15 seconds of fame = 1 billion?
Hardly, but a twit at the municipal council is vehemently opposing it for some farcical excuses, wrapped up in Class A Xenophobia. Here are some of Mr. Hameed Al-Basri brainfarts which he is using in the hope of putting the kibosh on the project:
it would result in the area being “invaded” by foreigners with different cultures and moral values
He also wants the land to be used for more “useful” projects which could benefit the surrounding villages:
“It could be used for a public park, car parks for residents or a government housing project,” he said.
“But the Northern Municipal Council members have taken the worst decision and that’s approving an investment project without properly studying it.
“I am worried that nearby neighbourhoods, whether in my constituency or Daih village, where the project would be built, will be invaded by people from different nationalities who don’t understand our culture and moral values.
“That’s not all. The area will see more traffic jams, more than what is making people complain at the moment.”
Aha. Okay, I agree that the country needs to revamp the road network and consider the traffic in 25, 50 and even 100 years from today, and they are doing a lot of roads network expansion now, much to the chagrin of a lot of drivers, but one hopes that with these developments we’ll be much better off in a few months’ time. But this ludicrous objection to a huge investment of over a billion dinars is, well, ridiculous. Having an elected councillor whose main job is to suggest solutions to zoning and the various other municipal matters object to such a lifeline in his area is insane.
He doesn’t stop there of course, he’s now dug himself a hole so he must proceed to dig even deeper:
Mr Al Basri said just because the investor was promising residents jobs, it did not mean the project should be approved.
“What jobs can the project offer? As security guards or ushers, or cleaning plates after the rich finish their food?” he asked.
“In the end, the area’s unemployed will not get good salaries because the investor is not there to offer high salaries, but to make a profit.”
He said that from his experience and the projects he has approved in the Seef District, Sanabis and Daih, only 100 Bahraini jobseekers had been employed.
While 100 jobs created is much better than none at all, and while his suggestion that of those 100 the majority received menial positions might be true, what he should be concerned with, especially in that area of Bahrain which is renowned for “skirmishes” with the police in almost every single weekend, he should be happy that projects are being considered for that area and that its local residents are receiving the benefit of coming out of unemployment. But he ain’t happy.
Mr Al Basri hoped other councillors would review their decision and stop the project.
Well, thankfully someone from his own party is rejecting his brainfarts wholesale:
However, Northern Municipal Council towns and villages development committee chairman and the project’s area councillor Sayed Ahmed Al Alawi said that Mr Al Basri’s push to halt the project would not affect it.
“We are both from the same municipal bloc – Al Wefaq – but Mr Al Basri has never given me a call saying that he has a problem with the project,” he said.
“I have talked with Al Wefaq bloc president and area MP Shaikh Ali Salman and he was in support of the project, saying that he would work on securing the benefits for the people, which I am also currently working on.
“So far, we have managed to reach an agreement with the investors to have a public park and a mosque built.
“The hotel will not offer alcohol and will abide by Islamic and traditional values.
“The investor has agreed to our terms without any fuss, so why is Mr Al Basri – who is approving similar projects in his constituency – upset?”
Mr Al Alawi said that the Royal Court had recommended the project and when it came to the council, it was just a formality to look at it.
“This project has been supported by the government, so it wouldn’t leave the area without a proper infrastructure and other services. On the contrary, it is an opportunity to have new roads, sewage networks and other facilities in the area,” he said.
“Mr Al Basri should quit fighting the project because he will not change our decision. He should instead focus on getting public services from investors in his constituency.”
In short, he’s told by his colleagues to shut the hell up and not to be such a complete eejit.
I hope he listens.
Incidentally, if you want to see some very nice pictures of current and future projects happening in Bahrain, scoot on over to my friend’s Fred Haentjens’ Flickr set. Well worth having a look.
companies based their pay scales on the required output of the employee, not to the sounds of sad violins.
they don’t even call us Bahrainis they rather call us locals
laws through which it would be relatively easy for employers to hire and fire at will, this will increase competition and will improve the job market tremendously.
On the contrary, this is what you’re really doing with Bahrainis and this is why you keep what you called pure complete liability within your organizations.
There are many people who are stuck in the mid-ages ideologies, so I wouldn’t find it wrong or shameful or anything to believe in an ideology that goes back to the mid-70s!! and I really pity you if you judge ideas by their age.
One of our great sociologists called Ali Alwardi (I’m sure you haven’t heard about him before because he writes in Arabic), said once that he writes for those who read what he writs not for those who can only read what’s in their minds.
I don’t think you read what I typed, so I’ll try my best to simplify it for you once again. Is BD. 50 a nice package? I’m sure we both agree it is not, but still thousands upon thousands of Bangladeshis, Seri Lankan, Ethiopians, Indonesians come to Bahrain to work for this little money, not because it is nice but because they don’t have any other option.
I hope it is clear for you now and please forgive me as, I’m unlike you, uneducated bigot.
I don’t play games either, and I’m nobody’s advocate, I only speak out for myself and say what I believe in and will only re-evaluate my position if and only if I find anything wrong about it.
Hassan I agree with all what you have said!!! May be others do seem to see the glass half full because they have everything……………..
We see it as half empty because we are in need!!!!!!
SAM,
Bahrainis call you “expats” or “ajnabis”, because there isn’t any other description can be used to refer to all of you, we cannot refer to you by your nationality as if we are going to do so then when addressing you I would need to say something foolish like “to all Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Americans, British, south Africans …” it will take me ages to list all nationalities here, so we use what is common for all of you, “Expats” or “Ajanib” go it?!
If you would like to be referred to differently please let us know and we would be glad to use whatever you suggest. As for us we are Bahrainis and like to be called so even if you think “There’s nothing derogatory the term ‘local’”, we still like to be called Bahrainis. simple as that.
I agree with you, with one more legislation to prevent “Expats” in senior positions from getting work permits for their relatives, mates, wives … etc when there are Bahrainis can do the job.
I’m sorry to disappoint you Hassan but I’m Bahraini. Why on earth would you falsely assume otherwise? Was it because I can identify societal ills and find fault with ourselves? Or was it because I disagree with your discriminative train of thought?
