DOHA: The Cabinet yesterday approved a draft law that seeks to amend some key provisions of a legislation regulating telecom services in the country, to empower the Telecom Regulatory Authority to fine service providers for flouting rules.
The amendments would arm the Authority with the power to form a committee that would determine if a service provider has breached provisions of the law or licensing conditions.
Once the panel has decided there has been a violation, the service provider will be fined, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reports. The panel will be headed by a judge from a preliminary court.
The decision to set up the panel is to be decided by the head of the Telecom Regulatory Authority, QNA said.
The draft law approved by the Cabinet is to be referred to the Advisory Council.
Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani chaired the weekly Cabinet meeting at Emiri Diwan.
The Cabinet agreed that Qatar will host a meeting of the GCC ministerial committee of Awqaf on April 15 and 16.
The session examined a report presented by the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology on latest efforts to establish eGovernment.
The goal is to use technology to coordinate efforts between ministries and other government authorities.
The report said the committee has been tasked with carrying out the initiative and has 15 finished projects related to infra-structure needed to achieve eGovernment.
The committee has also prepared the final plans of 34 government institutions regarding electronic services.
The Cabinet also approved draft agreements on aviation services between Qatar and Somalia, trade cooperation with Benin, on the encouragement and protection of investment with Benin and on avoidance of tax duplication with Mali and Benin.
It agreed a draft cooperation agreement in the field of sports between the Ministry of Youth and Sports and Japan.
It also approved a draft cooperation agreement between the Supreme Education Council and the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in the field of scientific research.
The Cabinet endorsed the signing of a cooperation agreement in the field of tourism with Japan National Tourism Organization and agreed a cooperation agreement with Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in the field of information technology.
The Peninsula
