Security is a top priority and vital to further strengthening the bloc's unity, he stressed in an interview with Al Riyadh newspaper, to be published as GCC leaders begin a two-day summit in Riyadh today.

Regrettable events in Bahrain have emphasised that the security of the GCC is under threat and unmasked evil intentions of those "who do not want the good of our nations and our peoples", he said.

HRH the Premier reiterated confidence in Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah's successful leadership of the summit.

He stressed the importance of consolidating joint security and military co-ordination and adopting strategies commensurate with the threats.

HRH the Premier said the role played by the Peninsula Shield reflects the leaders' far-sightedness. Bahrain, he said, had shown restraint in handling the recent events. Democracy and development are the kingdom's strategic options, he said.

The BD8 million plot of land in Isa Town is owned by a private investor who intends to build a new shopping mall.

His plan has already won the backing of the Central Municipal Council, which is responsible for sanctioning such projects.

However, parliament has intervened and demanded the government to step in and buy the strip of land so it can be turned into a park.

The Municipalities and Urban Planning Affairs Ministry has since ordered a halt to the mall project, which would be located on the site of the old Batelco headquarters - which has been vacant for the past two decades.

Area councillor Ghazi Al Hamer is now accusing parliament of "interfering" in council business.

He added neighbours had been complaining for years that the land was a haven for insects, rats and snakes, but nothing had been done until the investor came in to build a mall.

"Let's be reasonable, the government can't acquire a BD8 million plot of land," said Mr Al Hamer.

"Stopping the investor for the sake of a parliamentary request is an unnecessary waste of time.

"The government could have purchased that land two decades ago, when it was first vacated and affordable, not now when it has been bought by an investor, who has recently fenced it.

"I don't know why parliament is interfering in our business, but the investor is receiving our utmost support for his mall project.

"We want his project to go ahead for two reasons - so that the land gets properly utilised and is beneficial to residents and because it is a good source of income for the Central Municipality, through municipal fees."

He added he was confident the mall would be built, regardless of opposition from parliament.

"We are currently holding talks with the ministry to end the saga so that the investor can carry on his work, as explained to the council," said Mr Al Hamer.

"It is clear that the land can't be bought from him for BD8m."

However, area MP and former municipal councillor Isa Al Qadi is leading objections to the new mall.

He claims voters want to see a public park there instead.

"Even if the land has changed hands from Batelco to an investor, that doesn't mean the government can't purchase it," said Mr Al Qadi.

"The government has put itself in a situation where the land has reached BD8m, but previously arrangements have been reached with investors to buy land earmarked for private projects turned into public property.

"There is the nearby Isa Town Mall a kilometre away from this land that shoppers can go to.

"This land is the only one available for a public park that residents can benefit from."

mohammed@gdn.com.bh

There have been countless unsuccessful appeals for information about Patricia Bulgen, who disappeared on March 14.

Any news about what happened to Ms Bulgen would be the perfect Christmas gift for the family, which will otherwise spend the festive season not knowing where she is or even if she is alive.

Her birthday was last Thursday and she would have turned 79, but while her family is beginning to accept that she might be dead - they still want answers.

Ms Bulgen's sister Dianne and brother-in-law David have been in contact with the British Embassy in Bahrain and police in the UK, but have received no information on her whereabouts.

"With such an elderly, infirm lady missing for nine months, we are not very hopeful of her still being found alive - but still we can never know and we still hope," David, who asked for his full name not to be published, told the GDN.

"What we are looking for at this point is an explanation of what happened to her.

"We have requested both the British Embassy in Bahrain and the police in the UK to step up their efforts to find out what happened.

"But as of yet we have received no formal response from either body."

Dianne and David earlier submitted a request to the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) for help in tracking her down, but never received a formal response.

In their letter to the embassy and police, they also urged authorities to work with the BICI.

"We requested them to initiate contact with the commission in the hope of finding any information on the whereabouts of Patricia through the 5,000 interviews they conducted, as she disappeared during the height of the unrest in Bahrain," said David.

"We had also contacted the BICI directly, but without success as we only got a standard automated response saying they would reply formally within a few days."