We’re a diverse community. Celebrate it, don’t fight it!
I didn’t assume otherwise because you disagreed with me, it’s just your nickname that made me think that way, and also in one of your comments you said “I live on the same island as you therefore I’m local” and I believed you were talking about yourself, which made me presume that you are not a Bahraini.
Anyway I’m sorry for that, but this doesn’t change anything and still think my argument is valid, you cannot compare “locals” with “expats”, it is just wrong comparison for the reasons I’ve stated above.
please let me know where I have been discriminative, point it out please?
I love diversity and cannot live without it, but all am asking for is fairness or when a person asks for justice in front of a bourgeoisie, then it is considered to be discrimination???
Have I said anywhere here or elsewhere that I hate expats or don’t like this sect or that race or have anything against a particular group of people or anybody else? I’m sure I didn’t, I’m just defending my right to live with dignity in my own country for god’s sake, is that a crime?!
I either accept all of these destructions called developments and approve small minority monopoly of businesses and bless their stocking up of the millions and impoverishment of the majority of us, or I’m an uneducated, idiot, bigot, sectarian, chauvinistic and racist?!
Apt descriptions of you and I’m glad I didn’t say them, but now that you mention them, there is plenty of truth in your descriptions.
Anyway, I’ve just come back from a meeting with Marina West. I have looked at their employee list and that of Asteco and from what I have seen, they employ with complete blindness to sect, race or colour.
I have further been advised that the level of investment they have put in the community, specifically in both Bani Jamra and Budaiya exceeds BD 1 million. I am sure that we can’t expect you to send them a note of apology for your outbursts against them, nor do I expect an apology from you to the readers of this thread. But it should further expose your bigotry, racism, sectarianism, idiocy and chauvinistic attitude.
On the whole, I think you exposed yourself well enough but I am thankful that you explained that you are talking only about yourself and your beliefs, so I would appreciate it if you would stop using the word “us” in your responses and most certainly do not include other Bahrainis in your diatribes.
I didn’t expect to hear otherwise from you, thanks anyway. I may add that these descriptions fit anybody who wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his/her mouth.
Where is the proof to what you are claiming here? I challenge you to provide any proof for what you are claming.
Enough with the egotism, you just want the people to believe what you say only because you said it!
from my side, i can give the names along with telephone numbers of their employees for people to find out by themselve.
again there is no proof here, just claims.
BD. 1 million? It is not hard for me to find out, but I strongly doubt it knowing that they were facing financial hardships financing their own marina west project the thing that delayed the work for more many months.
I’m still waiting for you or any other reader to point out a single instance where I’ve shown any bigotry or racism?! But this would rather expose your hypocrisy when you talk about human rights and freedom of speech and your intolerance to criticism.
You feel free to criticize the others but don’t want anybody to criticize you, and you show lots of care about human rights when it doesn’t interfere interest, but when they do you hell with humanity!
In all of my comments above, I have never called anybody idiot because I know they have the right to disagree with what I say or think, while you didn’t spare an insult, and I believe this should further show your true metal.
It’s mettle, not metal. But anyway. Oh yes. Proof. Feel free to give us your version of the story and I invite anyone to go and visit their sales centre in Bani Jamra to meet the people there for themselves, it shouldn’t be too difficult. They’re also open in the weekend.
As for your invitation for people to expose your bigotry and racism, you can start here and carry on down the list. But I don’t expect you to find the references, others would see them very readily.
Now with my capacity to accept criticism, knock yourself out. I’ll even read what you have to say.
Is that the best you could come up with?!
Anyway, I’ll try to prepare an appropriate response to all of your insults, and that would be in Arabic of course, proper Arabic not 1st graders one (if I could find the time to do so, remember I have to work and cannot depend on my daddy’s money as he didn’t have any).
The PLAN
http://websrv.municipality.gov.bh/ppd/doc/strategies.pdf
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=474146
- BENEFIT IF THE DOUBT – come on – you call that a solution?? You ask for a solution and when it comes to the crux of it, you support unfettered development. Why does the EDB deserve benefit of the doubt? The EDB is a government outfit that is supporting and encouraging the unregulated capitalist system and land grab in Bahrain – they do not have a welfare agenda, a poverty reduction program.
VEry frightening, you call this $1bn miniscule in size. this is scary….. we don’t want to be dubai…..WE DO NOT WANT TO BE DUBAI….
NO not carry on. That is not a solution. You really think they will publicaly release this report for consultation? honestly? So shall we just wait till the damage is done?
Capitalism + no democracy (transparency, accountability) = oligarchic capitalism + unfair distribution of income
Seriously, i’m baffled by such naiive mentality.
To those who believe that education will give better feature for the people, he don’t know how the riches is created in this countery, and he is acting like if this is a well orgnize countery and every thing is just systematically, they are telling us you are where you are because of you not because of whome you are???
there are simple things you need them to be rich in this countery, like family name and sectors ,,etc, but at the end, the only cause for you to be rich or have good position is the government , if it want, you will be, if they dont sorry pal you wont just like this, you are talking about ahmed janahi, let us talk about another janahi, essam, can we say how he get rich? after he had been kicked out from his old work, just a qustion by the prime ministery “where is essam” this is not to say something bad about essam, but to explain how the bussiness is going on in this stupid countery, another examble of this how to make the richs poor, look to Abdula’al and what prime minister did for him just to make him poor and yes at the end, he is after the airport project
mahmood
please, i might understand your relation ship with some hawameer in this countery and to salman bin hamad, but readers here need some respects, telling the truth is some thing good pal
Pointing out spelling mistakes is a cheap shot.
I’m sure you wouldn’t like anyone to pick out the multitude of errors in your arabic blog. Doesn’t deny anyone the right to express themselves.
We are the majority in this country, but treated like Blacks in 50s America. What we are seeing in terms of poor work ethos, high school failure or drop out rates, high unemployment levels is mostly governmental but partly a collective aspirational crisis as a result of decades of perceived discrimination. As Hasan said, we’d appreciate the decency that at least a blanket approach of blame is not used to apportion people’s misery.
