Bahrain - A proposal to allow people, who are ordered to pay back the money they owe, to seek a review of their cases will be voted on by MPs during their weekly session on Tuesday.

The proposed amendment to the 1971 Civil and Commercial Defence Law, which the government has been forced to draft, was originally presented by former Parliament chairman Ahmed Al Mulla.

“The current law favours debtors by giving them the right to go to court and have a verdict issued in their favour,” said the legislative and legal affairs committee in writing.

“But in numerous cases people in debt are unable to pay back the money they owe, either because they don’t have it or it is a heavy burden on them.

“The amendment gives those in debt a fair opportunity to contest rulings against them.

“It is true that judges review the conditions of those in debt and their ability to repay, but sometimes the verdict could be difficult to implement if payments can’t be made as ordered because those in debt have other obligations.”

The committee has referred to the Egyptian law of 1968, which Bahrain’s legislation is an exact copy of, which has been deemed in 2009 to be unconstitutional by judiciary in Egypt because people in debt had no say.

However, the government said in writing that the issue was about justice, since money owed should be repaid, and exemptions shouldn’t be widened or rights would be lost.

Meanwhile, MPs are set to reject a decision by the Shura Council that would give the government the right to continue increasing fees or introduce new ones.

Parliament wants to restrict the government by having it appear in Parliament every time it wants to make such a move.

However, the Shura Council has found it to be inflexible and would put many government services on hold.

The Cabinet has been trying to persuade MPs to rethink proposed amendments to the 2002 National Budget Law, stating that it would have catastrophic effects on allocated funds, and the progress of related work or services associated with the fees.

The government has told Parliament in writing that the amendments undermine the ability of the minister concerned to determine what’s best to conduct business and do work, while stopping ministers from giving discounts to those in need as exemptions.

The current law gives the Cabinet legislative authority to decide on the fees following a presentation from the minister concerned.

 

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