MPs have unanimously voted to force the government to halt a fishing ban on Sheri, Safi and Andaq in the kingdom’s territorial waters in April and May.
The urgent proposal, which was presented by the Strategic Thinking Bloc, will now be reviewed by the Cabinet.
Bloc president MP Ahmed Al Salloom clarified that the part – prohibiting the export of fish, shrimp and other marine creatures caught in the kingdom’s territorial waters, whether they are fresh, frozen, salty, canned or smoked – is not included in the proposal.
“The three fish varieties are integral to every Ramadan dish and meal and banning their catch and sale at this time is wrong,” said Mr Al Salloom.
“At any other time of the year we would have welcomed the ban, fully aware that the measure is aimed at protecting fish stocks,” he added.
“Decisions that don’t involve consultation with those concerned – in this case fishermen – have to stop.”
MPs also unanimously voted on an urgent proposal by five MPs led by Hanan Fardan to resume mass weddings organised by social and charity societies suspended by the Social Development Ministry claiming that it was unnecessary spending.
Ms Fardan said there are philanthropists who donate specifically for wedding parties, others for furniture and electronics, and others for dowry and expenses.
She was backed by MP Bader Al Tamimi who said mass weddings have been going on in Bahrain for 30 years without interruption.
“If there are violators, they face action individually, but when it comes to something that is making people happy and there are no complaints, why stop it?” said Mr Al Tamimi.
Parliament also forwarded the following urgent proposals approved unanimously to the Cabinet:
- Halting the Housing and Urban Planning Ministry’s Tas’heel Ta’awon (joint financing) scheme following complaints from Bahrainis entering as partners to buy plots of land or homes under a sharing system and disagreements on parts;
- Renovating and expanding the first mosque (Dowaisan) built in Hamad Town 40 years ago.
MPs postponed for a month a debate on new insertions to the 1976 Penal Code despite the presence of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Minister Nawaf Al Maawda.
Theft using mobile phones, computers, tablets or any other electronic, magnetic, electrochemical or visual device with the ability to send, receive, process, store and restore data in high speed will be punished with no less than three months in jail.
If the intent is to steal information, data or pictures then the punishment is no less than a year in jail.
The punishment is a maximum two years in jail or a fine of up to BD500 if the attempted hack is from device to device.
The punishment is a maximum two years in jail, or fine of up to BD500, or both, if the theft occurs with the intent of extracting information, data or pictures.
Parliament Speaker Ahmed Al Musallam wondered what an electrochemical device was, saying that MPs should vote on a clear legislation.
Meanwhile, MP Jamal Hassan demanded to know why three members of the subsidies and social welfare redirection committee had resigned.
Mr Al Musallam said he would give MPs a clear answer once he knew the reasons.
It was also announced that 17 MPs had signed up so far on a request to question Transportation and Telecommunications Minister Mohammed Al Ka’abi, who is politically responsible for the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, over alleged irregularities in Gulf Air.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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