Deputy Premier Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa chaired at the Gudaibiya Palace the weekly cabinet meeting.
The cabinet affirmed that high national interest should be prioritized and that no group can be allowed to keep defying the law, adding that the sound directives issued yesterday by His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa during his meeting with the trade community will consolidate security and stability across the kingdom and promote Bahrain as a trade and investment hub.
The cabinet also commended the stance voiced by the Representatives Council, reflecting the popular will, represented by its Speaker Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Dhahrani who rejected unauthorized rallies, given their negative impacts on the national economy, and called for holding violators accountable.
In light of the briefing presented by Interior Minister Lieutenant-General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa who focused the overall situation in the Kingdom, including Friday’s unlicensed march and its security and economic repercussions, Deputy Premier Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa reiterated the government’s resolve to put in place the necessary measures in order to spread security and stability through maintaining law and order, put an end to violations and prevent incitement to violence and calls from breaking the law.
The cabinet also emphasised that the cultures of self-opinionated and exclusion are alien to a co-existent, loving and plurality-respecting society like the Bahraini one.
The Deputy Premier welcomed the inclusion of Muharraq in the list of World List of Developed Cities among 1500 cities which submitted their nominations to the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), noting that such an historic achievement is a living proof of the success of the government’s development plans.
After that, the cabinet approved to allocate BD 2.200.000 as part of the second phase of the compensations on the death cases that occurred during the regretful incidents that gripped the kingdom last year, within the civil settlement initiative recommended by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI).
By the end of this phase, the 35 death cases mentioned in BICI’s report, in addition to two other ones will have been covered.
The cabinet also expressed its keen desire to enhance private high education’s performance and quality so as to preserve the kingdom’s educational reputation.
The cabinet also endorsed an executive plan presented by the Social Development Minister on youngsters’ issues, highlighting the responsibility of their parents to keep them away from violence and promote nation-loving culture among them.
The cabinet approved renaming the General Organisation of Sea Ports as the “Ports and Navigation Affairs” and affiliated it with the Transport Ministry.
The Cabinet agreed to re-organise the Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry through transferring the General Directorate for Protection of Marine Resources from the Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment and Wildlife to it.
The cabinet approved the establishment of a Supreme Council for Environment which will replace the Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment and Wildlife.
Another draft law on civil aviation aiming to cope with the latest changes in the civil aviation sector around the world was also endorsed during the session.
The cabinet also agreed to re-organise the Transport Ministry in line of its new duties regarding the ports and maritime navigation affairs, civil aviation, land transport and post and decided to take the necessary legal and executive procedures.
The Culture Minister presented the cabinet with a common perception to design the streets of the country during the National and Accession Days.
The cabinet also discussed a proposal to amend Decree-Law 27 of 1999 regarding the establishment and regulation of industrial areas and referred it to the Ministerial Committee on Services and Infrastructure and the Ministerial Committee on Legal Affairs for further study.
A draft law adding a new article to the Kingdom’s Penal Code promulgated by Law 15 for 1976 and another on amending article 76 of the Land Registration Law promulgated by Law 15 of 1979 were also discussed.