(Manama) – His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa chaired the regular weekly Cabinet session at Gudaibiya Palace.
The Cabinet lauded the successful visit of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, to the US where he met President Donald Trump and senior US officials.
The session hailed the military, economic and trade agreements signed between the two countries on the sidelines of HRH the Crown Prince’s visit, describing them as value-added agreements that will further strengthen bilateral relations.
In this regard, the Cabinet praised the Bahraini-US relations and the positive changes they are witnessing thanks to the understanding and openness to friends and allies by the US Administration, a statement by the Cabinet Secretary-General, Dr. Yasser bin Isa Al-Nasser, said.
The Prime Minister gave directives to follow up on the remarks in the report of the National Audit Office (NAO), and to take the necessary measures to rectify them as required by the auditing approach adopted by the government and all its departments.
HRH Premier gave instructions to refer the NAO report to the Executive Committee, chaired by HRH the Crown Prince, to oversee the verification of its substantial remarks and recommendations, in accordance with the mechanism it had created while scrutinising previous NAO reports.
The Cabinet Affairs Minister was tasked with following up on the matter.
HRH Premier praised the role of foreign investments in supporting the government’s efforts to consolidate the comprehensive development process in various fields, giving directives to encourage investment institutions through providing them with all kinds of support, including the participation in the events that they organise and that enjoy the government’s care and support.
On development issues, HRH the Prime Minister followed up on the results of the visits of services ministers, upon his directives, to villages and towns to identify the needs of their citizens.
Today’s session reviewed two reports on the achievements regarding health and youth and sport services in 19 villages, regions and towns, including Duraz, Budaiya, Bani Jamra, Al Qurayyah, Um Al-Hassam, Al-Hoora and Gudaibiya, Galali, Sitra, Al-Nabih Saleh, Isa Town, Al-Malkiya, Arad, Al-Dair, Al-Hidd, Al-Naim, Ras Rumman, Zallaq and Askar.
Concerning health needs, three new health centres will be builtin Duraz, Sitra and Galali, two health centres in Al-Hidd and Ras Rumman will be expanded and the Sitra Maternity hospital will be rebuilt.
The projects will be given priority in the Government Action Plan, as outlined in the report submitted by the Minister of Health.
As regards youth and sports needs in the 19 regions, villages and towns are concerned, some demands have already been met, while work in others is being planned or has already commenced, a report by the Youth and Sport Affairs Minister said.
The projects include the establishment of a building with a stadium for Galali Club, the building of new sports hall in Sitra, the acquisition of a land plot to set up football stadiums for Um Al-Hassam, Al Qurayyah, Hoora and Gudaibiya residents.
HRH Premier instructed to include the urgent needs of the villages, regions and towns visited by the service ministers in their current budgets, in coordination with the Ministry of Finance.
Tackling education issues, the Prime Minister gave directives to the Ministry of Education to devise a plan to gradually get rid of makeshift classrooms and replace them by built ones according to clear schedule.
The Cabinet discussed a recommendation by the Executive Committee to establish a National Ambulance Centre, to be affiliated with the Interior Ministry.
The centre will enhance the efficiency of the ambulance services in the kingdom, a memorandum by the Interior Minister said.
The session discussed a draft decree on the establishment and organisation of the National Ambulance Centre, and referred it to the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs.
The session also discussed, based on another recommendation by the Executive Committee, the provision of the vehicle technical inspection by the private sector, under the supervision and control of the General Directorate of Traffic at the Interior Ministry.
The move aims to ensure easy procedures for clients, in accordance with the conditions to be determined by the General Directorate of Traffic.
The session referred to the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs a draft edict on licensing legal persons to deliver technical inspection services, included in a memorandum presented by the Interior Minister.
The Cabinet also discussed, based on a recommendation by the Executive Committee and a memorandum by the Interior Minister, launching special plates for classic cars.
It also discussed the regulations governing the registration of imported used cars, as well as the use of distinguished or semi-distinguished plate numbers on rented cars or leased private cars.
The session referred a draft edict to the Ministerial Committee on amending Edict 154/2015 on the issuance of the by-law of the Traffic Law promulgated by Law 23/2014, and another on amending Edict 96/2017 on implementing a new guide for the sale of distinguished and semi-distinguished plate numbers.
The Cabinet approved three proposals submitted by the Council of Representatives on establishing stadiums in residential areas, the replacement of makeshift classrooms and the licenses and certificates issued by the Directorate of Criminal Information.
