It's like passing thru the eye of a needle:(
Bahrain Labour Minister seeks support for scrapping sponsorship system
By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief
Published: May 27, 2009, 12:10
Manama: A passionate plea by Bahrain's Labour Minister to the parliament to at least tolerate for some time the decision to scrap the sponsorship system has fallen on deaf ears as the business community is gathering support for the rejection of the groundbreaking move.
Earlier this month, Majeed Al Alawi announced that Bahrain was scrapping the sponsorship system to allow foreign workers to change jobs without the consent of the employers.
The decision, scheduled to be implemented on August 1, has been warmly greeted by activists, embassies and international labour organisations.
However, it has been staunchly resisted by the business community and by some political societies in Bahrain.
However, Al Alawi, who was present at the session, rejected the lawmakers' call, saying that they could not amend a law that they helped promulgate and which has yet to be implemented.
"We have had a series of consultations over the scrapping of sponsorship system and we agreed to review the decision after its application to assess its weaknesses and strengths, so it does not make sense to start amending it before implementing it," he said.
The minister, an opposition leader who was given the labour portfolio in 2002, reminded the lawmakers that the scrapping of the sponsorship system was a demand by the parliament to help reform the labour market.
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"I reject this argument put forward by the business community. Suppose the employees were Bahrainis, could the employer restrict his or her movements? Wouldn't the Bahraini employee divulge secrets as well? A foreigner could also work for a company then leave the country and return some time later to work for the competition. Last year, 4,000 foreigners switched jobs and we did not see the divulgation of secrets as many feared. At the same time, all employers should allow foreign employees to keep their passports. It is totally unfair. We have recently seen the case of an Egyptian national whose mother died back home, but he could not go to the funeral because his sponsor had kept his passport and he was on vacation when the poor man wanted to go home," he said.
http://www.gulfnews.com/news/gulf/bahrain/10317414.html
This is all about trust too. It doesn't exist here. We're all just vendors not matter how many times we get invited into the majlis tent.
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A wise young crackpot knows no fear - Ian Dury.
(scrapping of sponsorship) succeeded, will some GCC states will follow through? Esp. Qatar?
Majeed Alawi is confusing. Last year he recommended that there should be a six year limit for un-skilled and semi-skilled expats.
Not only that Paul, The workers will be never committed to a firm and chances are that the performance may drop and the distraught workers will always be on the look for better jobs.
This will mean inflations, as to get the good worker the companies will have to pay a lot more. and so on..
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HE WHO DARES WINS
Yes, UKEng. Allow people to switch jobs and companies who are impressed with the performance of another firm's worker will try to recruit him by offering him better pay and conditions. That means people will only be able to keep first-rate staff by paying them what they deserve, instead of what they agreed to when they took the job.
Money = Power
Power to the people = Loss of money?
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HE WHO DARES WINS
Money=Power
Loss of money not just power......
That is why the business community objects
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"A Wise Man knows what he does not know!"
Power (or the lack there of) AND paranoia.
Oooooo, deadly combination.
Is there really a good reason for the paranoia?
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Great man!
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I love this guy :)
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Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.