I’m enjoying this. I’m the bad guy! I am so bad now that I am also naive to believe that there is a smidgen of good that is in this country! I am so far from the truth because I am not asking for the immediate overthrow of the government! I am hawameer’s friend and protector and stepper on the proletariat. I am a bourgeoisie!
I am so loving this! It is as if I have never stood with what I believe is right and have not championed various causes which I think is very much germane to this country and its people.
Brilliant.
Listen guys, let’s take a deep breath and think about this a little shall we?
What is happening here? A business development has been proposed and government approved to the value of one billion dinars in a part of the capital. The project has not only received the blessings of the king and his government, but also by what is supposed to be the main opposition party, Al-Wefaq.
The government with the various eyes completely affixed to its every move is (should be) very cognizant of the fact that it needs to provide the required infrastructure for these approved projects. Knowing that the money is coming from investors in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, this is an inward flowing investment that will help the local economy and invariably a lot of the community will benefit from this development.
The situation with the infrastructure and the time period that the project is being built will be difficult with what these building projects entail, but looking just a little into the future should make people realise the aggregate benefit of these projects.
I realise that these projects carry a negative impact for the environment and the surrounding areas, at least initially, but it certainly could be managed properly by creating a partnership between the developers, the community its in and the government. Shouldn’t we then call for such a partnership and even demand an oversight committee be formed rather than just vehemently and blindly oppose these projects? Especially as these projects are actually financed and built by private business rather than the government?
Come on guys, the country would die and everyone would suffer if we just stand around complaining rather than welcoming investments and hold our parliament and government responsible for creating the legislative infrastructure to ensure their success, rather than shout and scream and protest to chase them away.
What did the blacks do to free themselves, oh high and mighty one? And how could their experience be emulated to emancipate yourself?
Quite an amusing exchange! But the argument has become way too heated to be useful now.
I must say though Mahmood, you have certainly painted yourself as the liberal bourgoisie hammour. It’s only because I know you personally that my opinion is otherwise. The one basic point I feel is that we need sustainable development,… and the development we’ve seen so far is all but sustainable. It is based on an endless supply of cheap foreign labour, and an endless supply of land reclaimable from the sea. That is why the next time someone proposes building a luxury residential tower, the burden falls on the project sponsors to prove why it is useful for Bahrain,… rather than citizens having to explain why they don’t want it.
Let me add, that I’ve worked for the types of companies that provide the capital for these types of projects (way back in my neo-liberal days, haha). And while the CEOs and PR execs are keen to paint a friendly picture (and may genuinely believe it, like I did), when it comes down to it, the only thing the investment committe/board of directors care about is profit — that’s all. The Concept Papers and Information Memoranda are all about the bottom line (profits)… all the other environmental/social responsibility stuff is weighed purely in terms financial benefit, if at all. The financial models used to decide whether the project goes ahead takes into account only profit. Social or environmental costs just don’t fit in. The only type of environmental/social due diligience that is conducted is what is required of the law in the country — and in bahrain, that’s very little.
The initial investors have an investment horizon of, say 7-10 years. The long term effects that these projects cause on the society and environment (and on their own businesses) will only really be seen after 10 years,… and by that time the investor have sold his share and run off with the profits. That’s why the execs don’t care about the sustainability of their projects.
Anyways, I know we don’t see eye-to-eye on this, so no point in me harping on any more!
But two really important issues have been raised on this thread which just aren’t talked about enough.
One was what you said about the Ja’afari Waqf being one of the biggest hoarders in the country. I agree unreservedly that citizens need to put more pressure on the awqaf boards. And there’s the even more sensitive issue of Khums donations. We’ve all heard about the various shuyookh who supposedly have bundles of assets lying around in bank accounts received in Khums donations. They too need to be scrutinized and redistributed.
The other issue is that of hadhra fishing traps that Hassan pointed out. These traps are very much equivalent to farming land, owned, and handed down from generation to generation (or sold,… or possibly ended up as a waqf!). The reclamation of the land must have had a major effect on the coastal communities (were the owners compensated, iwonder?). Are there any studies about how the communities have changed since?
This is one of the most interesting debates i ever read.
While everyone here tries to claim objectivity, I’ll be honest and personal. Here’s my story.
I graduated froma private school in Bahrain. I was afforded this luxury through loans taken by mother and father. My parents sacrificed over 65% of their salaries to educate me and my brother.
Once highschool was over, parents went into financial difficulties and i wasn’t able to travel abroad to continue my education.
I had to work from 8 AM to 6:30 PM as a sales excutive at one of the banks here in Bahrain, for a salary of BD 180.
My car was a BD 200 cressida that my dad got for me.
It wasn’t air conditioned, so i always had a few spare t-shirts in my car to change as a i drive from one customer’s premises to another.
But after i saved a few Dinars, and with further help from my parents, i joined one of the institutions in Bahrain, paid for it, and studied part-time from the 6:30PM till 10PM at night.
I finished my diploma, and i opted to skip the bachelor’s degree and go for a post-graduate degree. (I don’t want to share specifics to conceal my identity)
I studied for my post-graduate degree using a long-distance course, it couldn’t have cost me more than BD500 in total for three years of study. Books were photocopied off of friends, and alot of help material was from the internet.
I graduated with the highest marks in the entire GCC.
By this time i changed professions a number of times, my salary was BD700 by now.
After my graduation by a couple of months i was handpicked by a Bank in Saudi Arabia, they contacted me. No wastas, nothing.
My salary is now over BD3,000. Yes, no typos here.
Hassan, I never looked at the glass being half empty, I always supported the King and Al-wefaq, because this give and take is good for the country. The King is not perfect and certainly Al-wefaq isn’t so.
There are no absolutes in life, except for death. Everything is relative and based on your perspectives.
Al-Quran says is3a ya 3abd (for English speakers: If you shal work, I will work with you) and tafa2alou bel khair (always be optimistic and you shal find what you desire).
