Bahrain - MPs yesterday rejected a proposed legislation to bar charity societies from sending donations abroad.

The government had earlier called for a rethink into the move terming it as ‘disastrous’.

The proposed amendments to the 2013 Money Collection for Public Purposes Organisational Law have been presented jointly by public utilities and environment affairs committee chairman Khalid Bu Onk and Bahrainisation Committee chairman Ebrahim Al Nefaei.

It has been now shelved.

The current law bans sending donations abroad unless authorisation is granted by the minister concerned. However, the new amendment imposed a blanket ban on sending donations abroad, without any exceptions or ministerial assessment taken into consideration.

Explanation

Both MPs in their written explanation have stated that there were many poor individuals and families in Bahrain who should be prioritised for financial support.

Labour and Social Development Minister Jameel Humaidan requested the services committee to recommend rejecting the move saying that charities in Bahrain only send surpluses abroad following strict scrutiny by the ministry.

He added that local participation in international emergency humanitarian campaigns, whether in cash or materials, sent a positive message about the country worldwide.

Meanwhile, Mr Humaidan responded to three questions on unemployment.

He revealed there were no takers for 5,085 jobs in Bahrain last year.

The minister indicated that the roles did not appeal to Bahrainis, though 15,182 citizens on the government’s employment bank failed to land a job in 2021.

He told MPs that the ministry, however, managed to find employment for 26,344 Bahrainis by the year-end.

The minister added that employers have been given a Bahrainisation quota to abide by while recruiting. However, if there was a percentage imbalance, the employer was forced to pay BD500 besides the regular annual labour fees per expat worker, towards Tamkeen.

Mr Humaidan also revealed that the country had 25,146 active flexi-permit holders up to February this year. He added that from January 2019 until December 2021, BD53.26 million had been collected from the permit.

Meanwhile, Parliament and Shura Council Affairs Minister Ghanim Al Buainain, who is politically responsible for the Civil Service Commission, said in response to three parliamentary questions that expats were mostly recruited during the pandemic to help with health duties.

Meanwhile, Transportation and Telecommunications Minister Kamal Ahmed, who is politically responsible for sovereign wealth company Mumtalakat, said in another verbal response that Khairat Al Bahrain had opened an office in Khartoum to oversee operations on agricultural land granted by the Sudanese government.

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