Bahrain’s exhibition and convention authority will undergo a major restructuring process.

The Cabinet has approved the plans, which will give the Bahrain Exhibition and Convention Authority (BECA) more powers and revolutionise the way it markets conferences held here, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

However, details of the plans, which were presented by Deputy Premier and Civil Service Bureau (CSB) vice-president Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, were not revealed.

“The revamp will develop human resources in the authority and will see a new senior post established,” said Minister of State for Information Affairs and the government's official spokeswoman Sameera Rajab at a press conference yesterday (September 28).

“We are looking to make the authority bigger and better through a strategy that would take it from this level by enhancing performance in marketing and promoting exhibitions and conferences.”

Meanwhile, the Cabinet approved a proposal presented by Education Minister Dr Majid Al Nuaimi to renew the 'Partners in Education' programme with Microsoft.

It includes educational training programmes for students, teachers and staff, which enhance the integration of information and communication technology in the educational process.

The Cabinet also reviewed a number of agreements to be signed with Russia, which were referred to the ministerial committee for legal affairs for further study.

Rajab also said a plan to give more allowances and higher pay to Bahrain's municipal councillors and appointed members at the Capital Trustees, which will replace the Manama Municipal Council, was still under study.

The proposal was presented by Municipalities and Urban Planning Affairs Minister Dr Juma Al Ka'abi in April, but is yet to be approved after being referred to the ministerial committee concerned for study.

Councillors receive a monthly salary of BD1,500 ($3,856) without allowances, vice-chairmen earn BD1,800 a month while chairmen get BD2,000 in addition to BD300 car allowance.

Outgoing Manama Municipal Council acting chairman Mohammed Mansoor urged the Cabinet to approve the new benefits to improve municipal work.

“Councillors do a bigger job than MPs who earn more than BD4,000, while councillors just earn BD2,300 as a maximum without phone, office or support staff allowances being taken into account,” he told the GDN.

“Only council chairmen and vice-chairmen are treated as diplomats and awarded special passports, but that should be expanded to include all members, along with adding protocol procedures that bring councillors in line with MPs.” - TradeArabia News Service