The Cabinet ordered all relevant authorities to review the decisions that affect the government’s aim to make Bahrain a regional center for trade, investment, exhibitions and conferences. His Royal Highness the Prime Minister directed the appropriate governmental entities to work on increasing the area designated for exhibition and develops a new site for exhibitions in the Southern Governorate of the Kingdom.
Within this context, the Cabinet discussed several suggestions to ease the procedure for attesting the certificates of origin. In this regard a comprehensive view of the effectiveness of alternatives and options will be presented by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince at a future Cabinet meeting.
The Cabinet reviewed a memorandum submitted by the Minister of Industry and Commerce (MoIC) on the activities and achievements made in 2013 with respect to both industry and the trade sector. The report showed that in 2013 the Ministry issued a total of 165 industrial licenses that met the conditions and requirements resulting in investment of about BD140 million. The Cabinet praised the efforts undertaken by the MoIC in attracting both local and regional industrial and commercial projects.
The Cabinet discussed the memorandums listed on its work agenda and made the following decisions:
First: To insure the proper administration of justice the Cabinet decided to consider all threats to those who provide testimony before the court or the public prosecutor an aggravating circumstance which can alter the truth and lead o the assignment of punishment to an innocent person. The Cabinet approved a draft law amending Article 363 of the Penal Code promulgated by Legislative Decree No. 15/1976 and referred it to the Parliament.
Two: The Cabinet assigned the Ministerial Committee for Services and Infrastructure to provide permanent accommodation for fishing vessels, to replace the ports currently available in Mina Salman. The new accommodations will provide all services and necessities for fishermen and merchant ships coming from abroad.
Three: The Cabinet approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the National Oil and Gas Authority (NOGA) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). The Cabinet commissioned the Minister of Finance and supervisor of NOGA, to sign on behalf of the Government of Bahrain.
Four: The Cabinet approved a memorandum of understanding between the Regional Center for Information and Communication Technology of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the UNESCO Institute for Information Technology in Education in Moscow. The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Education to sign it.
Five: The Cabinet approved an amendment to the organizational structure of the Ministry of Transportation to include a post for an Assistant Under-Secretary for Security Affairs and Safety and Logistics.
Six: The Cabinet referred to the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs a memorandum from the Minister of State for Electricity and Water on the establishment of the Arab common market for electricity.
Seven: The Cabinet approved two proposals recommended by the House of Representatives: (1) regarding training and recruiting sign language specialists in the Ministries of State; and (2) assigning an educational and social attaché in the Kingdom’s embassies to follow-up on the affairs of Bahraini students’ abroad.
Eight: The Cabinet took note of the approval of the Legislative Authorities on the following bills: (1) a system of trademarks for the GCC; (2) a bill to ratify the statute locating a GCC Emergency Management Center; (3) a bill to ratify the agreement between the Government of the Bahrain and the Government of Canada on the exchange of information in tax matters; (4) and a bill to ratify the protocol to amend the Convention on avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Income Taxes between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Government of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.