Latest news with #HamadAlDoy
Daily Tribune
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Tribune
Financial relief for ‘single'
A new push to include unmarried Bahrainis in public aid schemes aims to support those delaying marriage due to financial strain. The proposal, submitted to Parliament by a group of MPs, calls for single citizens to be brought into existing support programmes including the costof-living allowance, electricity and water subsidies, social housing and job training. 'Many unmarried Bahrainis are left out, though plenty are supporting their families,' said MP Hamad Al Doy. 'Some look after their parents, siblings or even grandparents. We have close-knit families in Bahrain, and support schemes should take that into account.' The MPs want eligible single Bahrainis to be considered for conditional financial aid, with assessments to take into account their household responsibilities and social situation. They also propose giving priority to unmarried applicants in employment and training schemes. Al Doy said the aim is to bring current rules in line with how people live today. 'People are marrying later than they used to, but many are still carrying heavy loads. Support shouldn't depend on your marital status,' he said. Help The lawmaker said limiting help to couples or families no longer matches the country's social make-up. Expanding the criteria, he added, would help keep things fair and steady. The MP closed by urging the government and concerned bodies to study the proposal carefully, saying it would benefit many younger Bahrainis and provide a wider safety net.
Daily Tribune
30-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
Urgent move to reinstate housing requests struck off over pay rises
TDT | Manama Parliament has urgently agreed to a proposal calling for the reinstatement of housing applications struck off when applicants' salaries rose above the allowed limit. The plan, tabled by Hamad Al Doy and four other MPs, demands that affected applications be restored to their original submission year, without treating them as new cases or sending them through new checks. MPs say this would keep families from losing years they had already waited, and would help put right a rule that punishes people for bettering their circumstances. 'The housing file in the Kingdom is riddled with gaps that affect citizens' ability to access housing services, whether through units, the Mazaya programme, Tas'heel or other schemes,' Al Doy said during the debate. 'If a citizen's salary reaches 1,200 dinars, their application is cancelled, setting them back to square one. We call on the Ministry of Housing to reinstate these applications without forcing citizens to start over.' Cost Urgency was pinned to the rising strain on families left without homes, as well as the cost of new builds and private homes, which most households can no longer meet. MPs said that while public spending on housing needs to be kept in check, including by cutting housing allowances, this must not come at the cost of fairness for people who have worked to climb the ladder and seen their pay rise as a result.
Daily Tribune
30-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
Call to halt Jid Hafs market evictions pending talks
An urgent parliamentary proposal has called for a halt to eviction orders against vendors at Jid Hafs market, demanding that removals be paused until traders are consulted and a nearby alternative is secured. The motion, passed yesterday, asks the government to direct the relevant authorities to hold off on clearing stalls until talks are held with the vendors and a new location is arranged that meets their needs. MPs Mahmood Fardan, Hamad Al Doy, Mamdouh Al Saleh, Mohammed Al Rifai and Hisham Al Awadhi put the case forward. In their view, the market remains a lifeline for many Bahraini families, some of whom depend entirely on its trade. Hardship They warned that forced removals without a practical substitute would leave many in hardship. They also stressed that any new site should be within close reach of the existing one to avoid disrupting business or cutting off regular customers. The market, they said, is part of the fabric of local life and deserves to be supported, not swept aside. Trade routes The MPs argued that maintaining the market helps preserve Bahrain's traditional trade routes and provides structure for families working hard to stay afloat. They see it as part of the country's social and economic rhythm, worth keeping in place. Their proposal followed a spate of posts on social media, which claimed that vendors had already begun to be removed. The Capital Secretariat responded by saying this was not the case.
Daily Tribune
23-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
Thousands of shops inspected as Industry Ministry targets concealed ownership
More than 86,000 site visits have led to shop closures and licence cancellations across Bahrain as the Industry and Commerce Ministry tackles concealed ownership in the commercial sector. A number of related cases remain before the courts. Industry Minister, His Excellency Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, shared the figures during a session in Parliament. He said the ministry carried out 86,480 inspections during 2024, a marked increase compared with the previous year. The drive, he explained, is part of efforts to tighten checks on the market and stop traders from disguising foreign ownership behind local names. The minister was replying to MP Hamad Al Doy, who had raised concerns about how investment policies are affecting Bahraini business owners. Advantage Fakhro dismissed the idea that the government was giving foreign investors an advantage over local traders. He said the government's first aim is to protect the national economy, followed by ensuring that Bahraini traders remain supported. According to him, the goal is to keep a fair balance by welcoming investment where it brings practical benefits while continuing to protect homegrown businesses. He noted that more than 225 commercial activities still require a Bahraini partner by law. Rule That rule, he said, speaks to the role citizens continue to play in the local economy. Foreign investment, in his view, is expected to bring knowledge, open up jobs for Bahrainis and help raise their skill levels. As of 21 April 2025, the number of active commercial records stood at 88,900. Out of those, only 18 per cent were fully foreign-owned, or roughly 16,200 records. The minister said this figure reflected the enduring strength of Bahraini presence in the trading sector. Regional practices He added that the ministry routinely studies regional practices and compares outcomes. The most recent reviews, he said, showed that Bahrain's largest trading sectors are still in the hands of fully Bahraini-owned firms. This, in his words, shows the depth of local enterprise and the confidence placed in it by the market. Fakhro outlined several moves introduced to reinforce the position of Bahraini traders and open space for valuable investment. Payment systems Among them are new rules on payment systems to deal with concealed ownership, a mechanism that gives priority to Bahraini distributors handling global brands, and a decision to raise the capital threshold for fully foreign-owned firms to 750 million euros.
Daily Tribune
19-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
Citizens edge out expats in business
Bahrain investors now enjoy a slight edge over foreign stakeholders when it comes to active commercial registrations in the Kingdom, revealed Industry and Commerce Minister Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro. The minister said citizens own 52 per cent of the kingdom's active commercial registrations, beating foreign stakeholders who account for the remaining 48pc. There are currently 88,200 active commercial registrations across the country, covering all types of businesses listed under the national 'Sijilat' system—including sole traders, partnerships, joint-stock companies, and limited liability firms. Describing the figures, accurate as of mid-February, as 'steady and regularly reviewed,' the minister made the disclosure in a written response to MP Hamad Al Doy. Foreign investment in Bahrain remains strong, with non-Bahraini nationals showing particular interest in sectors such as management consultancy, interior design, advertising, marketing, and real estate services involving owned or leased property, Mr Fakhro added. Addressing concerns over non-Bahraini individuals operating under local cover, the minister highlighted an ongoing crackdown launched in 2021 with the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The initiative helped businesses correct their records, with 197 violations referred to the Public Prosecution, leading to shop closures and licence cancellations. 'Several cases are still pending before the courts, and inspections are continuing,' he confirmed.
