Bahrain : The Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA)’s Chief Executive Officer, Jamal Abdulaziz Al Alawi, disclosed that the LMRA’s Law Enforcement Sector has made a comprehensive plan for launching intensive inspection campaigns in various markets and commercial shops in all the Kingdom’s governorates to stand against any illegal practices which might adversely affect the labour market. The LMRA’s CEO stressed the need to preserve the labour market’s strength, competitiveness, fairness, and stability.
Upon review of the Law Enforcement Sector Report 2021, Al Alawi said that despite the consequences of the pandemic, over 10 thousand inspection visits were made, resulting in the detection of over 900 criminal violations, in addition to launching over 100 joint campaigns with relevant authorities, which also resulted in the arrest of hundreds of violating workers, and the referral of 8 forced labour cases to the concerned authorities.
The LMRA’s CEO underscored that LMRA’s partners in various government authorities, including the Nationality, Passports & Residence Affairs (NPRA), the Ministry of Industry, Commerce & Tourism, the Ministry of Works & Urban Planning, the Ministry of Health, and security directorates in all governorates, jointly launched regular intensive inspection campaigns, each within its own scope of jurisdiction, to detect any violations in the labour market, in addition to the inspection visits which were made on a daily basis by the LMRA’s Law Enforcement Sector to commercial shops in various fields of business.
Al Alawi said that the LMRA’s Law Enforcement Sector successfully carried out in 2021 over 10 thousand inspection visits, in addition to launching 41 inspection campaigns jointly with the Nationality, Passports & Residence Affairs NPRA, which resulted in arresting hundreds of violating workers, plus 66 inspection campaigns jointly launched with other government authorities.
The inspection campaigns resulted in arresting hundreds of violators according to LMRA’s Law, who were all referred to the Public Prosecution, in addition to 8 forced labour cases which were referred to the relevant authorities.
In collaboration with the General Directorate for Investigation & Criminal Evidences and the Nationality, Passports & Residence Affairs NPRA, The Labour Market Regulatory Authority LMRA launched joint inspection campaigns, which resulted in detecting 13 unlicensed establishments of domestic workers import (Per Hour System), and arresting tens of violating workers who are currently subject to legal investigations in preparation for their referral to the Public Prosecution.
The LMRA’s CEO stressed that LMRA, within its own legal competence, will never tolerate any action which violates the law, and will never stop detecting the violators. He also said that those who have been arrested during the inspection campaigns according to the laws of the Kingdom of Bahrain will never receive any new work permits, and consequently will not be able to be transferred to regular labour, and their only option is to leave the Kingdom with no return again.
Al Alawi expressed sincere thanks and gratitude to the concerned authorities which have contributed to the success of the inspection and monitoring works, emphasising that all government authorities work integrally as a national team who aims to upgrade the work environment and create a labour market with a high level of flexibility and efficiency, along with providing maximum community protection against any negative phenomena. The LMRA’s CEO also hailed the growing social awareness of the LMRA’s unwavering commitment and support in this respect.
