Bahrain this week

Gulf Air could be back in profit in under two years. The prediction came as Deputy King Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa met top officials at the airline’s Muharraq headquarters.

Gulf Air will succeed under Bahrain’s sole ownership, with the mistakes of the past behind it, believes Shaikh Salman. It will not be an easy ride, but job losses will be minimised, he said.
The airline is likely to be back in profit in “18 months to two years” under its restructuring plan, said deputy chairman Mahmood Al Kooheji.
Shaikh Salman said he was confident the company could turn itself around. “What we must do is define our own niche,” he said.

A BD250 million privatisation project is being launched to put horse racing and other riding events in Bahrain on the world map. The national racecourse at Sakhir is to be privatised under a scheme to turn nearly 3.7 million square metres of land into an international equestrian complex.
The whole site, run as the National Racecourse since its founding in 1977, will be redeveloped, creating hundreds of jobs. The Finance Ministry has invited ‘expression of interest’ tenders from potential investors, with the deadline set at noon, June 17.

BAHRAINI newly-weds may soon be entitled to a one-off government payment of BD2,000, if a new proposal put forward by four MPs gets the go-ahead.
Parliament’s independent bloc — Al Mustaqbal — is also calling for increase in maternity leave, housing loans and physiotherapy facilities.
One of the members, MP Hassan Al Dossari, said the suggestions were being put forward to help address the issues surrounding the rising cost of living and to solve some of Bahrain’s social problems.
He said there were many young Bahrainis wanting to get married, but they couldn’t because they lacked the finances. “The salary is not enough, they would need 10 to 15 years to save BD3,000, because most families don’t accept less than BD2,000 for their daughter.”

A FIRST of its kind rehabilitation course for drug addicts and relapse victims will be held at the Bahrain Wellness Centre, Janabiya. The eight-day residential programme is organised by the Art of Living, with the support of the Isa Town Health Promotion Committee and the centre. The course will be held from May 20 to 27. Registration is from 6pm to 6.30pm on May 20.

Mosquitoes and flies are swarming around a river of foul smelling sewerage and human waste that is overflowing onto a street, according to residents in the West Eker area. The waste is from overflowing septic tanks, which residents are forced to use while a new sewerage network is installed.

Three policemen were injured when three masked men hurled Molotov cocktails and bricks at their van in Tubli. The patrol was ambushed as it dropped policeman in charge of guarding the Central Municipality. The gang fled after policemen started firing bullets in the air out of self-defence.

US Vice-President Dick Cheney visited the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) while underway in the Gulf to meet with more than 5,000 sailors and marines as part of a six-day visit to the region. Cheney went aboard to personally acknowledge Stennis’ contributions to ongoing operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Maritime Security Operations (MSO) in the region.

And finally, members of the Kerala Catholic Association (KCA) Laughter Club in Bahrain have reported an overall improvement in their quality of life.
“All our members felt that it is a positive experience,” said a spokesman. “It works as a stress reliever resulting in a healthier lifestyle. It integrates the mind, body and spirit in a healthy way. It lifts enthusiasm, morale and motivation.
“When laughing in a group in a public place, members experience a sense of affiliation and belonging to the group. Now the members have become large ‘laughing families’.”