The Northern Municipal Council recently approved a proposal to set up a mangrove museum to celebrate the mighty crop that plays a vital role in our battle against climate change.
Commendable as the initiative may be, I honestly do not believe the project will ever see the light of day!
The councillor behind the move said their responsibility was not to just provide services to citizens but also to come up with ideas for investment projects to drive development in the governorate.
I would like to say to the councillors, focus on your work and responsibilities assigned to you and nothing else. It is easy to present a hundred proposals but it is not your jurisdiction nor is it at the core of your work. If you do not know that, please refer to the jurisdictions of the municipal councils as explained on the official website of the Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture Ministry.
We don’t want ill-considered proposals; we do not know their cost and financial return, nor their feasibility! These projects may not be attractive to investors, and the government certainly cannot provide a budget for them as it has its own priorities.
My advice to you, gentlemen, is to focus on your work only, as everyone knows your powers and capabilities. So, I hope you will focus on the continuous development and improvement of the various services provided to the people of your governorate. And I hope you will not disappoint them; Bahraini citizens are known for their simplicity and contentment, even in little things.
To attain sustainable development and increase the effectiveness of government spending, we must focus on implementing feasible projects with a positive impact instead of imaginary or useless projects. Investing in renewable energy projects such as solar, wind and hydropower not only helps reduce dependence on fossil fuels, but also helps create new job opportunities and increase environmental sustainability.
Improving the infrastructure to expand high-speed Internet will boost the digital economy, open the door to start-ups and small and medium enterprises, and improve access to education and health services.
Not to mention investing in smart agriculture by adopting modern technologies such as remote sensing, artificial intelligence and robotics to improve productivity, achieve food security and reduce water and natural resource waste.
Establishing and developing advanced vocational and technical education centres can meet the needs of the changing labour market; investing in technical education will contribute to creating a generation of young people qualified to work in industrial and technological sectors.
Developing sustainable public transportation projects such as electric trains and environmentally-friendly buses will not only improve the quality of life, but also reduce pollution and fossil fuel consumption. Implement programmes to manage waste sustainably by establishing recycling plants and converting waste into energy.
The government should also encourage investment in ecotourism projects that focus on preserving nature and providing sustainable tourism experiences, as this can be a new source of income and support sustainable development.
In addition, providing sustainable healthcare is considered a pivotal and essential project to maintain the health of citizens.
Such projects are more influential on the economy and society and contribute to improving the quality of life for citizens.
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