No segregationExpat labourers won’t be removed from areas where families live
THE Manama Municipal Council has rejected the idea of segregating expatriate labourers from areas where families live.A number of local families had asked the council to remove bachelors from areas where families reside. The families had claimed that the activities of these bachelors were against religious values and unacceptable to society, said the Chairman of the Manama Municipal Council, Murtada Bader.“The issue was discussed by the Chairman of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, Nabeel Rajab, and members of the Manama Council, and it was agreed that removing the expatriate bachelors was not acceptable,” he said.“We have a lot of social problems, but all the troubles don’t stem from Bangladeshis and Indians in these area. On the contrary, locals are involved in 90 per cent of cases of drugs, sexual abuse, cheating and theft,” Bader said.“I don’t support the idea of segregating foreigners from local people. It is insulting for people of one or two nationalities to be kept in one camp.” Bader said that the Capital area was not so big and there were no vacant places where the bachelors could be moved.“We can suggest that the companies sponsoring the labourers hire a building and accommodate them there. It is a common practice in UK, where all bachelors live in one building and families don’t go there. It is not right for anyone to say that we must find them separate places to live in. It is our duty to support and help such people, instead of fighting with them. There are a lot of labourers who respect our religion, values and traditions.“Social circumstances had pushed the Manama Council to take action, but the government does not support such ideas. There was a similar incident in Kuwait and the bachelors were moved to another area. The council is not sure how effective this practice would be in Bahrain.”He said that most of the labourers stayed in large numbers in hired houses in Mukhargah, Naim and Central Manama. “Since Bahrain requires the services of these labourers the only solution is that companies should find a building and accommodate all of them. At the same time the sponsor company must ensure that these labourers should have social security,” added Bader.

Hawkers cold-shouldered by coldstores

Street hawkers are proving to be a menace for shopkeepers who say it is affecting their business, be it fruits, vegetables, watches or clothes.Aker Ali Sheikh, whose livelihood and that of his family in Bangladesh depends on a vegetable and fruit shop he runs in one of the bylanes of Manama, says it is becoming very tough. “These street hawkers just set up a temporary shop anywhere.“Since they don’t have to pay rent or municipal fees, they can afford to bring down their prices and make a profit, too,” he said, adding that customers would always go where it was cheaper. Another vendor, Indian Babu Ram, voiced similar concerns and said that if the situation did not change, he was not sure how long he could continue his business. “How are we supposed to make ends meet?“There are days when we have to throw out supplies due to a short shelf life, and that means a further loss to us.” A retailer of a readymade garment shop said the municipality needed to do more to ensure hawkers were off the streets.The General Secretary of Manama Municipal Council, Jassim Redha, admitted that this was a major problem that MMC had been trying to solve. “We have put forward new recommendations forbidding expatriates from vending on the streets and stated that it should only apply to unemployed Bahrainis aged above 21. They must not be students nor hold a commercial registration licence or be employed anywhere else.”

Demolition drive on

More than a hundred dilapidated buildings and houses have been earmarked for demolition according to the Chairman of the Manama Municipal Council who was speaking to the Bahrain Tribune. The council inspection team confirmed that the majority of these dangerous buildings in the Capital is currently occupied and some of the vacant buildings were being used for seamy activities.The Chairman, Murtada Bader, said the council had taken permission from the Ministry of Justice to demolish a house near Fakrawi Laundry on Al Mahza road. “Despite many warnings to the houseowner, he did not ask the tenants to vacate the building. Therefore, the council has issued a notice to the Indian and Bangladeshi residents of this house to leave. The municipality can then demolish the house.”The cost of demolishing the house will be borne by the landlord in this case. Similarly, the council has given warning to another hundred building owners that if they do not demolish the buildings, they will be bulldozed.Bader said that the council had a budget of BD6,000 to demolish such buildings but said that it was inadequate.“There are many other dangerous buildings in the Capital whose owners will also be issued similar warnings. The council will ask the government to increase its budget for the purpose next year,” he said.

144 Northern stables, farms illegal ...... owners of 19 illegal farms in Burhama, Salehiya produced before prosecutor

Owners of 19 illegal farms in Burhama and Salehiya were produced yesterday before the Public Prosecutor, Manama Municipal Council secretary Jassim Redha said.The prosecutor’s office asked the council to present witnesses and evidences including pictures that the owners had been indulging in illegal farm activities, Redha said.“We hope a verdict before Eid to remove the illegal farms for good. The owners trade in livestock, but during Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha they slaughter the livestock on their open farms. They never inform veterinarians or health officials.“The farms are near residential areas near the old village of Burhama. For over four years, residents have been complaining about bad smell emanating from the farms, which becomes unbearable during slaughtering during the two Eids.“The farm owners have violated laws in several ways – they are not registered, there is no clearance from health and agriculture officials and they have been dumping carcasses all over the place. “The council took the owners to the court because our warnings went unheeded. Around 15 years ago there were eight farms near the Central Market. When the government decided to build the Central Market the farm owners were shifted to Burhama. Over the years their number has increased and the problem become acute,” he said.Redha said when the five councils were set up following elections four years ago, they started issuing warnings and the owners asked for alternative sites. “It is our responsibility to earmark an area for them and legalise their status. The council suggested two sites behind Alba and in Hidd, but the owners rejected both.”STABLE owners in the Northern area who do not comply with the municipal orders to remove their facilities will be taken to court, the Chairman of the Northern Municipal Council, Majeed Al Sayed, said yesterday.There are 147 stables and farms in the Northern area, out of which only three are legal. They have existed for the last 10 to 15 years. Initially, they were in isolated patches of land but with the development of private properties they have come close to urban areas. “The farm owners, even though economically affected, have begun to cooperate with the municipality.“We are assisting them by suggesting alternative sites in areas where the neighbourhood will not be affected environmentally,” he said.“But the stable owners are not complying with the municipal regulations even though their facilities are illegal.“They have been running these facilities for recreational purposes and have refused to move out of the area,” Al Sayed said.He said that the council has taken up the matter with the Bahrain Equestrian and Horse Racing Club officials. He said the stable owners had been issued verbal and written warnings time and again. – Naila Barakat

