The Peninsula: Elected Shura Council Contributes to Expanding Popular Participation in Decision-Making

Doha, August 08 (QNA) - The Peninsula English newspaper stressed Sunday that HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani's issuance of laws and decrees regulating the Shura Council elections aimed at expanding popular participation in legislation and public service and that these decrees define the role and duties of the Council and represent legal safeguards for conducting successful elections. The newspaper indicated that in implementation of these laws and decrees, the Ministry of Interior announced that the preliminary voters' lists for the Shura Council elections will be displayed today (Sunday) at the electoral districts headquarters and the final lists will be announced on Aug. 22. The paper, in this regard, noted HE Former Deputy Speaker of the Shura Council Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Sulaiti's affirmation that the gradual approach to reach the goal of having elected Shura Council members reflects the great interest that the State attaches to the constructive role of this Council and its role in promoting popular partnership in decision-making. The council, the paper said, will work to instil a sense of popular and serious participation in decision-making, management and conduct of affairs, and will reflect a sense of equality and freedom of opinion, adding that every Shura Council member, as HE Al Sulaiti said, must always remember that they are serving their country, their people, and everyone who lives on this land. The paper also underlined that the new elected Council will not start from scratches as the country has deep-rooted experience of Shura system, as has been stated by the former Deputy Speaker of the Shura Council. The Peninsula concluded its editorial by saying that the people of Qatar are united in being part of one tribe called the tribe of Qatar, urging the voters to put the interests of Qatar as their goal and move away from narrow interests and tribal biases. (QNA)