By SOMAN BABY

A CALL to reserve all jobs as clearing agents for Bahrainis went out to the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) yesterday.

The LMRA, which took over the responsibility of issuing work permits to expatriates in July last year, allows companies to assign two representatives each, whether Bahraini or non-Bahraini, to clear documents with the authority.

This is against the government’s directives, reserving all such clearing jobs for Bahrainis, said Bahrain Clearing Agents Society (BCAS) vice-president Ali Al Sankis.

“Allowing non-Bahrainis to deal with the LMRA for official document clearance is against the government’s established principle of Bahrainisation,” he told the GDN.

“There are about 1,200 offices licensed as clearing agencies and if the LMRA assigns all jobs for Bahrainis it will help create more jobs for nationals.”

The issue was taken up by BCAS at a meeting with LMRA yesterday.

Chief executive Ali Radhi and heads of various departments listened to the grievances raised by BCAS.

About 100 agents attended the meeting at the LMRA headquarters in Sanabis.

Mr Al Sankis said the society also urged LMRA to further up-grade its Expatriate Management System (EMS).

“Though the system came into force six months ago, we still face a lot of difficulties, especially with the verification system,” he added.

“The main problem is related to people’s surnames. The official form accepts a maximum of six names, whereas in the case of some nationalities there are up to eight names.

“When the agents fill in according to the specifications in the forms, the LMRA rejects it. It is important to clear this confusion.

Mr Al Sankis said the majority of the forms were submitted online, and this is a welcome trend.

“Only if we are stuck somewhere, do we have to go to LMRA,” he added.

“However, we request the LMRA to appoint more professional staff at its call centre to give proper advice to its clients.”

Mr Al Sankis said the majority of the clearing agents had undergone the special training organised by LMRA.

“We are happy that the LMRA has agreed to allocate a training room for the BCAS,” he added.

An LMRA spokesman said the companies are allowed to appoint agents, Bahraini or non-Bahraini, according to the LMRA law. “On the confusion related to names, it has to be sorted out with the Interior Ministry,” he added. “Passports of more than 25 different nationalities are being handled by LMRA. “All the grievances raised by the agents will be studied in detail and steps will be taken to sort out the problems.”