By SOMAN BABY
MANAMA: Bahrain has launched a major crackdown against thousands of “ghost” companies racketeering in work visas.
Two thousand fake Commercial Registrations have been cancelled and a further 5,000 are under investigation, it was revealed yesterday.
New edition of the Gulf Who's Who is released
MANAMA: The revised Bahrain edition of Gulf Who’s Who Directory 2009-2010 was launched yesterday by Oil and Gas Affairs Minister and National Oil and Gas Authority (Noga) chairman Dr Abdulhussain Mirza.
The minister presented the first copy to Bahrain Management Society president Dr Adel Hamad Abdul Rahman Hamad.
By SOMAN BABY
MANAMA
BAHRAINI jobseekers have so far benefited from 32 training projects costing a total of BD63.7 million under a government scheme launched at the beginning of last year.
By Soman Baby
THE number of clearing agency offices working with the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) has reached more than 1,200.
The Clearing Agents Association has forged stronger links with LMRA, said vice-president Ali Hasan Alsankis. “The number of offices increased from 750 to more than 1,200 in a short span of three to four months because of the increased workload,” he told the GDN.
It is very unfortunate to see a lot of companies struggling to meet the LMRA fees per employee per month.
It is especially severe on companies employing large number of staff.
I work in a construction company, which company struggles to pay the exorbitant bills every month. My company has refrained from deducting any amount from the staff salary but I know of reputed rogue companies who do so.
By SOMAN BABY
NINETY-FOUR per cent of visas for expatriate workers are being processed within the 10-day target, says the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA). It has issued 11,800 work visas a month since taking over responsibility for the private sector from the Labour Ministry, last July.
The figures were revealed at a Press conference given by chief executive Ali Radhi and Interior Ministry assistant under-secretary for nationality, passports and residence Shaikh Ahmed bin Isa Al Khalifa, at the LMRA headquarters, Sanabis yesterday.
Law to protect maids vowed
By REBECCA TORR
MANAMA
HOUSEMAIDS are to get legal protection, to stamp out the trade in human misery, including forced prostitution. A new labour law will regulate the working hours and living conditions of domestic staff such as housemaids, drivers, childminders and cooks, said Bahrain National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking head Shaikh Abdulaziz Mubarak Al Khalifa.
This is in response to R Madhavan’s appeal to the government to issue dependent visas for parents of expats, (GDN, February 22).
I am aware of at least two acquaintances in Bahrain who have obtained residence permits for their mothers.
By SOMAN BABY
ALL business owners and government organisations have been urged to verify and complete their expatriate labour records before March 31.
The call came from the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) and the General Directorate of Nationality, Passport and Residence (GDNPR).
A friend of mine had a dispute with his sponsor that ended quite badly with the sponsor swearing vengeance and lodging a “runaway” complaint with the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA).
Inevitably, they did patch up, resolve their work-related issues and settle down. However, this process took just over a month and now the sponsor, thanks to an LMRA ruling, cannot revoke his complaint!