EXPATRIATE widows, divorcees and abandoned women, who have custody of underage Bahraini children, could become eligible for social housing services, if MPs have their way.
An urgent request to include a new article to the 1976 Housing Law was submitted yesterday by Strategic Thinking Bloc spokesman MP Khalid Bu Onk and Parliament’s financial and economic affairs committee chairwoman Zainab Abdulamir to Parliament Speaker Ahmed Al Musallam.
It has been now urgently forwarded to Parliament’s public utilities and environment affairs committee for review.
“Bahraini children of expatriate mothers are, as any Bahraini, entitled to social housing programmes,” said Mr Bu Onk.
“The Constitution states that the government is responsible to provide the needs of a Bahraini family, and expatriate mothers with underage Bahraini children should be eligible,” he added.
“Many expatriate mothers – divorcees, widows or abandoned – with Bahraini children are finding it difficult to get a roof to live under for themselves and the children because current eligibility rules don’t cover them.
“Some have arranged monthly funds or financing from charity societies, but it is not enough to cover rent and other life’s necessities.”
Mr Bu Onk pointed out that Bahrain had signed numerous international conventions and treaties to protect children and their caretakers.
Currently, only Bahraini men and women, with or without children, are entitled to social housing, he said, adding: “In fact, the rule should apply to all in line with international conventions and treaties.
“For this, we seek the inclusion of this segment of society under the law and then give the minister the right to determine the types of services, help or funding that could be provided.”
The GDN reported yesterday that Housing and Urban Planning Minister Amna Al Romaihi pledged that more social housing programmes are on the way for an increasing number of beneficiaries.
It came as Shura Council members unanimously approved Parliament-proposed amendments to the 1976 Housing Law that would give the minister more rights to add new services and introduce new criteria and more facilities, specifically for low-income families.
The legislation now awaits ratification by His Majesty King Hamad following Parliament’s unanimous approval last month.
There are more than 57,000 Bahraini families waiting for homes, according to the latest figures presented by the ministry.
Ms Al Romaihi said new strategies had to be formulated to meet people’s demands.
She added more beneficiaries have been added to the fifth category (women), with the real estate registration fees being handled by the government in general.
Category one includes Bahraini breadwinner (husband or wife, or both); category two: Bahraini breadwinner – any Bahraini parent with an underage child or more and also includes a Bahraini mother married to an expatriate; category three: Bahraini breadwinner – a Bahraini man or woman living with one or both of her parents; and category four: Bahraini breadwinner – an adult orphan aged 21 and above living with at least one brother/sister.
The Cabinet announced yesterday that 6,800 beneficiaries have been approved to receive housing services, with the distribution starting in the next few days.
In August this year, the ministry started contacting citizens, who had applied for houses in 2004 or before, to present them with alternative solutions and options, according to a set timeline.
Ms Al Romaihi affirmed at the time that this plan was complementary to other social housing programmes, such as ‘Tasheel’ and ‘Mazaya’.
The new plan provides three alternatives.
The first option includes the allocation of a housing unit, subsidised by a financing of BD40,000 through ‘Tasheel’, while continuing the housing allowance for two years from the due date.
The second option is to provide a residential apartment for the beneficiaries with a financial grant of BD3,000 and a two-year exemption from maintenance fees for shared areas.
The third option is to grant beneficiaries BD70,000, the maximum financing provided through Tasheel, in addition to a BD10,000 grant.
The first and second options will be available to citizens with monthly income not exceeding BD900, while the third is for those whose monthly income ranges from BD900-BD1,500.
The GDN reported earlier that up to 90 per cent of Bahraini families pay subsidised instalments for government social homes.
In response to MPs’ call for interest-free loans, the Cabinet revealed that only between 10 and 15pc of beneficiaries pay the full cost of their housing unit.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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