Bahrain’s HRH Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa yesterday urged initiatives to support the trade sector and inject dynamism into the national economy.

He was speaking as he received senior officials and stressed the importance of promoting co-operation between the government and the private sector in expediting the achievement of common development goals, pointing out the government's keenness to further engage the private sector in the development momentum, according to a report in our sister publication, the Gulf Daily News.

"We are going ahead with procedures to alleviate the living burdens on citizens directly and indirectly," he said.

"Everyone should rest assured that the government, which has the honour to serve citizens, will only adopt what eases citizens' lives and optimises services provided for them.

"Sustainable development and an advanced living standard - being an ultimate goal for the government - requires striking a balance between the political side, dictated by the current phase, and the economic side so as to achieve growth rates that positively reflect on citizens' lives."

The Premier warned that terrorism and extremism are seeking to destroy the hard-won civilisational and economic achievements.

"Therefore," he said, "confronting that is not exclusive to the government but everyone who contributed to those accomplishments has to play a part by rejecting those despicable acts and condemning them explicitly."

He underscored the government's care for popular suqs which make part of the national heritage and trade history, pointing out the keenness to revive the old Manama Suq and promote its tourist, cultural and trade status.

Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman Dr Essam Fakhro thanked the Premier for his directives to extend a freeze on labour fees till the end of June and his instructions to the Labour Ministry to co-ordinate with the BCCI regarding the remarks made by the chamber recently on the law. – TradeArabia News Service