Now, that means we should ALWAYS see the glass as half-full, so we can seek to fill it.
The turning point in my life, was a beautiful one. All the students in my class, including myself, were complaining about the lack of opportunities, secretenriasm, racism, corruption, etc. The teacher told us “you might lack the opportunity now, but when the opportunity comes, you must be ready for it”.
Now Hassan, asks yourself this, are you ready for the opportunity when it comes??
Those projects give us and a lot of Bahrainis plenty of opportunities in the future, I suggest you plan on seizing those.
Hassan, you also mentioned that degrees in Biology, Physics, Chemistry, etc, are forms of Education. While that is true in the literaly sense, it isn’t quite so in the environment that is Bahrain. Mahmood’s stated “relevant education”, and this is key. If you don’t have the right tools for the trade, simply change your tools, or in this case re-educate yourself. I’m afraid this is the same garbage you are used to hearing.
You also asked for proof of you being racist or whatever, well it’s quite clear in every response you make. You thought Sam was an expatriate because of his nickname, you said that one of the companies was racist for not employing Bahrainis (because and i assume Bahrainis from a foreing decent aren’t Bahrainis). All i can say is SHAME on you. I consider anyone living on this soil as much as a Bahraini as I am regardless of whether they were born here, or were given the nationalities upon their arrival. I pride myself for a country rich in culture and different traditions, we have a choice of who we want to be, or what group to join.
You speak of dignity, what kind of dignity or self-pride allows a person to stay at home unemployed? What kind of dignity and pride allows a person to burn property at the cost of others’ well being?
On a side point, I agree with Chanad almost completely here. Why are the monies belonging to the matams in Bahrain souly dedicated to food, renovations, decorations and paying mullas their salaries? Why aren’t they doing more for the community like building schools, hospitals, or those parks that some of you mentioned? Why aren’t they sponsoring students who deserve scolarships but couldn’t get any because of one reason or another? I guess Al-wefaq and Al-Minbar should answer these questions, shouldn’t they?
Ahmed thank you. You are an inspiration for a lot of people. More power to you and I wish you the best now and in the future.
Regarding waqf: (endowments) another thought I would like to add to the mix is another question which I would like you to consider: Where are the projects which are financed by Shi’a money? Why is it, even though we have tens of multimillionaire and even some who probably are billionaires, in the area, we do not see them employing their money to build these cities and other real-estate development?
Most of the projects I have come to know are financed by Sunni individuals and companies with the money coming in from Saudi, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE.
Shouldn’t we demand that the endowment committee, the khoms collectors and the rich Shi’a families put their money in projects in the community so that they too generate wealth and a better way of life? Where is that money hiding?
Yes a lot of those families are industrialists and traders, and some of their monies are employed in their factories and businesses, but I think, personally, they should bring the money out and start investing in the community by doing large projects like these. Giving money to the maatems to buy sheep and rice in certain times of the year is not an investment. Utilising that money to generate opportunities is.
There are too many faces to this problem, if you like, but blaming the government and the ruling family should not be the exclusive activity. We need to look at ourselves and ask hard questions of those who lead our community because we have a right to share the wealth too.
Maybe it IS time to impose personal and corporate tax. That way at least we would know that hiding money sees the light and gets used for the better of the community. And it is very much high time to regularise the collection of alms and khoms. At least audit them and only allow those who are registered and authorised to actually collect those funds.
I think people in Bahrain need to thank their lucky stars for even getting a dollar of investment. Guys – we are lagging behind most of the Gulf when compared to volume and rate of investment happening elsewhere – even Doha makes us look like a joke these days!
So be grateful that someone actually sees Bahrain as an opportunity. In fact, its amazing with all the political turbulence, with all the corruption scandals and an increasingly restive population (which some of you have so eloquently demonstrated), that there are projects, investments and development taking place.
A final point – I have to say I am impressed with Ahmed’s story and delighted for what his own efforts have achieved for him. But he is not the first and there are many examples, I myself have been a Bahraini living overseas for the last 10 years. Upon realizing that the little island could not offer much, I looked elsewhere, and today sit in a comfortable situation. I see around me new Bahrainis arriving here everyday, young, energetic and ambitious. I am sure they will succeed. This is the key, Bahrainis have several options facing them:
1. They must stop complaining and embrace the status quo
2. They must accept that they will never see or receive the comforts afforded by governments in other GCC countries
3. They must stop asking what government will do for them and what they can do for Bahrain, their communities and their families
4. They must understand that it is through hard work and hard work alone that they will achieve and progress, this is relevant across the education and career paths
5. They must embrace the concept of “rugged individualism”, a concept of self struggle to achieve devised in the Great Depression of the 1930s, and seek opportunities and not wait for them to show up at their door step.
AND lastly, if Bahrain is not giving you what you want, then leave, the GCC is a US$500 billion economy and you have the advantage of not requiring, visas work permits or anything that stops you from immediately showing up and finding work. Take advantage of this, we are a small nation, a small economy but we are surrounded by the highest concentration of wealth on the planet…..
Good luck and God bless….
Whilst I agree with some of the points you’ve raised, I don’t feel so strongly about ‘walking’. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say ‘If your not happy, then just leave!’ I’m sure it’ll come as no surprise that many have done just that in disgruntlement & disappointment. Bright sparks who have left these shores and have done fantastically well abroad. The government acknowledge this fact & have said it’s a real issue that needs to be tackled. They don’t want gifted individuals leaving the country.
You will always get people who feel governments have failed them or that society has failed them, but the response should never be “well just sod off !”
Sam, I agree with BTDT. Imam Ali said:
That translates to “Poverty in one’s home is estrangement and wealth abroad is home.” Roughly meaning that “home is where you hang your hat” and not bound by a geographical location, or even a passport or identity card.
Great nations have been made by immigrants, look at the New World and look at the countries immigrants hailed from, both – in most cases – benefited. Look at how Indians especially have made homes for themselves in all corners of the world and flourished. So I don’t see any shame whatsoever for someone to follow his or her dream abroad if opportunities are not available here.
