HRH Premier chairs Cabinet meeting

Manama, July 2 (BNA): His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa chaired at Gudaibiya Palace today the regular weekly Cabinet session.  In a post-meeting statement, Cabinet Secretary-General Dr. Yasser Isa Al-Nasser said the ministerial council expressed thanks and appreciation to the Representatives and Shura Councils for constructive cooperation with the government throughout the fourth legislative term.  Marking the issuance of the royal decree ending the fourth session of the fourth legislative term, the Cabinet lauded cooperation between the executive and legislative branches to maximise national achievements and praised the role of the Shura and Representatives Councils in bringing about more accomplishments and promoting parliamentary and democratic practices. The Cabinet expressed deepest appreciation and thanks for Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE’s commitment to provide the needed support to Bahrain to boost financial stability, which reflects deep-rooted fraternal relations and common destiny between Bahrain and the three brotherly countries.  The council extended thanks to the leaders and governments of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE for their unwavering honourable stances which are highly appreciated by Bahrain’s leadership, government and people. HRH the Prime Minister directed the Ministry of Health to map out a new scheme to ensure the continuous provision of medication at Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) and health centres and prevent any shortage. He also directed to raise the strategic stock of medicines to ensure the provision of an immediate stock of medicines which has to be administered with an advanced electronic system through the help of specialised companies. HRH the Premier directed to study ways to give the Health Ministry the prerogative of direct purchase of medication when needed and ordered coordination in this respect between the Finance Ministry, the Health Ministry and the Ministerial Committee for Financial Affairs and Rationalizing Expenditure.  He also directed to adjust some of the systems currently used at SMC and the health centres to ensure continuous and rapid provision of medication, stressing the need to put the interest of patients above everything.  He requested the Health Ministry to give top priority to patients’ health by providing top quality medical services and medicines and ensuring good management of resources and administrative procedures.  This came in light of a report HRH the Prime Minister directed the Health Minister to submit to the Cabinet regarding medication shortage at the Health Ministry and the reasons for that despite the government’s annual budget of around BD 50 million earmarked for medicines. HRH the Prime Minister directed to speed up catering for old and delayed housing applications of citizens in Dair, Samaheej and Aali and tasked the Housing Ministry to study carrying out a future housing project that serves citizens in Dair and Samaheej. He also tasked the ministry to follow up on the maintenance, services and facilities needs of the residents of Salmabad flats and the Works, Municipality Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry to follow up on the needs of Daih for facilities and municipal services.  He also directed to approve acquisition of real estate for public interest in Dair village and old neighbourhoods in Muharraq to enlarge roads, widen narrow passages and provide car parks. HRH the Premier affirmed the need to protect workers from potential work hazards and ensure vocational health and safety for them. He followed up on the procedures taken by the Labour and Social Development Ministry in this respect, especially regarding work in open-air areas in summer. He lauded the efforts of the Labour and Social Development Ministry to protect workers and their rights and ensure their salaries are paid without any delay. Within the same context, HRH the Prime Minister underlined the government’s keenness and determination to continue its procedures to improve the work environment and upgrade the anti-human trafficking system. He commended the role of the National Anti-Human Trafficking Committee, under the supervision of the Foreign Minister, in this regard. The Cabinet hailed Bahrain’s achievement in reaching Tier 1 status in the US Department of State Trafficking in Persons (TiP) Report 2018. It also discussed memoranda on its agenda and took the necessary decisions regarding them. The ministerial council discussed the re-definition of the crime of funding terrorism in tune with Bahrain’s efforts to combat money laundering and funding terrorism locally and internationally by toughening punishment in concordance with the principles and requirements of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).  In light of a presentation by the Deputy Premier and Head of the Ministerial Committee for Financial Affairs and Rationalizing Expenditure and the Foreign Minister, the Cabinet tasked the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs to prepare a draft law to amend certain provisions of Law 54 for 2006 on amending some provisions of Law 4 for 2001 regarding combating money laundering and funding terrorism.  The ministerial council approved a draft resolution by the Interior Minister allowing private companies to provide the technical check-up service for vehicles, which is currently delivered by the General Traffic Directorate, after obtaining accreditation from the directorate. The Cabinet discussed a memorandum of understanding between Bahrain and China on cooperation within the framework of the economic “Silk Road” and the 21st century maritime “Silk Road” included in the memo submitted for this purpose by the Foreign Minister and which was referred by the Cabinet to the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs.  The ministerial council discussed opening commercial activity for companies with 100 per cent foreign capital and referred a memo submitted in this respect by the Industry, Commerce and Tourism Minister to the Ministerial Committee for Financial Affairs and Rationalising Expenditure.