HRH Premier issues five edicts

Manama, Aug. 19 – (BNA): His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa today issued Edicts No.: 30, 31, 32, 33, and 34/2014.
First: Edict No.: 30/2014 stipulated writing off electricity and water charges as well as municipal fees from the families of some deceased subscribers with a maximum limit of one year which have not been settled until the date of enforcement of the provisions of this edict in observance of humanitarian aspects and so as to assist these families.

The edict tasked the Minister of State for Electricity and Water Affairs to issue the necessary resolutions, directives and circulars for implementation of this edict in coordination with the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning regarding municipal fees. The edict comes into effect as from the day following its publication in the Official Gazette.

Second: Edict No.: 31/2014 issued by HRH the Prime Minister stipulated the fees collectible on issuance and/or renewal of licensure to a manpower recruitment office. The edict also stipulated the charges collectible for issuance and/or renewal of professional activity licensure to a foreign business owner including charges collectible from the foreign business owner on permit to carry out professional activity, No Objection Certificate (NOC) and the Kingdom’s entry visa, residence permit, re-entry visa, medical checkup and ID card.

The edict also stipulated the fees collectible for issuance of licensure to a manpower agency and its renewal fees.

It also stipulated the charges collectible from the business owner per work permit related to domestic servants and their equivalent. The edict tasked the Minister of Labour cum Chairman of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) and all the relevant authorities to implement this edict which should be enforced as from the day following its publication in the Official Gazette.

Third: Edict No.: 32/2014 issued by HRH the Prime Minister stipulated the restructuring of the National Committee for Standardization and Metrology, under the chairmanship of the Minister of Industry and Commerce and membership of a number of representatives from the relevant ministries, including the Interior Ministry, the Finance Ministry, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Housing, the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning, the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Transport, the Legislation and Legal Opinion Commission and the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The panel, chaired by the Industry and Commerce Minister, will include the Assistant Undersecretary for Standards and Consumer Protection at the Ministry of Industry of Commerce as Deputy Chairman.

Members include the Assistant Undersecretary for Resources and Information at the Ministry of Finance, Director of Industrial Development at the Industry and Commerce Ministry, Director of Licensing Affairs at the Interior Ministry’s General Directorate of Traffic, Public Health Director at the Health Ministry and Director of EWA’s Electricity and Water Conservation.

Other members include the Advisor to Housing Minister for Planning and Development, Director of Materials Engineering at the Ministry of Works, Director of Legislation and the Official Gazette at the Legislation and Legal Opinion Commission, Director Human Resources Development at the Ministry of Labour, Director of Technical Services at the Muharraq Governorate, Director of Aviation Safety at the Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Nader Mohammed Al-Bastaki, Dr. Abdulrahim Mohammed Abbas and two representatives from the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Members will be appointed for renewable three-year terms.

Fourth: Edict No.: 33/2014 issued by HRH the Prime Minister stipulated the restricting of the National Committee on Banning the Introduction, Production or Use and the Destruction of Chemical Weapons under the chairmanship of the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and membership of representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Ministry, the BDF, the Ministry of Health, the General Directorate of Civil Defence, the Customs Affairs in the Interior Ministry in addition to representatives from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning, the Supreme Council for the Environment and a representative from the National Oil and Gas Authority. The duration of their membership shall be for a term of three years renewable for other similar periods.

Fifth: Edict No.: 34/2014 issued by HRH the Prime Minister stipulated the approval of audit reports issued from the National Authority for Qualifications and Quality Assurance of Education and Training (QQA), specifically 31 reports of the unit of school performance auditing, 5 reports of the unit of school performance auditing, 12 reports of the unit of vocational training institutions performance auditing and 3 auditing reports of the programmes of higher educational institutions.

The edict endorsed the National Examinations issued QQA, including the report on the result of the National Examinations second session grade 12, the reports of examination senior markers on the second session grade 12.

The edict also stipulated publishing the aforesaid reports according to the phased system of audit reports issuance and the National Examinations at QQA issued by Edict No.: 49/2009.