LABOUR Market Regulatory Authority’s (LMRA) policies were criticised by business owners during a meeting of the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) committee at the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry headquarters.They slammed the LMRA’s ‘closed door’ policy and the issue of illegal expat workers which they said reached alarming proportions.

They said suspension of commercial registrations for trivial reasons and stopping dealings if a worker fails to update personal data had caused them a lot of damage.

Businessmen urged LMRA to review its fines on violators, adding they are being overburdened.

LMRA chief executive Ausamah Al Absi stressed that the authority is an executive body, not a legislative one. He admitted that illegal workers are a problem and that LMRA is co-ordinating efforts with concerned parties to address it. He said the influx of illegal workers into the country through fictitious CRs must be stopped. LMRA officials representing various sectors attended. Commercial establishments have reported about 14,000 runaway cases, reports our sister paper Akhbar Al Khaleej.