Build a beautiful Bahrain yet live in slum!

Hanna GeorgeContributorThe lack of health and safety measures at labour camps is going on even after the occurrence and re-occurrence of dangerous incidents due to depleted living conditions, in certain areas around the Kingdom. Labourers employed by construction companies are living in dreadful conditions, where water leaks, broken stairways and an altogether dwindling room and building greet them every time they come home after a day’s hard work. The Bahrain Tribune took a survey of the labour accommodations in Manama to determine the state of the buildings. Most had a room allocated to approximately eight or ten workers cramped together. Yet surprisingly they all seemed happy on the surface, as in the case of Gurdeep Singh, a labourer at camp, who said: “It is heaven, the air-condition is working, the water doesn’t leak very much and the electricity doesn’t go out frequently. On the whole we are quite happy with our accommodation.” Whereas his friend, another worker encouraged him to speak about their difficulties, but in vain.Jassim Redha, Secretary at the Manama Municipal Council, said: “All the buildings in Manama are being checked by our health and safety inspectors, a report should be out within this week and action will be taken against all unkempt houses and buildings. We have worked on a set of rules and regulations in coordination with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labour, which will be shortly approved.“After major accidents like the Gudaibiya fire killing 16 labourers, injuring many more and the recent roof collapse of a two-storey labour building in which luckily no one was injured, it is astonishing to see that people are still risking their lives by living in unkempt buildings ready to fall over their heads.”He said that earlier last week, the Prime Minister announced the building of a mini-city in Hidd industrial area. The area will have a complex of buildings for labourers and technicians.