The executive and legislative authorities today held a meeting to discuss the details of the new programmes launched by Labour Fund (Tamkeen); in implementation of the directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on creating promising opportunities for citizens, and following the approval of the Cabinet headed by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prince Minister, and the directives of His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Isa bin Salman Education Charitable Trust, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Tamkeen.
The programmes were a result of the consensus reached by the two authorities during the deliberations on the general state budget.
The meeting was co-chaired by Speaker Ahmed bin Salman Al Musallam, Shura Council Chairman Ali bin Saleh Al Saleh and Jameel bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan, the Labour Minister.
It was attended by Ghanem bin Fadhl Al Buainain, the Minister of Shura and Representatives Councils Affairs; Hamad bin Faisal Al Malki, Minister of Cabinet Affairs; heads and members of the financial and economic affairs committees in the legislative councils; Maha Mufeez, CE of Tamkeen, and a number of officials.
The programmes are aimed at supporting 50,000 Bahrainis annually through three main initiatives, which are supporting new labour market entrants, creating quality opportunities for them, while enabling career development for Bahraini cadres to become the employees of choice in the labour market.
The Speaker of the Council of Representatives commended the royal directives on creating promising opportunities for citizens, praising the efforts of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister to make Bahrainis a preferred choice for employment and providing them with quality opportunities, considering that they are the main objective of development.
The Speaker also welcomed the instructions of His Highness the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Isa bin Salman Education Charitable Trust, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Tamkeen on launching the programmes that will support the employment of Bahrainis and their career growth.
He affirmed parliamentary support for initiatives and programmes aimed at increasing the wages of Bahrainis, supporting the role of the private sector as the key driver of growth, boosting attributes that attract investment, providing suitable job opportunities for citizens and meeting labour market requirements.
The Speaker underlined the importance of cooperation with Tamkeen to achieve the objectives of the newly launched programmes and to highlight their goals and action mechanism in manner. He also noted the importance of cooperation to ensure the rights of all parties involved and to increase incentives and benefits for private sector entities to encourage their active participation in the programme, in compliance with the principles of national duty and community responsibility.
The Speaker commended the efforts of Tamkeen, emphasising the importance of focusing on increasing the percentage of Bahrainisation in leadership and managerial roles and following up on the implementation of the programmes to support the national economy increase the wages of Bahrainis in the private sector and improve living standards of Bahraini citizens.
The Shura Chairman said that the package of programmes, considered the largest launched by Tamkeen, embody the royal directives and the support for the Bahraini working force in a manner that incentivises its contribution to all disciplines of national action and development.
The Chairman valued the government’s support for boosting the skills and capabilities of Bahrainis working in the private sector, noting the efforts of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister in developing the role of the private sector in the sustainability of economic growth.
Al Saleh said that the instructions of His Highness the Chairman of Tamkeen represented a major shift in its work dymamics.
He said that cooperation between Tamkeen and private sector entities supported career development and provided professional growth opportunities for Bahrainis, affirming that legislative cooperation will continue to support the employment of Bahrainis.
The Labour Minister said the royal directives have focused on making Bahraini citizens the main objective of development, and that has been reflected in the efforts of the government to provide job opportunities for Bahrainis and to make them a choice of preference in the labour market.
The minister underscored the importance of cooperation between the legislative and executive branches, in coordination with Tamkeen, to support the implementation of the programmes that contribute to overhauling the labour market.
BNA(R)
