Enact new laws to promote real estate sector: Premier

Manama : His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa yesterday said that new legislations should encourage investment in the real estate sector, motivate developers and preserve the rights of investors and stakeholders.

Chairing the regular weekly Cabinet session along with His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, HRH Premier gave directives to amend the existing Real Estate Development Law, after being approved by the legislative branch, in order to boost urban development in the Kingdom.

Judicial delay

Tackling judicial issues, HRH Premier has urged the authorities to adopt procedures that ensure the speedy implementation of court rulings.  

A case management system need to be devised to avoid delayed implementation of verdicts, HRH Premier said, entrusting the Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments to coordinate with the Supreme Judicial Council in this regard.

Traffic issues

On traffic issues, HRH Prime Minister gave directives to reconsider the speed limits specified in the main streets and highways, and modify them to ensure that the speed is commensurate with the traffic movement, and that they meet the requirements of safety to reduce traffic violations and, at the same time, ensure penal action on violators. 

HRH Prime Minister also gave directives to intensify campaigns to ensure commitment to rules, noting that the ultimate goal is to avoid wrong traffic habits, and not to impose fines and traffic contraventions.

The Ministerial Committee for Urbanisation and Infrastructure was requested to cooperate with the Supreme Traffic Council  in  this  regard.

Summit outcomes

Earlier in the meeting, HRH Premier lauded His Majesty the King for his visit to Egypt, and his fruitful talks with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and the outcomes of the 28th Arab Summit, in which HM King headed the Kingdom’s delegation.

HRH the Prime Minister also lauded the resolutions and outcomes of the Pan-Arab summit, hosted by Jordan, and its importance in achieving the goals and aspirations of Arab countries and peoples.

The Prime Minister praised the high-profile participation in the summit and the bilateral meetings held on its sidelines, citing HM King’s meeting with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz
Al Saud.

Prince Khalifa also stressed the importance of integrated Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) strategies that support water resources across GCC states, praising in this regard the role played by events held to achieve these goals, including the WSTA 12th Gulf Water Conference, hosted recently by the Kingdom under the Prime Minister’s patronage.

More jobs created 

The country recorded a job growth of 8.5 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2016 compared with the same quarter in 2015, according to data presented by the Labour and Social Development Minister. The national economy generated a total of 62,000 new job opportunities, in addition to those created by the labour market, the Cabinet was informed yesterday. 

The report also revealed that a total of 1883 Bahraini job-seekers are employed every month, and that the average salary in the fourth quarter increased by 3.6 per cent in the private sector, reaching BD400, and by 1.8 per cent in the public sector, reaching BD 685. 

Cabinet decisions

• HRH Premier has instructed the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning to put forward immediate solutions to any service problems in Halat Bu-Maher and Al-Malkiya village, and develop infrastructure. The Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning has been asked to follow up on the needs of the two regions.

• The session also agreed to license the Bahrain Institute for Pearl and Gemstones, and tasked it with testing pearls and gemstones instead of the Industry, Commerce and Tourism Ministry’s Gem and Pearl Testing Laboratory. According to the memorandum presented by the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, the equipment of the lab will be transferred to the new institute so that the latter can start operating by the month of July. The same ministry will continue its monitoring and oversight over the pearl, gem and precious stone testing sector, while current laboratory will continue assaying gold, silver and platinum.

• The session discussed three memoranda of understandings (MoUs) to be signed between Bahrain and the Philippines. They are related to establishing a high joint committee, civil service and cooperation between Bahrain’s Institute of Diplomacy and the Foreign Service Institute in the Philippines. The MoUs, included in the memorandum presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, were referred to the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs.

• The cabinet endorsed the ratification of the air services agreement between Bahrain and the Finland, and referred the same to ministerial committee. 

• The session approved a proposal submitted by the Council of Representatives on commitment to regulations and requirements regarding public parking lots of the owners of car rental registrations. 

• The cabinet approved the government’s replies to the proposals by the Council of Representatives, as recommended by the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs.