Cabinet highlights full preparedness for rains

Manama, Nov. 23 (BNA): The Cabinet has lauded His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa's meeting with HM Queen Elizabeth II. The meeting that reflects the robust relations binding the leaders and royal families in the two kingdoms and the advanced level of the long-standing Bahraini-UK relations will contribute to expanding areas of cooperation for the best interests of the two countries and peoples, the cabinet affirmed. Chairing at the Gudaibiya Palace today the regular weekly cabinet session, also attended by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier, HRH the Prime Minister issued directives to streamline procedures at the Municipal One Stop Shop regarding the issuance of permits for investors to save time and efforts and ensure easy transactions for them. HRH Premier tasked the Ministerial Committee for Urbanisation and Infrastructure to cooperate with the Executive Committee, chaired by HRH the Crown Prince in this regard, Secretary-General of the Cabinet Dr. Yaser bin Essa Al-Nasser said in a statement following the session. The General Directorate of Civil Defence, the Urban Planning Affairs Directorate at the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning and the Electricity and Water Affairs Authority (EWA) were also requested to speed up the examination of the investment projects referred to them by the Municipal One Stop Shop in order to avoid delays in issuing the needed licenses. The Prime Minister also gave directives to the relevant sides to take all precautionary measures and be prepared for any weather emergency, including the rain season, and instructed the competent ministries to take the necessary measures to ensure prompt and effective dealing with any impacts of rains on public roads and vital places. On housing, HRH the Prime Minister urged taking social harmony into consideration while distributing units in the current and future housing projects as much as possible, stressing the need to provide basic facilities, including schools, in the new urban areas in cities and villages, in line with the Government's Action Plan, and to cope with the population growth. In another context, HRH Premier underscored the importance of enhancing Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Arab cooperation in the fields of energy and petroleum-related industries, urging development investments in the two sectors and attracting investments related to them. In this regard, HRH Premier praised the success of the APICORP Energy Forum, hosted recently by the kingdom under his patronage, calling for attracting more specialised exhibitions, conferences and forum to boost the kingdom's status as an exhibitions industry hub. The session then approved to confer the responsibility of implementing Decree Law 25/2015 on collecting the expenses of the construction and development of infrastructure in areas under construction on the minister in charge of urban planning, as recommended by the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs. The session also approved the formation of the "Infrastructure Cost Estimation Committee". The panel will be in charge of studying and estimating the costs of infrastructure projects in new urban areas. It will submit its findings to the minister in charge of urban planning who, in turn, will refer them to the Ministerial Committee for Urbanisation and Infrastructure. The cabinet also endorsed the ratification of the Arab Convention on Combating Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing, and referred a draft law in this regard to the Legislative Branch, according to the constitutional and legal procedures in force. The convention aims to support anti-money laundering and counter terrorism financing measures and to step up Arab cooperation in this regard. The session also approved the ratification of an amendment to the third clause of Article (1) of the Arab Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism regarding the definition of the "Terrorist Crime", endorsed by the Arab justice ministers, and referred it to the parliament, as required by the law and the constitution. Under the amendment, the terrorist offences will also cover incitement to acts of terrorism, praising them, the publication, printing and distribution of documents, publications or recordings related to them or informing others about them to encourage such crimes. Providing or collecting funds of whatever kind to finance terrorist crimes will also be considered as a terrorist offence. The cabinet also approved the registration of a representative office of the Indian Industrial unions in Bahrain to stimulate and boost Bahraini-Indian economic and trade relations through enhancing coordination with the relevant specialised bodies. The session also reviewed the implementation progress of the government's infrastructure and urban development projects. In this regard, it was informed about the tenders awarded through the report presented by the Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister. According to the report, the tenders of 18 projects, costing about BD 13 million, were awarded during the third quarter of 2015, while 12 projects, costing about BD 29.5 million were put to tender. The projects, related to roads, sanitation, construction and public services sectors, are funded by the state budget and are included in the Government Action Plan. The cabinet commissioned the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications to sign the Air Transportation Agreement between Bahrain and Hungary on behalf of the kingdom. The session discussed four proposals submitted by the Council of Representatives, and decided to reply to them based on the recommendations of the Ministerial Committee on the Legal Affairs on them. The proposals include the establishment of a Government Departments' Complex in every governorate, housing instalments and government loans' deductions, the construction of housing units in Galali and the building of an intermediate-secondary school in Galali.