BAHRAIN’S four-year Government Action Plan will be voted on by MPs at an extraordinary Parliament session to be held tomorrow.
The parliamentary committee led by first deputy speaker Abdulnabi Salman, that was constituted to study the plan, yesterday recommended the approval of the document aimed at boosting Bahrain’s development.
Mr Salman and second deputy speaker Ahmed Qarata affirmed that the plan does not include proposals to introduce new taxes and fees, or increase existing ones, following a consensus reached with the government.
They also asserted that citizens’ welfare remained a top priority and that the Parliament would push ahead with all measures to alleviate their burden amidst high inflation.
Mr Salman and Mr Qarata were speaking at a Press conference yesterday following the weekly Parliament session at the National Assembly Complex in Gudaibiya.
They said MPs would work with the government to review social welfare benefits and subsidies, reinstate the three per cent rise for pensioners, support higher education and training and increase wages for the government and private sectors.
“We will also study the possibility of subsidising electricity and water for expatriates and companies,” Mr Salman said.
“While the government and legislators will primarily focus on reactivating social welfare criteria, other measures would be determined based on revenues, spending and deficits in the national budget, which will be presented within two months from tomorrow.
“The leadership has assured Speaker Ahmed Al Musallam that existing citizens’ welfare and benefits will not be touched and that’s enough for us.
“The GAP doesn’t include any plans to introduce new taxes and fees or increase existing ones and that, we believe, is a government commitment. The power to introduce taxes is now with the National Assembly and obviously, we, the 40 members of Parliament, will not go against the will of the people.”
Mr Salman stressed the need for a clear roadmap to help citizens who have been hit by the rising cost of living.
“The new measures introduced by the Cabinet to curb inflation are for three months, but a roadmap is vital and we need to assess social welfare and subsidies. We also need to review wages for both public and public sectors, support for pensioners and other schemes within 185 initiatives that the government has agreed to work with us on.
“Electricity and water bills for companies and expatriates will be reviewed while better subsidised rates will be given to nationals.
“Bahrainisation schemes that include new wage support will be later announced with clear nationalisation percentages in each sector becoming obligatory.
“We have sought support for local media houses, and would push for rescue packages to salvage the sector that has been hit by the rising popularity of social media.”
Meanwhile, Mr Qarata, who is vice-head of the committee, said the new mechanisms will be detailed following the approval of the Plan.
“We are at a challenging time, when citizens’ lives have been hit by local, regional and international developments and there is anticipation for real mechanisms and measures to improve standards of living,” he said.
“The utility bills of expats are 10-fold compared to that of citizens and even foreign investors trying to do business here are forced to pay unreasonably-high bills. Expats deserve a better working environment, but we have to acknowledge that our citizens come first, and they will continue being our biggest point of interest.”
The panel unanimously recommended the approval of the plan following which Mr Al Musallam announced the extraordinary session for voting tomorrow.
The session witnessed chaos as MPs Mohammed Al Rifaee, Mohammed Al Hussaini and Mohammed Al Buloshi confronted Mr Al Musallam, Mr Salman and Mr Qarata over details on the Action Plan.
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