Locking the stable door

A complete revamp is mandated: Councillor
Suad Hamada
Staff Reporter

Perhaps the deaths of 16 workers and the Prime Minister’s immediate outrage over the existence of these conditions will do for labour what the Al Dana tragedy did for improving safety standards on water. As it is said with cold comfort, maybe their deaths will not be in vain. Bahrain has always been open and outspoken about Labour living conditions.It did not deserve this but now the system must face the fact that things have to be rectified across the board.
The action has been encouragingly swift. Cabinet’s Legal Affairs Directorate is reviewing the possibilities of introducing a bill banning sponsors from allocating accommodation for labourers in residential areas, Manama Municipal councillor Tariq Al Shaikh said yesterday. He said the bill would also deal with safety measures and mechanisms to ensure sponsors comply with safety rules.
The bill would regulate and control the number of bachelors living in each flat or house since under the law, the minimum requirement per person is 12 metres square, and there should be a bathroom and toilet for every five inmates occupying a room. “The accident could be attributed to a lack of certain laws regulating rent conditions,” he said. The draft bill bans non-Bahraini bachelors, including GCC citizens, from renting flats in buildings with families or living in residential areas.
When the Directorate drafts the bill, it should be first approved by the Cabinet, then sent to the legislative authority, and, when passed by Parliament, the bill would be in force.
He said the Directorate would study the proposal in order to standardise the decision among the five governorates.
Al Shaikh praised the government’s positive response to the draft bill proposed by Manama Municipal Council as he feels it would protect families from disturbances posed by bachelors living in the vicinity. “I think after the accident, the revision of the bill would be expedited.” The Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture has not been supportive of the draft law as, according to its officials, it could control the freedom of landowners to rent their property to whomsoever they wish. He said before tabling the proposal, the council conducted a three-year study on the negative effects of having bachelors as neighbours.
According to the bill, there would be buildings for families and others for bachelors, and that would be monitored through electricity bills as those violating the rules would not get power supply. Municipal Affairs has the right to evacuate flats or houses if there are violations of the bill’s terms.