A SENIOR official yesterday defended the government’s decision to strike down a parliamentary proposal to reduce fuel prices.
Oil Ministry oil and gas general manager Jassim Al Shirawi told MPs that Bahrain had the lowest petrol rates in the Gulf after Kuwait.
Petrol prices in the kingdom vary with super costing 235 fils per litre, Mumtaz 200 fils and Jayyad 140 fils while diesel is priced at 180 fils per litre.
“Since 2018 we have not increased fuel prices and the rate is average and balanced,” Mr Al Shirawi told MPs.
“Prices are subsidised by the government and we have the second cheapest rate in the Gulf, behind Kuwait.
“In Saudi Arabia, Jayyad costs around 80fils more than the Bahrain price, while Mumtaz costs 30 to 50 fils more.”
Parliament and Shura Council Affairs Minister Ghanim Al Buainain, who was present at the session, earlier told MPs that fuel prices in Bahrain were reasonable compared with international market rates.
“The government is already subsidising fuel, despite international rates going up during the pandemic,” Mr Al Buainain had said, adding that a further price cut would drain the national coffers.
MP Mohammed Al Abbasi, however, questioned the government’s response.
“Do revenues from local oil sales get transferred to state coffers or do they remain with Bapco?” he said.
“We don’t see local sales mentioned in the budget as revenues.”
Debate on the reply was amongst 70 government responses to proposals put forth by MPs.
Mr Al Buainain had earlier responded to two proposals prohibiting expats from taking up top administrative and human resources jobs in civil service or government-owned companies.
“Bahrainis are given priority and top posts are being offered to qualified citizens,” he had said.
MP Hamad Al Kooheji however said the government was taking long to replace expats with capable Bahrainis in state-owned companies.
“We are speaking about companies set up decades ago. They should have planned Bahrainisation a long time ago,” Mr Al Kooheji said.
His sentiments were echoed by MP Ebrahim Al Nefaei.
“Expats should be employed in the rarest of specialisations and not as drivers earning BD500 a month or as secretaries with a monthly salary of BD700,” Mr Al Nefaei said.
“Don’t Bahrainis know how to drive or type?
“Even a minister had asked us to highlight the issue as public representatives. He said his son was on a temporary contract. He has been waiting for a permanent job, but the position was being held by an expat.”
MP Khalid Bu Onk said several young Bahrainis wishing to get married were being turned away because they were on temporary work contracts.
Dr Hisham Al Asheeri claimed that expats were taking up jobs while Bahrainis were on waiting lists.
It is a ticking bomb, he said.
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