Gulf | Bahrain
Bahrain 'is an oasis of peace and security'
Bahrain's newly appointed Minister of Interior, Lieutenant General Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, reaffirmed yesterday that the country was an oasis of peace and security.
- By Mazen Mahdi, Special to Gulf News
- Published: 00:00 July 7, 2004
Bahrain's newly appointed Minister of Interior, Lieutenant General Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, reaffirmed yesterday that the country was an oasis of peace and security.
His comments came as family members of more than 700 family members of US military and diplomats prepare to 'temporarily relocate' themselves following a travel advisory by the US State Department warning of imminent attacks on US and Western targets in Bahrain.
 Lt Gen Sheikh Rashid taking notes while speaking to community leaders during the meeting. ©Gulf News |
"Rest assured you have brothers and sons working diligently night and day to ensure that the safety of all is guaranteed."
He added that he was receiving daily reports of the security situation in Bahrain and that the ministry was closely monitoring all security matters that impact citizens and residences alike.
Lt Gen. Sheikh Rashid, who was speaking at a meeting with community leaders in Muharraq, said that the ministry was pushing ahead with it Bahrainisation efforts to employee more Bahrainis at the ministry.
Sources said that more than 450 Bahrainis were expected to complete their training and join the Civil Defence and Fire Service as part of the Bahrainisation efforts in coming weeks as a batch of larger number of graduates that will join the service in coming months.
He also emphasised that the ministry was in the final phases of implementing the community-policing concept in governorates.
"Many of the cases the governors try to solve at a social level by intervening to help out," he said.
"That is why we hope to have about 100 men and women under the governor command in each governorate to address security matters that concern the citizens".
The community-policing concept aims to involve the community in addressing the issues and at the same time would help to employee more Bahrainis according to the minister.
"The 100 will be from the governorate local community and they will not be armed or have arrest powers but they will be able to intervene and help the governor in organisation and resolving issues of concern," he said.
"They will also help reduce crime by detecting the harmful social indications in the community that serve as an early warning of social problems that lead to criminal behavior and actions".
Lt Gen. Sheikh Rashid also addressed the issue of Bahraini fishing boats being seized by Qatari authorities.
"The fishermen violated international waters by fishing on the Qatari side and we had warned them and placed coastguard patrols to guide them away from the new demarcation lines," he said. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also had been working closely with us to help release those arrested and the boats seized".
He added that the problem was in the fact that neighbouring countries, unlike Bahrain, does not allow other GCC boats to fish and sell their products in local markets.
"Bahrain allows the fishing and selling of products by other GCC fishermen but our neighbours have not adopted that policy yet," he said.
He also said that he had given his directives to continue awareness efforts to combat drug use and that the ministry was willing to extend all the support it can to the governorates during their summer programmes.
The writer is a Bahraini journalist based in Manama
News Editor's choice
-
6,000 cups and counting: Addicted to that tea
This cafeteria in Al Mamzar attracts thousands of customers daily, including the rich and not so rich
-
Swimming pool horror: Twins hospitalised
Twins rushed to hospital after collapsing from chlorine inhalation at swimming pool in their villa
-
Play your cards right with credit card interest
UAE Central Bank plans to cap interest rates, but are you paying thirty-five per cent now?
