Page 14 - DMEA Week 41 2021

DMEA NEWS IN BRIEF DMEA

POLICY Debate on the reply was amongst 70 REFINING
government responses to proposals put forth
Bahraini official defends by MPs. First train of SP phase 14
Al Buainain had earlier responded to two
decision on fuel prices proposals prohibiting expats from taking refinery to go operational
up top administrative and human resources
A senior official has defended the Bahrain jobs in civil service or government-owned soon
government’s decision to strike down a companies.
parliamentary proposal to reduce fuel prices. “Bahrainis are given priority and top posts The first train of the phase 14 refinery
Oil Ministry oil and gas general manager are being offered to qualified citizens,” he had of Iran’s South Pars complex has been
Jassim Al Shirawi told MPs that Bahrain had said. nearly completed and will be put into
the lowest petrol rates in the Gulf after Kuwait. MP Hamad Al Kooheji however said operation soon, the operator of the phase 14
Petrol prices in the kingdom vary with the government was taking long to replace development project, Mohammad Mehdi
super costing 235 fils per litre, Mumtaz 200 expats with capable Bahrainis in state-owned Tavasoli-Pour said.
fils and Jayyad 140 fils while diesel is priced at companies. According to the official, the first train
180 fils per litre. “We are speaking about companies set of South Pars Refinery Phase 14 was
“Since 2018 we have not increased fuel up decades ago. They should have planned scheduled to be completed by October 7,
prices and the rate is average and balanced,” Bahrainisation a long time ago,” Al Kooheji and as scheduled the refinery’s pipeline has
Mr Al Shirawi told MPs. said. been connected to the national gas network
“Prices are subsidised by the government His sentiments were echoed by MP to receive sweet gas for final tests and
and we have the second cheapest rate in the Ebrahim Al Nefaei. assessments.”
Gulf, behind Kuwait. “Expats should be employed in the rarest He noted that all of the refinery’s utility
“In Saudi Arabia, Jayyad costs around 80fils of specialisations and not as drivers earning units, including water, electricity, steam, air,
more than the Bahrain price, while Mumtaz BD500 a month or as secretaries with a instrumentation, and nitrogen services have
costs 30 to 50 fils more.” monthly salary of BD700,” Al Nefaei said. been completed, and said: “Following the
Parliament and Shura Council Affairs “Don’t Bahrainis know how to drive or injection of sweet gas from the sixth national
Minister Ghanim Al Buainain, who was type? pipeline, the commissioning of these units
present at the session, earlier told MPs “Even a minister had asked us to highlight and other process units of the refinery will be
that fuel prices in Bahrain were reasonable the issue as public representatives. He said his completed quickly.”
compared with international market rates. son was on a temporary contract. He has been Referring to the holding of intensive
“The government is already subsidising waiting for a permanent job, but the position managerial and executive meetings with
fuel, despite international rates going up was being held by an expat.” contractors of different sections of the
during the pandemic,” Mr Al Buainain had MP Khalid Bu Onk said several young South Pars phase 14 refinery, Tavasoli-
said, adding that a further price cut would Bahrainis wishing to get married were being Pour said: “In these meetings, strategies to
drain the national coffers. turned away because they were on temporary accelerate the completion of construction and
MP Mohammed Al Abbasi, however, work contracts. commissioning operations, supply of goods
questioned the government’s response. Dr Hisham Al Asheeri claimed that expats and issues related to manpower are examined
“Do revenues from local oil sales get were taking up jobs while Bahrainis were on and necessary solutions are suggested and
transferred to state coffers or do they remain waiting lists. identified by the employer and communicated
with Bapco?” he said. It is a ticking bomb, he said. to the contractors for implementation.”
“We don’t see local sales mentioned in the GULF DAILY Phase 14 development is aimed at
budget as revenues.” producing 56.6 million cubic meters per

P14 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 41 14•October•2021