The institutions concerned must further facilitate business and commercial procedures to enable local and foreign businessmen to effectively take part in investment projects, His Majesty the King, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, said yesterday.
In an address to open the fourth session of the first term of the National Assembly, King Hamad said that such a move was a priority of the economic reform the assembly had begun “through a more precise verification of revenues and expenditure, in fruitful cooperation with the government.”
HM the King said Bahrain had proved its ability to make progress, “in perfect harmony between the trends in our civilisational plan and the honourable work accomplished by the government headed by His Highness the Prime Minister, in cooperation with you, as part of our free national choices in support of the comprehensive development.
“Indicators point to a rise in the rates of economic and investment growth, and improvement in the standard of services provided to citizens, particularly housing services – and action is being taken to double those housing services.”
With regard to the labour market and its systems, King Hamad said that “the government’s efforts to draw up a draft law on social security for job-seekers have reached their final stages.”
HM the King hoped the law would be ready to be implemented early next year and said: “All preparations to implement the national employment plan have been completed. The plan underlines the State’s determination to provide suitable work opportunities to all job-seekers. The reform of the labour market will continue to be a subject of discussion.”
King Hamad said: “We also value the important role of the Economic Development Council, which is headed by His Highness the Crown Prince and BDF Commander-in-Chief. The council has undertaken the task of advancing economic policies that aim to bring about the participation of the private sector and citizens in shouldering the responsibility, while the State coordinates and regulates the process.
“In order that the executive branch and all its directorates are better able to fulfil citizens’ needs, each ministry will define the priorities of its work and its basic objectives as a starting point to renew the government programme in this stage, so as to serve everyone.
“We are pleased to point to the big and effective role you have carried out in a short time in the past to fulfil many of the people’s hopes, wishes and aspirations,” King Hamad said, adding that the Shura Council and the Chamber of Deputies had taken into consideration the interests of the nation and the citizens and made the will of the people the source of laws they enacted and the decisions they made.
With regard to the Gulf Cooperation Council, HM the King said that “we hold on to this Gulf Arab entity, which represents a vital pillar in the edifice of its Arab nation and strive to strengthen the rapprochement and integration among the fraternal peoples of the GCC.”






After HM the King’s address, as the proceedings of the Shura Council started, Abdulrahman Jamsheer was elected the First Deputy Chairman and Mansoor bin Rajab the Second Deputy Chairman. Sadiq Al Shahabi took the oath of office as a new member appointed for the term in place of Hashim Al Bash, who has been appointed the Kingdom’s Ambassador to France.
During the Chamber of Deputies proceedings, the deputies agreed not to replace the heads of the permanent committees and to include them as members of the Chamber’s administrative office.
The deputies asked the latter to select seven members, who had not been selected before, to write a reply to HM the King’s address.
The Chamber also selected four deputies for the Parliamentary Affairs Executive Committee as it represents the Chamber at regional and international parliamentary meetings.
Last update on: 2-10-2005