Cabinet condemns terror blasts in Saudi Arabia

Manama, June 1 (BNA): The cabinet has condemned the heinous terror crime which targeted worshippers in Al-Anoud mosque in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, during Friday prayers. The cabinet affirmed that the continuous targeting of worshippers and houses of worship proves the insistence of holders of extremist and terrorist ideology to carry on implementing their malignant approach based on bloodshed, violence and explosions to fuel sedition and enmity and wreak havoc. Chaired at the Gudaibiya Palace today by His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, the session stressed that under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Arabia and its beloved people would remain immune against the evil plots of extremists. The cabinet asserted that the recent terror blasts would cement the existing leadership-people cohesion, reiterating Bahrain's full-fledged support to Saudi Arabia, and its backing for all the measures it deems necessary to reinforce its security and stability. In a statement following the session, the Secretary-General of the Cabinet Dr. Yaser bin Essa Al-Nasser said that HRH the Prime Minister had issued directives to the Health Ministry to conduct a study on establishing specialised medical and research centres in the kingdom, and recruit international specialised medical experts to examine difficult and intractable cases and treat them in the country. The specialised centres will spare Bahraini patients the need to travel abroad to seek treatment, Dr. Al-Nasser said. HRH Premier instructed all ministries and state departments to step up efforts to improve the quality of government services and provide them according to the best practices and international standards, requesting all government sides to revise and develop their methods in delivering services in order to ensure their high quality and efficiency. He stressed that the best practices should be documented in reports to be used locally and abroad to enhance confidence in the achievements and performance of the public sector in the kingdom. Reviewing the first edition of the book presented by the Follow-up Minister on the best world-standard 31 practices in the public sector in 2014, issued recently by HRH Premier's Court, the cabinet decided to continue monitoring the best practices of government bodies, and document them annually. The session discussed a draft resolution on the housing system, which includes new criteria related to the kind of housing service, categories of eligible families, requirements to apply for and receive housing services, privatisation ceiling and social housing regulations. In this regard, the cabinet was informed about the recommendations of the Ministerial Committee for Urbanisation and Infrastructure, presented by Deputy Premier Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, the panel chairman. The same committee was requested to study the scheme further and conduct actuarial studies on the new criteria. On education, the cabinet reviewed the reports issued by the National Authority for Qualifications and Quality Assurance of Education and Training (QQA) on the performance of 13 programmes offered by two higher education establishments and five vocational training institutions, as well as the results of the National Examination in the Arabic and English languages for Grade 12 in public and private schools. The review reports, presented by the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications and Deputy Chairman of QQA Board of Directors, were referred to the Supreme Council for the Development of Education and Training, under the chairmanship of Deputy Premier Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, for further study. In another context, the cabinet endorsed plans to continue meeting the needs of Zallaq, Sitra, Al-Shakhoura, Abu Saiba, Maqaba and Saar regarding sports, youth and cultural facilities, as outlined in the memorandum submitted by the Minister of Youth and Sports Affairs. It tasked the Ministerial Committee for Financial Affairs and Rationalising Expenditure with studying them. The Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs was requested to cooperate with the Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry to allocate the suitable land lots and sites for the projects.