DUBAI – Bahrain will put curbs on foreign trips by ministers as the government told public officials to be “close to people” and not extravagant, the local Gulf Daily News reported on Monday.
“It is of utmost importance for a minister to exercise his responsibilities, remain close to people and follow up his duties and ministry's affairs," Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa was quoted as saying.
The yet to be announced budget cuts will curtail foreign trips by officials and the size of their delegations, the newspaper reported.
The measures will also organise holidays of ministers “in line with rules and regulations”, the newspaper said.
It was not clear what prompted the prime minister to call for limiting expenses by ministers in the small Gulf state, which lacks the vast hydrocarbon incomes of places like Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Qatar.