The draft agreement is in line with the resolutions adopted by GCC leaders during their 14th consultative meeting, held recently in Riyadh.
His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa has extended sincere congratulations to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the people of Bahrain and the Arab and Islamic peoples marking the advent of the new Hijri year 1434, calling for the need to reflect on the meanings of Prophet Mohammed (PBUP)’s migration and focus on ways of achieving peace and stability for humanity and unity for Muslims.
This came as HRH Premier chaired at the Gudaibiya Palace the regular weekly cabinet meeting.
During the session, HRH Prime Minister expressed heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the citizens for their patriotic stances, rallying behind the wise leadership and denunciation of the recent terrorist incidents in Bahrain.
The Prime Minister also thanked brotherly and friendly countries and international agencies and organisations for their supportive stances towards the kingdom, condemnation of terrorism and backing of the measures taken by the country to combat terrorism and track down terrorists, stressing that international rejection of the recent criminal blasts is an evidence of the soundness of the government’s policy in tackling terrorism and the International Community’s consensus on the need to face this dangerous phenomenon and root it out.
HRH Premier reviewed the achievements of ministries and state departments regarding the implementation of the recommendations of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), affirming that most of them have been implemented by the government, while the remaining ones are being implemented.
The Cabinet also reviewed the executive steps taken so far to translate the visions of National Consensus Dialogue into the ground.
The cabinet was briefed by the Industry and Commerce Minister on the “Invest in Bahrain 2012” Forum, whose opening was held under the auspices of HRH Premier last week, highlighting the importance of the kingdom’s hosting of investment forums and conferences, given their role in informing investors about Bahrain’s distinguished investment atmosphere and incentives and promoting it as a regional hub in this regard.
Samira bint Ibrahim Rajab was confirmed by the Cabinet to be the official spokesperson of the Government, in addition to her duties as Minister of State for Information Affairs.
The cabinet discussed the proposals submitted by the Finance Minister regarding prolonging social insurance funds’ actuarial life, as well as reducing their actuarial deficit, in order to consolidate the government’s policies aiming to unify retirement benefits between those funds, requesting the Ministerial Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs to submit a clear timetable to implement those recommendations, and a procedural plan on short, medium and long term implementation.
The same panel was also instructed to present a work plan on ways to reduce public debt, including proposals on procedures that can be adopted by the government to reduce spending and expenditure and increase revenues.
A draft law on establishing a fully independent fund to compensate the victims of vehicle accidents was also approved and the constitutional and legal procedures to refer it to the Legislative Branch will be taken.
The fund, to be under the authority of the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB), aims to cover the damages resulting from accidents in cases the vehicles which caused them are not insured, their identities are not determined or the insuring company goes bankrupt.
The cabinet also endorsed a draft law ratifying an Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income signed between Bahrain and Estonia and decided to take the necessary procedures.
The proposals submitted by the House of Representatives regarding the building of an intermediate school for girls in Busaiteen, giving priority to Galali inhabitants in the East Muharraq Housing Project, speeding up the construction of the Halat Bu Maher health centre, land acquisition in the Capital Governorate for the sake of setting up housing projects and facilitating procedures to naturalise foreign women married to Bahrainis who meet the legal requirements and provisions of the Bahraini Citizenship Act of 1963.