee, led by HRH the Crown Prince, a draft-law on the Bahrain Polytechnic. Aiming to allow the Bahrain Polytechnic to manage its own work in order to achieve its founding goals and ensure the sustainability of its services, the bill will enable the institution to attract academic competencies, improve the quality of education in it and keep the surplus in its budget so as to be financially self-sufficient. The bill will be referred to the Legislative Branch, in accordance with the constitutional and legal procedures in force.

The Health Minister has submitted a report on the preventive and precautionary measures being taken to reduce the causes of infection in hospitals and address the infection associated with public and private health facilities, and which have contributed to reducing the rates of Staphylococcus aureus infection to the recommended international levels, and to rates that are closer to those in developed countries. HRH Premier thanked all special bodies in the Health Ministry and the National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) for the measures they are taking to ensure the safety of patients at heath facilities.

The session also discussed amending the Traffic Law so as to allow for more out-of-court settlement cases, including crossing the traffic signals, misuse of vehicle registration plates or failing to place them in the correct place, and exceeding the prescribed speed limits, in addition to cases stipulated in the current law. 

Aiming to reduce the pressure on the courts and the Public Prosecution, especially in of traffic cases that do not require to be referred to courts and can be settled in the General Directorate of Traffic, the move was taken in light of the improvement in public behaviour in the level of traffic safety and reduced traffic accidents and death rates they cause. 

The Cabinet Council decided to refer the draft law on amending some provisions of Law 22/2014, highlighted in a memorandum presented by the Interior Minister, to the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs.

The session endorsed a draft-edict, outlined in another memorandum by the same minister, to facilitate obtaining the certificate of origin. 

The Council approved the addition of a table on the documents required for customs clearance to the list of fees for customs services accompanying Edict 80/ 2017.

The session approved the acquisition of real estates for the public benefit to complete the Hoora Housing project in Bloc 318, and requested the Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning to take the necessary procedures.

The Cabinet has approved a draft-law on the kingdom’s access to the Convention on Mutual Assistance in Tax Matters as amended by the 2010 Protocol, and another on ratifying the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement on Automatic Exchange of Financial Information in Tax Matters, both signed by Bahrain on June 29, 2017.

The two bills will be referred to the Legislative Branch, in line with a recommendation by the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs, which was included in a memorandum presented by Deputy Premier and the committee chairman.

Another draft-law on amending the law on renting real estates, which was prepared on the basis of a proposal submitted by the Council of Representatives. 

The amendment stipulates that the purpose for which the real estate is rented shall be mentioned.

The bill will be referred to the Council of Representatives.

The session also referred to the Council of Representatives four draft-laws which had been drafts by the two chambers of the National Assembly, along with the memoranda on the government’s opinion on them.

They included a bill on adding a new paragraph to Article 27 of Law 19/2006 with respect to the regulation of the Labour Market, a draft-law on replacing clause (b) of Article 19 of the same law, a bill on amending some provisions of Decree-Law 2/1996 on occupying public roads and a bill on amending Article 24 of Decree-Law 39/2002 on the General State Budget.