Askar expansion
Plans for an expansion of Bahrain's Askar industrial area have been given the go-ahead. The new 70-acre site west of the Alba smelter will be developed by a Bahraini company, said Commerce and Industry Minister Ali Saleh Al Saleh when he paid an inspection visit to the area. He said the project involved the reclamation of 42 pieces of industrial land for small and medium industries related to the aluminium industry. When completed, the entire Askar development will comprise an area of 112 acres with 75 factories and all basic services, Al Saleh said. He added that the expansion plan had been approved by Finance and National Economy Minister Abdulla Saif.
Terms limit
Future presidents of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry may find their tenures limited to two terms, or a total of eight years. The chamber board is seeking the opinion of the Legal Affairs Directorate, to see if the relevant change in the chamber's constitution may be made. However, the change is unlikely to go through before the next chamber elections, set for October 22 this year. All 18 places on the chamber board will be contested in the election, which takes place every four years. Nominations for contestants will open 21 days before the voting date and close one week before the election in accordance with chamber rules.
New post
Work on a new port in the northeast of the country has started on June 1 at a cost of BD257 million ($670 million). Eid Abdullah Yussif, chairman of a coordination committee for the Khalifa bin Salman Port project, said two first-phase contracts to develop the area and construct buildings had been awarded to local firms. "Dredging and reclamation will be completed in 36 months," he said.
Intel presentation
A presentation on Intel e-Business, organised by Bahrain-based Business Land in association with Intel Middle East, was held at the Regency Inter-Continental Hotel. Intel business development manager Maan Ahmadie gave a presentation titled 'The Internet Runs On Intel Architecture'
New company
Bahrain plans to set up a new company to run public transport as part of moves to privatise the sector, the official media has reported. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting held recently. The media said the private sector would be asked to join the proposed firm and specialised foreign companies may be asked to take a small stake.
Solidarity call
Big shipyards in the Gulf must unite to face competition in the drydocking market, Mohammed Al Khateeb, chief executive of Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard (Asry), said. With fierce competition from the Far East, Gulf shipbuilding and repair yards and drydocks must merge, Khateeb said.
Contracts awarded
Two contracts totalling BD14.7 million ($39 million) have been awarded to two Bahraini firms to begin developing the new industrial area in Hidd. It is part of the massive Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Port and Industrial Area Development Scheme.
The first contract, for BD12.7 million, went to Abdulla Nass, which will build the industrial area infrastructure, including roads, sewage, electricity and water systems and a car park. The second contract, for BD2 million, went to Olympic, which will construct buildings and other structures. Both projects are part of the BD250 million Hidd development plan, which will create a super port, industrial park and free trade zone.
Unified law
A unified law for industry and the creation of more value-added industries were the focus of a key meeting at Bahrain's Commerce and Industry Ministry. Strategies up to 2005 were reviewed at the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry's industries committee meeting. It was the committee's first meeting with Commerce and Industry Minister Ali Saleh Al Saleh following the ministry's re-organisation, which brought industry into its portfolio.
Committee chairman Khalid Al Maskati said the meeting reviewed the ministry's plans for industrial development up to 2005.
