A CALL has gone out for tougher implementation of the National Cleanliness Law after a video was circulated online showing a foreign worker urinating in an alleyway in Manama.
Bahrain’s executive authorities and foreign embassies were also urged to carry out awareness campaigns among expatriates about indecent behaviour in the public.
Capital Trustees Board chairman Saleh Tarradah highlighted the importance of conducting these campaigns in multiple languages for people who don’t speak or understand Arabic or English.
“The law is comprehensive and all these offences are punishable by law, however we must emphasise the importance of raising awareness about these behaviours,” he told the GDN.
“It is important to collaborate with the embassies to reach the various communities while also understanding that there is a dire need for public toilets.”
Under the law, public urination, spitting, disposing of household waste and furniture haphazardly and abandoning scrap vehicles in public spaces can attract fines of between BD50 and BD300.
Fines from BD500 to BD1,000 can be charged for transporting rubbish or dangerous substances without proper licence or equipment.
Bahrainis took to social media to condemn the ‘uncivilised, dirty and disgusting’ behaviour seen in the video.
“This uncivilised behaviour is ugly and indecent and it has been increasing in the past months,” said a Bahraini man, on condition of anonymity.
“There are no public facilities available so they have taken to the alleyways to relieve themselves even though they know this is wrong and scares children and women.
“The same people who spit out of cars are the ones who are urinating in alleyways and in neighbourhoods and this should be stopped.
“There are public bathrooms in Europe where users have to pay and this should be implemented here because this is just unacceptable.”
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