funding

A joint stock company possibly to be formed for the M.T.O. . Stocks would be held by the government and the public jointly.

My meetings with prominent international bankers have elicited an enthusiastic response . Their feeling was that a compact, high profile and viable project such as this would attract investment interest from the public. Moreover they are keen to be involved in mobilising investments for this proposed joint sector infrastructure project, which would be one of the first in the era of privatisation, being currently encouraged by the Government .

Some of the considerations are as follows

On the one hand due to the elevated nature of the M.T.O. and its limited access, the managment of the joint stock company will have the power to decide which enterprise can be connected to the M.T.O. and then determine in how many shares they have to invest to get direct access. On the other hand, those businesses directly connected to the M.T.O. will have a distinct advantage over non-particpants because of the immense potential in terms of increased activity on all floors. Moreover, each business will represent an active unit within the vast incorporated M.T.O. system.

The running cost of the project-including promotional and carnival activities- could be absorbed by payment of subsidies etc. by the businesses on the M.T.O. The funding of tickets should be studied thoroughly keeping promotional aspects in view. One option could be tickets issued free as part of hotel packages, sales by retail businesses, at exhibitions etc.which would ensure use of the M.T.O. by quality vistors. The project could benefit further if the authorities were to waive the usual charges, taxes on land development etc., as the M.T.O. would not encroach on any new land area and would hover over existing developed lands.

Benefit of Scale. As the project is very big, it will reduce unit cost by minimising wastage, and optimising usage by employing high technology especially in design computations and efficient utility of resources in repetitive processes. Profit Centres. The shops/facilities on the trade bridges would become the most exposed business spots in Manama.The return on investment on these bridges could be assured by way of high rents for small show cases. Allocation of space on those bridges should be selectively enforced to keep up the prestige of the project, and ensure right services in right places.

Gigantic Illuminated Signboards at the entrance of the capital, alongside Faisal Highway, would generate sizable income from advertisers and attract more visitors to the M.T.O. for incremental business Trading Bridges Sites - Permanent exhibition spaces on the trading bridges (such as the Arabian Desert Stop) can be leased long-term to governmental bodies and large industrial organisations like ALBA, BAPCO, GPIC, Bahrain Promotion Office, etc.

Entrance Fee to the amusement sites on the monument (such as camel mouth balcony) would generate income from visitors.

The social aspect of the project and its "environmentally -friendly" nature could possibly entitle it to draw funding from the World Bank, United Nations, GOSI, etc. Preferential shares could be allocated to governments of friendly neighboring nations to maximizeinitial investment in areas with long realisation periods - such as the monument sites - which would provide high profile to the project in the launching stage although the investment would become viable later.

Most big industrial countries- such as Canada- have favourable long-term repayment schemes if equipment or technology (necessary for the M.T.O.) is bought from them.

		Why is the M.T.O. so cost effective and dynamic in its growth?
		"A Society which thinks purely in terms of percentage profits is an impoverished one"