MANAMA: The parliament yesterday approved a government request for an additional budget to fund stalled projects and meet other expenses.
The MPs approved BD25 million more than the requested BD333m.
They also agreed to raise the BD900m loan ceiling for the government, allowing it to borrow another BD1 billion.
Parliament's financial and economic affairs committee chairman Abduljalil Khalil said most of the additional budget requested by the government would go to fund Works Ministry projects. "The ministry will be getting BD140m of the additional budget, which has now increased to BD358m after our demands were approved.
"We have nothing against the budget and had never intended to delay it, considering that it is important to resume stalled projects and pay pending expenses. We only had a problem with the government forcing it on us as urgent."
"That is why we had to meet daily late into the night and the government had to pay for that."
He said the government was welcome to get additional budgets approved in case of any funding shortage.
"Oil prices have improved from the budgeted $40 to $54 today and it is expected to see significant developments in future. So as the revenues increase, the government would want to spend more and that's what everyone in the country is looking forward to."
Committee vice-chairman Isa Abu Al Fateh said parliament would allow the government to increase its loan ceiling by BD1bn to help it carry out massive projects that regular funding could not meet.
"Those include housing projects in addition to expansion to electricity and water networks, amongst others," he said.
"Bahrain is already on the safe side, loans being only 20pc of GDP. So even with the BD1bn the government wants, we are still below the internationally-allowed 60pc level."
More than half of the MPs present disrupted last week's parliament session - shouting for the funding request to be thrown out and accusing the government of trying to rush the proposal through.
However, parliament chairman Khalifa Al Dhahrani ignored the objections, saying MPs had no right to reject or oppose a bill that hadn't even been studied.
The parliament chairman yesterday praised the co-operation between the executive and legislative supported by His Majesty King Hamad, His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Kalifa and His Royal Highness Cown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Deputy Supreme Commander, to ensure the quick passage of the draft law to inject additional funds into the general budget for the fiscal years 2009 and 2010.
The positive response from the political leadership in partnership with the parliament is the outcome of continuous co-operation and co-ordination between the executive and legislative, which reflects maturity of the distinguished parliamentary experience in the kingdom, Mr Al Dhahrani said. Approving the additional funds will help primarily in boosting the infrastructure and the services by pumping more money to keep the wheel of national economy moving, he added.
alaali@gdn.com.bh
