BAHRAIN YOUTH PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS DATE ANNOUNCED
posted: October 16, 2006
MANAMA, OCT. 16, (BNA) — PRESIDENT OF THE GENERAL ORGANISATION OF YOUTH AND SPORT (GOYS), SHAIKH FAWAZ BIN MOHAMMED AL KHALIFA, ANNOUNCED NOVEMBER 18 AS THE DATE FOR BAHRAIN YOUTH PARLIAMENTS ELECTIONS TO KICK START, MARKING A LANDMARK AND UNPRECEDENTED WORLD EVENT TO BE UNDERTAKEN BY BAHRAIN WHICH IS KEENLY FOLLOWING ON THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE REFORM PROJECT LAUNCHED BY HIS MAJESTY KING HAMAD BIN ISA AL KHALIFA.
IN A PRESS CONFERENCE HELD TODAY, SHAIKH FAWAZ SAID BAHRAINS YOUTH PARLIAMENT, WHICH IS A BUDDING PROJECT THAT HAS SPRUNG FROM THE NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR THE YOUTH, IS A QUALITATIVE INITIATIVE THAT SEEKS TO REINFORCE BAHRAINI YOUTHS PATRIOTISM, ACTIVATE THEIR ROLE IN THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, ENCOURAGE THEM TO TAKE PART IN DECISION MAKING AND SPEAK THEIR MINDS REGARDING VARIOUS ISSUES. SHAIKH FAWAZ PLEDGED TO ENSURE THE NEEDED TRANSPARENCY AND IMPARTIALITY IN THE UPCOMING YOUTH PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS, URGING YOUNG MEN TO SHOW INTEREST IN THIS UNIQUE DEMOCRATIC AND CIVILIZATIONAL EXPERIENCE AND TO TURN UP MASSIVELY AT POLLING CENTERS TO CAST THEIR VOTES. ON HER PART, HEAD OF BAHRAINS YOUTH PARLIAMENTS CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE, AMAL SALMAN AL DOSARY, IN CHARGE OF DEVELOPING THE NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR THE YOUTH, SAID THE YOUTH PARLIAMENT WILL COMPRISE 80 MEMBERS, HALF OF THEM ELECTED AND THE OTHER HALF NOMINATED, EMULATING BAHRAINS DEMOCRATIC EXPERIENCE. YOUNG MEN AGED 15 TO 19, MAKING UP A TALLY OF NO LESS THAN 30 THOUSAND, WILL BE ALLOWED TO EMBARK ON THE RACE FOR THE YOUTH PARLIAMENTS MEMBERSHIP IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE NEEDED TRAINING THAT WOULD ENTITLE THEM TO TAKE PART IN THE GENERAL ELECTIONS, AL DOSARY SAID. AL DOSARY REVEALED THAT ACCESS TO MEMBERSHIP CANDIDACY IN THE YOUTH PARLIAMENT WILL BE REOPENED FROM OCTOBER 28 TO NOVEMBER 1 IN ORDER TO ALLOW NEW NOMINEES TO JOIN THOSE WHO HAD ALREADY SUBMITTED THEIR NOMINATION APPLICATIONS ON NOVEMBER, 30, 2005. THOSE WISHING TO RUN FOR THE YOUTH PARLIAMENTARY MEMBERSHIP OUGHT TO BE BAHRAINI RESIDENTS AGED BETWEEN 15 TO 19 WITH AN INTEREST IN NATIONAL, SOCIAL AND YOUTH ISSUES AND A REPUTATION OF GOOD MANNERS AND HAVE TO PLEDGE COMMITMENT TO MEET ALL THE CONDITIONS AND NEEDS DICTATED BY THE MEMBERSHIP, SHE EXPLAINED. AL DOSARY NOTED THAT THE KINGDOMS FIVE GOVERNORATES WILL EACH HAVE A BALLOT CASTING AND COUNTING CENTER, TO BE ANNOUNCED IN DUE TIME, WHICH WILL REPORT THE ELECTIONS RESULTS TO THE SUPREME COMMITTEE WHICH IS HEADED BY GOYS PRESIDENT. THIS COMMITTEE, WHICH HAS A DEPUTY HEAD AND FOUR OTHER MEMBERS INCLUDING A LEGAL EXPERT, WILL, AMONG OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES, ISSUE THE NECESSARY RULES AND GUIDELINES