Bahrain postpones the announcement of ministerial reshuffle until Saturday

A high ranking Bahraini source disclosed that announcing the limited ministerial reshuffle which was expected on Wednesday was postponed until Saturday.

The official; who asked to be anonymous said that this delay is because of the continued consultations between the country's leaderships on the size of this change, noting that there is an inclination to minimize the number of ministries.

He added that a new position will be also formed which is the ministry of social affairs after separating it from the ministry of labor. This ministry will be assigned to an academic figure to be the second woman in the government after the minister of health Mrs. Nada Haffaz who was appointed in April 2004.

The official indicated that there is a possibility for founding another ministry for youths, but he stressed that the consultations are currently concentrating on best formulas to make the balance between the desire to minimize the number of ministries and the need for developing the performance of the government.

He explained that the formation of the new government might witness merging of standing ministries like the ministry of justice and Islamic affairs in one ministry, and also the ministries of industry and trade. He added that this formation might not include the post of the minister of information as its missions will be transferred to the minister of state for foreign affairs Sheikh Mubarak Bin Muhammad al-Khaleifah.

Worthy mentioning that the last reshuffle in Bahrain was made in November 2002 after the legislative elections which were held in October of the same year. It was the first legislative elections held in Bahrain since 1973.