Manama, June 22 (BNA): The Government spares no efforts in cooperating with the Parliament to pass the law on the general budget, said Information Minister Isa bin Abdulrahman Al-Hammadi. In a statement today following the weekly cabinet meeting, he said that joint consultative meetings are continuing to scrutinize required details. The draft law on the budget is currently under study at the Council of Representatives and Shura Council’s financial committees.
Al-Hammadi stressed the preventive measures which were taken by the Ministry of Health to avert any potential outbreak of coronavirus, also known as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV). He said that the pre-emptive measures are being enforced in compliance with the World Health Organisation (WHO) instructions, stressing the ministry’s expertise in promoting best practices and dealing with such challenges which are now confronting some countries.
He affirmed the Government’s drive to enforce the necessary preventive measures to ensure Bahrain is free of coronavirus. “All relevant authorities are ready to deal with such challenges to ensure the safety of citizens and visitors”, he said.
The minister urged citizens and residents to make sure their donations benefit an authorized party, in compliance with the rules and regulations governing fundraising. He pointed out that the Social Development Ministry is legally mandated to issue permits for donations and fundraising. He stressed the need to place a sticker on fundraising boxes to ensure donations are made under the authority of the Social Development Ministry-otherwise such activities would be considered as illegal.
He announced that field inspections would be stepped up in the coming period to ensure full compliance with fundraising and donations rules and regulations. The minister underlined the importance of observing the ban on shrimping to protect fisheries from overfishing, conserve the environment and marine resources and ensure reproduction.
This periodic measure, he said, does not concern Bahrain as other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states imposed a stringent six-month shrimping ban. He pointed out that the seasonal ban concerns shrimps only, as fishermen are legally allowed to catch other species during the fishing moratorium.
He stressed the importance of maintaining the enforcement of the six-month ban so as to protect stocks of shrimps which represent and vital source of food in Bahrain. The minister said that prices are governed by the law of supply and demand, pointing out that Bahrain abides by the free market policy which explains the pricing fluctuations, based on market trends.
The minister cited the decision of the Cabinet to re-open the quarry in the Hufaira area in the Southern Governorate. He stressed the possibility of extracting the existing stock of stones at the quarry to be distributed through the Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry in the local market.
He highlighted a proposal, which is still under study, to set up a joint company in partnership between the public and private sectors to import construction stones from abroad. The minister stressed Bahrain’s clear procedures concerning detainees and prisoners who served their jail terms, pointing out the royal directives regarding the release of some prisoners on many occasions round the year.
As for steps pertaining to the political field, he noted that they will be discussed by the parliament, being the national constitutional institution. Concerning the parliamentary proposal last week to set up an authority concerned with food security, the Information Minister pointed out that there are procedures to be followed in processing proposals and draft laws by the parliament.
As for Bahrain’s steps to confront the terror groups, the minister affirmed that the relevant parties are assuming their roles appropriately, thanking the Interior Ministry and its affiliates for their tremendous efforts in uncovering the terror groups, thwarting their plots and beefing up security. The minister also underscored the diplomatic measures taken by the Foreign Ministry in this respect, pointing out the GCC unified stance to deter all forms of terrorism in the region and reiterating anew the role of the community in this respect.
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BNA 1945 GMT 2015/06/22