QNA/Doha
The weekly Cabinet meeting, chaired by HE the Prime Minister and Interoir Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, yesterday issued a law on family affairs litigation after reviewing the recommendation of the Advisory Council on the draft law.
As per the bill, court sessions on family issues are secret and rulings are to be made in public sessions. The court, as part of preparing the ruling, can enlighten the opponents on requirements of the proper functioning of the case and give them a time limit to submit their defence.
The court can also request a member of the guidance offices and family reconciliation to submit a report on the case. Additionally, the court can use guidance offices and family reconciliation to help in reaching a settlement through reconciliation.
The first instance or appeals court in charge of family affairs reviews issues related to guardianship of person, guardianship of property, endowment and heritage. The law clarified means of rejecting the case, and ways of proof and implementation of decisions and rulings.
In addition, the Cabinet took the necessary procedures to issue a draft law amending some provisions of Decree No 17 of 2009 on the establishment of Qatar Ports Management Company after reviewing the Advisory Council’s recommendation on the bill.
According to the draft law, the company is granted a 15-year concession from the issue date of Decree No 17 of 2009, during which it assumes the sole responsibility of managing ports. In return, the company makes an annual payment to the government equal to 25% of its net profit. The company is exempted from the fee for five years starting January 2010 that can be renewed via a cabinet decision. The company’s commitment to pay the fee drops if the government cancels the concession or modifies its conditions.
The Cabinet ratified a draft law on civil defence and referred it to the Advisory Council. It also endorsed a decision by the minister of interior on the conditions and regulations of licensing civil defence training centres and regulating them as well as a the minister’s decision on specifying civil defence equipment, tools and materials.
According to the bill, a supreme council for civil defence is to be established and will assume the responsibility of drawing the general policy of civil defence and declaring a state of emergency in case of a disaster or the presence of conditions that makes its occurrence possible. The council will announce the end of the emergency when its causes are over. The Ministry of Interior’s General Directorate of Civil Defence will take civil defence measures to achieve its goals, and it must approve all design schemes for state facilities in order to endorse their fire prevention systems.
Commercial and industrial stores as well as general ones can’t be granted a licence until they are cleared by the relevant authority to have a valid fire prevention system. Facility owners must carry out regular maintenance of the fire prevention system and adhere to the measures and conditions of security and safety stipulated in the list attached to the law. Principles of civil defence are to be taught at all phases of schools, religious institutions and training centres according to the regulation established by authorities concerned in co-ordination with relevant educational authorities.
The first ministerial decision features conditions and regulations of licensing civil defence training centres, including that the company must be Qatari with all owners being Qatari nationals of a good behaviour, and licence is granted for a renewable three-year term. The draft law also included provisions regulating the practice of training and education of civil defence.
According to the second ministerial decision, an attached list specifies civil defence equipment and materials that are prohibited from being imported and sold without the approval of the General Directorate of Civil Defence.
The Cabinet endorsed a decision by the minister of environment to ratify a GCC technical regulation as a Qatari regulation.
Additionally, it ratified a draft financial regulation for Qatar Financial Markets Authority and a draft regulation for its tenders. The financial regulation explains provisions on the preparation of budget, accounts and the final account at the end of the fiscal year as well as systems of internal oversight on these accounts. The tenders regulation tackles provisions on contracting the work of the tenders committee, tendering procedures, and the purchasing of items by way of practice and direct agreement.
Moreover, the Cabinet approved the appointment of judges at Qatar International Court the regulation court of Qatar Financial Center and specifying their remuneration.
The Cabinet reviewed a report on the outcome of the committee tasked with discussing draft agreements and laws that were approved by GCC leaders. It also reviewed a memo by HE the Minister of Finance on the outcome of the 99th meeting of the GCC financial and economic co-operation committee, which was held in Kuwait last October.
