Permits for universities, clinics leave council in jitters

The Manama Municipal Council has a major problem. It is facing difficulties in identifying suitable sites as the ministries of Education and Health continue to issue licences for universities and clinics. “Our problem is to identify sites and then squeeze in universities and clinics in residential areas in the Capital where car parking space is scarce,” council secretary Jassim Redha said yesterday. “We are forced to give out spaces to private universities and educational institutions, because the Ministry of Education issues permits without consulting us or knowing where to locate them,” he said. “Our technical committee headed by Sadiq Rahma has decided to approve criteria for private schools and universities in Manama. The problem is that the universities in the residential areas are reluctant to allocate parking areas. “I think it will be a great help if all the five municipal councils are involved in the process of issuing permits. Both the ministries continue to issue licences for clinics and institutions because the government has been focusing on providing better health and education facilities. But the ministries should identify the district and the area before issuing the licences. The people who are granted the permits approach us for and our problems begin,” he said. One way out, Redha said, was to exert pressure on the universities and clinics to provide as much parking space as possible. “We have 43 private educational institutions permitted by the ministry. The number has increased in the past three years following the government initiative to further improve the facilities. The ministry is already supervising 218 schools.” By our staff reporter