Latest news with #BaderAlTamimi
Zawya
26-03-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Bahrain's MPs approve 2025-2026 national state budget
Bahrain - Thirty-three MPs approved the 2025-2026 national state budget during yesterday's session. Six MPs rejected the move, while only Parliament's public utilities and environment affairs committee chairman MP Bader Al Tamimi was absent. According to the draft, the total spending budget for both this year and the next will be BD8.916 billion, divided into BD4.379bn this year and BD4.536bn the next. The government is anticipating general revenues of around BD6.383bn – BD2.924bn this year and BD3.459bn the next. Present during the weekly session was an eight-member ministerial team led by Finance and National Economy Minister Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa. He reaffirmed that the government operated under the leadership's directives ensuring that all projects and programmes were designed to benefit citizens, enhance living standards and create new opportunities. He outlined the government's approach to gradually reducing the deficit without affecting citizens' well-being, price stability or the availability of essential goods. 'There are multiple options to address the deficit,' he added. 'It is much higher than it should be, but we must work together on sustainable solutions that do not negatively impact people,' Shaikh Salman explained. He also confirmed direct cash support suggested for low-income citizens in case of changes to subsidised commodity prices had been removed during this budget cycle, keeping things as they are. Shaikh Salman provided an insight into efforts to diversify government revenues, highlighting an increase in the share of non-oil revenues. 'The ministries worked relentlessly throughout Ramadan to ensure all required information and figures were provided quickly,' he added. 'I extend my sincere gratitude to my team at the ministry, all ministers and their teams. 'This has been a shared effort, and we look forward to continuing this fruitful co-operation for the benefit of the country and its people.' Cabinet Affairs Minister Hamad Al Malki, who is politically responsible for Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, highlighted the role of Bahrain's sovereign wealth fund in supporting economic projects. Parliament and Shura Council Affairs Minister Ghanim Al Buainain, who is politically responsible for the Civil Service Commission, said plans were ongoing to train Bahrainis to fill government jobs and reduce the reliance on expatriates. The budget will be debated and voted on during an extraordinary Shura Council session tomorrow. Copyright 2022 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Gulf Insider
01-03-2025
- Business
- Gulf Insider
Bahrain: MPs Push to Cap Retiree Loan Repayments at 10% of Pension
Parliament will debate a proposal to limit retirees' loan repayments to 10% of their pension, a move the Housing Ministry warns could strain government-backed housing schemes and shift costs onto Eskan Bank. Lawmakers argue that the current 25% deduction leaves many pensioners struggling, especially those on minimum pensions who spent their working years earning low wages. The proposal, led by MP Bader Al Tamimi and four others, has been endorsed by the Public Utilities and Environment Committee. 'Retirees shouldn't have to choose between paying loans and affording basic necessities,' Al Tamimi said. 'Many worked for decades on modest wages and now receive the bare minimum. Their repayments should reflect their financial reality.' The Housing Ministry, however, cautioned against the plan, emphasizing that housing loans are already subsidized and capped at 25% of a pensioner's income. It highlighted that land and infrastructure costs are fully covered by the government, and existing policies already allow struggling retirees to apply for payment delays under Article 78 of Decision No. 909 of 2015. The ministry warned that reducing repayments further would shift financial burdens onto Eskan Bank and the Housing Ministry, potentially impacting future housing projects.
Daily Tribune
01-03-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
MPs Push to Cap Retiree Loan Repayments at 10% of Pension
Parliament will debate a proposal to limit retirees' loan repayments to 10% of their pension, a move the Housing Ministry warns could strain government-backed housing schemes and shift costs onto Eskan Bank. Lawmakers argue that the current 25% deduction leaves many pensioners struggling, especially those on minimum pensions who spent their working years earning low wages. The proposal, led by MP Bader Al Tamimi and four others, has been endorsed by the Public Utilities and Environment Committee. 'Retirees shouldn't have to choose between paying loans and affording basic necessities,' Al Tamimi said. 'Many worked for decades on modest wages and now receive the bare minimum. Their repayments should reflect their financial reality.' The Housing Ministry, however, cautioned against the plan, emphasizing that housing loans are already subsidized and capped at 25% of a pensioner's income. It highlighted that land and infrastructure costs are fully covered by the government, and existing policies already allow struggling retirees to apply for payment delays under Article 78 of Decision No. 909 of 2015. The ministry warned that reducing repayments further would shift financial burdens onto Eskan Bank and the Housing Ministry, potentially impacting future housing projects.
