HRH was speaking during a Cabinet meeting urged citizens to assume national responsibility and embrace the spirit of the National Action Charter in renouncing violence, divide and strife as well as maintaining Bahrain’s stability and unity for a brighter future.
Marking the National Action Charter anniversary, HRH the Prime Minister congratulated His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the Bahraini people on the national occasion, urging to draw lessons from the National Action Charter which was voted by the majority of the Bahraini people to be the catalyst of political, economic and social progress.
The cabinet lauded Al Azhar Grand Imam’s supportive stance towards the GCC countries, in general, and Bahrain’s sovereignty and Arab identity, in particular.
In light of a memorandum submitted by the Deputy Premier and Head of the Supreme Committee for Information and Communication Technology, the ministerial council directed government bodies to take advantage of Bahrain’s hosting of the UN Public Services Forum which will be held under the patronage of HM the King next June and which coincides with the UN Public Services Day celebrations.
The cabinet approved a draft decree to set up a Supreme Information and Communication Authority in charge of mapping out the general information and communication policy in Bahrain and follow up on its implementation.
The authority will have to assume its duties with utter freedom, impartiality and independence to achieve the supreme national interest preserve social unity and protect freedom of expression.
It will also be assigned with receiving complaints related to the media content and compromising between involved parties.
In line with a memorandum submitted by the Education Minister and Chairman of the Higher Education Council, the ministerial council directed to preserve quality of higher education and upgrade its output so as to uphold the kingdom’s status and good reputation in the educational field. It urged more regulations to be put in place to control performance of universities and ensure their compliance with set up rules.
The council also directed to fast-track development in Bahrain by availing of the GCC support programme to carry out more citizen-oriented projects.
The cabinet also directed to carry on with efforts to decrease unemployment rates and reviewed positive results brought about in this respect despite global economic challenges.
The Health Minister updated the ministerial council on the outcome of the International Conference on Sickle Cell Disease: Prevention and Cure which was held recently under the patronage of HRH the Premier.
The cabinet underlined the importance of such conferences and the need to carry out recommendations and include them in the Health Ministry’s future plan.
The council approved a proposal to increase funds earmarked for youth centres across Bahrain.
It approved a proposal to relocate worksites and workshops from the Green Belt Zone in Zinj and Biled Al-Qadeem and turn the Green Belt Zone into an environmental reserve and national park.
It also approved a proposal to turn Hamad Town Sport and Cultural Centre into a sport and cultural club and provide a building for it.
The cabinet also approved a proposal to allocate a land plot for a public park in Hamad Town and another proposal to provide the Syrian people in Bahrain with the needed facilities, in line with existing laws and regulations, until the security situation improves in their home country.