There are opportunities available here of course, if one would just accept the positive and work hard at elevating oneself. These projects will provide a plethora of careers, not just jobs. It just needs a pragmatic person who will go and investigate and grab opportunities by themselves rather than depending on bankrupt hearsay normally heard in mosques and majlises.
Mahmood, it’ll be really interesting if you can make a piece about education in Bahrain. Although it’s free, it’s apparantly not everyone’s cup of tea. I’m not surprised, look at the students in the government school who take 15 minutes to gather around to stand in a line under the hot sun for another 15 minute speech. If that’s how you start your day, then, well, how’s the rest of the day going to be?
I don’t want to dwell too long on this since it’s irrelevant to the topic, but didn’t know how else to raise this issue.
With regard to Sam’s point, yes it’s absolutely annoying when someone tells you what you should do with your life, especially telling you to leave !
But the fact remains, that sometimes leaving is the best option; whether you came up with the idea yourself or not is irrelevant. You are also right, the only response shouldn’t be to sod off ! While leaving is an option, so is staying. It’s a dynamic formula based on the variables of one’s life rather than an absolute solution.
I mean when Muslim scholars preach that you should travel all the way to China for knowledge, if you have to, why is it so difficult for those listening to consider the nearby Gulf regions for work?
I have another story to tell, of a very close friend of mine, who is now happily married, with a beuatiful daughter, and living and working in Dubai.
He was a drunk, yes a DRUNK ! His beautiful baby daughter sobered him up though, and he chose to continue his education at the age of 28. By then he was merely a typist or something, and was a highschool drop out.
He is now one of the holders of many degrees, including a number of post-graduate degrees as well. He found his admirers and employers in Bahrain more than loving and thankful for his work, but he too found better opportunities for himself and family abroad.
There are many cinderella stories out there despite all the problems and issues discussed in Bahrain. I believe that while we should seek solutions to remedy these problems, we shouldn’t neglect that there are many opportunities for success. It’s all about your own approach to things and what you believe in.
I wish everyone the best of luck, and i hope the investments continue pouring in
Wow….I was basically called a liar by not one but two posters….my facts about the two bahrainis can be verified personally by calling the Nass office in Diyaar …the one near Amwaj islands…17471305…ask for the project manager…then ask him about employing bahraini workers…and about those two specifically. See whether I need to lie to point out the obvious.
Also, I cant comment on expats salaries…only on mine. I make Bd300…I use that Bd300 to pay all my bills and provide for my 5 kids…thats it. I dont get a housing allowance…free car…nothing…so dont jump to conclusions just because Im not Bahraini….Im struggling to make ends meet just like over half the population…which I feel gives me a right to comment or complain about any damn thing I want to in this country. And dont answer back with…if you dont like it just leave…remember my salary…not conductive to 6 airplane tickets outta here…otherwise I would be gone in a heartbeat….but until then…Im here and Im telling it like I see it.
I agree. The issue is – and I must confess that I have fallen into this trap myself several times – that people tend to look at things in either black or white, no shades in between, and that’s what gives them the impetus to blame someone or something or some entity for their misfortune. I strongly believe that it’s not like that, we can and should multitask. There is no harm whatsoever in standing by your ideals, demanding your rights but also take note that you need to make money to live and even prosper. Looking at it like this will give you another perspective which could – if used properly – expedite positive change.
Lee Ann I salute you for what you are trying to do and to raise your children as best you could. I hope that other more beneficial avenues open up for you.
I understand. I was just venting my frustration at those who are all too quick to show you the door for airing disagreement or dislike.
If introduced, I think it might really have the potential to transform this country and increase living standards for all those who live and work here. It might even change the leecher/seeder relationship between society and govt.
Like what’s happening in Jordan?
Qassim, what’s happening in Jordan, please elucidate.
Sam, introduction of taxation denotes the necessity of representation, proper representation. I think those in power fully recognise this; hence, this attitude of “gifts” rather than rights. But it will happen. Dubai is publicly considering the provision of value added tax to compensate for the reduction of customs fees. I guess it will fly there without too much fuss. But here, well, it might be a different story.
It’s not what we’re talking about here though, but to tie it with the topic at hand, taxation, if introduced, could certainly be used to create the infrastructural projects required to sustain these developments. But they will not be introduced without wrenching more political rights for the people.
hassan; I wasn’t replying to you, and my comment about xenophobia wasn’t aimed at you, it was aimed at Hameed Al-Basri’s worry about foreigners invading his land in the original article (hence the words “two things about this article“. don’t be paranoid, not everyone is attacking you.
I for one understand and see around me the consequence of such big projects. In a perfect world, they would contribute to the people of the town they are built in, of the country, but here in Bahrain things are a little skewed. A project gets built right next to your house and you have zilch to show for it. That’s the unfortunate truth, but then that’s just the reality we live in. It sucks, but then life’s a bitch. You find your own way out of it if you can, or drown.
