HRH Premier chairs weekly cabinet session

Manama, Dec. 14 (BNA): His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa has extended congratulations to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the people of Bahrain on the country’s National Day and the 16th anniversary of His Majesty the King's accession to the throne, and wished the Kingdom further progress and prosperity under His Majesty’s leadership. His Royal Highness the Prime Minister was speaking as he chaired the Cabinet session at Gudaibiya Palace today, which was also attended by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister. During the meeting, the Cabinet stressed that the upcoming occasion provides an opportunity to strengthen cohesion across all members of society, support continued progress and development and further build on the country’s achievements in the political, economic, social, and human rights fields. A statement released by the Secretary-General of the Cabinet, Dr Yaser bin Essa Al-Nasser following the session, said the Cabinet emphasised that the country’s achievements emanated from public consensus and determination, which underpins the nation's progress and stability. Regarding the upcoming Commemoration Day, on December 17, the Cabinet emphasised their gratitude to the soldiers who have given the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty for their country. The Cabinet stressed that their sacrifice and bravery, which are distinctive features of Bahraini society, will remain engrained in the nation’s history and will be a source of inspiration for future generations. The Cabinet then moved on to welcome the outcomes of the 36th session of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Supreme Council Summit, held recently in Riyadh, which reflected the GCC leaders' commitment to enhancing joint GCC action to protect long-term security and stability. The Cabinet praised the vision of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, regarding ways to enhance cooperation among GCC states to achieve the GCC’s shared objectives. The Cabinet also praised King Salman's directives to complete assessments of the efficiency of the King Hamad Causeway. On the occasion of Bahrain Police Day, His Royal Highness the Prime Minister greeted security authorities and policemen during the session and commended their efforts to maintain security and stability and protect citizens’ safety. The Cabinet then addressed and gave its endorsement to the climate change agreement reached at the COP 21 conference in Paris, noting that the agreement directly supports international efforts to combat global warming and encourages sustainable development and economic growth. On improving infrastructure in the Kingdom, the Cabinet discussed a number of plans to reduce traffic congestion, including the expansion of the Shaikh Khalifa Highway to five lanes, and the Crown Prince Avenue to three lanes. In addition, the Cabinet discussed replacing the Riffa Clock Tower Roundabout traffic lights to ease traffic between the Hamad Town Roundabout and Riffa Avenue. In this regard, the Cabinet reviewed the Traffic Council's recommendations, as presented by the Interior Minister, and requested the Ministerial Committee for Urbanisation and Infrastructure to follow up on the implementation of the projects. Regarding education development within the Kingdom, His Royal Highness the Prime Minister stressed that private universities should ensure their academic facilities meet international standards, and emphasised the need to encourage investment in the education and training sectors. Whilst praising the performance of Bahrain’s universities and educational institutions, as reflected in the reports issued by the National Authority for Qualifications and Quality Assurance of Education and Training (QQA), His Royal Highness tasked the Education Minister to provide a report on the performance and standard of private universities’ facilities, along with recommendations and proposals on ways to make the Kingdom more attractive for higher education students from Bahrain and abroad. Also during the session, the Cabinet approved the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Bahrain and the Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan Charity Foundation to establish a Vocational Education and Training Institute in the Kingdom. The Cabinet referred reports submitted by QQA to the Supreme Council for Education and Training Development, including the results of institutional listing, accreditation of qualifications, QQA's annual report, and its proposal regarding the National Examinations Directorate. The session also reviewed the implementation process of the annual report of the National Audit Office (NAO) 2014-2015, and was informed about remarks made by the Executive Committee, chaired by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, on the report’s recommendations. The Executive Committee requested that the General Directorate of Anti-Corruption and Economic and Electronic Security investigate four issues featured in the NAO report, with the possibility of referral to the Public Prosecution. It also tasked the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs to conduct internal investigations into eight violations and decide whether they required disciplinary or administrative action. The panel also requested the Cabinet Affairs Ministry to review 276 issues included in the report and to rectify administrative procedures. The number of issues included in NAO report for 2014-2015 fell by 38%, compared with those in the 2013-2014 report. In this regard, His Royal Highness the Prime Minister stressed the need to improve auditing processes across ministries and government departments to ensure issues outlined in the NAO report do not re-occur. The Cabinet also approved a draft resolution on the issuance of a legal framework that regulates public transport activities, including permit fees and the terms and conditions for issuance. ‬‬‬ His Royal Highness then issued directives to review the current names of certain regions and neighbourhoods and adopt their historical and traditional names to preserve their cultural heritage. The Cabinet took note of fourteen infrastructure projects implemented thus far in 2015 in the youth and sports sector, as highlighted in a memorandum presented by the Youth and Sports Affairs Minister. The session concluded with a discussion on a proposal submitted by the Council of Representatives regarding a rehabilitation programme for the Kingdom’s youth who lost their jobs due to behavioural issues. The Cabinet also approved the preparation of a response to the proposal as recommended by the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs.