Plea for halt to new taxes as government, MPs meet on subsidies

Manama : MPs yesterday called for a pause in any increase in fees or imposing new taxes until their ongoing meetings with the Government to discuss its financial support plans are completed.  

The plea was made during a meeting held between members of the Executive (government) and Legislative (Parliament and Shura Council) authorities yesterday.

The meeting came as per the directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to reach a consensus on rechanneling government subsidies to benefit eligible recipients.

Heading the government’s delegation was Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Financial Affairs and Rationalising Expenditure Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, while the legislators were headed by First Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Ali Al Aradi.

Al Aradi said: “The meeting is a translation of the Royal vision towards the compatibility between the Legislative and Executive authorities to achieve the interests of the country and citizens”, adding that “the members of the House of Representatives and Shura Council spare no effort to achieve this purpose”.

BD382.5m subsidies

During the meeting, Shaikh Khalid said government subsidies to social programmes in 2017 was BD382.5 million (over USD1 billion) including social insurance and anti-inflation, disability, housing and other allowances.

“The focus and control of the amount of support will result in achieving the desired sustainability of these programmes for the benefit of citizens, and achieving the required efficiency, so that this support is directed to various categories to the deserving Bahraini citizens and families,” Shaikh Khalid stated.

On its part, the legislative delegation stressed on the importance of “agreeing with the government in principle to form a mini technical committee to examine details related to the support and listen to different views, study proposals and visions of the parties and set a time period agreed upon, and the need to support the beneficiaries, provided that the gains of the Bahraini citizen are not affected”.

Al Aradi confirmed that a technical subcommittee will be formed to examine the government’s direction and consensus on the aspects of subsidies, organisational procedures and other mechanisms. He added that a joint committee between the House of Representatives and Shura Council will hold meetings starting Thursday to outline the work agenda to be discussed with the government.

DT News reported yesterday that the meeting comes as per HM the King’s directives and follows the recent increase of certain fees and commodities’ prices, including gasoline.