Bahrain will process this year all housing applications before 2001, said s senior government official.

Housing Minister Bassem Al Hamer said the criteria for distribution of houses were set according to application dates and strategic plans, dismissing rumours of alleged sectarianism.

"We give homes to 50 per cent of applications from the area where the housing project is located according to their dates on the waiting lists and then the other half goes to others from the governorate," he said yesterday in a statement.

"If more units are available, then they are distributed to those outside the governorate, again according to their applications' dates."

He said the system was fair and measures were in place to ensure no prejudice would happen.

"New town projects that will be build across the country will be divided on our general lists rather than specifications," said Al Hamer.

"We are working in partnership with the private sector to complete homes of those on the waiting lists until 2001," he said. "One of our major projects under reclamation is a land east of Hidd, where work will begin next year and it will be ready for distribution in 2016."

Al Hamer said numerous housing projects in the pipeline would be presented to parliament soon. We look forward to parliament's comments and reservations, which will help enrich our work.

"His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa asks about progress of housing projects during Cabinet meetings and orders to speed them up," Al Hamer added. – TradeArabia News Service