Manama: King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa on Saturday replaced the ministers of health, housing cabinet affairs and water and electricity and set up an energy ministry in a cabinet reshuffle.
Majeed Al Alawi, the labour minister since 2002, was given the housing portfolio, while Abdul Husain Mirza is now in charge of the newly created energy ministry in addition to the oil, electricity and water authority.
Nizar Al Baharna moved from the foreign affairs ministry where he was state minister to take over the health ministry while Jameel Hmaidan was promoted from labour undersecretary to minister. Another newcomer is Kamal Bin Ahmad Mohammad, senior executive at the Economic Development Board (EDB), who was appointed minister of cabinet affairs.
The new ministers were received by King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa and took the oath ahead of assuming their new responsibilities.
No official reason was given why Shaikh Ahmad Bin Atiyatallah Al Khalifa, the state minister for cabinet affairs, Shaikh Ibrahim Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, the housing minister, Faysal Al Hamer, the health minister and Fahmy Al Jowder, the electricity and water minister were replaced.
King Hamad has asked the new ministers to enhance services, improve living conditions and boost productivity for the sake of all citizens, Bahrain News Agency (BNA) said.
The first task of the housing minister will be to implement a royal order to reduce monthly housing installments by 25 per cent for 35,878 Bahraini families, BNA said.