Gulf Insider
05-02-2025
- Business
- Gulf Insider
Bahrain: MPs Scrap BD500 Bahrainisation Fee
A plan to remove the BD500 fee that allows firms to bypass Bahrainisation quotas was passed by MPs yesterday, despite strong objections from the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) and the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI). The LMRA cautions that scrapping this arrangement may lead businesses to rely more on foreign hires instead of locals. It believes the fee — tacked onto each extra expat permit — currently encourages companies to stick to Bahrainisation quotas. Without it, the regulator contends, employers will lose a key nudge that keeps Bahraini workers front and centre. The chamber also raised concerns, arguing that several jobs need expertise from abroad. In its view, removing the fee system could trigger workforce gaps, dampen quality, and weaken Bahrain's economy. Joblessness It favours an all-encompassing overhaul of labour rules that tackles joblessness at the roots yet still gives firms enough room to operate. Since 2016, this scheme has run under a Cabinet directive on LMRA charges. It has been tweaked over the years to adjust to changing conditions, and officials say it lines up with Bahrain's goals for the labour market between 2023 and 2026. Steps The LMRA has likewise introduced other steps to shore up local hiring — firms must post vacancies in-country and interview Bahraini applicants before picking expat workers. Employers are also required to wait 21 days while these steps unfold, so that foreign recruitment isn't the default. 'The plan is meant to lift Bahraini employment in the private sector,' explained MP Bader Al Tamimi, one of its backers. 'Right now, some businesses hand over the fee rather than bring on local staff. This was originally designed to help companies needing extra permits who hadn't met their Bahrainisation target, but it's turned into a handy escape hatch.' Al Tamimi referred to LMRA figures showing 12,251 new permits and 27,849 renewals in 2023 alone. 'This surge in foreign permits reveals where employers are putting their focus,' he said. 'We've got a dire job crunch, and we need to prioritise Bahraini workers.' Home-grown talent 'It's not about punishing companies,' he added. 'It's about giving Bahrainis a proper go. If a firm truly backs homegrown talent, it shouldn't need a fee to steer it in that direction.' Parliament's Services Committee examined the plan and gave it the green light. Most members believe it will help steady the employment scene.
Zawya
05-02-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Bahrain: Green light for jobs plan
Bahrain - MPs have unanimously approved a proposal calling for urgent action to replace unskilled foreign workers with Bahraini job-seekers who hold a secondary school certificate. More than 6,000 nationals are searching for employment while many low-skilled positions continue to be occupied by expat labour, according to MP Muneer Suroor, who spearheaded the proposal. 'This imbalance must be corrected through decisive government action,' he told Parliament during its weekly session yesterday. The proposal calls for a comprehensive plan to gradually replace foreign workers in unskilled and semi-skilled jobs with Bahrainis. It suggests that government agencies, in collaboration with the private sector, should develop training programmes to equip job-seekers with the necessary skills for available positions. The proposal also seeks the enforcement of stricter policies on work permits and visa renewals for unskilled foreign labourers, ensuring that vacancies are first offered to Bahrainis before considering non-citizens. 'We must create a system where hiring a Bahraini is the most straightforward and beneficial choice for employers,' said Parliament's public utilities and environment affairs committee vice-chairman Bader Al Tamimi, who was one of the signatories to the proposal. 'The government has a duty to facilitate this transition through policy adjustments, training initiatives and incentives for companies that prioritise local talent,' he added. 'We believe that this plan will not only reduce unemployment but also strengthen the local workforce, improve economic conditions for Bahraini families and reduce reliance on expatriate labour in non-specialised fields.' MPs also unanimously approved another scheduled proposal for a national employment strategy. Five MPs, led by second deputy speaker Ahmed Qarata, had called for replacing foreign workers with Bahrainis in the public and private sectors. Parliament's services committee vice-chairman Mohammed Al Olaiwi said that it was time for the government to tackle the ongoing problem. 'Whenever we go to an event, funeral or wedding we are presented with CVs of people seeking employment for their children,' he pointed out. 'We are not the Labour Ministry, but we understand people's frustration when an expat lands a job easily while Bahraini graduates are sitting at home.' Both the proposals have been referred to the Cabinet for review. Copyright 2022 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
