MUSCAT: Majlis Ash’shura opened its first sitting of the first ordinary session with the election of six members for Majlis Ash’shura’s Office pursuant to Article (48) of the Majlis’s bylaw, which states that the office shall be composed of the chairman, his two deputies and six members elected by a relative majority. “If a member position is vacant in the office for any reason, an election should be conducted to fill the vacant position in the same manner within two weeks from the date of the vacancy.”
Twenty-four members were nominated for the membership of the office. The results of the election came as follows: Jihad bin Abdullah al Fanna (49 votes), Malik bin Hilal al Yahmadi (41 votes), Tahirah bint Abdul Khaliq al Lawatiya (39 votes), Abdullah bin Musllam al Rasbi (30 votes), Ahmed bin Nasser al Abri (29 votes), and Ammar bin Salim al Saadi (27 votes).
Thus, the membership of Majlis Ash’shura’s Office was completed under the chairmanship of Khalid bin Hilal al Maawali, Chairman of Majlis Ash’shura, two deputies Dr Abdullah bin Ali al Amri, Said bin Hamad al Saadi, and the six elected members.
The Chairman of Majlis Ash’shura opened the first session of the first sitting (2019-2020) of the ninth period (2019-2023) by sending warmest congratulations and blessings to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos on the occasion of the 49th Glorious National Day, praying to Allah the Almighty to return this occasion on His Majesty year after year and Oman from achievement to achievement, and its generous people from glory to glory.
On the agenda of the opening session, Majlis Ash’shura Chairman said, “The first work we in the first sitting of the ninth period after the formation of the Office and its committees is to address the state budget for the fiscal year 2020.”
He also stressed during his speech on “the most prominent files and topics that require special attention and priority of Majlis Ash’shura, the government and society, including: the national economy, the diversification of sources of income, the effects of the economic crisis, and the file of job seekers. He pointed out in this regard that they are very important and sensitive national files that require special attention for its priority to Majlis Ash’shura, the government and society, although we know that the economic situation with low oil prices and various global events is a global situation suffered by everyone in different countries, and its impact on the budget and plans and programmes is clear. However, they will receive the attention they deserve, and we will be of assistance to the government as part of our national responsibility, in accordance with the Basic Law of the State, the implementation of the Royal directives, and the hopes of many Omanis who are anticipating a lot from us.”
On the other hand, the Chairman of Majlis Ash’shura pointed to the need to activate the work of committees in Majlis Ash’shura and provide them with expertise and proposals and to benefit from the advisors, experts, researchers and employees of Majlis Ash’shura that help them to carry out their tasks, noting at the same time the importance of reviewing laws that have been in force for a long time; to update them in accordance with the requirements of reality and the requirements of the future. At the end of his speech, the Chairman of Majlis Ash’shura affirmed that national action requires cooperation between the Majlis Ash’shura’s members and with the various governmental bodies, in addition to the existing cooperation between Majlis Ash’shura and the Council of Ministers and the State Council, in accordance with the Basic Law of the State and the existing laws, and the directives of His Majesty the Sultan.
Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed al Nadabi, Secretary General of Majlis Ash’shura reviewed the agenda of the session and read its items. The attendance rate reached 100 per cent.
Pursuant to the article 52 of Majlis Ash’shura’s bylaw, the chairman shall, at the first session of the first sitting, receives the requests of members to join the committees. Such requests shall be coordinated by the Office, taking into account the wishes of the members, wherever possible, with priority given to expertise and specialisation in the area of activity of the committee.
In this regard, the Office of Majlis Ash’shura held its first periodic meeting for the first annual sitting (2019-2020) of the ninth period (2019-2023) to discuss and approve the lists of candidates for the position of head and deputy head of the standing committees, namely: the Legislative and Legal committee, the Economic and Financial Committee, Health and Environmental Committee, Education and Scientific Committee, Services and Social Development Committee, Youth and Human Resources Committee, Food and Water Security Committee and Media and Culture Committee.
Then the members of the Majlis went to the common halls of the Council of Oman to elect the heads of the committees and their deputies for the period of two years (Half-period). The nomination for each committee took part separately, and the results of the elections are as follows: Legislative and Legal Committee Mohammed bin Ibrahim al Zadjali , Head, Said bin Muslim al Kathairi, as deputy head; Economic and Financial Committee Dr Saleem bin Ali al Hakamani as Head , Ahmed bin Said al Sharqi as deputy head; Health and Environmental Committee Hilal bin Hamad al Sarmi as Head and Mansour bin Zahir al Hajri as deputy head; Education and Scientific Research Committee Jamal bin Ahmed al Abri as Head and Nasser bin Rashid al Abri as deputy head; Social Services and Development Committee Hamoud bin Ahmed al Yahyai as Head and Fadhilah bint Abdullah al Rahiliyah as deputy head; Youth and Human Resources Committee, Younis bin Ali al Mantheri as Head and Badr bin Nasser al Jabri as deputy head; Food and Water Security Committee, Abdullah bin Ahmed al Malik as head and Said bin Mohammed al Saadi as deputy head; the Media and Culture Committee Ali bin Ahmed al Mashaani as head and Ali bin Salim al Jabri as deputy head.
During the meeting, the Majlis Ash’shura members were briefed on the draft State Budget for the fiscal year 2020, which was referred by the Council of Ministers. —ONA
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