Premier postpones plan to scrap meat subsidies

Manama, Sep1 (BNA): A plan to scrap meat subsidies in Bahrain from September1 has been postponed till next month (October2015), following an order from His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa. Deputy Premier Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al-Khalifa informed the joint Government-Parliamentary Subsidy Review Committee about the Premier’s decision to delay the scheme by one month for review. The panel will discuss all the plausible alternatives and options along with representatives of ministries and government departments which are still supplying the committee with required data. "The delay reflects HRH the Premier’s keenness on consolidating cooperation with the Council of Representatives and Shura Council and discussing economic issues and citizens’ standard of living", said the Deputy Premier as he attended this morning a meeting of Government-Parliamentary Subsidy Review Committee. Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al-Khalifa, also chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Financial Affairs and Spending Restraint, paid tribute to HRH the Premier for the decision, which recognizes the positive role of the Council of Representatives. The joint session focused on redirecting subsidies to benefit citizens, among other alternatives and options to address the potential financial repercussions resulting from the sharp decline of oil prices in world markets. The Premier was reassured about the measures taken by ministries and government departments to protect consumers and ensure free competition, once meat prices are deregulated. The Deputy Premier underlined particularly plans to step up control mechanisms to protect the local market from any detrimental social or economic malpractices. He announced that the Central Informatics Organisation (CIO) will invite, within the coming days, Bahraini family breadwinners wishing to receive cash compensation to register online, through the website or smartphone applications. The database will enable the ministries of finance and social development to fix the lists of eligible recipients and start cash compensation pay-outs in October. A total of 116,000 Bahraini families who feature on the lists of the Social Development Ministry and who receive aid under the Government-funded assistance programmes will be exempted from registration as they will receive cash compensation automatically in their bank accounts. The Premier had directed to scrap subsidies and compensate citizens by depositing monthly cash pay-outs in their bank accounts, unless the Government-Parliamentary Subsidy Review Committee approves a different compensation payment formula, particularly the ration cards.