Manama, July 1 (BNA): Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) Chief Executive Officer H.E Mr. Jamal Abdulaziz Al Alawi extended his congratulations to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, for maintaining the Kingdom of Bahrain’s status within (Tier-1) for the fourth consecutive year in the field of combating people trafficking.

This was stated in the annual report issued by the US Department of State, which is considered the highest annual international ranking in this field. Al Alawi stressed that this achievement is a result of the guidance, wise vision, and care of His Majesty the King in the promotion of equality and human rights for all citizens and residents in the Kingdom without discrimination.

Al Alawi also extended his congratulations to His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, noting that the integration of all public sector efforts had helped realize the vision of His Majesty the King in making Bahrain an inspiring global role model in the field of respecting rights and combating people trafficking.

He expressed his gratitude and appreciation to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister for his continuous supervision and directions to provide the facilitation needed to create the appropriate environment and systems for all bodies combating people trafficking to perform their roles collectively.

He praised the efforts of all government agencies, in addition, he pointed out the diligent work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with regards to its professional management of the human rights portfolio in international forums.

He highlighted the exceptional initiatives of the Ministry of Interior in their work related to the employment of trafficked persons, forced labor, speed of response in investigations, preparing reports, and referring them to the Public Prosecution.

He noted the cooperation of the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs & Endowments in establishing the labor claims registration offices at the authority, permitting the authority to receive workers, register their claims, provide them with the required data, formulate a list of labor claims, and enter them into the ministry’s system.

He praised the prominent role of the Public Prosecution in confirming the principle of protection and preservation of society, holding guilty parties accountable, implementing the principle of justice in such cases, providing justice for victims, and prosecuting perpetrators inside and outside the Kingdom.

Al Alawi pointed out that the report of the US Department of State praised the Kingdom’s initiative to popularize the culture of combating people trafficking and respecting human rights in the Middle East by establishing a regional center for training and capacity-building to combat people trafficking in cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in the GCC countries.

The center will work on preparing studies and research related to trafficking, in addition to formulating a special approach to combating people trafficking commensurate with the nature of trafficking cases in the Middle East and North Africa region.

It will also contribute to setting standards for victim care services, setting definitions, evidence, and mechanisms to combat trafficking that are related to the demographic, economic, and social structure of the region.

The US Department of State’s report also touched on the opening of labor claims registration offices at the LMRA, where the Protection and Grievances Directorate, is tasked with providing administrative assistance to expatriate workers in filing labor claims and following them up through the electronic system allocated for this purpose by The Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs & Endowments.

They also provide applicants with all the information needed, follow-up developments until the issuing of the ruling, whilst providing administrative assistance in entering requests, memorandums, and responses. The Ministry also provides the necessary technical support so that the Authority can initiate its duties in this regard.

The US Department of State’s report noted the Kingdom’s implementation of the Wage Protection System – inaugurated last May – which works on documenting the workers’ salaries payment process in institutions subject to the Labor Law.

This allows for the follow-up of entitlements and to ensure that employers are committed to paying the wages of workers continuously and on the specified dates under the laws and conditions stipulated in the Labor Law.

The report indicated that the Kingdom of Bahrain has translated its work in combating people trafficking into a practical and institutional system with the participation of various ministries and government and private entities.