Cabinet reviews mega development projects

Manama, Aug. 24 (BNA): His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa has issued directives to ministries and state departments to implement the development and service projects included in the Government Action Plan (GAP) according to the pre-set time frame. Reviewing the currently-implemented mega development projects, HRH the Prime Minister commended the efforts exerted by the Executive Committee, chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, to follow-up on the implementation progress of those projects with the relevant ministries and parties. Chairing the cabinet weekly session, attended by HRH the Crown Prince, HRH the Premier reviewed the preparations for the Haj season and the facilities provided for Bahraini pilgrims before leaving the country and while performing the Haj. HRH Premier instructed the Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Ministry to make sure that Haj groups complete the necessary procedures and be committed to all requirements and regulations to ensure that Bahraini pilgrims receive the best quality services, Secretary-General of the Cabinet Dr. Yaser bin Essa Al-Nasser said in a statement following the session held at the Gudaibiya Palace today. In this regard, Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Minister and Chairman of the Supreme Haj Committee informed the cabinet about the arrangements and preparations for the Haj season. Ways to enhance the kingdom’s status as a regional centre for medical tourism in light of the facilities provided by the kingdom to boost the sector, and the potentials of the private health institutions, were also discussed during the session. In this context, the panel reviewed the steps currently taken by the relevant sides to promote therapeutic tourism in the Kingdom, and requested the Minister of Health to submit a report on them. On telecommunications, the cabinet endorsed a plan to reduce international roaming rates between the kingdom and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The move that will include calls, short text messages and data services will positively impact the social and economic infrastructure in GCC countries, on the one hand, and boost the telecommunications sector in the kingdom. It will also activate the resolution of the GCC Ministerial Committee for Post, Communications and Information Technology on reducing rates for roaming, telephone calls, text messaging and data services throughout the GCC countries from 2016. The Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications was requested to coordinate with the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs to prepare a draft resolution in this regard. The session also approved two agreements signed between the kingdom and Russia on the extradition of criminals and transfer of sentenced persons, and three memoranda of understanding (MoU) on political consultation signed between the Foreign Ministry and its Indonesian, Chilean and Peruvian counterparts. Another MoU on establishing joint cooperation committees between Bahrain and both Korea and Gambia was also endorsed. The Foreign Affairs Minister was requested to sign the agreements and MoUs on behalf of the Government of Bahrain. A draft resolution on the salaries of the Interior Ministry’s special guards at government installations and others was also approved. Under the draft resolution, presented by the Interior Minister, guards of installations owned by public legal persons will receive BD365, while guards of facilities owned by natural persons will get BD 500 monthly. The session also approved a draft resolution on amending Article One of Edict 51/2007 on establishing the Joint Committee on Climate Change, included in the memorandum presented by the Deputy Premier and Chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs. The cabinet reviewed a number of indicators that reflect urban growth in the investment, trade, industrial and housing fields. Figures indicated that licenses for investment projects soared by 9% in the first quarter of this year compared with the same period in 2014. The memorandum presented by the Deputy Premier and Chairman of Ministerial Committee for Urbanisation and Infrastructure, and the Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister revealed that a total of 207 investment projects, costing BD 65 million, had received building licenses in the first quarter of 2015. 2,800 building licenses were also issued by municipalities during the same, which contributed to increasing the area of urban activities by 842,000 square metres, the memorandum also showed. The session discussed a number of proposals submitted by the Council of Representatives, and endorsed the draft government replies, as recommended by the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs. The proposals include the establishment of service facilities for the Hourat Sanad Housing Project in the Southern Governorate and a petrol station in Galali. They also include the government’s strategy on medical tourism and the health services in the Southern Governorate’s First Constituency and the Northern Governorate’s Fourth Constituency.