A parliamentary committee recommended today (March 30) approval on an urgent legislation to withdraw money from the Unemployment Fund to pay for the wages of Bahrainis in the private sector for the next three months.
The services committee, chaired by MP Mamdooh Al Saleh, held a video-conferenced meeting in which all seven members agreed to make no amendments.
The legislation, which will voted on during Parliament session tomorrow, aims to support 100,000 Bahrainis at a cost of BD215 million.
Both Parliament and the Shura Council will have two weeks each to review and vote on the legislation or it will be considered ratified by His Majesty King Hamad.
It is part of an economic package worth BD4.3 billion approved on Monday to offset the impact of Covid-19.
The eight financial initiatives include a waiver on electricity and water bills for all accounts – including individuals and commercial – for three months and a delay of bank loan instalments for six months for those impacted by the virus.
The other initiatives include doubling the Liquidity Fund to BD200 million, and exempting tourism facilities from tourism fees for three months, among others.
It followed feedback from the Finance and National Economy Minister Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa and Labour and Social Development Minister Jameel Humaidan.
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