Gulf Daily News
Monday, 19th November 2012
13
MPs set for crunch
vote on Gulf Air
Email: [email protected]
n Dr Al Dhahrani
MPs are to hold a vote on whether the current Gulf Air board
should be replaced.
The proposal has been included on
parliament’s agenda and is due to be
discussed within the next four weeks.
Parliament will also vote on the
immediate cancellation of a contract
signed with a consultancy firm hired
by the airline and whether it should
be replaced by Bahraini experts.
The two proposals were accepted
for debate in parliament by its general-secretariat yesterday, along with
demands to summon three government ministers for questioning on the
open floor of parliament.
The GDN reported last month that
the carrier could be dramatically
downsized as part of a restructuring
plan designed to reduce its losses
from BD95 million to BD58m a year
By Mohammed Al A’Ali
by 2017.
That includes massive job cuts that
would effectively halve its workforce, slashing its fleet by 50 per cent
and cutting routes with a new focus
on Asia and the Arab world.
It is part of a deal put on the table
by the government to secure National
Assembly approval for a BD185m
bailout of the carrier, after earlier
efforts to secure a rescue package
worth BD664.3m failed.
Parliament and the Shura Council
have agreed in principle to the plan,
but must officially approve it in a
vote.
The new Gulf Air proposals
accepted for debate yesterday are
among several issues lined up for
parliamentary discussion over the
next month.
One of the proposals submitted
includes stepping up control and monitoring of lottery schemes, which some
people believe are a form of gambling
and, therefore, contravene Islam.
MPs also want special parking areas for trucks at King Fahad
Causeway, Prince Khalifa Bin
Salman Port and the proposed
Bahrain-Qatar Causeway.
The GDN has repeatedly reported
that major delays are holding up
trucks trying to enter Saudi Arabia
from Bahrain.
Parliament chairman Dr Khalifa
Al Dhahrani said several key issues
were lined up for discussion on the
open floor of parliament in the coming month.
“We have tens of laws and proposals lined up for discussion and there
are several ministers who will be
summoned to respond to inquiries by
MPs,” he said.
“A number of MPs are proposing
that special parking is allocated for
trucks on three main spots in Bahrain
to help truckers and ensure less tailbacks.
“There are many issues that
include reinforcing and monitoring
lotteries, besides ideas to improve
Gulf Air’s performance,” Dr Al
Dhahrani added.
Meanwhile, three ministers will
be summoned to face a grilling from
MPs in the coming weeks.
“Amongst the questions will be a
number directed to Housing Minister
Bassim Al Hamer on housing policies, facilities for the disabled, widows and divorcees, and the number
of pending applications and future
projects,” he said.
“Justice, Islamic Affairs and
Endowments Minister Shaikh Khalid
bin Ali Al Khalifa will also be asked
to show up for questions on the ministry’s criteria for religious clergymen to be allowed to give sermons in
mosques and other venues.
“A question will be put to
Finance Minister Shaikh Ahmed bin
Mohammed Al Khalifa on Bahrain’s
diesel production from 2002 until
now.”
He said several bills presented
by MPs had also been included for
discussion.
Dr Al Dhahrani was joined by the
heads of parliament committees and
other officials at yesterday’s generalsecretariat meeting at the National
Assembly in Gudaibiya.
[email protected]