Seeking more space

NGOs may move out of Adliya districtBy Titus FilioStaff ReporterNon-governmental organisations (NGOs) occupying spaces in government-owned apartments in a section in Adliya may be moving out soon.Some society heads cited the need for more space while others lamented the place is in need of repairs although they are clueless on who should be responsible for providing the budget to redevelop the whole area.The area covers some three blocks with more than twenty three-storey buildings. These buildings were used during the 1980s as a housing facility for expatriate workers in ministries and government agencies.The area, by the late 1990s, had become a landmark – an “NGO District” – providing headquarters to some 40 non-governmental organisations and professional societies.But some of the organisations in the area are already scouting for other options to establish their base.The biggest organisations include the General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions (GFBTU) and the Bahrain Society of Training and Development (BSTD). Officials from both organisations said there are already plans in their respective societies to move out.“The place has been our home for many years but it has become small for our growing organisation,” said GFBTU Chairman Abdulghaffar Abdulhussein.“We do have plans to develop our own headquarters somewhere else. We are looking to do that in the very near future,” he said.The GFBTU holds periodic meetings in one of the buildings that they occupy in the outer section of the area. They use practically the whole building but their rooms can only accommodate a maximum 50 people for every meeting they hold in any of the rooms. The federation has more than 50 member trade unions under its umbrella.BSTD Chairman Hussein Ibrahim told the Tribune that their board had outlined plans to develop its own site last year.He said they would vacate the BSTD premises as soon as their new site is completed.They occupy a building adjacent to the GFBTU.“This is the project of the new board and we hope to have our own headquarters within the next two years,” Ibrahim said.“Some buildings may need repair work too but we are not too sure if this place will still be maintained,” said a board member of one of the societies in the area.“The place has been a lot of help to us but some societies here do not have their own money to do renovation on their own or develop their headquarters,” he said.Some of the most prominent organisations headquartered in the area include the Bahrain Human Rights Society (BHRS), the Bahrain Bar Society, Consumer Society, Sociologists Society and the offices of a children’s charity fund.Last week, at the height of bad weather, members of the BHRS and the Sociologists association had to struggle through flooded corridors because of problems with toilet drainage in their area.Some parts of the area are also flooded during heavy rains.The buildings were actually designed as residents and not for long-term use by societies.Parking has become a problem for many whenever there are big meetings hosted by the societies.The associations occupy the buildings by virtue of a law which specifies that the Government must provide headquarters to recognised organisations.It is an almost autonomous section in the area and even the Manama Municipality exercises a “hands off” policy over the area.“The area is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Works but the Ministry of Social Affairs also has some responsibility over the area,” said Jassim Redha, secretary at the Manama Municipal Council. “We know that many organisations are facing difficulties now because the place is small for their functions,” Redha said.“There is yet no definite build-up project in the area but surely it will still have its useful purposes even if it is vacated by the NGOs,” he said.There are more than 200 recognised non-government organisations and professional societies. Some of the organisations fund and operate their own premises while some are provided with space like those in Adliya.Some new organisations are still petitioning the government to provide them with