AT least 50 former employees of a private hospital in Bahrain have not been paid their dues despite court judgements in their favour, it has emerged.
Staff of the International Hospital of Bahrain (IHB), which has been at the centre of a pay row since 2014, are still waiting for a response to a letter they submitted to Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa.
Neurosurgeon Dr Samy Gouda, one of the former employees who had filed the case in 2017 and won a verdict in his favour, told the GDN he has left no stone unturned to get his money.
“Hundreds of staff had already left the hospital even before it was declared closed, and many of them were not paid their entitlements,” he said.
“Many of them had filed cases and the court had ruled in their favour for pending salaries, indemnity and compensation, but unfortunately the court orders have not been implemented.
“We are now asking whoever is in charge to implement the judgments in favour of the employees.
“What are we supposed to do if someone doesn’t even bother to obey the supreme judiciary in the country?”
In their letter dated June 3, doctors, nurses, clerk, technicians and workers alleged that the IHB management “threatened” them to either accept the situation and work without pay, or quit without entitlements.
The GDN has previously reported how the hospital has delayed paying salaries and entitlements for years dating back to 2010.
“We urged the minister and through him the Premier to solve our problem and put an end to our prolonged suffering,” added Dr Gouda.
A copy of the letter was also submitted to the Labour and Social Development Ministry last month, while Labour and Social Development Minister Jameel Humaidan was apprised in 2017 of the hospital employees’ plight.
Meanwhile, the GDN has learnt that the family of Dr Mary Ann Ibrahim Fernandez, a paediatrician at IHB who was run over by a lorry in Jidhafs on November 1, 2015 has won its case on July 22.
The 53-year-old was among the hospital’s employees whose salaries had been delayed.
Attorney Kirin P Lim II, the lawyer appointed by the family of Dr Fernandez in the Philippines, told the GDN that they have initiated procedures such as garnishment, which is a court order directing that money or property of a third party – usually wages paid by an employer – be seized to satisfy a debt owed by a debtor to a creditor.
“A favourable judgment was already secured locally (Bahrain) as of July 22 this year, but the amount (BD10,718) has not been paid, although legal steps in enforcing the judgment has already been initiated by the local lawyer such as garnishment.”
The GDN reported in April 2017 that Manila has blacklisted IHB from hiring its nationals following claims of non-payment of wages.
The decision was made after Filipino Joseline Caraos won a labour case against the hospital lodged at the Philippines’ Department of Labour and Employment’s Overseas Employment Administration.
The GDN reported last month that more than half of the existing almost 100 IHB employees are no longer on valid visas, while they are officially still on the payroll of the hospital and are not being paid.
Most are expatriates whose visas have expired and not been renewed, meaning they risk falling foul of immigration laws.
A comment from the Justice Ministry is awaited.
raji@gdn.com.bh
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