THERE could be an extended bumper holiday over Eid Al Fitr if MPs get their way to give Bahrain it’s very own ‘Cinco de Mayo’ and make May 5 a one-off national holiday this year.
Currently, everyone is set to return to work for one day – having enjoyed the post Ramadan family gatherings and Labour Day – before breaking up for another weekend.
MPs yesterday voted in favour of having the ‘odd working day’, Thursday, May 5, declared by the government as a public holiday.
The proposal would provide people the option of enjoying an alternative consecutive nine-day break. It was presented by five MPs, led by services committee chairman Ahmed Al Ansari.
“Employees are not in the working mood following a six-day holiday, even if they show up to work,” said Mr Al Ansari. “It will surely prey on their minds that they have could have travelled away on a lengthy undisrupted vacation,” he added.
“Granting Thursday as a public holiday would just provide employees with a much needed breath of fresh air before returning to the regular work routine.
“What an energising gift it would be for everyone and help lift the country’s spirits after a difficult couple of pandemic years.
“We’re not coming with something that is out of the ordinary either as neighbouring countries, such as Kuwait, consider odd days like this as an obvious extension to public holidays and weekends.”
Only MP Dr Masooma Abdulrahim opposed the move, while Parliament first vice-chairman Abdulnabi Salman and legislative and legal affairs committee chairman Fadhel Al Sawad abstained.
This year’s holidays are set to start with a weekend on Friday and Saturday, followed immediately by Labour Day on Sunday.
Should Sunday be declared as the first day of Eid then the holidays would run from Sunday to Tuesday with Wednesday given to workers as a day off in compensation for Sunday.
However, should Eid be declared on Monday, then the break days will also automatically continue until Wednesday.
Workers in both the government and private sectors would be summoned back to work on Thursday, before the weekend on Friday and Saturday much to their disappointment, parliamentarians emphasised.
Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May, is a national holiday in Mexico that celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s May 5, 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War.
In neighbouring US, a National Day of Prayer is held on the first Thursday of May and May 5 is also recognised as Cartoonists Day, Hand Hygiene Day, Hug a Shed and Take a Selfie Day, International Midwives Day, Make a Book Day, Museum Lover’s Day, Nail Day and World Password Day.
Meanwhile, MPs also approved the following urgent proposals and referred them to the Cabinet:
• Giving disabled Bahraini patients wishing to stay in a private room whilst receiving treatment at the country’s main hospital with a 50 per cent discount on the cost
• Speeding up work on infrastructure and development projects, including a health centre, schools and a central market in the newly-inhabited Salman Town
• Preparing a study on plans to introduce varying monthly government housing instalments rather than the current flat 25pc of income
• Compensating Bahraini fishermen who were detained by Qatar and have not yet received any payments.
• Granting deeds immediately to homeowners in Al Dair Garden private housing project
• Starting work immediately on the second phase of Raya Highway, covering Arad, Galali, Samaheej and Dair. Several complaints have been received by the Muharraq Municipal Council about the danger of the road, nearby Bahrain International Airport, and regular traffic jams.
Also, an urgent proposal by five MPs led by Hamad Al Kooheji to stop monthly pension payments of active MPs, who also currently receive monthly wages from Parliament, reached a stalemate.
Debate on alleged irregularities at the Jaffari Waqf (Endowments) Directorate has been postponed for a second consecutive week following a new letter from Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa. The postponement comes despite the directorate’s board willing to show up for debate on the probe report online.
MPs also postponed debate on major amendments to the 2002 Publications Law for two weeks to allow further feedback.
A request by 18 MPs to hold extraordinary sessions before the end of the four-year term has been approved and the dates will be scheduled by Parliament Speaker Fouzia Zainal.
l MPs yesterday condemned the Chinese government for alleged injustice against the Uyghur population and other Muslim ethnic groups.
An urgent proposal by 20 MPs led by Abdulrazzak Al Hattab to issue a statement demanding the world to take a stand against the ‘inhumane policies’ of the Chinese government was approved yesterday.
Two other urgent proposals to issue statements condemning the attack on Al Aqsa Mosque by the Israeli Police and the burning of the Quran were also approved by MPs.
Speaker Zainal has been tasked to draft the statements and issue them on behalf of MPs.
mohammed@gdn.com.bh
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