Supporting business leaders in running,

Supporting business leaders in running for next year's parliamentary elections was one of the plans outlined by the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry's new board yesterday.
BCCI chief executive officer Ebrahim Al Lengawi said the chamber Foundation president Kevin O'Malley wanted the business commuity to have more presence in parliament and it was keen to help.
"The chamber is thinking for the business community to have a presence in the parliament and to support one or two in the next elections as a way of supporting the economy," he told the GDN following a Press conference held at the BCCI in Sanabis.
"They will do this by making alliances with societies that are related to the economy and supporting them logistically."
He said other plans for the chamber included supporting the private sector in establishing a company for fish farming, poultry and red meat.
BCCI bureau members Jawad Al Hawaj and BCCI vice-treasurer Sagar Shaheen will spend the next three days visiting the Philippines and Thailand to discuss opportunities for fish farming with Bahrain.
Meetings will be held with their counterparts in each country and business leaders in the field.
Meanwhile, a proposal to add four new committees to the BCCI's existing 18 was announced.
The four committees are: fairs and exhibitions committee, transportation committee (with a focus on heavy vehicles), joint committee with Bahrain Association of Banks and a joint committee with contractors.
The chamber is also considering establishing a fifth committee, which will be a joint committee with Tamkeen.
The committees will be chaired by a board member involved in that particular sector or in some cases by a member outside the board.
The progress of each committee will be reviewed every three to six months.
The board also announced its decision to adopt a 10-point manifesto that had previously been presented by a 14-member bloc in the chamber's elections, which were held on November 16.
In the polls, 13 out 14 members in the bloc, which included BCCI chairman Dr Essam Fakhro, were elected to the new board.
"It will form part of the BCCI's objectives and more will be added because obviously others were elected to the board and they have their individual goals and agenda," said Mr Al Lengawi.
"The board will continue to support the market and focus on activating committees in the BCCI and make sure they deliver, with a special focus on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to open lots of avenues in the local and international markets."
BCCI's objectives for the next four years include:
l Frame a new strategic vision for the chamber in accordance with Bahrain Vision 2030.
l Enhance the chamber's role in protecting members' interests and bring up existing and emerging issues that members are facing.
l Establish a new centre for upholding the interests of small and medium enterprises.
l Provide support and orientation to young businessmen and women so they can emerge successful in their business ventures and equip them to play an important role in the kingdom's economy
l Set fundamentals for dialogue, discussions and partnership with the chamber and government and carry the private sector's voice to legislative bodies to uphold national interests
l Play a new influential role for the chamber in streamlining procedures, regulations and initiatives for infrastructural facilities pertaining to contracting industries, traders and services.
l Improve administrative systems and create value added services for the members to enhance ties and boost financial resources among them.
l Adopt and encourage initiatives and investments in national projects, research and administration to boost competency for establishments and companies in Bahrain.
l Conduct a viability study to enhance the private sector's role in local and public issues and to increase their role in political movements.
l Enhance the chamber's role for setting up an appropriate legislative and administrative environment to encourage private and commercial sectors.