'Extend subsidy'

MANAMA: More than 150 prominent Bahrainis have appealed to His Majesty King Hamad to continue a stimulus package launched three months ago to mitigate the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The economic and community leaders particularly urged His Majesty to issue directives to reconsider the package in a periodic and continuous manner to protect citizens’ interests, Parliament’s first vice-chairman Abdulnabi Salman said.

This is essential as commercial and financial markets are unlikely to recover to levels expected by business and finance experts across the world, according to the petition.

The government’s three-month spending from the BD4.3 billion Covid-19 support package is set to end tomorrow.

His Majesty’s directives to launch the package had achieved further economic and social stability under exceptional circumstances due to the coronavirus pandemic, the leaders said in their petition, according to Mr Salman.

Government ministers have been holding talks with National Assembly members over a new proposed package of relief.

A group of economic and public personalities have also written a letter to Finance and National Economy Minister Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa requesting support for Mr Salman’s initiative to hold a comprehensive national symposium to discuss the post-coronavirus situation.

They urged the minister to sponsor, supervise and organise it.

Source: http://www.gdnonline.com/Details/836445