Housing tops Kingdom’s priorities

Manama, July 10 (BNA): The Kingdom of Bahrain has given top priority to ensuring the citizens’ right to decent housing, in line with the principles embedded in the comprehensive development project launched by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the directives of His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, and support of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander, and First Deputy Premier. The housing issue has topped the development plans and programmes in the kingdom, given its importance in boosting Bahrain’s efforts to provide the requirements of decent living, as well as social security and stability for the citizens, in accordance with Article (9) of the Constitution and Article (5) of the National Action Charter, as well as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) which was ratified by the Kingdom in 2008. In this regard, HRH the Crown Prince ordered the Housing Ministry, on June 28, to distribute 3,000 housing units to the citizens from various social segments across the kingdom’s governorates. In statements to the Bahrain News Agency (BNA), the citizens expressed satisfaction over the leadership’s directives to step up work to provide housing units for them, extending sincerest thanks and gratitude to the government, represented by the Housing Ministry, for its keenness on fulfilling their needs, especially in housing. The currently-distributed units cover the Northern City, Al-Luzi, Bloc 609 in Sitra, Tubli, Damistan, Askar, Hoorat Sanad, Hunainiya, Al-Nabeeh Saleh, East Riffa, West Riffa, Busaiteen and Arad housing projects, and benefit citizens from various governorates. Commenting on HRH Crown Prince’s orders, Housing Minister Bassim bin Yaqoob Al-Hamar said that the 3,000 units to be distributed are within the housing projects implemented under the umbrella of the Government’s Action Plan to build 25,000 units before 2018, and stemming from His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s directives to build 40,000 housing units. The distribution of the 3,000 units adds to the landmark housing achievements attained during HM the King’s prosperous era, and reflects the leadership’s unwavering interest in providing social services for the citizens. In this context, HRH the Prime Minister chaired on June 28, a work meeting devoted to following up on the housing issue. The Prime Minister highlighted the government’s landmark achievements in the housing sector, noting that a total of 120,000 housing services, costing BD 3.5 billion, have been provided by the government since the beginning of government-funded housing services. HRH the Prime Minister expressed the government’s delight for having contributed to providing housing for more 65% of Bahraini families through the building of 34.000 housing units for the citizens, distributing 12.000 housing lots, granting 65,000 housing loans, providing 5,000 temporary flats and 3,500 owned flat since it began delivering housing services across the kingdom’s towns and villages. It is worth noting that HRH Premier was granted the 2006 Special Citation of the Habitat Scroll of Honour Award by UN for his tremendous efforts in this regard. Recently, the housing has completed the distribution of housing units to beneficiaries from the Hoorat Sanad, East Riffa, West Riffa and Al-Luzi housing projects according to schedule. The Housing Ministry’s Assistant Undersecretary for Policies and Housing Services Dr. Khalid Al-Haidan asserted the distribution process was smooth, noting that the beneficiaries expressed their delight over directives to hand them over their units. The Housing Ministry started distributing the units of the Al-Luzi housing project, in association with the private sector, marking Eid Al-Fitr. Commenting on the event, the minister said that the distribution of the project’s housing units was a proof of the success of the on-going cooperation with the private sector, noting that the Al-Luzi housing project was included in the agreement signed with Naseej to develop affordable social housing on government-owned lands, alongside the Northern City. The kingdom’s leadership has spared o effort to realize the dream of every Bahraini citizen for decent living, which is proved by its keenness to provide housing allowances worth BD 49 million annually. The official interest in housing is also reflected in allocating about BD 2 billion, or 35 percent, of the Gulf Development Fund to support housing project, in addition to the distribution of more than 4,000 units last year, and the innumerable initiatives to meet the increasing demand for housing, including affordable social housing, easy financing and partnership with the private sector.