Shaikh Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Director General of the Manama Municipality said that the formation of the local observatory for enhancing governance and administration. Chairman of the Organising Committee, Engineer Abdul Majeed Al Ghassab, however, looked at the adoption of rules for green buildings as the key in the recommendation. Participants said that both these had equal weightage.
Shaikh Mohammed said that the sharing of ideas, new technologies and laws between the Gulf Cooperation Council members (GCC) take experience from country to another and helps enhance the municipal work and services delivered.
The conference, he said, looked at the similarities in services and the experiences of each in providing these services.
The BNA reported that the local observatory, to be headquartered in Manama, will be the centre for strategic thinking on cooperation between the municipalities, the private sector and the larger community.
The observatory will also emphasise on the establishment of the pillars for sustainable urban development. The recommendation on urban planning recommended the setting up of processes to improve housing. The involvement of the private sector in providing municipal services was seen as a solution to enhancing these services.
The meeting also called for the adoption of strategic planning mechanism to implement sustainable development strategies in the GCC region.
The recommendation also looked at the roads sector and the increase in traffic over the years against the growth of roads. It also called for the government to be a facilitator in municipal services and projects and leave the implementation to the private sector.
The meeting stressed on the introduction of green building principles and focused on the need to introduce emerging energy use and conservation measures that would improve the environment and reduce the emission of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases. It called for scouting for and implementing better measures to enhance the green building concept. The observatory could function in leading and supporting independent recommendations: It called for the establishment of a database and greater interaction with experts to enhance the governance of municipalities and greater cooperation between the municipalities of the region in all aspects.
Engineer Ghasab said that the meeting was of the view that the need for feedback was paramount in providing municipal services adequately. “They discussed aerial surveys depending on the location to ensure that the needs of the community are met with,” he said.
He added that the discussion was also on the importance of establishing a panel of experts in drawing out the needs and the funds needed to ensure timely allocation of funds and also completion of projects. Creating a database for assimilating and disbursal of information that could result in provision of enhanced services was accepted. It also called for the involvement of the private sector in service delivery. The participants called for the involvement of all beneficiaries in a scheme to ensure timely provision.
Asked to evaluate the conference, he said, the conference held the patronage of His Royal Highness the Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa was attended by members from the GCC region and the technical part of it was a showpiece indeed with a global participation. “It looked at a municipality- community interaction in all services. The conference highlighted the need for municipal councils to change gears and move faster in the direction of the nation’s concept change. “
Joint action with the community to ensure a feedback on the services provided to the society, joining of hands between the different municipalities of the GCC to share the experiences in all regions, especially housing was discussed, he added. Papers on technicality of green buildings looked at prices for putting up a green building and traditional homes and found the difference negligible.
“It is now important to ensure that the findings, recommendations and experiences coming out of the conference are taken seriously and pushed forward to benefit the people of Bahrain. Periodic reviews and follow up on the proceeds of the conference need to be implemented,” he added. As President of the Bahrain Society of Engineers, “it is my appeal to involve the society in the implementation’s technical aspects so as to ensure better cooperation,” he said.