Jobs boom plan

The Cabinet, chaired by His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier, reviewed the indicators of the labour market in the first half of 2019, and the latest developments of the National Employment Programme (NEP).

NEP was launched following directives from HRH the Prime Minister, and based on a recommendation by the Executive Committee, chaired by HRH the Crown Prince, to create job opportunities for the citizens through implementing a number of initiatives aimed at boosting the national economy and developing the labour market. The NEP has contributed significantly to generating quality job opportunities for unemployed nationals, while maintaining the flexibility of the labour market, being the cornerstone of sustainable development in the kingdom, the session was told.

Figures proved the positive indicators resulting from the implementation of the National Employment Programme, including the increase in the overall number of Bahrainis employed during the first half of this year to reach about 11,649, 3459 of whom enter the labour market for the first time, and 8190 had worked before. The figures also showed that 103 enter the labour market on a daily basis, with the number increasing by 30 per cent since the NEP entered into force.

The encouragement of employment of jobseekers among university graduates has yielded fruitful results that have strengthened the competitiveness of Bahrainis in the private sector, the session was also told. Among other things, the Cabinet lauded the outcomes of the recent and first Prime Ministerial visit of Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, to the kingdom at the invitation of HRH the Prime Minister.

The session underscored the importance of the talks held between HM King Hamad, HRH Premier and HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister Modi in enhancing bilateral co-operation and co-ordination, praising the role of the memoranda of understanding signed between the two countries on the sidelines of the visit in strengthening and bolstering bilateral cooperation in the fields of investment, economy, trade, health, science, technology, energy and space. The session also hailed the ever-progressing bilateral co-operation, stressing the need to enhance it across various vital fields, and to take advantage of two nations’ expertise, capabilities and investment opportunities.

The session, in line with the directives of HM the King to ensure the effective implementation of the alternative penalty procedures, and those of HRH Premier to put forward programmes to expand the implementation of alternative punishments commensurate with the situation of convicts, and to ensure their integration into society, reviewed a report presented by the Minister of Interior in this regard.