Green light for budget

The Cabinet yesterday chaired by His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, approved the General State Budget for the fiscal years 2019-2020 and referred a draftlaw in this regard to the Council of Representatives, in accordance with the legal and constitutional frameworks in force. The new state budget aims to achieve balance between the government’s revenues and expenditure, within the initiatives of the Fiscal Balance Programme until 2022, without affecting basic services, such as education, health, social services and housing.

According to the budget bill, revenues will reach BD2,745 million in 2019, and BD2,874 million in 2020, while expenditures are expected to reach BD3,252 in 2019, and BD3,287 in 2020. Meanwhile, BD670 million will be earmarked for projects for each fiscal year (2019 and 2020), including the GCC Development Fund. The 2019-2020 general state budget aims to reach an initial financial deficit (without interest on the national debt) of about BD 68 million in 2019 and save about BD 84 million in 2020. Overall, the new state budget targets a total deficit of about BD708 million in 2019, and seeks to reduce it to just BD613 million in 2020.

Among other things, HRH the Prime Minister gave directives to all ministries and government departments to be open to the citizens and the press, and to keep their doors open to them, stressing that they should listen to the citizens’ remarks and concerns and to resolve them accordingly. Improving government services and performance aim to achieve the citizens’ satisfaction, HRH the Premier said, adding that co-operation with the press is necessary because it reflects society, and plays a commendable enlightening role.

The Cabinet approved a number of Arab conventions and protocols, including the Arab Convention on the Regulation of Transplantation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues and the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Them, and the Arab Convention on Prevention and Combating Human Cloning. It also endorsed two protocols annexed to the Arab Convention against Transnational Organised Crime.

They are the Arab Protocol to Prevent and Combat Maritime Piracy and Armed Robbery, and the Arab Protocol to Prevent and Combat Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. The Minister of Interior and Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments were mandated to sign them on behalf of the Government.