Latest news with #DecisionNo.909
Daily Tribune
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Tribune
MPs push for more government-provided housing for divorced and unmarried women
TDT | Manama A new proposal presented in Parliament aims to broaden access to government-provided flats for women who are divorced, widowed, unmarried, or otherwise lack familial support. It highlights a gap between the state's intended housing support and the reality experienced by affected women. MP Basema Mubarak, supported by four fellow parliamentarians, submitted the recommendation in accordance with constitutional obligations and parliamentary procedural codes. It specifically addresses Article 4 of Decision No. 909 of 2015, a regulatory provision which defines the category of women eligible for housing support. Units Mubarak argues that while the existing framework explicitly acknowledges the need for state-provided housing to those who lack sufficient familial or financial resources, the allocated number of residential units remains insufficient in practice. According to Mubarak, this inadequacy is not merely an administrative matter but also touches upon fundamental conditions of dignity and psychological wellbeing. She emphasised that the state bears direct responsibility for offering housing security to individuals without adequate alternative support structures. The parliamentary document submitted alongside the proposal draws on Articles 5 and 9 of the Bahraini Constitution, framing housing as a matter central to social stability, especially where women may otherwise face precarious living situations. The submission critiques existing allocations as insufficiently attentive to the lived vulnerability of the affected women, who are made dependent upon a housing framework which currently provides too few resources to fulfil the legal obligation to care. In her explanatory comments, Mubarak stressed that a housing system should ensure not only physical shelter but also a recognition of women's particular vulnerabilities arising from situations of divorce, widowhood, abandonment, or unmarried status. She noted that such circumstances often leave women at risk of isolation and instability, which requires state intervention in the form of tangible and adequate housing provision.
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.
