Parliament witnessed a heated debate yesterday after a minister told MPs to stop interfering in municipal matters, describing such meddling as unconstitutional.
Parliament and Shura Council Affairs Minister Ghanim Al Buainain made the remark during discussions on an urgent proposal to name a street linking Hunainiya Avenue and Al Muaskar Avenue in the Southern Governorate after the late Abdulla bin Hamad bin Hassan Al Majid Al Nuaimi.
Mr Al Buainain asked MPs to halt the debate, stressing that naming of roads falls exclusively under municipal jurisdiction.
“This is municipal work, and the municipal council takes full credit – not anyone here,” he told MPs.
“As chairman of the roads, avenues, squares and highways naming committee, I received through proper channels a proposal from the Southern Municipal Council to name the avenue after Mr Al Nuaimi, and I approved it.”
He added that the final location and implementation were still being processed, but insisted Parliament had no constitutional authority to discuss the issue.
Parliament’s legal affairs committee chairman Dr Saleh Al Gatheeth agreed with the minister, acknowledging that the matter was outside MPs’ jurisdiction.
However, he noted that similar municipal issues had previously been approved by Parliament and forwarded to the government despite the lack of formal authority.
The urgent proposal, submitted by a group of MPs led by Speaker Ahmed Al Musallam, cited Mr Al Nuaimi’s long-standing contributions to the Riffa area, particularly his role since 2014 in following up infrastructure works on the road and co-ordinating with senior officials to overcome obstacles and serve residents.
Meanwhile, other urgent proposals were approved unanimously during yesterday’s session and referred to the Cabinet for review. They include:
- Allocating separate funding for rain emergencies rather than depending on the concerned ministry’s budgets.
- Enhancing career prospects and improving financial conditions for Bahrainis with university degrees employed in ministries, government agencies and companies affiliated with Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company.
- Boosting Bahrainisation in the field of car inspections.
- To turn temporary employees in the Jaffari Waqf Directorate into full timers.
- To introduce a governmental leadership programme for current and future jobs.
- Increase financial support for widows, orphans and divorcees.
- Develop the social homes’ associations.
- Demolish dilapidated social housing apartment buildings in Muharraq and replace them with homes.
Two legislations amending the 2002 Fishing, Exploitation and Protection of Marine Resources Law have been postponed for further deliberations.
Mr Al Musallam also notified MPs about Parliament’s financial and economic affairs committee chairman MP Ahmed Al Salloom chairing a GCC consultative meeting on his behalf prior to the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) session in Doha.
Mr Al Musallam will officially chair the APA from January 1, 2026.
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