Bahraini cabinet condemns intimidation of electoral candidates

The cabinet has condemned the recent violent and systematic intimidation campaign staged against electoral candidates, reiterating the Kingdom of Bahrain’s resolve to complete the elections.
Chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, at the Gudaibiya Palace today, the cabinet stressed that Bahrain would respond to such violence within the strict guidelines that protect both the rights of voters and candidates.
The cabinet affirmed that that the forthcoming elections are both enshrined in the constitution and built upon the foundation of universal suffrage.
Acts of violence directed at electoral candidates will not deter the Kingdom’s pursuit of continued democratic development, said the official government spokesperson.
Addressing the press after the cabinet, the Minister of State for Information Affairs and the Official Government Spokesperson Sameera Ebrahim bin Rajab said that the country recognises the importance of strengthening parliamentary institutions, rule of law and freedom of expression.
The cabinet commended the efforts of the Ministry of Interior for swiftly and effectively responding to those acts, which represented a serious threat to the security of the electoral candidates, she added.
Thereafter the cabinet highlighted Bahrain’s commitment to fostering innovation and creativity. It noted the importance of the "King Hamad International Award for Innovation" proves the Kingdom’s commitment to promoting creativity among the youth, as well as supporting scientific work and research in the region and across the world, said the government spokesperson.
Prospective agreements signed between the Kingdom of Bahrain and regional and international partners, including those with Thailand, were discussed by the cabinet.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince asked the Ministry of Follow up Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure swift and effective implementation of the agreements, she told reporters.
The decision follows on from instructions given by His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa.
He called for enhancing all levels of bilateral cooperation with key partners.
The Cabinet emphasised the role of the second Gulf Businesswomen Forum held under the patronage of HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ebrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of HM the King and President of the Supreme Council for Women (SCW).
Its success supported the Kingdom’s pioneering role in empowering women across the region, the spokesperson added.
Focusing on the recent developments in the Sinai Peninsula, Bahrain expressed strong condemnation of the cowardly acts of terrorism in Egypt that resulted in heavy fatalities there. It asserted that Bahrain joins international support for maintaining security and peace in the peninsula, the official spokesperson added.
The Ministry of Health was then directed to enhance coordination with the crisis committee. It stressed the importance of coordinating with specialised international organisations to prevent the Ebola virus from spreading to the Kingdom and the region.
The Cabinet reviewed a proposal outlining means to modify the pension benefits and privileges of new government ministers and approved a draft law to amend act 13 of 1975, said Sameera Ebrahim bin Rajab.
The Cabinet approved a draft law on commercial arbitration, designed to attract more foreign investment into the Kingdom. It is expected to result in the adoption of the UN's 1985 commercial arbitration model (UNCITRAL), including all the amendments introduced to the model in 2006.
The draft law concerning civil and commercial disputes involving foreigner parties would be referred to the Executive Committee, led by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, for further study. These would form part of devising effective laws to tackle trade disputes under strict guidelines that match international standards.
The cabinet also reviewed the e-Complaints and suggestions system (Tawasul), focusing on the effective use of the e-service by government entities to address all complaints and suggestions submitted by citizens.
The Cabinet approved an MoU on facilitating the establishment of a unified regional electricity market to further enhance a short and long term power infrastructure and encourage investments in power generation and transmission across the region.
A memorandum between the National Authority for Qualifications and Quality Assurance for Education and Training (QAA) in Bahrain and the UAE was approved. The memorandum aimed to boost collaboration and coordination between the two institutions in Bahrain and the UAE, the spokesperson said.
The cabinet welcomed the forthcoming two-day Gulf Regional Seminar, which will take place on November 19-20 in Bahrain. The forum targets the Arab Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ANQAHE) member agencies in the Gulf region with the aim to create collaborative links between European and non-European QA agencies and authorities, she added.