HRH Premier chairs cabinet session

Manama, Feb. 19 (BNA): His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa has lauded His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s keynote speech marking the 17th Anniversary of the National Action Charter (NAC). HRH Premier praised the patriotic values and sound directives embedded in HM the King’s speech, as well as the noble royal call for cementing national unity and rejecting division. The Prime Minister hailed the kingdom’s remarkable milestone national gains and civilisational achievements under the leadership of HM King Hamad, wishing HM the King and the Bahraini people many happy returns, and the kingdom more landmark achievements and gains within the comprehensive modernisation march spearheaded by HM the King and based on the NAC principles. HRH Premier was speaking while chairing the regular weekly Cabinet session, attended by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, at the Gudaibiya Palace today. The cabinet recalled with appreciation and praise the virtues and legacy of the late His Highness Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the former ruler of Bahrain, hailing the key role he had played in modern Bahrain’s progress and renaissance, as well as his contributions to serving Bahrain and its people in various fields. The late ruler of Bahrain’s achievements were consolidated further during the era of the late His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, may Allah the Almighty rest his soul in eternal peace, and optimised during the glorious era of HM King Hamad, the cabinet said. The session was commenting on HRH Premier’s praise of the opening of the "Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa’s Mosque" recently, a milestone that was named after the later ruler of Bahrain as per sound directives from HM the King, a statement by the Cabinet Secretary-General, Dr. Yasser bin Isa Al Nasser, said. Then, HRH Premier tackled development issues, and urged to expedite the implementation of service and development projects so as to ensure they are finalised according to schedule, and to avoid any obstacles delaying their completion so that the citizens benefit from them as soon as possible. The Premier’s directives were related to the allocation of a site for a new health centre in Budaiya, the Sa’ada (happiness) Project in Muharraq and the Muharraq Souq Revamp project. On the other hand, HRH the Prime Minister gave directives to increase the aesthetic character of the public streets to reflect the urban boom currently witnessed by the kingdom. This includes continuing the development of the waiting facilities at bus stops with modern designs so as to make them more comfortable, meet the highest standards and reflect the progress of the public transportation in Bahrain, in line with a proposal submitted by the Council of Representatives in this regard. While reviewing the memoranda on its agenda, the session approved, based on a recommendation by the Executive Committee, led by HRH the Crown Prince, to create a system that protects salaries. Under the scheme, aiming to authenticate and manage salary payment of private sector employees to ensure they are paid according to schedule and to avoid potential problems between the relevant sides, employers are obliged to credit the salaries of all workers in private companies to banks instead of paying them in cash.  Due to be launched in May, 2018, and completed in May, 2019, the system will be applied gradually, according to the size of the establishment and in consultation with Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as the representative of private sector employers, as clarified in the memorandum presented by the Labour and Social Development Minister. The session tasked the Labour and Social Development Minister to issue the required edicts, and the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) to increase the number of licensed service providers, and the number of ATMs.  The cabinet agreed to tighten the penalty inflicted on anyone who publicly posts news, pictures or comments related to the secrets of private or family life of individuals, even if they are true, whenever the purpose is to offend them.  In this regard, the session endorsed a draft law on amending the Penal Code, stipulating that a jail term of not less than three months and not exceeding one year, and a fine between BD100 and BD 500 shall be the penalty inflicted on those who post private news, comments or images to abuse others.  The cabinet referred to the Council of Representatives a bill, prepared in light of a proposal submitted by the Shura Council, on amending some provisions of the Penal Code promulgated by Decree-Law 15/1976. After that, the session followed up on the progress of the kingdom’s implementation of its commitments to the conventions, agreements and memoranda of cooperation it had signed by brotherly and friendly countries, as well as regional and international organisations. The session was also informed about the implementation of projects and initiatives between government departments and UN agencies. A memorandum presented by the Foreign Affairs Minister also updated the cabinet about what has been achieved so far regarding the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s Central Register including all the conventions and agreements signed by Bahrain, as well as about the electronic system linking the same ministry and other ministries and government departments to follow up on the implementation of the conventions and agreements ratified by the kingdom. The session approved a draft-law on ratifying the amended and supplementary protocol to the Air Services Agreement signed between Bahrain and the Philippines on April 13, 2017, and ordered to take all the necessary constitutional and legal procedures in order to refer it to the Legislative Branch. The cabinet approved a proposal to put in place guiding signs that mimic some cases of disability, especially the deaf and dumb, and requested the Ministry of Labour and Social Development to follow up on the matter with ministries and government departments. The session approved the government’s replies to proposals by the Council of Representatives on building a new school in Hunainiya and the post of assistant teacher, as recommended by the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs, and highlighted in the memorandum presented by the Deputy Premier and committee chairman.