هممممممممممممم مادري من وين ابتدي ما خليتو شي بس عندي جم شغلة ودي اقولها:
اول شي هالمشروع زين اذا بيفتح ابواب للزرق حق هالمواطنين اللي صافين جدام وزارة العمل و يستلمون اعانة البطالة
2. علشان تتسهل امور هالمشروع الحكومة لازم تشوف لها صرفة حق الخدمات اللي عليها طلب وايد مثل الكهربه و الماي …. الصيف للحين بأوله و من الحين قاعدين نقره فالجرايد عن انقطاعات فبعض المجمعات مب بس فالكهربه حتى فالماي. و هني الحلول الترقيعية التمبريري مب مقبولة اذا الحكومة ناوية تستقطب مشاريع عقارية زيادة لازم تفكر فحلول جذرية تنفع هالمشاريع و المواطنين
3. بالنسبة للتعليم لا تقصون على نفسكم التعليم فالمدارس الحكومية مب ذاك الزود لكن مثل ما يقول المثل الجود من الماجود و الواسطة تلعب دور حتى فالبعثات و لحد ينكر هالشي
4. حق البعض اللي دشو على الوضع السياسي الوضع السياسي فالبحرين بصراحة مب ذاك الزود البرلمان اللي عندنا بدل ما ينفعنا ضارنا … مصاريف و مخاسير عالفاضي و نواب كل همهم لبس هيفاء و لا نانسي عجرم مالت عليهم
5. تبون اصلاح اوكي ما في مشكلة بس الكل لازم يتنازل السالفة لازم يكون فيها اخذ و عطا و لين اقول الكل اقصد هني الحكم مع بقية الاطياف السياسية … و قضايا مهمة يجب تسويتها مثل التجنيس و وضع قانون يديد للجنسية ينظم العملية اكثر
6. حق اللي يتحلطمون …. اوكي الوضع فالبحرين مب ذاك الزود مقارنة باخوانا فالدول الخليجية الثانية كل اللي ابي اقوله ان من حقنا ان نطالب برفع المستوى المعيشي لكن ضمن الحدود المعقولة اللي موارد الدولة تقدر تغطيها اما ان تكون عندنا نفس الامتيازات اللي يتمتعون فيها اخوانا يعني هاذي شوي قوية ان قدرنا عليها سنة او سنتين ماراح نقدر نستمر على هالوضع اكثر اليوم درام البترول صك ال130 دولار لكن دوام الحال من المحال باجر الله العالم يمكن يدق بنفسه و ينزل
7. زبدة الحجي ان الحمد لله على كل حال صدقوني احنا احسن من غيرنا للحين التعليم و الصحة ببلاش و الاسعار اللي تفرضها الحكومة رمزية و ما تمثل التكلفة الحقيقية لتقديم هالخدمات حتى اسعار الكهربه و الماي مدعومة من الحكومة … في بعض الخدمات اللي يبي لها متابعة و حلول جذرية مثل الاسكان بس بعد اعيد و اقول احنا احسن من غيرنا
8. حق اللي يطالبون بفرض ضرايب على المواطنين اقول لهم توها الناس على هالشي و بتفرضونها على من؟ من زود المعاشات يعني؟
9. بالنهاية بعد اعيد و اقول حمدو ربكم على النعم اللي منعمها علينا صج عندنا بعض المشاكل لكن صدقوني اقولها للمرة المليون احنا احسن من غيرنا و اي اقصد من الناحية السياسية -على العيوب الموجودة فالعملية – لكن نبقى احسن من غيرنا على الاقل الحين الناس تقدر تاخذ راحتها فالحجي و الحكم فنفس الوقت صار متقبل اكثر لاراء الناس …. الخدمات عليها بعض الملاحظات و من حق المواطنين انهم يطالبون بخدمات ممتازة …. لكن بعد نبقى احسن من غيرنا
10. حق اللي بيتصيدون فالمياه العكرة الرد بارز لهم من الحين اي نعم تعلمت فمدارس خاصة و الحمد لله مستورة فلحد يقعد يقول هالكلام كاتبه واحد ولد عز ما يحس باللي احنا نحس فيه … للمعلومية اعيش ففريج اذا طق المطر عليه تطفح فيه المجاري من اول خمس دقايق … لكن بعد حامد ربي على كل حال
جني شوي طولت بالهذرة بس ما عليه استحملوني شوي
أخي الكريم،
ما الذي تقصده برفع المستوى المعيشي؟ المعاشات؟؟؟؟ الحكومة لها سلطة رفع المعاشات في القطاع الحكومي فقط، و لا الخاص…
الإعانات؟ تتم لناس دون ناس – خصوصاً لحديثي الجنسية… الخمسين دينار لا تساوي 1% من دخل يوم من البترول…
و في الوقت ذاته ترتفع النسب المئوية من استقطاع المعاش لتصل إلى 9% بحلول 2010 أو بعد هذا بقليل، صدقني، مسألة وقت… أضف على هذا الضرائب القادمة… يعني صرنا مثل الأردن، 15% رايحة على ولا شي!
على فكرة… فلوس البترول ما بتوصل الينا، بس تروح لمشاريع الف و باء و جيم من الناس… هذا إضافة إلى اراضي البحرين!
و خلاصة الكلام، لو ظلينا نتكلم لبكرة ما راح يغير شي من الواقع الذي سنشهده و الذي منه سيتضرر المواطن و قطاع الأعمال الصغيرة أكثر من غيرهم
مع التحية،،،
Well Ahmed, I am sorry that you have to go through all those hardships to reach to where you are right now and like everybody else here I wish you all the best. However the fees your daddy and mommy had to pay for your private education is certainly more than many families annual income and these whom I’m talking about. I am talking about families that can hardly feed their kids let aside provide them access to private education.
Now let’s further investigate those figures you provided in your comments.
If you have done your private education in one of the cheap to average private schools (in terms of cost, for your parents must been very stretched in your education budget to take you to one of the expensive ones), so let’s say the fees of that school was something around BD.1000 per semester, with a bit help from basic mathematics, two semesters a year = BD. 2000 or BD.4000 for two kids, and dividing the BD. 4000 by 12 for the monthly cost of your education, leaves us with BD. 333.33 a month.
And again with basic mathematics help and knowing that they had to pay 65% of their combined income for your education, we can easily find out that your parents combined income was around 512 and 820 fils only (so I would say each one of your parents used to make around BD.250/month).
And after paying the fees for your private education, they used to live with 180 a month and from that BD.180 left for them, they had to pay for housing, transport and food and I suppose they wouldn’t be able to even give you any pocket money!!! (bare in mind that I haven’t calculated the interest on those loans and if did, they would have basically needed to barrow after paying the fees of that average cost private education).
Even though they are left with nothing, they could still manage to be by your side again and help you with your part-time studies!!!
I’m not surprised that you’ve I graduated with the highest marks in the entire GCC, because I’m sure you are very smart and the grade you manage to attain is very great. For god’s sake what kind of post graduate degree that cost BD.500?!
So I suppose you’re saying that I’m pro-Alwefaq here, where the hell you brought that from?!…. Ooh I’m sorry, they must have been teaching the logic the other way around.