During their mission to find Ms Bulgen, a website was created through which people can directly contact the family with any information.

However, there has been no response.

"When we created the website we had hoped that people would contact us and we still do, because you never know what could happen," said David.

"This whole ordeal has taken a toll on my wife emotionally as she is finding it very difficult to cope with the situation.

"Especially, since we are not getting any updates or responses."

The website is located at www.patriciabulgensfamily.co.uk.

The last known sighting of Patricia, or Pat as she is known, was by a driver who dropped her home in Mahooz on March 14 following a trip to the Al Jazeera Supermarket, Zinj, that morning.

She was officially reported missing by her landlord on March 17 after the guard at her compound became concerned, having not seen her for a few days.

Since then, there have been no significant leads in the case and no formal witnesses identified.

The Northern Governorate Police general director said Abdulali Ali Ahmed, 73, died of acute renal failure.

He denied the death could have been caused by tear gas inhalation and referred to a medical report of Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC).

He said the man was admitted to SMC at around 8.15am on Saturday suffering from a decline in the number of white blood cells (neutropenia) and haemoglobin as well as acute renal failure.

"His medial record showed that he suffered from a chronic tumour in the lymph glands and was undergoing chemotherapy," the official said.

He said the man was declared dead at 8.20pm the same day and the Public Prosecutor had been notified.

A number of saboteurs blocked Budaiya Highway and nearby lanes with garbage skips and stones after Mr Ahmed's funeral, disrupting traffic, the ministry said.

Policemen, who tried to control the situation, were attacked with firebombs, iron rods and stones, it said. Police later succeeded in bringing the situation under control.

Energy Minister Dr Abdulhussain Mirza said the "super agency" would work on energy conservation. "This agency would focus on renewable energy and conservation. It will be also used to tap solar and wind energy."

He was speaking on the sidelines of a ceremony to honour Bapco chief executive Faisal Al Mahroos, who has been named Man of the Year 2011 by The Oil and Gas Year.

Dr Mirza told the GDN that a study to set up an energy agency in Bahrain in co-operation with the UNDP had been completed. He said the National Oil and Gas Authority was also working with the Electricity and Water Authority to carry out projects on alternative energy resources.

National Unity Assembly (NUA) chairman Dr Abdullatif Al Mahmood urged his counterparts in the opposition to help bring clashes to an end.

He called on people to unite behind the final report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry, but admitted to having reservations about some of its recommendations.

"All political groups should firstly accept the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry(BICI) report," he said.

"We (the NUA) accept this report and its recommendations in general, despite having some reservations."

Elaborate

He was speaking at a Press conference at NUA's headquarters in Busaiteen, called to elaborate on a recent trip to London, where they attended a discussion about Bahrain at Chatham House.

"The National Unity Assembly accepted the BICI report... (opposition group) Al Wefaq should also accept this and stop violence in roads and villages," he said.

"This (violence) is not acceptable and will not help to reach a political solution."

He argued an escalation of unrest after the BICI report was a clear sign that opposition groups did not accept the report - and wanted to impose their views on the rest of the population.

"This is imposing views and opinions even if people are not in favour of it," he said.

"Sectarianism is what needs to be tackled more than political issues in the present situation.

"Tackling this disunity would help the future of Bahrain.

"The trust is lost among citizens in Bahrain and the GCC because of the actions of Al Wefaq, which is solely responsible for controlling its supporters."

Dr Al Mahmood again poured cold water on speculation that the NUA and Al Wefaq held meetings with His Majesty King Hamad during his visit to UK last week.

"There was no such meeting held, let me assure you this," he said.

Society's legal affairs head Abdulla Hashim said Al Wefaq formed the core of the opposition.

"We would like Al Wefaq to appoint its representative to the National Commission, set up by Bahrain authorities to follow up on the BICI recommendations," he said.

"The National Unity Assembly is also ready to appoint its member to be part of the commission so that all groups reach common ground."

However, he said opposition groups must first play a bigger role in bringing street violence to an end.

Prominence

On Friday, hundreds of citizens peacefully gathered at Al Fateh Grand Mosque vowing to work for national unity and combat political strife.

