HM King issues decrees restructuring two ministries

Manama, Feb. 10 (BNA): His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa today issued Royal Decree 9/2015, re-structuring the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism. The decree stipulates that the ministry's Undersecretary for Industry Affairs, Undersecretary for Commerce Affairs, Assistant Undersecretary for Commercial Registration and Companies and Assistant Undersecretary for Resources and Services shall report to the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism. The Assistant Undersecretary for Industrial Development, who is in charge of the Industrial Development and the SMEs Development directorates, and Assistant Undersecretary for Industrial Zones, who is in charge of the Industrial Zones' Operations and the Industrial Zones' Development directorates, will report to the Undersecretary for Industry Affairs. The Assistant Undersecretary for Domestic Trade, who is responsible for the Standards and Metrology, the Consumer Protection and the Precious Metals and Gem Testing directorates, and the Assistant Undersecretary for Foreign Trade, who oversees the Foreign Trade Relations and the Industrial Property directorates will report to the ministry's Undersecretary for Commerce Affairs. The Registration and Companies Control directorates will report to the Assistant Undersecretary for Commercial Registration and Companies. The Assistant Undersecretary for Resources and Services will oversee the Human and Financial Resources, the e-Commerce and IT and the Public Relations and Information directorates. Decree 74/2005 on re-organising the Industry and Commerce Ministry will be cancelled, and any text contradicting the provisions of Royal Decree 9/2015 will be abrogated. The Industry, Commerce and Tourism Minister shall implement the royal decree, which will take effect as per the date of its publication in the Official gazette. HM King Hamad also issued Royal Decree 10/2016, re-organising the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning. According to the decree, the Communications Directorate, the Works Undersecretary, the Assistant Undersecretary for Roads, the Assistant Undersecretary for Sanitary Engineering, the Assistant Undersecretary for Construction Projects and Maintenance and the Assistant Undersecretary for Technical Services shall report to the Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning. The decree stipulates that the Works Undersecretary will be responsible for the Human Resources and the Financial Resources directorates, while the Roads Undersecretary will oversee the Roads Planning and Design, and the Roads Projects and Maintenance directorates. The Assistant Undersecretary for Sanitary Engineering will be in charge of the Sanitary Engineering Planning and Projects and the Sanitary Engineering Operations and Maintenance directorates. The Assistant Undersecretary for Construction Projects and Maintenance will oversee the Construction Projects, Building Maintenance and Strategic Projects directorates. The Cost Engineering, the Materials Engineering and the Information Technology directorates are under the responsibility of the Assistant Undersecretary for Technical Services. The decree annuls its precedent, decree 44/2004 on re-structuring the Works and Housing Ministry, and all other contradictory articles. The Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning shall implement the decree which will be effective a day after its publication in the Official Gazette.