Well, fuck Al-wefaq too, it is one of our problems inciting sectarianism unconsciously.
I have never come across this verse in any quran I ever read in my whole life.
I thought we have done with this re-education thingi!, well, if you really work for one of the Saudi banks, then you must have had me so many times as a consultant helping you and your colleagues to run the business properly. I haven’t been talking about myself and I don’t to, so please spare us the bragging part.
Well, again going back to the kind of logic you’ve been studding I am not surprised. Mistaking somebody for being non-bahraini in a country where the majority of its inhabitants are non-bahrainis is some sort of racism. Brilliant, this is the most interesting definition of racism I have ever heard in my entire life.
is this again, something you’ve learned in those schools?, to put words in others’ mouths and assume it’s true. Where the hell I said anything like this?! Dear, if I criticize a firm for hiring people on basis other than qualifications then this is not racism and it doesn’t even mean I have anything against those people whom they’ve hired. Didn’t I said many of them are close friends of mine???? Do I hate my friends then???
Guys, you either read what I type here or chose to continue to read what’s in your brains and prejudge everything I say and then I have other more important businesses to take care of.
Aaal al-wefaq aaaaaaal
Hassan, what would an ideal situation be like to you? What political and social system would satisfy you? From re-reading what you have written, you seem to advocate a socialist nanny-state where everyone gets rewarded regardless of output. Amy correct here?
Hassan, your assumptions about the school fees are wrong. You assume that my parents earned their first salary on the day the annual fees were due, you should have included savings from work earned in previous years.
The post graduate degree that cost BD 500 for three years is the kind where you only pay for examination fees and books. Since books are borrowed from friends, that leaves examination fees. At around BD60 per exam, multiplied by 14 exams, well that’s equivalent to BD 840. Subtract 5 examinations due to various exemptions, then you’re subtracting BD 300. That leave’s BD 540. Visit http://www.accaglobal.com and find out for yourself.
I haven’t assumed you’re a supporter of Al Wefaq and neither did i imply that. I am a supporter of Al-wefaq (or atleast have been) and that is what i stated.
You don’t know the kind of logic i’ve been studying. Regardless, I haven’t given a definition for racism, i merely stated that your comments imply to some readers that you are.
Thank you for wishing me good luck, i appreciate that. I wish you all the best too.
However, you have an issue with trust and truth. You questioned Lee Anne, Mahmood and myself about a number of points we mentioned. If you think we are not truthful, then you have no need to debate us, as it would be a futile debate.
I am humouring your thoughts, because I believe they are genuine, and deserve to be debated. I also find that many share your points of view.
Further, we are responding to what you have typed. If our responses seem irrelevant to you and at a tangent to the points you’ve raised, maybe you haven’t set out your points of view as clearly as you believe you have.
If i haven’t responded to any of your other points or assumptions, it’s because i feel they are irrelevant to this debate, and frankly quite insulting.
Further, you haven’t added any value to this debate since your first outbursts, you haven’t answered any of Mahmood’s questions, and you haven’t debated any of my suggestions. All you have been doing is accusing us of lying or being arrogant, complaining about one thing or another, and being defensive to every response we’ve made.
Lee,
I for myself didn’t call you a liar, I just found it quite hard to believe that story which was very simplistic and put all the blame on those lazy Bahrainis. I find it quite hard to believe it because I on the other hand know and see every fucking day Bahrainis working under the heat of sun for sub BD.200 a month and they don’t run away (you may pay a visit to any petrol station and you’ll see 10s of them and please be kind and tip them). Now this is pure racism, when you think that most Bahrainis are spoiled and cannot take any hardship – even if it is just boredom – and they are anything but productive and this is a think I can never accept. So please stop it here and don’t call us names so we don’t say more!
Coming to your BD. 300 and your 5 kids, I think this is a crime to bring you over here for this small package and without any allowances to cover for you and your kids health, schooling and housing. It is a crime against the Bahrainis before it is a crime against you and your kids, basically because you will be competing with us on free and subsidized facilities we have here, from a bed in hospital to desk in a school. This is just for your employer to make more money.
If you tell me that you don’t or won’t take your kids to government schools and use only private hospitals, then I will strongly doubt that you are on BD. 300 without any allowances, so kindly don’t force me to do some more simple mathematics.
thus, we don’t want to deny Mr Nass, and the rest of bourgeoisies, the right to develop his businesses and to maximize his wealth, we just don’t want to be on our account. Having a big family like yours with small package like yours is a crime against me and you for Nass company to make more profits. This is what I don’t like and don’t approve and will stand against the rest of my damn life.
Mahmood, I am stupid as you’ve said so many times here so don’t expect a solution from a stupid guy like me; I have promised though that my response would be in Arabic and in my blog, and man it will be shocking for I haven’t been called so many names just for disagreeing with somebody’s else views.
