Special session to tackle bonus issue

Manama : Under pressure from the public, the country’s lawmakers yesterday announced an urgent extraordinary session in the presence of the Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa to halt the Government’s decision to suspend the annual bonuses of public sector employees this month. 27 MPs attended the press conference held at the House of Representatives in Gudaibiya, criticising the government’s “chain of solo decisions that eventually harm citizens’ interests”.

“The decision to stop annual bonuses for public sector employees contradicts with the rights of citizens, highlighting that the council and the government have agreed to protect when the Government Action Plan (GAP) which was passed by the council almost two years ago,” informed the MPs at the press meet.

They announced that an urgent extraordinary meeting will be held to revise some of the main articles of the State budget that may contribute to rationalising public spending without harming citizens’ interests, such as halting the annual bonuses. The MPs stressed that they will prevent the government from taking similar decisions in the future. Considering the gravity of the situation, the MPs called upon the people to maintain unity, especially when economic crises grips the region.

DT News reported yesterday that an official circular that was leaked to the internet showed an “unannounced” government decision to stop all annual bonuses of public sector employees for the month of January 2017. Issued by the Deputy Prime Minister and the Financial Affairs and Rationalising Expenditure Ministerial Committee Head Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa on January 17, the decision was justified considering the financial crisis created by the oil price drop. The news sparked a wave of resentment among citizens. Rumours quickly surfaced on the web claiming that the decision was stopped and alternative solutions such as top officials’ wage cut proposed. However, no officials confirmed this.