Manama, Aug.17(BNA): The traditional suqs of Isa Town and Muharraq were today on the agenda of the weekly Cabinet meeting, which was chaired by His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa.

Information Affairs Minister Isa bin Abdulrahman Al-Hamadi stressed HRH the Premier’s keenness on promoting suqs, owing to their vital economic and social role.

“HRH the Premier gave directives to ensure the availability of all necessary facilities and services at Isa Town suq”, he said at a press briefing following the Cabinet meeting. He underlined the Premier’s directives, instructing relevant authorities to start work on revamping Muharraq traditional suq so as traders could exercise their activities and meet people’s needs.

The minister confirmed that the decision to lift government subsidies would take effect on September 1, as previously announced, adding that the Government and the legislature have yet to agree on a mechanism to carry out the measure.

The session has approved a proposal submitted by the National Oil and Gas Authority (NOGA) on the readjustment of the Development and Production Sharing Agreement for the Bahrain Field with Mubadala and Occidental Petroleum. Al-Hamadi said that the general framework of the agreement would be left intact, adding that negotiations aim essentially at boosting investments to increase Bahrain Oil Field output and ensure the sustainability of the tripartite venture.

He highlighted the decision of the cabinet to regulate civil aviation fees as well as taxes levied on departing passengers. “Civil aviation fees are being reviewed to protect Bahrain’ competitiveness in the region”, he said, pointing out that passengers would not be affected as the measure would only apply to the services which are provided for airways companies at Bahrain International Airport.

He pointed out that Bahrain would attend the International Conference on Sustainable Development under the slogan in New York “Implementing the SDGs: Getting Started”. “Bahrain has already hosted the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), which yielded Manama Declaration”, he said, adding that The Kingdom has already gone a long way achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals.

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BNA 1734 GMT 2015/08/17