KHALID Al Maskati made history after he was re-elected Shura Council’s financial and economic affairs committee chairman for the 19th consecutive year yesterday.
This is unprecedented as no one has been re-elected so many times as any committee chairman in the Shura Council or Parliament since the start of the National Assembly in October 2002.
However, on October 13, Jamal Fakhro was re-elected as the upper chamber’s first vice-chairman for the 19th consecutive time.
Mr Al Maskati’s re-election came as top posts on the Shura Council’s key committees were filled during its weekly session yesterday.
Redha Faraj was elected vice-chairman of the financial and economic affairs committee for the sixth consecutive time.
For the 13th consecutive year, Dalal Al Zayed was elected chairwoman of the legislative and legal affairs committee, and Shaikh Adel Al Maawada vice-chairman for the sixth time.
Dr Mohammed Hassan was elected public utilities and environment affairs committee chairman for the sixth time, with Juma Al Kaabi vice-chairman for the 12th time.
Former Information Affairs Minister Ali Al Rumaihi was elected for the third year running as the foreign affairs, defence and national security committee chairman while Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa was also elected vice-chairman for the third year in a row.
Dr Jameela Al Salman was elected services committee chairwoman and Talal Al Mannai as vice-chairman, both for the first time.
Leena Qassim was elected, for the first time, chairwoman of the woman and child committee with Ejlal Bubshait as vice-chairwoman also for the first time.
The committee chairmen and chairwomen will join Shura Council Chairman Ali Saleh Al Saleh and his two deputies, Mr Fakhro and second vice-chairwoman Dr Jihad Al Fadhel, in the general secretariat office.
Redha Monfaridi was elected chairman of the youth and sports committee and Hisham Al Qassab as vice-chairman, while Dr Mohammed Al Khozaie was elected as human rights committee chairman for the third year running and Ali Al Shehabi as vice-chairman for the second time.
A 12-member committee chaired by Mr Fakhro was also appointed to prepare a draft reply to His Majesty King Hamad’s opening address of the National Assembly’s new term.
Four members of the nine-member Executive Parliamentary Committee, responsible for overseas participations and selections, were elected and headed automatically by National Assembly and Parliament Speaker Ahmed Al Musallam.
They are: Mr Fakhro, Mr Monfaridi, Dr Al Khozaie and Dr Ali Al Haddad.
They will join four MPs who will be elected tomorrow during Parliament’s weekly session.
During yesterday’s Shura Council session, members were also notified about royal decrees issued by the King during the five-month National Assembly recess.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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