Prime Minister chairs weekly Cabinet session

Manama, June 29 (BNA): His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa today 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. Students congratulated HRH Premier extended congratulations to the graduates from the General Certificate of Secondary Education for their success and distinction despite the exceptional circumstances and challenges resulting from the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), calling on them to continue their success path. The Prime Minister extended thanks to parents, and the Education Ministry’s affiliates for their dedication and perseverance to finish the academic year, Cabinet Secretary-General, Dr. Yasser bin Isa Al-Nasser, said in a statement following the session which was held via the video conferencing technology. Service Ministers’ field visits hailed The Prime Minister lauded the kingdom’s achievements in the field of housing, and extended thanks to service ministers for their field visits to villages and towns to collect first-hand information about the local citizens’ needs, citing the Housing Minister’s recent visit to the Al-Salhiya village. The minister briefed the session about a proposal to implement a housing project that would serve the Al-Salhiya villagers. The Ministerial Committee for Development and Infrastructure Projects was requested to study the establishment of a housing project for the Al-Salhiya village. Butchers’ dues to be re-scheduled HRH Premier directed the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning to reschedule the financial dues with the Ministry on some of the butchers in the Manama Central Market and the Jid Hafs Market. Directives to preserve heritage mosques The Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments to cooperate with the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA) and take the necessary procedures to preserve historical and heritage mosques, including the Ahmed Al-Fateh Mosque, and the Ahmed Al-Fateh grave in Manama. Houthi militia’s terrorist attacks on Saudi Arabia condemned The cabinet condemned the Houthi militias’ terrorist attacks against civilians and civilian targets in Saudi Arabia using ballistic missiles and drones. The session commended the success of the Saudi Air Defence Forces and their efficiency in dealing with these attacks and thwarting them, stressing that targeting civilians and civilian neighbourhoods is a cowardly aggression and a heinous crime for its flagrant violation of the rules of international law. Arab League’s resolutions welcomed The session welcomed the resolutions of the Arab League Council at the ministerial level on Libya, noting that they reinforce the efforts and initiatives to resolve the Libyan crisis peacefully, and warning of the consequences of the ongoing military action there. The cabinet also backed the Arab League Council’s resolutions in support of the stances of Egypt and Sudan vis-à-vis Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Iranian, Turkish military intervention north of Iraq condemned The session condemned the Iranian and Turkish military intervention in northern Iraq, noting that it violates the sovereignty of a sisterly Arab country, constitutes interference in Iraq’s internal affairs and poses a threat to regional security and stability. New initiatives to mitigate COVID-19 impacts The Cabinet approved a number of initiatives aimed at mitigating the impacts of the novel coronavirus, in line with the directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to unify the national efforts to confront the impacts of pandemic at the local level, and to protect the health and safety of the citizens and residents, along with the continuity of the state’s programmes to enhance the sustainable development march. The initiatives are also in line with the decisions of the government, led by HRH the Prime Minister, and the national efforts, led by HRH Crown Prince, to combat COVID-19 in the kingdom. In this regard, the government decided, based on its consultations with the Legislative Branch and the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) and based on their visions, to pay 50% of the salaries of insured Bahrainis in the most affected private sector institutions for three months, starting from July, in accordance with the terms and conditions to be set by the Labour and Social Development Ministry, in coordination with the relevant authorities. The government also decided to pay the electricity and water bills of all Bahraini subscribers for their first houses for three months, beginning from July, provided that they do not exceed the bills of the same period last year. The Labour Fund (Tamkeen) will also support the most affected economic sectors, in accordance with the terms and conditions that will be approved by its Board of Directors. Bahrain’s accession to Bonn Convention endorsed The session endorsed the Kingdom’s accession to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (Bonn Convention; CMS) issued by the United Nations Environment Programme. The move is within the framework of the government's keenness to enhance the conservation of migratory species and their habitats. The session referred a draft-law on the Kingdom’s accession to Bonn Convention to the Council of Representatives, as recommended by the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs and presented by the Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the same committee. Athletes’ bonus scale approved The cabinet approved the bonus and allowance scale for athletes, in appreciation of their achievements for the kingdom at the regional and international sports gatherings. The scale determines the value of bonuses to be granted to the athletes of national clubs that clinch one of the first three places at GCC, Arab, Asian or international individual or collective sports competitions. The session approved a draft-law on bonus scale for athletes, as highlighted in memorandum of the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs and presented by the Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the same committee, as well as the Minister of Youth and Sports Affairs. VTMS charges cancelled The cabinet agreed to cancel the Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) charges included in the sixth schedule accompanying the ministerial edict 15/2017 on Ports and Maritime Navigation charges. The session approved a draft edict in this regard, as recommended by the Ministerial Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs And the Fiscal Balance in the memorandum submitted by His the Deputy Premier and Chairman of the same committee. Final anti-dumping duties to be imposed on some products The cabinet agreed to impose final anti-dumping duties on Bahraini imports of tiles and ceramic products from China and India, in compliance with the resolution of the Industrial Cooperation Committee of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states regarding imposing final anti-dumping fees on ceramic and porcelain imports of origin or export from China and India. The session instructed the Ministry of Finance, National Economy and Customs Affairs to take the necessary measures, as highlighted in the memorandum submitted for this purpose by the Minister of Finance and National Economy and the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism. Parliamentary proposals The cabinet reviewed a draft-law drafted based on two proposals by the Council of Representatives on amending Article (35) of the Labour Law in the Private Sector promulgated by Law 36/2012. The bill was referred to the Representatives Council, along with a memorandum including the government’s opinion on it. Imams, Muezzins to be named The cabinet approved a proposal submitted by the Council of Representatives on naming several imams and muezzins in the kingdom’s main mosques. Imams and muezzins will be named for ten mosques this year. One-day surgery hospital system to be created The session endorsed a plan under which the Ministry of Health will create a one-day surgery hospital system. The new medical facilities will be provided with the necessary competencies and modern equipment. Housing units for nation-serving media persons, academicians The Cabinet endorsed the government's response to a proposal on granting housing units for those who served Bahrain in the media, academic and other fields in case of their infirmity or accidents or to their families in case of their death. Ministerial reports: The cabinet reviewed a report submitted by the Minister of Education on the school results for this year, and the preparations for the next academic year. The same minister also briefed the session about the UNESCO Education for All Report in which Bahrain’s efforts in this regard were praised. The session also reviewed two reports submitted by the Foreign Affairs Minister on the Arab League extraordinary ministerial meetings on Libya, Ethiopia Renaissance Dam and UNRWA. The session also reviewed a report by the Youth and Sports Affairs Minister on the strategic partnership agreement to operate the Youth Ministry’s Creativity Centre.