Municipal councils’ contributions to progress a ‘milestone’

TDT | Manama                                                             

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The municipal councils play a major role in national development. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure, Shaikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, described their contributions as a milestone in the Kingdom’s development march, led by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Shaikh Khalid bin Abdullah was speaking as he patronised yesterday the honouring ceremony of the Capital Municipality and municipal councils’ members. The celebration, which was attended by ministers and senior officials, was organised by the Ministry of Municipality and Agriculture Affairs marking the conclusion of the fifth municipal session.

The Deputy Prime Minister noted their essential role in the construction and development process, as a key partner for the government, led by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. He said: “The municipal councils, as elected councils, bear witness for nearly a century of the approach based on involving citizens in decision-making.

In 1924, citizens, men and women, went to the polls for the first time to elect their representatives in the municipal council in implementation of the principle of popular participation.” Shaikh Khalid bin Abdullah added that this approach has always embodied its far-sightedness as its practices have evolved in line with contemporary changes thanks to the reform project of His Majesty the King.

The Deputy Prime Minister commended the contributions of the heads and members of the Capital Municipality and the municipal councils, and their role in catering to the needs of citizens through their constructive proposals and recommendations.

He said that the municipal model adopted in Bahrain has proven its importance in accelerating the process of completion and implementation of the municipal projects. “The Ministerial Committee for the Development and Infrastructure Projects attaches great importance to following up on directing the revenues of the Common Municipal Resources Fund to raise the level of infrastructure in both old and new areas, as the Cabinet agreed in 2019 and 2021 to allocate budgets from those resources totaling about BD63.7 million to finance 119 municipal projects that serve thousands of real estate in various regions,” he said.