THAT ORGANIZE THE ELECTIONS AND ENSURE THEIR SAFETY. AL DOSARY SAID SUB-COMMITTEES WILL BE FORMED TO MONITOR THE ELECTIONS IN THE FIVE ELECTORAL CENTERS IN ASSOCIATION WITH FOREIGN SUPERVISORS, PREPARE VOTERS LISTS, STUDY NOMINATION FILES, ORGANIZE BALLOT CENTERS AND LOOK INTO PROTESTATIONS AGAINST ANY PROCEDURE BEFORE REPORTING THEM TO THE SUPREME COMMITTEE. IN ADDITION TO COUNTING VOTES AND REPORTING THE FINAL RESULTS TO THE SUPREME COMMITTEE, THE SUB- COMMITTEES WILL ALSO GUIDE VOTERS AND ANSWER THEIR INQUIRIES, AL DOSARY ADDED. SHE NOTED THAT BAHRAIN YOUTH PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS WILL WITNESS THE PRESENCE OF INTERNATIONAL MONITORS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL ELECTIONS ORGANIZATION AND THE UN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME AS WELL AS BAHRAIN TRANSPARENCY SOCIETY TO ENSURE THE ELECTIONS FAIRNESS AND IMPARTIALITY. IT IS TO BE NOTED THAT BAHRAINS YOUTH PARLIAMENT, WHICH IS A NATIONAL NON-POLITICAL PROJECT THAT DOES NOT REPRESENT A PARTICULAR PARTY OR POLITICAL BLOC, WAS INAUGURATED IN NOVEMBER 2005 AND AIMS AT FAMILIARIZING THE YOUTH WITH THE BAHRAINI DEMOCRATIC EXPERIENCE, HELPING THEM EXPRESS THEIR OPINIONS AND IMPROVE THEIR LEADERSHIP SKILLS. MOREOVER, THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL ON NATIONAL YOUTH POLICY (ICNYP) SELECTED BAHRAINS NEWLY-INTRODUCED NATIONAL YOUTH STRATEGY AS THE BEST YOUTH INITIATIVE AND PROJECT IN THE MIDDLE EAST. HMQ 16-OCT-2006 19:23
BAHRAIN YOUTH PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS DATE ANNOUNCED
posted: October 16, 2006
MANAMA, OCT. 16, (BNA) — PRESIDENT OF THE GENERAL ORGANISATION OF YOUTH AND SPORT (GOYS), SHAIKH FAWAZ BIN MOHAMMED AL KHALIFA, ANNOUNCED NOVEMBER 18 AS THE DATE FOR BAHRAIN YOUTH PARLIAMENTS ELECTIONS TO KICK START, MARKING A LANDMARK AND UNPRECEDENTED WORLD EVENT TO BE UNDERTAKEN BY BAHRAIN WHICH IS KEENLY FOLLOWING ON THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE REFORM PROJECT LAUNCHED BY HIS MAJESTY KING HAMAD BIN ISA AL KHALIFA.
IN A PRESS CONFERENCE HELD TODAY, SHAIKH FAWAZ SAID BAHRAINS YOUTH PARLIAMENT, WHICH IS A BUDDING PROJECT THAT HAS SPRUNG FROM THE NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR THE YOUTH, IS A QUALITATIVE INITIATIVE THAT SEEKS TO REINFORCE BAHRAINI YOUTHS PATRIOTISM, ACTIVATE THEIR ROLE IN THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, ENCOURAGE THEM TO TAKE PART IN DECISION MAKING AND SPEAK THEIR MINDS REGARDING VARIOUS ISSUES. SHAIKH FAWAZ PLEDGED TO ENSURE THE NEEDED TRANSPARENCY AND IMPARTIALITY IN THE UPCOMING YOUTH PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS, URGING YOUNG MEN TO SHOW INTEREST IN THIS UNIQUE DEMOCRATIC AND CIVILIZATIONAL EXPERIENCE AND TO TURN UP MASSIVELY AT POLLING CENTERS TO CAST THEIR VOTES. ON HER PART, HEAD OF BAHRAINS YOUTH PARLIAMENTS CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE, AMAL SALMAN AL DOSARY, IN CHARGE OF DEVELOPING THE NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR THE YOUTH, SAID THE YOUTH PARLIAMENT WILL COMPRISE 80 MEMBERS, HALF OF THEM ELECTED AND THE OTHER HALF NOMINATED, EMULATING BAHRAINS DEMOCRATIC EXPERIENCE. YOUNG MEN AGED 15 TO 19, MAKING UP A TALLY OF NO LESS THAN 30 THOUSAND, WILL BE ALLOWED TO EMBARK ON THE RACE FOR THE YOUTH PARLIAMENTS MEMBERSHIP IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE NEEDED TRAINING THAT WOULD ENTITLE THEM TO TAKE PART IN THE GENERAL ELECTIONS, AL DOSARY SAID. AL DOSARY REVEALED THAT ACCESS TO MEMBERSHIP CANDIDACY IN THE YOUTH PARLIAMENT WILL BE REOPENED FROM OCTOBER 28 TO NOVEMBER 1 IN ORDER TO ALLOW NEW NOMINEES TO JOIN THOSE WHO HAD ALREADY SUBMITTED THEIR NOMINATION APPLICATIONS ON NOVEMBER, 30, 2005. THOSE WISHING TO RUN FOR THE YOUTH PARLIAMENTARY MEMBERSHIP OUGHT TO BE BAHRAINI RESIDENTS AGED BETWEEN 15 TO 19 WITH AN INTEREST IN NATIONAL, SOCIAL AND YOUTH ISSUES AND A REPUTATION OF GOOD MANNERS AND HAVE TO PLEDGE COMMITMENT TO MEET ALL THE CONDITIONS AND NEEDS DICTATED BY THE MEMBERSHIP, SHE EXPLAINED. AL DOSARY NOTED THAT THE KINGDOMS FIVE GOVERNORATES WILL EACH HAVE A BALLOT CASTING AND COUNTING CENTER, TO BE ANNOUNCED IN DUE TIME, WHICH WILL REPORT THE ELECTIONS RESULTS TO THE SUPREME COMMITTEE WHICH IS HEADED BY GOYS PRESIDENT. THIS COMMITTEE, WHICH HAS A DEPUTY HEAD AND FOUR OTHER MEMBERS INCLUDING A LEGAL EXPERT, WILL, AMONG OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES, ISSUE THE NECESSARY RULES AND GUIDELINES THAT ORGANIZE THE ELECTIONS AND ENSURE THEIR SAFETY. AL DOSARY SAID SUB-COMMITTEES WILL BE FORMED TO MONITOR THE ELECTIONS IN THE FIVE ELECTORAL CENTERS IN ASSOCIATION WITH FOREIGN SUPERVISORS, PREPARE VOTERS LISTS, STUDY NOMINATION FILES, ORGANIZE BALLOT CENTERS AND LOOK INTO PROTESTATIONS AGAINST ANY PROCEDURE BEFORE REPORTING THEM TO THE SUPREME COMMITTEE. IN ADDITION TO COUNTING VOTES AND REPORTING THE FINAL RESULTS TO THE SUPREME COMMITTEE, THE SUB- COMMITTEES WILL ALSO GUIDE VOTERS AND ANSWER THEIR INQUIRIES, AL DOSARY ADDED. SHE NOTED THAT BAHRAIN YOUTH PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS WILL WITNESS THE PRESENCE OF INTERNATIONAL MONITORS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL ELECTIONS ORGANIZATION AND THE UN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME AS WELL AS BAHRAIN TRANSPARENCY SOCIETY TO ENSURE THE ELECTIONS FAIRNESS AND IMPARTIALITY. IT IS TO BE NOTED THAT BAHRAINS YOUTH PARLIAMENT, WHICH IS A NATIONAL NON-POLITICAL PROJECT THAT DOES NOT REPRESENT A PARTICULAR PARTY OR POLITICAL BLOC, WAS INAUGURATED IN NOVEMBER 2005 AND AIMS AT FAMILIARIZING THE YOUTH WITH THE BAHRAINI DEMOCRATIC EXPERIENCE, HELPING THEM EXPRESS THEIR OPINIONS AND IMPROVE THEIR LEADERSHIP SKILLS. MOREOVER, THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL ON NATIONAL YOUTH POLICY (ICNYP) SELECTED BAHRAINS NEWLY-INTRODUCED NATIONAL YOUTH STRATEGY AS THE BEST YOUTH INITIATIVE AND PROJECT IN THE MIDDLE EAST. HMQ 16-OCT-2006 19:23