‘Extra’ municipal charges to go

The municipalities have been consistently over-charging Bahrain residents and businesses for non-existent services, according to a Constitutional Court verdict.Manama Municipal Council Secretary Jassim Redha told Bahrain Tribune that the extra charges would be withdrawn from January 2006. “A number of complex financial issues are involved and we need time to sort them through,” he said. “For example, some residents have found that they are being charged many times extra for their municipal tax on home rent. We have been instructed by the office of the Minister of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture, Ali Saleh Al Saleh, to legalise all the fees until January when a new municipality fee structure shall be proposed.” Redha said that meanwhile the financial committees in the council were preparing a draft of the new municipalities law to cover the fee structure and would present it to the council soon. The law will cover the fee structure for all the five municipal councils.

Adliya public park inaugurated

The Adliya Public Park, renovated at a cost of BD70,000, opened to the public yesterday.The renovation was in line with the Manama Municipal Council’s scheme to upgrade and establish more public gardens in every neighbourhood. Council chairman Murtada Bader, secretary Jassim Redha and other councillors were present. Redha said the garden was renovated keeping in mind the new concepts of public gardens to meet needs of children and adults. The new facilities include a mini-football ground, swings, and more sitting areas, among others.

A Ramadhan gift: Disabled can open shop at home
A Ramadhan gift from the government: Handicapped people can earn a living – with dignity. Now they can start small businesses at home or in the residential areas.The Ministry of Municipalities and Agricultural Affairs has approved the long-pending proposal by the five municipal councils.“We have received a letter from the Minister, Ali Saleh Al Saleh, notifying his approval. We also discussed the same in a meeting yesterday,” Manama Municipal Council secretary Jassim Redha said.“We will put in place some regulations to implement the government decision allowing the handicapped to start businesses such as cold stores, laundry, fruits and vegetables shops, among others, under the category of small businesses,” he said.“The proposal follows requests by a number of disabled people for help. The municipal zoning law forbids businesses in the residential areas. We are doing our best to help the handicapped earn their livelihood, in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Affairs. This is one sure way of integrating the disabled people in society.,” he said.Redha said they expected about 100 applications from the underprivileged in the Capital.Muharraq Municipal Council chairman Mohammed Al Wazzan said they had submitted the proposal about two years ago. “But then the ministry had rejected the proposal to allow needy people to open shops in residential areas. We expect about 50 applications.”He said: “The handicapped people can apply through their area municipalities for any small business of their choice such as tailoring, bakery, laundry and others. The applications will be processed under a set of strict criteria.”The head of Health and Environment committee at the the Central Municipal Council, Abbas Mahfoodh, said three years ago the council had discussed the matter. “We have forwarded 40 applications from the central area.”

Monument to project Karbabad significance

The Manama Municipal Council will raise a monument to the Karbabad Village to highlight its historic significance.The council has approved the decision to set up the monument near the gates of the village in the Seef district, council secretary Jassim Redha said.“The project will depict two or three people with a basket made of palm fronds and carrying Dilmun seals,” Redha told Bahrain Tribune.“We have approved the monument because Karbabad had a vast area dotted with date palm trees. The dates from the village used to be a favourite among people of the Kingdom. “Seef Mall is located in this area which includes one of our most important historic sites – Bahrain Fort which dates back to the Dilmun civilisation. The monument will be three metres high and 2.5 metres wide.“During a meeting, councillors also decided to put up advertisement regulations on traffic signal and other poles, specifying size, quantity, types and location for advertisements,” he said.Council chairman Murtada Bader has discussed with the Minister of Municipalities and Agricultural Affairs, Ali Saleh Al Saleh, the council’s projects budget for the next four-year term. The government will announce a budget of BD8 million for all the five councils, and an additional BD2 million will be allocated by the ministry. The total budget of BD10 million will be equally distributed to the five councils, Redha said.

owners back in rebuilt homes
KEYS to three newly-built houses have been presented to the owners by the Manama Municipal Council and the Ministry of Works and Housing. The houses have been rebuilt under the national project to renovate old houses.The houses in Segaya, Sanabis and Naim were ready and the keys were handed over to Chairman of the Manama Municipal Council, Murtada Bader, by the Assistant Undersecretary for Housing, Nabeel Abdulfateh.“We received the keys and we handed them over to the owners on the same day,” Bader said.“Besides the 20 old houses under rehabilitation in Manama, there are 75 waiting to be demolished by the month-end and then to be reconstructed. We have received designs for 16 houses and in the next two-three weeks we will receive more. The project is progressing well and the council is moving ahead with the programme. This is the reason we have completed the rehabilitation of the eight houses

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