AUSTERITY BROACHED

The cabinet has welcomed the outcomes of the GCC-US Summit, held recently in Camp David, noting that they will consolidate the existing “strategic partnership” between the two sides.

Chaired by His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa at the Gudaibiya Palace yesterday, the cabinet said the summit would also enhance GCC-US rapprochement and joint stances vis-à-vis various regional issues.

Following the session, the Secretary-General of the Cabinet Dr. Yaser bin Essa Al-Nasser stated that HRH the Prime Minister had issued directives to stimulate the private sector and encourage it to organise and host more specialised exhibitions that promote the exhibitions industry in the kingdom.

In this regard, HRH Premier lauded the excellent organisation of the gulfBID annual expo for construction (gulfBID 2015), held recently under his patronage.

On housing, HRH Premier instructed the Housing Ministry to expedite the distribution of the units of the Arad Housing projects, located in Bloc 242, and directed the ministry to coordinate with the Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) to install the needed electricity equipment as soon as possible ahead of the distribution process.

HRH the Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Finance to adopt a more effective mechanism to collect service fees among Ministries to avoid delays in implementing government projects, in coordination with the Ministerial Committee for Financial Affairs and Rationalising Expenditures.

The financial situation in the kingdom also took centre stage during the session. The cabinet discussed a number of initiatives and programmes to improve the country’s financial status and contribute to addressing the financial challenges, which include reducing the estimated deficit and public debt.

In this context, the session reviewed recommendations presented by Deputy Premier and Chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Financial Affairs and Rationalising Expenditures Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa in this regard. It endorsed a number of immediate measures and decisions aiming to cut expenses, increase revenues, re-direct subsidies, reduce the cost of government services and merge government bodies. Once put into effect, these initiatives and programmes will earn the country an estimated amount of BD 386 million.

The cabinet also discussed the implementation of a new mechanism to ensure that government meat subsidies will benefit the citizens only. Under the scheme, meat will not be sold at subsidised prices, and the citizens will, in return, receive cash compensations through an electronic system that is currently being prepared by the Ministry of Social Development, in collaboration with the Central Informatics Organsiation (CIO) and the e-Government Authority.

The meat-subsidy compensations, to be counted according to the age category of the members of the Bahraini family, will take effect on August 1, 2015.

On education, the session approved a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the National Authority for Qualifications and Quality Assurance of Education and Training (QQA) in Bahrain and the Scottish Qualification and Credit Framework (SCQF).

On energy, the cabinet took note of the on-going preparations to meet the growing demand for electricity during the summer, and avoid any power and water outages, following a memorandum submitted by the Energy Minister on efforts to improve the production, transfer and distribution of electricity and water.

The session also approved a proposal to speed up the removal of wooden posts for lighting and the high-pressure electricity lines in Bu Kawara area in East Riffa and replace them by underground ones.