Latest news with #HishamAlAwadhi
Gulf Insider
17-04-2025
- Business
- Gulf Insider
MP Questions Disability Aid Over Job Offer
A man in a wheelchair was offered a job as a truck driver, Parliament was told yesterday, as MPs took aim at the disability assessment system and urged the government to double the monthly allowance. MP Hisham Al Awadhi raised the issue during the session, saying the current BD100 allowance was too low to cover basic needs and that many cases of severe disability were being wrongly denied the higher BD200 rate. He also criticised the assessment process itself. 'People are receiving BD100 without any clarity on how they were evaluated or how long the assessment stands,' he said. 'In some neighbouring countries, the minimum is BD500.' VAT Al Awadhi pointed out that VAT still applies to equipment and supplies used by people with disabilities, increasing monthly costs for families already under pressure. 'There are house hold s spending hundreds of dinars each month, and the allowance doesn't even scratch the surface.' He went on to question the decision to scrap the disability identification card. 'What's the reason? If it's a money issue, I'll pay for every card myself.' Complaint The most striking example came from a recent complaint. Al Awadhi said a man using a wheelchair had been offered work as a trailer truck driver, an offer made by the Ministry of Labour based on a referral from the Social Development Ministry. In response, Social Development Minister, His Excellency Osama Al Alawi, said the government was pressing ahead with its strategy for disability support, which began with the 2006 law setting out rights and entitlements for this group. Monthly allowances He said monthly allowances had been raised in stages over the years, with five categories of severe disability now covered under the BD200 rate. By January 2025, some 14,780 people were receiving support, issued under rules aimed at ensuring fairness in distribution. The minister added that the government's work extended beyond financial aid. Construction is in progress on a new facility, the Comprehensive Disability Centre, which will contain nine buildings and offer services in care, education and rehabilitation. International standards The project is expected to follow international standards for such centres. The ministry also provides BD1.2 million in yearly funding to 12 licensed non-governmental centres around the country. Al Alawi said the ministry is open to ideas from MPs and would continue to work with the Council to improve support for people with disa. Also read: Flatmate Pushes Man Down Stairs In BD20 Row
Daily Tribune
16-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
MP questions disability support after wheelchair user offered driving job
A man in a wheelchair was offered a job as a truck driver, Parliament was told yesterday, as MPs took aim at the disability assessment system and urged the government to double the monthly allowance. MP Hisham Al Awadhi raised the issue during the session, saying the current BD100 allowance was too low to cover basic needs and that many cases of severe disability were being wrongly denied the higher BD200 rate. He also criticised the assessment process itself. 'People are receiving BD100 without any clarity on how they were evaluated or how long the assessment stands,' he said. 'In some neighbouring countries, the minimum is BD500.' VAT Al Awadhi pointed out that VAT still applies to equipment and supplies used by people with disabilities, increasing monthly costs for families already under pressure. ' There are house hold s spending hundreds of dinars each month, and the allowance doesn't even scratch the surface.' He went on to question the decision to scrap the disability identification card. 'What's the reason? If it's a money issue, I'll pay for every card myself.' Complaint The most striking example came from a recent complaint. Al Awadhi said a man using a wheelchair had been offered work as a trailer truck driver, an offer made by the Ministry of Labour based on a referral from the Social Development Ministry. In response, Social Development Minister, His Excellency Osama Al Alawi, said the government was pressing ahead with its strategy for disability support, which began with the 2006 law setting out rights and entitlements for this group. Monthly allowances He said monthly allowances had been raised in stages over the years, with five categories of severe disability now covered under the BD200 rate. By January 2025, some 14,780 people were receiving support, issued under rules aimed at ensuring fairness in distribution. The minister added that the government's work extended beyond financial aid. Construction is in progress on a new facility, the Comprehensive Disability Centre, which will contain nine buildings and offer services in care, education and rehabilitation. International standards The project is expected to follow international standards for such centres. The ministry also provides BD1.2 million in yearly funding to 12 licensed non-governmental centres around the country. Al Alawi said the ministry is open to ideas from MPs and would continue to work with the Council to improve support for people with disa.
