V.L. Srinivasan
Manama (Bahrain) Feb 20:
The political impasse currently being faced in the Council of Representatives is not expected to have any affect on the state budget for the next two years, a senior member of the Shura Council said yesterday.
The main opposition bloc in parliament, Al Wefaq, which holds 18 seats in the 40-member Lower House, announced earlier this week that it was suspending its participation in Parliament following deadly clashes between protesters and security forces. The Al Wefaq MPs say they want amendments to be made to the Constitution.
The draft budget proposals for 2011 and 2012 were introduced last month and were being discussed by the members of the Shura Council and the Lower House. Some of the amendments proposed by the Parliament were agreed to by the Government and a final debate on the budget was expected to be held in the coming days.
“We hope that the issue will be settled and that the opposition members reconsider their decision and return to fulfill their commitments,” Shura Council member and Chairman of the Council’s Financial and Economic Affairs Committee Khalid Al Maskati told DT.
He said that Al Wefaq’s decision to withdraw from Parliament is not a good sign and sends the wrong signal to voters. He added that the Lower and Upper Houses of Parliament should work together to ratify the budget proposals and ensure prosperity and welfare for citizens.
Member of Parliament and Vice Chairman of the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee Othman Mohamed Al Rayes also expressed confidence that there would be no hitch in passing the budget as the Parliament must approve it within six weeks of beginning the budget debate.
The budget proposals, announced by Finance Minister Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa last month, say that the Government will spend BD5.3 billion over the next two years. The budget is based on the estimate of oil prices being around $100 per barrel.
Subsequently, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa issued directives for an additional BD155 million to be added to the budget to fund welfare programmes. Priority has been accorded to key sectors such as housing, which has a budget of BD240 million, healthcare, with a budget of BD534 million, and education, for which BD660 million has been allocated. An additional BD341 million will go to infrastructure development.
Manama (Bahrain) Feb 20:
The political impasse currently being faced in the Council of Representatives is not expected to have any affect on the state budget for the next two years, a senior member of the Shura Council said yesterday.
The main opposition bloc in parliament, Al Wefaq, which holds 18 seats in the 40-member Lower House, announced earlier this week that it was suspending its participation in Parliament following deadly clashes between protesters and security forces. The Al Wefaq MPs say they want amendments to be made to the Constitution.
The draft budget proposals for 2011 and 2012 were introduced last month and were being discussed by the members of the Shura Council and the Lower House. Some of the amendments proposed by the Parliament were agreed to by the Government and a final debate on the budget was expected to be held in the coming days.
“We hope that the issue will be settled and that the opposition members reconsider their decision and return to fulfill their commitments,” Shura Council member and Chairman of the Council’s Financial and Economic Affairs Committee Khalid Al Maskati told DT.
He said that Al Wefaq’s decision to withdraw from Parliament is not a good sign and sends the wrong signal to voters. He added that the Lower and Upper Houses of Parliament should work together to ratify the budget proposals and ensure prosperity and welfare for citizens.
Member of Parliament and Vice Chairman of the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee Othman Mohamed Al Rayes also expressed confidence that there would be no hitch in passing the budget as the Parliament must approve it within six weeks of beginning the budget debate.
The budget proposals, announced by Finance Minister Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa last month, say that the Government will spend BD5.3 billion over the next two years. The budget is based on the estimate of oil prices being around $100 per barrel.
Subsequently, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa issued directives for an additional BD155 million to be added to the budget to fund welfare programmes. Priority has been accorded to key sectors such as housing, which has a budget of BD240 million, healthcare, with a budget of BD534 million, and education, for which BD660 million has been allocated. An additional BD341 million will go to infrastructure development.
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