A RANDOM inspection of labour accommodations has revealed shocking conditions with workers found living in overcrowded rooms amidst exposed electrical wires, piles of wooden planks and construction waste.
Northern Municipal Council officials who visited camps in Saar yesterday called for stringent action to improve their living conditions.
The campaign was held in collaboration with various government authorities following complaints from area residents.
“These are inhumane living conditions which are also unhygienic and insecure,” said Northern Municipal Council chairman Ahmed Al Kooheji.
Violations
“We have to come together as a council with various government authorities such as the Ministries of Health, Interior, Labour and Social Development as well as the Industry, Commerce and Tourism and the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) and the Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) to rectify these violations.
“We are getting countless calls from citizens complaining about these illegal labour camps and this is our third visit to the same site with no action yet taken by officials.
“These camps are disasters waiting to happen with stolen electricity, haphazardly stored wooden planks and gas cylinders which could lead to casualties. All we need is proper implementation of laws.”
Mr Kooheji alleged that EWA officials had been skipping inspections scheduled by the council.
“Their presence is integral as many of these properties are illegally using electricity from neighbouring homes and improper meters,” he said, calling for a separate visit with EWA officials to rectify violations.
The GDN was on the scene when officials discovered a storage facility operating as an unlicensed carpentry on land rented out by the Jaffari Waqf (Endowment) Directorate.
Mr Al Kooheji said the facility was ‘disastrous’ as Civil Defence officials found haphazardly stored wooden planks and tyres along with other debris, exposed electrical extensions, wood shavings, flammable chemicals as well as power tools and metal sheets.
His concerns were also shared by MP Sayed Falah Hashim who said the camps remain unfit for accommodation despite warnings of legal action.
“These inspections are critical and although there are some improvements, it isn’t enough and these properties are still below the standard,” he said.
“A joint team of all concerned government authorities must conduct these inspections together in order to provide a comprehensive solution.
“The missing piece of the puzzle is the number of labourers living in a single place, we don’t have the statistics yet.
“These large numbers of workers in such low-standard accommodation exposes the disastrous system of ‘Flexi Permit’ which has been rejected by all Bahrainis and Parliament.”
Council’s technical committee chairman Abdullah Al Qubaisi vowed to intensify inspections to labour accommodations, cafeterias, bakeries and other commercial establishments to register and rectify violations.
Meanwhile, long-time Saar resident Jawad Abdullah said his family has been struggling with a labour accommodation sharing a wall with his private residence for 40 years.
Mr Abdullah said he has submitted multiple complaints which have fallen on deaf ears.
“I have submitted many requests to officials. When I confront the expatriates they arrogantly tell me to just go submit a complaint.
Noises
“We have to put up with foul odours and loud noises from this accommodation. The men living there walk around topless which isn’t acceptable in our culture.
“My children are afraid to even step out of the house and we are fed up of these outsider behaviours.”
A detailed report will be compiled by officials who took part in the inspection drive yesterday as part of efforts to reach a comprehensive solution.
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