Cabinet condemns ban on prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque

Manama : The weekly Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa at Gudaibiya Palace yesterday condemned the banning of prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque by the Israeli Occupation Forces, describing the closure as a provocative act, a dangerous escalation and a clear violation of the sanctity of holy sites, as well as a breach of international laws guaranteeing the freedom of worship and exercise of religious rituals. 

The Cabinet condemned the terrorist attack that targeted an on-duty security patrol in Qatif, Saudi Arabia, lauding the anti-terror measures taken by the Saudi security authorities to ensure security and stability.

The Cabinet also denounced the terrorist attack that had targeted a security patrol in Giza, Egypt, and reiterated Bahrain’s full-fledged support to brotherly Egypt and backing all measures it deems necessary to maintain its security and stability.

Commenting on the citizens’ remarks and complaints, HRH Premier has instructed the Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry and the Housing Ministry to verify the adequacy of the services and facilities in Jannusan, and meet its needs, especially roads, sanitation and housing.

The Prime Minister gave directives to begin work on development projects in Muharraq, including the “Sa’ada” (happiness) and university projects, and requested the authorities to do follow up on them.

The Cabinet endorsed a plan to merge the General Directorate of Urban Planning at the Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning and the Planning and Urban Development Authority under the name “Planning and Urban Development Authority”.

Reporting to the Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister, the Planning and Urban Development Authority will be headed by a chief executive officer under the rank of undersecretary and a deputy CEO under the rank of assistant undersecretary. It will comprise five directorates, including the Studies and Strategic Planning, the Human and Financial Resources, the Detailed Planning, the Land Development and the Projects and Investment.

The session requested the authorities to take the necessary legal procedures to implement the plan aimed at achieving complementarity in the urban planning process as recommended in the memorandum presented by the Civil Service Bureau.

230 nurses to be recruited

HRH Prime Minister  yesterday gave  directives to recruit 230 Bahraini nurses as part of an employment plan for fiscal years 2016-’17 and 2017-’18. This is in addition to the 430 local nurses recruited during the two previous budget cycles. 

Chairman of the Supreme Health Council Lt. General Dr. Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa praised the directives of HRH Premier, stressing that they reflect the keenness to provide jobs for health sector graduates, including doctors, nurses and allied professions.

Progress in housing reviewed

HRH Premier devoted part of the session yesterday to review the Kingdom’s achievement and efforts to provide decent housing for the citizens, being among the priorities set by the Kingdom to ensure decent living for the citizens.

The session reviewed the major developments in housing between 1960 and 2017.

A report presented by the Housing Minister revealed that the government has delivered about 129,000 housing services, including the distribution of 47,000 housing units that benefited 270,000 citizens, the granting of about 65,000 purchase, construction and renovation loans and the distribution of 12,000 land lots.

The same period also witnessed the building of seven new cities, including three under construction ones, in addition to the issuance of the Royal Order to build 40,000 housing units and the government’s commitment to building 25,000 units within its action plan, the report said.

Cabinet decisions

The Cabinet approved the by-law of the Standards and Metrology Law and the draft law on its issuance. The by-law regulates the issuance and renewal of conformity assessment certificates and badges, as well as quality and conformity certificates of various products. It also prepares, revises, amends and publishes the approved Bahraini Technical Regulations and conformity assessments after having been approved by a special committee chaired by the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, and comprising representatives of relevant government and non-government entities, members from the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry and two specialists.

The Cabinet has requested the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs to take the necessary procedures to ratify the agreement signed between Bahrain and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) concerning its privileges and immunities in the Hague on June 6, 2017, as shown in the memorandum presented by the Foreign Affairs Minister.

The Cabinet also discussed a number of proposals submitted by the Council of Representatives, including ones related to gold stamping fees and land acquisition, and approved the draft government replies to them as recommended by the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs.