Bahrain: A new municipal inspection system may soon be introduced in Bahrain after a surge in violations.
The Works, Municipalities and Urban Planning Affairs Ministry will step up monitoring of issues such as dumping, reclamation, building, advertisements and shops, said
Minister Essam Khalaf.
“Personally, I am not happy with our inspection work and have directed concerned officials to recommend how things could be improved,” he
told the GDN.
“Better monitoring is needed and the number of inspectors will be increased to cope with a surge in violations, which at the moment we cannot deal
with instantly.”
The latest violators are expatriate street sellers seen moving from area to area offering sheesha to customers in cars
in open spaces.
Northern Municipality director-general Yousif Al Ghatam, who is also the acting Muharraq Municipality director-general, said that a shortage of inspectors was emboldening the violators.
“The truth is, for the past three years we have not replaced inspectors who have resigned, retired or died,” he said.
“Years ago even when I had 14 inspectors in the Northern Municipality I was complaining that we needed to triple the number. And now we have
just seven. We need to return to having 14 inspectors to allow the introduction of a rotation shift system. But I can’t promise that there will be no violations or they will drop significantly; these things take time.”
Mr Al Ghatam said an investigation will be launched into the illegal sale of sheeshas.
“Each time we tend to deal with different kinds of violators. Street sellers moving from area to area offering sheesha is something new in Bahrain,” said Mr Al Ghatam.
“We have heard about a restaurant or café not licensed to serve sheesha doing so, but street sellers offering sheesha is completely a new trend of violations we have to deal with.”
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