BAHRAINIS with special needs and chronic illnesses, as well as senior citizens, should be prioritised during the distribution of housing units, MPs have said.
Parliament’s financial and economic affairs committee chairman Ahmed Al Salloom put forth the proposal, which also called for the waiting period for these categories of people to not exceed five years.
“Priority should be given to the elderly and the disabled while other Bahrainis should not have to wait for more than 10 years for a housing unit,” he said.
The proposal which was approved by the legislative and legal affairs committee will be discussed by Parliament on Tuesday.
It aims to initiate collaborative efforts between the ministries of Health and Housing in assessing applications and ensuring that units are prepared to fit the special needs of families.
However, in a written response to Parliament, the Housing Ministry stated that exceptional standards were already being implemented for those with special needs – which include expediting the provision of housing units and providing the required designs.
“The new proposal demands the provision of residential lands continuously to accommodate the number of annual housing requests in addition to an increased budget,” the ministry said.
“It’s not feasible at the moment.
One of the flyers placed on a car as part of the awareness campaign
“The proposal also fails to clarify or identify which chronic illnesses should be taken into account while fast-tracking housing services.”
The ministry highlighted the Mazaya Housing Scheme which allows citizens to purchase homes of their choice while plans are underway to include more services and beneficiaries under the programme.
It also reaffirmed that additional services were being provided for low-income families to support them until they move into their new homes.
The proposal highlighted that adequate housing is a basic human right that is provided under the Constitution.
“We want to prioritise categories such as senior citizens, those with special needs and chronic illnesses in light of their requirements and conditions,” said Mr Al Salloom.
“There needs to be a time-frame to ensure these citizens don’t wait for long for housing units. We also need to take into account the number of family members.”
Documents attached to the proposal identifies chronic illnesses as non-communicable illnesses that progress slowly for long periods of time – such as cardiovascular diseases, respiratory illnesses and cancer, among others.
Meanwhile, an awareness campaign was carried out by the General Traffic Directorate to ensure parking spaces for people with special needs are reserved for them.
The GDN in February reported that public parks and walkways have been designed to take into account the needs of people with disabilities.
Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Under-Secretary Shaikh Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Khalifa had cited particularly Busaiteen beachfront walkway, the Water Garden, and Muharraq Grand Park, which were equipped with games for the disabled.
Similar measures were also taken for Sitra walkway, Umm Al Hassam public garden, Al Janabiya Garden, A’ali Walkway and other gardens in Jiblat Habshi, Al Malkiya and other areas.
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