Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who is in Bahrain to receive the United Nation’s Global Award for public service, met King of Bahrain Hamad bin Al-Khalifa and Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa on Thursday.
The meeting between the Chief Minister and rulers of Bahrain took place during dinner hosted by the King to dignitaries attending the United Nation’s Convention on Public Service. The Chief Minister, later, had another meeting with the Crown Prince, who is also the First Deputy Prime Minister of Bahrain, at the latter’s Palace in Manama.
The Prince told the Chief Minister to bring to his notice any problems affecting Malayalis in Bahrain.
He also told Mr. Chandy that his visit to Kerala in March last year was fresh in his memory. It was a historic visit.
Though Kerala and Bahrain had historic links, it was the first time that a Prince from Bahrain had visited the State.
Congratulating Mr. Chandy for winning the award, the Crown Prince said he too met people of his country on every Monday. He also invited the Chief Minister to witness his mass contact programme, an official release here said.
Bahrain’s official news agency said the Crown Prince had emphasised the importance of boosting bilateral business and economic cooperation between the Kingdom of Bahrain and Kerala, and India more widely, during their meeting.
He highlighted the importance of both government entities and the private sector in pushing this forward.
Minister for Non-resident Keralites’ Affairs K.C. Joseph and vice-chairman of NoRKA-Roots M.A. Yusuff Ali and businessman Ravi Pillai were present at the meeting.