The leaderless group calling itself Sahwat Al Fateh ( Awakening of Al Fateh) supporters is set to continue with weekly Friday gatherings.

Dr Al Mahmood denied this showed cracks were appearing at the NUA, which gained prominence for holding rallies that attracted tens of thousands not aligned with the protest movement at the mosque.

"There are young people who are more active and we welcome such groups as they share the same views as us," he said.

Furthermore he claimed there were former supporters of Al Wefaq who did not believe in its work and were walking away.

Reaffirming that NUA was working for the national cause, Dr Al Mahmood revealed it conducted a meeting last month with members from Al Asala Islamic Sociey and Al Menbar Islamic Society to discuss "unified visions."

He also stressed that the government should be given a chance to study and work on the BICI recommendations rather than be judged during the progress of work.

sandy@gdn.com.bh

Energy Minister Dr Abdulhussain Mirza said the "super agency" would work on energy conservation.

"This agency would focus on renewable energy and conservation. It will also be used to tap solar and wind energy."

He was speaking on the sidelines of a ceremony to honour Bapco chief executive Faisal Mahroos, who has been named Man of the Year for the Oil and Gas Year, Bahrain 2011.

Dr Mirza told the GDN that a study to set up an Energy Agency in Bahrain in co-operation with the UNDP had been completed.

The minister said the National Oil and Gas Authority (Noga) was also working with the Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) to carry out projects on alternative energy resources.

"This will be one agency that will work on energy conservation and be associated with the UNDP," he said.

"But we have had an energy conservation committee for the past five years that has saved a lot of gas."

Capacity

The minister further said that an ambitious master plan to develop and upgrade the Bapco refinery was awaiting approval from higher authorities and was likely to be commissioned by 2018.

"Noga approved the master plan and it will increase the capacity and improve quality making Bapco a competitive player in the industry," he added.

Dr Mirza said experts were now digging deeper - 15,000-20,000 feet - for gas reserves to complement existing production. The objective of this is to commercially develop previously untapped gas. "Tatweer Petroleum has increased its output by 50 per cent in the Bahrain Field. We are also working on the replacement of the AB pipeline (Arabia to Bahrain) set up in 1945 which will increase its capacity from 230,000 barrels per day to 450,000 bpd."

Bapco receives crude oil from Saudi Arabia via the AB pipeline.

Dr Mirza added there had been nine bids from companies to set up liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities in Bahrain and two were being negotiated. "We are negotiating with two companies and hope to finalise the deal by June," he said.

With regard to training and development of human resources, the minister said Noga was working on a series of training and succession plans for all oil and gas companies. He said the idea was to provide opportunities to young leaders in new positions.

sandy@gdn.com.bh

The 10th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) will be held from January 7 to 9 in Jaipur, the Pink City of India. The theme of PBD-2012 is "Global Indian-Inclusive Growth".

The convention is expected to attract more than 1,500 delegates, who will attend and brainstorm in two pre-conference seminars entitled 'Social Entrepreneurship - Water' and 'Solar Energy: Investment in Research and Development'.

It will also include cultural performances at the end of the three-day event.

The Bahrain delegation, consisting of community leaders and businessmen, will attend sessions covering a variety of topics.

These include creating new opportunities for business to contribute with sustainable solutions through know-how, new technologies and innovative products.

Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh will inaugurate the annual event of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) and President Pratibha Patil will deliver the valedictory address on January 9.

President Patil is also scheduled to confer the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards for this year on distinguished NRIs and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO).

MOIA and Civil Aviation Minister Vayalar Ravi said chief guest at the event will be Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar.

He said that the Indian government was making efforts to make PBD a more meaningful and interactive event that would address issues and concerns of the overseas Indian community effectively.

On the first day, a seminar on social entrepreneurship will be held at the Birla Auditorium, Jaipur, with the aim to initiate innovative sustainable models in the water sector.

Another seminar on Solar Energy will focus on renewable energy with participants, including NRI experts and corporate honchos from the US, Switzerland and India.

Investment opportunities in Rajasthan will be showcased and avenues to facilitate business will be explored and discussed.

