HRH Prime Minister chairs Cabinet session

Manama, Feb. 18 (BNA): His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa chaired the regular weekly Cabinet session, attended by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier, at the Gudaibiya Palace today. Premier thanks Bahraini people HRH the Prime Minister extended deepest thanks and appreciation to the Bahraini people for their noble authentic feelings of joy as reflected in the popular festivities held across the kingdom’s regions to celebrate his safety and good health, thus embodying the prevalent values of fidelity and loyalty, as well as the Bahraini people’s unity and cohesion, a post-session statement by the Cabinet Secretary-General, Dr. Yasser bin Isa Al-Nasser, said. Government’s social justice strides hailed The session, marking the International Day of Social Justice, expressed pride in the government’s efforts to achieve social justice through its effective plans and programmes that have provided social protection, consolidated social justice, and promoted it in the community to be conducive to further development. Prime Minister reviews development projects’ progress HRH Premier reviewed the implementation progress at the Mohammed bin Khalifa Specialist Cardiac Hospital in Awali, as part of his constant follow-up on service and development projects across the kingdom. The Prime Minister was also informed about the executive situation of a number of on-going projects in Muharraq, including the Sa'ada (happiness), the Central Market and the Long-stay Care Centre projects. Commenting on a presentation by the Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning in this regard, HRH Premier gave directives to be committed to the pre-set schedule, and to take the necessary procedures to expedite the implementation process. In a related context, HRH the Prime Minister gave directives to pay attention to the aesthetic aspects of the area between Manama and Muharraq, through paying more attention to its coasts and setting up facilities and establishments that support its cultural and aesthetic features as a seafront. Civil Aviation Law’s executive regulation to be amended The cabinet approved amending the executive regulation of the Civil Aviation Law to ensure that the issuance of travel agencies’ licenses is transferred to the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) after the approval of the Civil Aviation Affairs. The move aims to facilitate license-issuance procedures and avoid duplicated work. Accordingly, the fees’ item will be amended to include fees of direct sales, airline agents, air cargo and private air transportation, instead of the travel agencies, air freight, direct sales and private air transport charges, without any adjustment to the fees payable for such activities. A new item on the fees payable for the issuance and renewal of tourist services’ licenses, related to the fees paid by the tourism and tourist travel and transportation offices, will be added. In this regard, the session endorsed three draft ministerial edicts on (1) amending the executive regulation of the Civil Aviation Law promulgated by Edict 21/2013, (2) amending some provisions of Edict 25/2016 on determining and regulating the civil aviation fees and those imposed on airport departure, and (3) adding a fee to the list of fees imposed on the issuance of touristic services’ licenses, included in Edict 1/2018 on issuing and renewing tourism services, as recommended by the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs, and presented by the Deputy Premier and committee chairman. First phase of Health Insurance System to be implemented The cabinet approved, based on a recommendation by the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs, and presented by the Deputy Premier and committee chairman, the necessary legal tools to implement the first phase of the Health Insurance System by approving seven draft decrees and resolutions. They include the (1) nomination of the minister in charge of Health Insurance Law, (2) the formation of the Board of Directors of the Health Insurance Fund, (3) the separation of some existing governmental health institutions from the Ministry of Health, (4) the formation of the Board of Trustees of government hospitals and primary health care centres, (5) the establishment of the Supreme Council of Health, (6) the implementation phases of the Health Insurance System, and (7) determining the hospitals and primary health care centres that will be covered by the Health Insurance System. Bahrain to join Electronic Communications Convention The session approved the kingdom’s accession to the United Nations Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts (the Electronic Communications Convention), which is a treaty that aims at facilitating the use of electronic communications in international trade. The cabinet referred a draft law in this regard to the Legislative Branch in accordance with constitutional procedure in force. Four Arab conventions, protocols discussed The session discussed the kingdom’s ratification of four Arab conventions and protocols presented by the Minister of the Interior, and decided to refer them to the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs. They include (1) the Arab Convention on the Regulation of Transplantation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues and the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Them, (2) the Arab Convention on Prevention and Combating Human Cloning, (3) the Arab Protocol to Prevent and Combat Maritime Piracy and Armed Robbery, and (4) the Arab Protocol to Prevent and Combat Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Amendments to Civil Aviation Law discussed The session discussed amending the current Civil Aviation Law so as to keep abreast of the latest international requirements and enhance the safety and security of aviation in the kingdom. A draft-law on amending some provisions of Law 14/2013 on the issuance of the Civil Aviation Law was referred to the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs, as highlighted in the memorandum submitted by the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications. Bahraini-Saudi MoU endorsed The cabinet endorsed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Bahrain’s National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA), and Saudi Arabia’s Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA). Under the MoU, the two sides will enhance their cooperation in the field of drug safety and the quality of medical devices and products through exchange of expertise. The session referred to the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs a Financing Agreement between the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA), Bahrain's National Committee to Combat Trafficking in Persons, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC) for the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The agreement was presented by the Minister of Labour and Social Development.