WITH reference to Ajeetha’s letter (GDN, June 23), she has rightly pointed out about employers ignoring the law and still keeping their employees’ passports, as if it is their birthright.
The problem in Bahrain is not the law, it is law enforcement. Employers, especially Bahraini companies, feel they can get away with anything due to a few contacts they may have at the Labour Ministry.
By SOMAN BABY
MANAMA
THE Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) will officially start accepting applications for issuing new work visas for expatriates from tomorrow, taking over from the Labour Ministry. Only those private sector employers, who have cleansed the data of their employees with LMRA, can apply for work visas for their new workers, LMRA chief executive Ali Radhi told the GDN.
MANAMA
THE government must introduce a minimum wage for all expatriates to safeguard the rights of Bahrain’s foreign labour force, say human rights activists.
BHRS adviser Abdulnabi Al Ekri said employers continue to treat expatriate workers like “slaves”, paying them BD50 a month and forcing them to work seven days a week.
THE Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) said yesterday that Bangladeshis in Bahrain are still required to register, despite their work permits not being renewed following the ban.
“While fresh work permits and renewals have been banned, there is no reason why they should not come and get themselves registered and fingerprinted,” LMRA chief executive Ali Radhi told the GDN.
PRIME Minister Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa yesterday issued an edict relating to fees levied by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA).
According to the decision, fees will be reimbursed in full should the LMRA abrogate the work permit before the expatriate worker’s arrival.
