Ministers asked to limit foreign travel

Manama : Chairing the regular weekly Cabinet session at the Gudaibiya Palace yesterday, Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa has asked ministers to limit foreign travel to urgent necessity, stressing that their participation should be confined to the events approved by the Council of Ministers.

The move is aimed at rationalising expenditure and cutting government spending, Cabinet Secretary-General Dr. Yaser bin Essa Al-Nasser said in a post cabinet session statement.

The Prime Minister has given instructions to re-structure leases at the Isa Town traditional market, commensurate with the nature of activities there, and requested the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning to tighten control to ensure that the rental of these shops is in accordance with their activities and consistent with the regulations in force in order to prevent violations.

On development, the Prime Minister has directed to carry on efforts to achieve comprehensive development, as well as to expand infrastructure projects and complete them as per schedule and Government Action Plan.

In this context, the session reviewed a memorandum presented by the Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning on the roads, sanitation and construction projects that had been awarded or tendered during 2016. The report showed that 74 tenders, worth BD55 million, had been awarded, and 98 projects, valued at BD97 million, had been put out to tender.

Fine arts

The Prime Minister also lauded the role of fine arts and expos in enriching the cultural scene, showcasing artistic talent and preserving the creative works of pioneering artists. 

He praised, in this regard, the 43rd Bahrain Fine Arts Exhibition, which he patronised recently, and its role in boosting fine art, in particular, and the cultural movement in the country, in general.