Press Conference on Weekly Cabinet Meeting

Embassy Newsletter 25 November 2014

Manama, Nov. 16. (BNA) — The Cabinet has stressed that taking part in the upcoming legislative and municipal elections is a national duty that reflects responsibility and care towards national interests.
Chaired today at the Gudaibiya Palace by Deputy Premier Shaikh Mohammed bin Mibarak Al Khalifa, the cabinet urged citizens to practise their national and constitutional right by voting in the elections.

The cabinet emphasised that disruption, calls to boycott the elections, and attacking candidates are all acts that are punishable by the law and are against the national interests, Minister of State for Information Affairs and the Official Spokesperson of the Government Sameera Ebrahim bin Rajab said during a press conference following today’s session..

The Cabinet discussed and approved a memorandum presented by the Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Works in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM Berhad), the Minister told reporters, adding that the MoU aims to establish cooperation in the field of quality assurance and the development of standards and specifications, and to provide consultancy and training in the construction industry.

The Council of Ministers also reviewed a memo presented by the Minister of Shura Council and Parliament Affairs on the work of the Ministerial Committee for Follow-up on the implementation of the Supreme Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) resolution.
Bahrain has completed the implementation of all of the Supreme Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) decisions. It has also issued the necessary legislative tools and published them in the Official Gazette, the Official Spokesperson explained.

She added that the Cabinet had discussed and approved a memorandum presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs on supporting the UN efforts in the fight against Ebola, and contributing to the United Nations Special Fund for the Fight against Ebola, for the aim of providing treatment to those infected with the Ebola virus, ensuring basic services, security and stability to the communities suffering from Ebola.

The Cabinet discussed a memorandum presented by the Minister of Finance and the Minister in Charge of Oil and Gas Affairs on the issuance of a ministerial resolution determining the subsidised oil by-products which must not be exported, she said, explaining that the draft resolution is in line with Law No. (36) of 2014 on criminalising and combating the smuggling of the subsidized oil by-products.

The Cabinet decided to refer the memo to the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs for further study.

Another memo, presented by the Minister of Labour on those eligible for subsidy and unemployment insurance, as well as data on training, employment and vacancies in the 3rd quarter of 2014, was also reviewed during the session.
The report revealed a stable unemployment rate of 3.6% during the 3rd quarter of 2014 as well as an increase of 32% in the number of trainees for the same period, the Minister said.

A memo, presented by the Minister of Health on payment of voluntary assessed contributions of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), was also discussed and approved, she added, noting that the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which the Kingdom of Bahrain acceded to in 2006, aims to enact a set of universal standards stating the dangers of tobacco and limiting its use in all forms worldwide as well as to reduce its negative effects on both smokers and those around them.

The Cabinet was briefed by the Minister of Housing on current and future housing programmes and projects.
The presentation showed an increase in housing services between the years 2010–2014. The number of housing services offered was 19076, and covered housing units, freehold apartments, various types of mortgages, housing lands, and temporary apartments, the Government’s Official Spokesperson said.