HRH Premier chairs regular weekly Cabinet session

Manama, July 20 (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 Prime Minister. Premier expresses pride in citizens’ noble feelings towards him HRH the Prime Minister expressed deep pride in and appreciation for the love-filled noble feelings showcased by the citizens and residents while celebrating the success of the regular medical check-ups he has undergone recently. HRH Premier prayed to Allah the Almighty to guide him on the right path so as to continue his dedicated efforts in the service of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the Bahraini people, Cabinet Secretary-General, Dr. Yasser bin Isa Al-Nasser, said in a statement following the session which was held via the video conferencing technology. Cabinet wishes Saudi King speedy recovery The Cabinet wished the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud speedy recovery, praying to Allah the Almighty to bless him with abundant health and wellness in order to continue the progress march in sisterly Saudi Arabia. Cabinet congratulates Kuwaiti Amir on successful surgery The session expressed deepest congratulations to the Kuwaiti Amir, His Highness Shaikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, on the success of the surgery he had undergone recently, wishing him abundant health, wellness and speedy recovery so as to be able to carry on the progress march witnessed by sisterly Kuwait, under his leadership. Ministers requested to carry out more field visits HRH the Prime Minister requested the Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister and Housing Minister to continue making field visits to villages and towns, including Tubli and its neighbouring villages, in order to collect first-hand information about the local citizens’ needs and address them. Directives to develop central markets’ services, facilities HRH Premier gave directives to develop the services and facilities of central markets, including the Sitra Central Market and the Sitra Commercial Complex, and to provide basic needs for salespersons and shoppers. The Prime Minister also gave instructions to intensify inspection and control campaigns on goods and foodstuffs in various commercial outlets to verify their quality and safety. New measures to mitigate COVID-19 impacts The cabinet approved additional measures to mitigate the impacts of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), 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 measures are also in line with the decisions of the government, led by HRH the Prime Minister, and the national efforts, led by HRH the Crown Prince, to combat COVID-19 in the kingdom. In this regard, the cabinet decided to exempt industrial companies that export at least 30% of their products abroad and located at the Industry, Commerce and Tourism Ministry-affiliated industrial zones from paying rent for a period of three months, starting from July. Companies operating in the most affected sectors will also be exempted from paying fees for renewing the commercial register and fees for the first three activities of the Commercial Register of 2020. Likewise, tourism facilities and establishments were also exempted from paying tourism fees for the third quarter of this year. Counter-Terrorism Committee to be established The cabinet, based on a recommendation by the Government Executive Committee, led by HRH the Crown Prince, approved a draft-decree on the establishment and formation of a committee to combat extremism, fight terrorism and its financing and counter money laundering. The panel’s jurisdictions include studying all issues related to combating extremism, fighting terrorism and its funding, as well as countering money laundering. It shall also suggest polices, coordinate national anti-terror efforts and revise them periodically, in addition to proposing the designation of individuals and entities on the national terror list, assessing the dangers of extremist ideology, terrorism and money laundering and proposing the necessary legislation and systems to combat them. The mandate of the Counter-Terrorism Committee also encompasses submitting periodic reports including the results of its work, as well as its recommendnations on the measures to be taken. EWA-related bills endorsed The session endorsed a draft-edict on adding a new clause to Article (110) of the Electricity and Water Authority (EWA)’s edict 2/2010 with respect to the regulations for electrical installations. The bill authorises EWA to assign inspection and testing tasks on electrical installations to external parties licensed by it, in accordance with the conditions and regulations it sets in coordination with the competent authorities. The session also approved a draft edict regulating insurance on electricity and water accounts, and another on changing the first paragraph of Edict 2/2015 on regulating and determining the insurance amounts for electricity and water accounts. Bill regulating sabbatical leave for athletes approved The session approved a draft edict regulating the regulations and procedures for Bahraini athletes to obtain sabbatical leaves while preparing for or participating in GCC, Arab, regional, continental or international sporting events. Memo on Bahrain’s accession to Nagoya Protocol referred to ministerial committee The session reviewed a memorandum presented by the Cabinet Affairs Affairs Minister on the kingdom’s accession to the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity, approved by tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, held in October 2010, in Nagoya, Japan. Bahrain’s accession to Minamata Convention on Mercury discussed The session discussed the Kingdom’s accession to the Minamata Convention on Mercury, highlighted in a memorandum presented by the Cabinet Affairs Affairs Minister. The memo was also referred to the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs Bill on car, e-bike rental approved The session approved a draft edict that regulates licenses for car and electric bicycle (e-bike) rental. The bill defines vehicles of all types and sizes, the minimum required for car rental, the permitted manufacturing years for rental, and other regulatory procedures. Parliamentary proposals · Integrated NPRA service centre: The cabinet approved a proposal submitted by the Council of Representatives on establishing an integrated service centre for the Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs (NPRA). The proposal has already been achieved on the ground with the existing three branches in the kingdom, in addition to the Interior Ministry’s plans to deliver e-transactions. · Extending heavy vehicles ban period: The session approved a proposal submitted by the Council of Representatives to increase the period in which trucks and heavy vehicles are banned from using roads during peak times, and to activate the resolutions of the Higher Traffic Council in this regard. · Technical school for girls: The session approved a proposal submitted by the Council of Representatives on a technical school for girls in Hamad Town. The proposal has been achieved in the ground through the Ghazi al-Gosaibi Secondary Girls School.