Latest news with #AlOlaiwi
Daily Tribune
22-03-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
MPs propose Tamkeen funding to back Bahraini athletes' wages
Tamkeen may be asked to cover the wages of Bahraini athletes under a proposal set for parliamentary debate on Tuesday. The plan seeks financial backing for players, coaches, and club staff throughout their contracts. Five MPs, led by Mohammed Al Olaiwi, are calling on the Labour Fund to create a dedicated programme supporting Bahrainis employed in local sports clubs. The aim is to ease financial pressure on clubs, encourage youth participation in sports careers, and address salary payment delays. 'The proposal would ensure Tamkeen supports wages for players, coaches, and administrative staff for the full duration of their contracts,' Al Olaiwi said. The Services Committee unanimously backed the proposal, highlighting its potential to increase job opportunities and bring stability to a sector plagued by irregular pay. In response, Tamkeen chief executive Maha Mofeez acknowledged the proposal's intentions but expressed concerns. She stated that Tamkeen's primary role is to encourage private sector employment and productivity, rather than fully cover wages across uncertain contract durations. Mofeez noted that the fund already supports Bahrainis in sports under existing programmes, which provide partial salary coverage for up to five years, contingent on Social Insurance Organisation registration. 'The proposed plan could lead to roles entirely dependent on Tamkeen's support, raising concerns about the sector's stability,' she wrote. Despite these reservations, Al Olaiwi defended the initiative as a means to create longterm job security and stimulate growth in the sports sector. 'It offers security to those working in clubs and opens opportunities for others to pursue sports careers,' he said.
Daily Tribune
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Daily Tribune
MPs to vote on donor-funded event hall
A plan to build an event hall in Muharraq Grand Park — fully funded by a private donor — will go to a vote in Parliament today. If approved, it would give Third Constituency residents a free venue for weddings and community gatherings, sparing them the steep cost of hiring private halls. MP Mohammed Al Olaiwi, backing the proposal, said the area's growing population had been left without a proper venue. 'People are forced to rent private halls at high prices. This isn't just an extra cost — it's a burden on families who already have enough expenses,' MP Al Olaiwi said. The proposed site is west of the park's car park, with a donor willing to cover the full construction bill. 'This project won't cost the government a single dinar,' MPs said in a statement. 'It's a practical solution to a real problem, and it would bring people together.'
Gulf Insider
06-02-2025
- Business
- Gulf Insider
MPs Back Move to Prioritise Bahraini Workforce in Hiring
MPs have backed a move to put Bahrainis first in hiring, arguing it's the only way to get a grip on unemployment and stop businesses from taking the easy route by hiring cheaper expat workers. The proposal, backed by a joint committee of the Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee and the Services Committee, is part of a wider push to get locals into jobs. Tamkeen's efforts alone have seen 5,400 Bahrainis hired, with another 4,900 put through training schemes. Supporters Second Deputy Speaker Ahmed Qarata, Jameel Mulla Hassan, Mohammed Al Olaiwi, Hisham Al Awadhi, and Mohammed Al Rifai are among those driving the move. They argue it's about making sure Bahrainis get a fair go, rather than being muscled out of their own job market. But, they say, the shift needs to be gradual, not a sudden change that leaves businesses floundering. Unemployment MP Al Olaiwi was blunt. Unemployment, he said, is a problem getting worse, not better. Every year, thousands of Bahraini graduates leave university with nowhere to go. 'We are a small country of just 750,000 people, yet we still haven't sorted this out, while our neighbours have managed to,' he said, calling jobs a basic right, just like housing, healthcare, and education. Worry Beyond job shortages, MPs are worried about how hard it is for families to make ends meet. Al Olaiwi said many people struggle to get past the first week of the month before running out of cash. 'People chase us to our cars with CVs — even at weddings and funerals,' he said. 'Every household has someone looking for work, and we are sick of asking for change that never comes.' Priority The Civil Service Bureau says Bahraini workers are already given priority in government jobs, with expats only brought in when no locals fit the bill. Foreign workers in the public sector are also required to pass on their knowledge before their contracts run out. The Ministry of Labour, which oversees private sector jobs, pointed to existing plans like the Government Action Plan (2023-2026), the Economic Recovery Plan (2021), and the National Labour Market Plan, all designed to encourage businesses to hire locals. Investment The ministry argues that while it's working to boost Bahraini employment, it can't ignore the need for a job market open enough to keep investment flowing. Wage subsidies and training schemes, it says, are there to help businesses transition. The Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) backed this view, saying firms already have to look at local hires before bringing in foreign workers. Policy The new push, it argued, is in step with current policy rather than a major shift. Meanwhile, Tamkeen, Bahrain's main employment and training body, pointed to its wage subsidies, leadership courses, and job-matching schemes. Since early last year, it has helped more than 5,400 Bahrainis into jobs and trained nearly 4,900.
Daily Tribune
06-02-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
MPs back move to prioritise Bahraini workforce in hiring
TDT | Manama MPs have backed a move to put Bahrainis first in hiring, arguing it's the only way to get a grip on unemployment and stop businesses from taking the easy route by hiring cheaper expat workers. The proposal, backed by a joint committee of the Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee and the Services Committee, is part of a wider push to get locals into jobs. Tamkeen's efforts alone have seen 5,400 Bahrainis hired, with another 4,900 put through training schemes. Supporters Second Deputy Speaker Ahmed Qarata, Jameel Mulla Hassan, Mohammed Al Olaiwi, Hisham Al Awadhi, and Mohammed Al Rifai are among those driving the move. They argue it's about making sure Bahrainis get a fair go, rather than being muscled out of their own job market. But, they say, the shift needs to be gradual, not a sudden change that leaves businesses floundering. Unemployment MP Al Olaiwi was blunt. Unemployment, he said, is a problem getting worse, not better. Every year, thousands of Bahraini graduates leave university with nowhere to go. 'We are a small country of just 750,000 people, yet we still haven't sorted this out, while our neighbours have managed to,' he said, calling jobs a basic right, just like housing, healthcare, and education. Worry Beyond job shortages, MPs are worried about how hard it is for families to make ends meet. Al Olaiwi said many people struggle to get past the first week of the month before running out of cash. 'People chase us to our cars with CVs — even at weddings and funerals,' he said. 'Every household has someone looking for work, and we are sick of asking for change that never comes.' Priority The Civil Service Bureau says Bahraini workers are already given priority in government jobs, with expats only brought in when no locals fit the bill. Foreign workers in the public sector are also required to pass on their knowledge before their contracts run out. The Ministry of Labour, which oversees private sector jobs, pointed to existing plans like the Government Action Plan (2023-2026), the Economic Recovery Plan (2021), and the National Labour Market Plan, all designed to encourage businesses to hire locals. Investment The ministry argues that while it's working to boost Bahraini employment, it can't ignore the need for a job market open enough to keep investment flowing. Wage subsidies and training schemes, it says, are there to help businesses transition. The Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) backed this view, saying firms already have to look at local hires before bringing in foreign workers. Policy The new push, it argued, is in step with current policy rather than a major shift. Meanwhile, Tamkeen, Bahrain's main employment and training body, pointed to its wage subsidies, leadership courses, and job-matching schemes. Since early last year, it has helped more than 5,400 Bahrainis into jobs and trained nearly 4,900.