Daily Tribune
09-03-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
MPs move to fast-track funding for competition authority
A seven-year funding delay has left Bahrain's Competition Authority powerless against monopolies, with MPs urging the government to unlock the necessary budget before trade and investment suffer further. A parliamentary committee has endorsed the proposal, with a vote set for Tuesday. The Protection and Promotion of Competition law, passed in 2018, called for the creation of an independent watchdog to keep markets fair and stop price-fixing and monopolisation. But without a budget, it has never been able to function. Delay MP Ali Saqer, one of the backers of the proposal, said the delay needed to be addressed. 'Ensuring a well-regulated competitive environment will balance economic competition with social justice, with the anticipated benefits of establishing the authority outweighing the expected costs,' he said in the explanatory memorandum. The law gives the authority full control over its own affairs, with oversight from the minister responsible for commerce. But Article 4 states it cannot operate until funding is made available. A 2019 royal decree named an administrative body to oversee the authority's functions temporarily, yet without proper backing, it has remained inactive. The MPs behind the proposal — Ali Saqer, Hisham Al Awadhi, Ahmed Qarata, Abdulla Al Rumaihi, and Maryam Al Dhaen — warned that the delay could weaken the economy, deter investors, and leave consumers with fewer protections. They argued that the authority was needed to curb major firms from throwing their weight around and pushing out smaller competitors. The Financial and Economic Affairs Committee, which reviewed the proposal, agreed with the MPs and backed the call for funding. It said getting the authority running would help stabilise the market and keep trade fair. The government has been urged to add the funds to the upcoming budget to avoid further hold-ups.
Gulf Insider
22-02-2025
- Business
- Gulf Insider
Bahrain: MPs Push to Freeze New Furnished Apartment Licences
Lawmakers are calling for an immediate halt to new furnished apartment licences, citing their unchecked spread in residential areas, violations of public decency, and concerns that they are crowding out other tourism-related businesses. The proposal, set for debate in Parliament on Tuesday, warns that lax enforcement has led to a surge in furnished apartments, creating issues for local communities and undermining Islamic values and traditions. The Services Committee has endorsed the plan. Second Deputy Speaker Ahmed Qarata, one of its key supporters, stressed the need for stricter regulations. 'We need clear limits and penalties. Our goal is to put a stop to violations happening right under our noses,' he said. MPs Hisham Al Awadhi, Jameel Mulla Hassan, Mohammed Al Olaiwi, and Mohammed Al Rafaei are also backing the proposal. Supporters argue that Bahrain's tourism sector should not be built around furnished apartments alone and that other forms of investment must be encouraged. A major concern is that furnished apartments are being set up too close to mosques, prayer halls, and homes, despite tourism laws requiring a minimum distance. Qarata said existing laws already prohibit such rentals near mosques and residential areas unless specific distance requirements are met but accused authorities of failing to enforce them. 'People living in these areas are fed up,' he said. 'We have laws, but they are not being enforced properly.' The proposal also calls for a more balanced approach to tourism investment. MPs have requested a full government study to assess licensing regulations and whether additional controls should be introduced. However, the Tourism Ministry and the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority have pushed back, arguing that a blanket ban is unnecessary. A 2019 rule already prohibits furnished apartments in housing areas, allowing them only in commercial buildings or those approved by tourism authorities. The ministry warned MPs in writing that blocking new licences entirely could deter investment and limit accommodation options as Bahrain expands its tourism sector. Despite this, the committee has reaffirmed its support for the proposal, insisting that the current system is not being enforced effectively
Daily Tribune
22-02-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
MPs push to freeze new furnished apartment licences
Lawmakers are calling for an immediate halt to new furnished apartment licences, citing their unchecked spread in residential areas, violations of public decency, and concerns that they are crowding out other tourism-related businesses. The proposal, set for debate in Parliament on Tuesday, warns that lax enforcement has led to a surge in furnished apartments, creating issues for local communities and undermining Islamic values and traditions. The Services Committee has endorsed the plan. Second Deputy Speaker Ahmed Qarata, one of its key supporters, stressed the need for stricter regulations. 'We need clear limits and penalties. Our goal is to put a stop to violations happening right under our noses,' he said. MPs Hisham Al Awadhi, Jameel Mulla Hassan, Mohammed Al Olaiwi, and Mohammed Al Rafaei are also backing the proposal. Supporters argue that Bahrain's tourism sector should not be built around furnished apartments alone and that other forms of investment must be encouraged. A major concern is that furnished apartments are being set up too close to mosques, prayer halls, and homes, despite tourism laws requiring a minimum distance. Qarata said existing laws already prohibit such rentals near mosques and residential areas unless specific distance requirements are met but accused authorities of failing to enforce them. 'People living in these areas are fed up,' he said. 'We have laws, but they are not being enforced properly.' The proposal also calls for a more balanced approach to tourism investment. MPs have requested a full government study to assess licensing regulations and whether additional controls should be introduced. However, the Tourism Ministry and the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority have pushed back, arguing that a blanket ban is unnecessary. A 2019 rule already prohibits furnished apartments in housing areas, allowing them only in commercial buildings or those approved by tourism authorities. The ministry warned MPs in writing that blocking new licences entirely could deter investment and limit accommodation options as Bahrain expands its tourism sector.
