HRH Premier chairs regular weekly Cabinet session

Manama. July 15 (BNA): His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman All Khalifa chaired the regular weekly Cabinet session, at the Gudaibiya Palace today. Premier orders support for licensed shrimpers HRH Premier gave directives to speed up taking measures that would support licensed shrimpers who had been affected by the shrimp trawling ban decision. The Ministerial Committee for Financial, Economi and Fiscal Balance Affairs was requested to submit the necessary administrative and financial recommendations to implement the Premier’s directives, a post-session statement by the Cabinet Secretary-Genera, Dr. Yasser bin Isa Al-Nasser, said. Directives to address random workers’ accommodation HRH the Prime Minister gave instructions to address the spread of random accommodation of bachelors and workers within families and residential neighbourhoods, as well as in old and dilapidated houses, and to adopt an effective mechanism to reduce the impact of that phenomenon on civic peace and social security. HRH Premier requested the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning and the Ministry of Labour and Social Development to sumbit their visions and recommendations in this regard. Premier gives instructions to increase stored food stocks HRH Premier was informed about the progress of the implementation of his directives to increase stocks of stored food, oil derivatibbes, water and medicines, and to achieve self-sufficiency in some food and animal products. Ministries, each in their capacity, were requested to submit periodic reports on their efforts in this regard. Implementation of decisions to support samll traders reviewed HRH the Prime Minister, out of his keenness to support small traders and improve their conditions, was informed about the impelementation of the decisions aimed at achieving the recommnedations of the joint study conducted, based on his directives, by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism and the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) and submitted to him by Deputy Premier, HH Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa. The decisions ordered by HRH Premier to implement the joint recommendations included: – Re-scheduling the arrears and unpaid fees of small traders and ensuring that they are paid in easy installments within a period that may reach 24 months. - Changing the mechanism through which violations are listed so as to be at the level of each branch independently, except those related to the failure to meet the basic renewal requirements, which shall be recorded for the same commercial registration. - Allocation of more suitable spaces that suit the industrial activities of small and micro enterprises while designing new industrial areas. - Developing legislation that would regulate combating anti -commercial concealment and ensure imposing harsher penalties on violators who rent commercial registrations. The session also reviewed a memorandum submitted by the Industry, Commerce and Tourism in this regard. Alternative punishment implementation reviewed In line with the Royal directives on the effective application of alternative punishment, and HRH Premier’s instructions to ministries to devise programmes to expand the scope of their implementation, the cabinet was informed about several kinds of community service work proposed at the Industry, Commerce and Tourism Ministry, as part of the alternative punishment programme set for about 55 convicts, and expected to last between one month and one year. In this context, the session reviewed a memorandum presented by the Industry, Commerce and Tourism Minister, and prepared in coordination with the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments. Premier hails responsible Executive-Legislature parnership HRH Premier, while commenting on a comprehensive statistical report presented by the Parliament Affairs Minister on the achievements attained during the first session of the Fifth Legislative Term, lauded the existing constructive cooperation and responsible partnership between the Executive and Legislature. The Prime Minister gave directives to ensure the continuity of cooperation between the two branches to the maximum extent, and to consolidate positive action between them. Two ministerial committee’s recommendations endorsed The session endorsed two recommendations made by the Ministerial Committee for Development and Infrastructure Projects on decisions and recommendations adhered to by the municipal councils and the Capital Municipal Council. Meanwhile, a third recommendation made by the same committee on buiding on the second floor above facilities was referred to the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs, in line with the provisions of Article 20 of Municipalities Law promulgated Decree-Law 35/2001, and as highlighted in a memorandum presented by the Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning. Protocol ratification bill approved The cabinet approved a bill on ratifying a protocol on amending the convention for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income and capital between Bahrain and Pakistan. The draft-law was referred to the Council of Representatives, in accordance with the constitutional and legal procedures in force, based on a recommendation by the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Constitutional Affairs, and presented by the Deputy Premier and the committee chairman. Parliamentary proposals The cabinet reviewed the government’s reply on a proposal submitted by the Council of Representatives on exempting some imported goods from the Valued Added Tax (VAT). The reply was referred to the Council of Representatives.