THE Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) has come in for some criticism in recent weeks and I am sure that some of it is warranted. However, perhaps we should acknowledge that the task the LMRA has undertaken is huge, and there will always be teething problems with a project of this size.

If companies and expatriates took the time to follow the instructions, which have been well-publicised in the Press and which are also detailed on the LMRA website – www.lmra.bh – there would not be several hundred thousand expatriates unregistered, and all companies would have ‘cleansed their data’ many weeks ago and would now not have work visa problems.

My company inadvertently transgressed one of their rules (one which we missed on the website), and my colleague and I were invited to visit the LMRA office to sort out the problem.

I must say I have never seen a government department like this in Bahrain! Large, airy, spotlessly clean public areas with dozens of representatives waiting to handle visitors, all in private well spaced-out cubicles.

There is piped music and superb refreshment areas on the ground and first floors. There are even staff moving around the waiting areas with laptops, offering to log on to company details on the LMRA website to check whether the visitor can finalise his business more quickly online.

Staff – from the security to the reception upwards – are smart and courteous, and we were able to finish our business quickly and efficiently.

The impression I got was that everyone was there to help and nothing was too much trouble. A very pleasant experience.

Oh yes, and there is a huge parking area right outside the building! I, for one, have no complaints.

Clive Turpin.