Linking visuals leads to safety

Manama

The cabinet yesterday discussed a memorandum presented by the Interior Minister obliging institutions, commercial malls and shops to install CCTV cameras and link them to the Interior Ministry to support the government’s efforts in maintaining security of public and private property.

Another memorandum submitted by the Interior Ministry on the issuance of three-month entry e-visas that may be extended once to foreign investors was also discussed and referred to the relevant sides for further study. The move aims to ensure easy procedures for foreign investors.

A draft resolution presented by the Interior Minister on establishing a frequency spectrum committee was approved by the cabinet. The committee will coordinate the requirements of the frequency spectrum in the kingdom while preparing the National Frequency Plan and will put forward the necessary technical plans for spectrum resource management.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, chairing the cabinet’s weekly session at the Gudaibiya Palace, issued an order to grant BD 360 for every pensioner with a pension of BD 700 or less in the month of August only. He requested the Ministry of Finance to coordinate with the General Organisation for Social Insurance and the Military Pension Fund to deliver the grant.

It was decided as a result of an agreement with the legislative branch, as outlined in the memorandum submitted by the Ministerial Committee for Financial Affairs and Rationalising Expenditure.

Unemployment dwindles

The cabinet reviewed a statistical report on the persons entitled to the insurance against unemployment allowances, as well as employment and vacancies during the second quarter of 2015.

Figures presented by the Labour Minister revealed that the unemployment rate went down from 3.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2015, to 3.3 per cent in the second quarter of the year.

“A total of 6,706 national job seekers were recruited by the private sector in Q2, 2015, while the number of jobs offered was 5,269 during the same quarter,” the Minister said.

Health matters

On health, the session discussed a memorandum submitted by the Health Minister on the sufficiency and adequacy of the health care and treatment services delivered by public health centres across the kingdom’s villages and cities.

The cabinet approved the establishment of the Committee for the Celebration of the National and Accession Days, outlined in the memorandum presented by the Minister of Information Affairs. The committee will coordinate the celebrations and festivities to be held during the two national occasions.