Bahrain King allows scrutiny on unemployment insurance scheme

TDT | Manama                                                      

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has ratified and promulgated Law (22) of 2023, amending a 2006 decree regarding insurance against unemployment. The main change is that the Government has been asked to put the audited report for scrutiny by the Council of Representatives and the Shura Council and to include their comments when the report is finally published.

As per the amendment, the Government should submit the audited report to the Council of Representatives within five months of the end of the fiscal year. It is also directed that the audited report should be approved by a resolution issued by both the Shura Council and Council of Representatives.

Once approved by the councils, the audited report, along with their comments, is to be published in the official gazette. The 2006 decree had stipulated, through Article (9)(e), that the Board of Directors must publish a summary of the auditor’s report in the official gazette and at least two daily newspapers within a month of its approval by the Board of Directors.

It was also mandated as per the earlier law that the full report should be published by any of the means determined by the Board of Directors and in a way that ensures that it is available for review by the Board of Directors.

The paragraph (e) containing these stipulations has now been amended to say, “The government shall submit the audited report on the account after its approval by the Board of Directors to the Council of Representatives within the five months following the end of the fiscal year. The audited report shall be approved by a resolution issued by both the Shura Council and the Council of Representatives, along with their comments, and be published in the Official Gazette.”