MPs to vote on cutting utility bills of Bahraini-owned SMEs

MPs to vote on cutting utility bills of Bahraini-owned SMEs

MPs are set to vote tomorrow on a proposal to subsidise the utility bills of Bahraini-owned small and medium enterprises.

Parliament’s public utilities and environment committee believes that the move could support Bahraini businessmen as well as advance the economic development in the country.

According to the committee, the support will include charging nine fils per unit for consumption between one and 5,000 units of electricity, 16 fils per unit for consumption from 5,001 to 10,000 units and 29 fils per unit for consumption of more than 10,000 units.

Committee chairman Bader Al Tamimi said that there are many businesses struggling financially due to increasing costs, especially utility bills.

However, the Electricity and Water Affairs Ministry said the proposed benefits are already being covered.

“The government supports the non-domestic consumption segment to up to 5,000 units, amounting to a cost exceeding BD20,000,000 last year,” it said.

“This support to the non-domestic consumption sector was aimed at small traders who own small and medium enterprises who make up more than 80 per cent of non-domestic consumption.

“An additional subsidy will lead to a significant reduction in the Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) revenues as well as create an imbalance between expenditure and revenue which isn’t in line with