Various Indian states will also be present to promote themselves as business destinations and participate in an exhibition.

The PBD-2012 event will be webcast online (www.pbdindia.org) and the summary of proceedings will be put out each day.

Those planning to attend can complete the registration by visiting the website.

sandy@gdn.com.bh

It was held under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ebrahim Al Khalifa, wife of His Majesty King Hamad and chairperson of the Supreme Council for Women, to celebrate the National Day weekend.

The cheque was presented to Bahrain Society for Women's Development treasurer Nadia Salman Al Jar by Seef Properties general manager Robert Addison.

Shajarah Tayibah is a committee under the Bahrain Society for Women's Development, which aims to elevate Bahraini craftsmanship to international market standards.

Lawyer Faten Al Haddad sought the court's permission to submit the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry's (BICI) report as evidence, since it stated people had been abused in custody. The judge has yet to reply to her request.

She said that according to the BICI, the National Safety Court was unconstitutional and their client's verdicts should be dropped.

Earlier, a lawyer presented the court with proof from a company that one of the men was working on the day he allegedly committed the crime.

The appeal was adjourned for a verdict on December 27 at High Criminal Appeals Court.

One of the men was found guilty of inciting people to gather illegally, set up checkpoints and barriers blocking streets leading to the Interior Ministry and stopped cars looking for policemen to kidnap and take them to the former GCC (Pearl) Roundabout. He was jailed for four years. Another possessed swords and daggers and was jailed for three years. One was convicted of reporting falsified news and was jailed for three years.

Another was convicted of insulting Bahrain's flag and the regime and was jailed for three years.

He was honoured in a ceremony at the Gulf Hotel's Gulf Convention Centre under the patronage of Energy Minister Dr Abdulhussain Mirza.

Bapco management and senior officials from the oil and gas industry attended the event.

The minister described in his speech Mr Al Mahroos as a "walking encyclopaedia" of the industry.

The Oil and Gas Year is a comprehensive and exclusive series of annual reports that features interviews with key stakeholders in the international energy industry in 22 countries

It features in-depth articles, analyses and resources to present a clear picture of the global oil and gas industry and its associated sectors, from banking and finance to transportation, refining and retail.

The Oil and Gas Year regional director Guillaume Doane said Dr Mirza was named Man of the Year last year in their Bahrain country report, while this year it was Mr Al Mahroos who made his mark.

"As Man of the Year, Al Mahroos was an instrumental figure in major achievements that took place in 2011. Among them was oil production in Bahrain reaching its highest levels in more than three decades," added Mr Doane.

The Oil and Gas Year country director, Declan Byrne said the Bapco chief executive guided the organisation through a critical growth period in the face of nationwide adversity.

"Despite the political upheavals, Bahrain's oil industry made significant progress in 2011," he said.

Mr Al Mahroos, who joined Bapco as a petroleum engineer in 1976, told the GDN that the achievement is for entire Bahrain.

"It reflects Bapco's achievement in deep knowledge, project execution and management of resources. Bapco has won many awards but this is the first time its executive management has got this international recognition," he said. "Bapco has undergone major changes to meet the new stringent environmental standards and laws for its operations, products and new value-addition projects," Mr Al Mahroos added in his speech.

He said the blueprint in expanding the refinery and diversified product line were "taking shape." The Bapco chief executive further praised the efforts of his staff in the industry to strive for excellence and said they would redouble their efforts as they move into 2012.

Leaders are expected to focus talks on accelerating regional turmoil, and fears of Iran's influence in the wake of US withdrawal from Iraq.

"Several regional issues impose themselves on the summit this year, including relations with Iran as well as the situation in Syria and Yemen," Omani Foreign Minister Yousuf bin Alawi said.

But it is the potential expansion of Iranian influence in this strategic region after the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq that most concerns Gulf monarchies.

However, the Peninsula Shield forces are on the alert for any threat, GCC Secretary-General Dr Abdullatif Al Zayani has said.

Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa and Finance Minister Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, meanwhile, attended ministerial-level meetings in Riyadh to prepare for the summit. They agreed to fast-track customs union.