Bahrain’s ministers will host a weekly open house in a bid to enforce transparency, said a senior government official, adding that the first meeting will be held on May 8 at the Cabinet.

The move will create an open channel between ministers and the media, and promote transparency in government bodies, Minister of State for Information Affairs and the government's official spokeswoman Sameera Rajab was quoted as saying in the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

"Sunday's Press conferences will be only concerned with what's being discussed or approved during the Cabinet's session," she said during a Press conference following Cabinet's weekly session.

"Present will be the responsible minister whose projects, schemes or legislation are on schedule, besides myself as I will give an insight into what has been discussed and approved.

"We will all work as a team complementing each other as I will give points and the responsible minister will give details."

She also said she will no longer respond to questions not concerning the sessions.

"I am here to directly respond to questions related to the session and anything else has to be directed to the ministers concerned. I am here announcing that they will be present with us every Wednesday, starting next week in an open house," she said.

"It is still early to say if the ministers present will respond to open questions or issues of interest that they may see as important or as requested by media personnel and journalists.

"It may be weekly or bi-weekly, depending on arrangements with the local media, but I assure everyone answers will be transparent." – TradeArabia News Service