BY LES HORTON
I remember when I first came to Bahrain, a senior journalist described it as a “good news society”, which he said was intolerant of the truth or criticism.
There was certainly a combative relationship between the media, certain authorities and larger private organisations, who felt that they should control what appeared in local newspapers.
Continue reading
Manama: A Bahraini non-governmental society has threatened to launch a wave of strikes and rallies and issue calls for resignations to help reverse the decision to scrap the sponsorship system for foreigners.
“The action threats were sparked by the decisions of the labour ministry and which are invariably targeting the economically-challenged sections of the society,” Waheed Al Dossari, the honorary head of the Bahrain Fishermen Society, said. “However, our actions will this time be loud and clear, especially that our movement has already won the support of butchers and vegetable and fruit sellers,” he said.
Continue reading
By BEGENA P PRADEEP
Children born to parents working for different sponsors may soon be given residence permits, officials revealed yesterday.
Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) chief executive officer Ali Radhi said he had come across cases where children born to parents working for different sponsors are denied a residence permit by law.
Continue reading
By MANDEEP SINGH,
CONTRACTORS yesterday called for immediate scrapping of the BD10 monthly fee imposed on employers for every expatriate they employ.
It comes as the latest Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) deadline to employers to pay or lose their visas ended last night.
Continue reading
By MANDEEP SINGH
EMPLOYERS in Bahrain have until Wednesday to pay outstanding fees to the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA), or risk having all their foreign workers’ visas cancelled.
The measure will also include employers who have failed to register and update their information, as well as those who have not renewed their employees’ expired work visas, said LMRA chief executive Ali Radhi.
Continue reading
Reforming the system: HE Dr Majeed Al Alawi
by Benjamin Millington
Bahrain’s Minister of Labour HE Dr Majeed Al Alawi sat down with CW to discuss recent protests over labour fees, the chances of introducing a minimum wage and a new law which will “virtually break” the sponsorship system.
Continue reading
By SOMAN BABY
CONTRACTORS who took to the streets in protest over “crippling” labour fees have been asked to prove that their businesses have declined.
The call came from Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) chief executive Ali Radhi, who said the majority of companies had applied for more work visas in recent months.
“This does not justify their claim that the BD10 per month fee per expatriate worker would force them out of business,” he told the GDN. Continue reading
by Benjamin Millington
Bahrain’s Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) downplayed the concerns of around 500 contractors and small business owners who held a protest this morning against government imposed labour fees.
From 9am until noon the protestors waved placards, chanted slogans and gave speeches on the steps of the LMRA headquarters in Sanabis, calling for the government to remove a monthly $26.50 (BHD 10) fee paid by employers for every expatriate worker. Continue reading
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
THE Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) will start sending invoices from today to companies for the monthly levy of BD10 for each expatriate worker they employ.