reply to 82
اوكي باعترف المعاشات عندنا فالبحرين متدنية و لازم الحكومة تشوف لها صرفة مع هالموضوع . بس زيادة الراتب مب الحل المناسب لان هالزيادة راح تقابلها زيادة فالاسعار . الحل ان الحكومة تصرف بطاقات تموينية و توجه الدعم حق الشرائح اللي تستحق هالدعم اكثر لان حسب النظام الحالي الكل اللي محتاج و اللي مو محتاج قاعد يستفيد من المنتجات اللي تدعمها الحكومة. او ان الحكومة توسس شركة عامة لاستيراد المواد الاساسية علشان تساهم فتخفيض الاسعار و تقدم هالمنتجات باسعار مدعومة بس بعد المشكلة في هالحل ان الكل اللي معتاز و اللي مو معتاز راح يستفيدز
2. بالنسبة لاستقطاعات المعاش … اللي اعرفه و صححني اذا كنت غلطان ان لازم الحكومة ترفع من نسب الاستقطاع حق التقاعد و التامينات الاجمتاعية علشان لا يصير عجز فالهيئتين
3. على طاري القطاع الخاص الحكومة ما لها اي سلطة مثل ما تفضلت بالنسبة للمعاشات و الامتيازات اللي يحصلها الموظفين اللي يشتغلون فهالقطاع … في حل بس راح يكون مكلف ان الحكومة تقدم دعم لرواتب موظفين القطاع الخاص اللي رواتبهم ما تتجاوز حد معين بس هالحل مثل ما قلت راح يكون مكلف و غالي
4. بالنسبة للامتيازات اللي يحصل عليها المواطنين و بينهم حديثي التجنس … لازم السلطة التشريعية الدايخة بدل ما تنشغل فامور تافهة مثل لبس نانسي عجرم انها تحط قانون يديد للجنسية مشابه للي موجود في قطر او الكويت … الجنسية تكون انواع بالتأسيس و بالتجنيس (و التجنيس بعد يكون انواع) و تصدر الحكومة شهادات جنسية توضح فيها شلون اكتسب حاملها و بكل صراحة الجنسية … الانتفاع بالخدمات الحكومية بالذات السكن لازم يكون بالتدريج يعني بعد مرور فترة من اكتسابه الجنسية …. ادري في ناس بتقول عنصري بالطقاق لان عيال الديرة حقوقهم ضاعت و السبة عمليات التجنيس الغير مدروسة
سلامز
فالبحرين مب ذاك الزود مقارنة باخوانا فالدول الخليجية الثانية
I believe this is completely fraud and kind of the propaganda the regime succeeded to spread among many of us.
Bahrain’s GDP per capita ($34,700) is even higher than that of Saudi ($20,700) and that of Oman ($19,100).
We have a GDP per capita that’s 67% more than that of Saudi and 81% more than that of Oman. Now don’t please tell us that Bahrain is poorer than the other gulf states so we shouldn’t ask to be treated like the other gulfies, we are actually richer than some of them, it is just the distribution that’s not fare here.
Oh the soft sounds of that beautiful stringed instrument
Hassan
Once again you have me wrong…all my kids are in govt schools…private education is still a dream even for some of us non Bahrainis…I couldnt afford private health care if my life depended on it(and a few times it has) and Im not here in Bahrain on any kind of package…I was married to a Bahraini for 20 years. Im newly divorced and this job was my first job. So now you can remove your foot from your mouth and stop tiring yourself out jumping to all sorts of conclusions about people based on a few written posts. btw Ive lived here over 20 years….I have seen with my own eyes and heard with my own ears Bahrainis refusing to do and complaining about any sort of job that requires showing up on time…staying the whole day…and actually doing something more productive then talking on their mobiles or reading the paper. I know that not all Bahrainis are like that…but a fair share of them seem to believe the govt owes them something and until someone comes and knocks on their doors and gives them everything they “deserve” to have as Bahraini citizens…then they will continue to bitch and moan and make the rest of us want to puke. Nobody but nobody in this life gets anything for free…if you get something for free…its probably worthless anyway…which I might say speaks volumes at the state of the free education in this country and the free health care. When something is free you usually get what you “paid for” so to speak…in this case nothing for nothing.
The govt doesnt seem too interested in educating its children properly and allowing them the opportunities to face the market place head on…the govt seems more interested in feeding its people just enough to make them feel that nipple is always gonna be there to take care of them…when in reality…it will dry up just like every nipple that ever fed anything. So stop the bitching and moaning about what you dont have and try being happy for whatever the hell it us you(general you not specifically you) do have…then go out and work for whatever else you need. If you are one of the few lucky ones that has a good financial life…then think about giving a hand to some Bahrainis that dont have similar opportunities…when you all realize that the govt isnt too intersted in helping you all live financially secure and loan free lives…then maybe you will concentrate less on expecting something from them…and more on expecting more from yourselves. Sorry to sound harsh…but living in a country in which a majority of the native population seem to feel that the slver spoon they apparently were born with…was ruthlessly stolen right out of their mouths at some point…but they are always in hope of having it reinserted….if they just wait it out long enough….eventually makes even a broken record sound better in comparison. sheesh!
Hassan, you’re not just stupid, but you are also a grade-A ass hole too. You are not living in Bahrain, but in your own personal la-la land, so do stop using the Royal WE and US, you do NOT represent US and we could do very well indeed without you. You can take that erudite Arabic post and flush it. I am sure it will only expose your bigotry, racism and narrow-mindedness, so please, for your sake, don’t embarrass yourself any further.
Lee Ann, don’t give Hassan the time of day. he claims to be a “consultant” in the financial sector, what I would like to know is which establishments he supposedly consulted for in order for me to avoid them all if at all possible. If they believe such a bigot and enact his so called consultancy, then there is absolutely no hope for them in this world.
I am absolutely disgusted.
Well i’ve been following this debate.
It is a shame Mahmood that you have to descend to name-calling by calling Hasan and A**hole. I don’t use those kind of words and I wouldn’t want my children to read them either. Really there is not much point arguing with you…Chanad, Just me, Hassan, Qassim have debated with you, put you choose to ignore the main thrust of the argument and pick on the details forcing the debate to get reduced to trivialities.
A leopard doesn’t change his skin; in all the debates you’ve had on your blog one thing is certain:
you’re a die-hard neo-liberal buffoon
Well said Lee Ann, “nothing for nothing”. You are correct, people need to realize that from the government’s perspective that all these things are forms of control. You don’t need to rule with an iron fist to subdue a population, there are things mightier than the sword. The destruction of any viable middle class, through conditions that are conducive to poverty, ignorance, disease and neglect are all forms of control. What you are left with are a broken and divided people bickering amongst themselves, which really is a case in point when you read this blog.
there’s an arabic saying, it goes:
نعيب زمانا والعيب فينا وما لزماننا عيب سوانا
roughly translates to: we blame time or life as a whole, when we should be blaming our selves, and life could only be blamed having us live in it.
Make of that what you will.
Nasser, it’s quite interesting when you keep quiet when he calls a number of those patiently debating with him liars, hypocrites, traitors and a whole plethora of those choice words and you choose to lurk, and when I chose to describe him in the vernacular, which is a legitimate way to describe Hassan as far as I am concerned, you get up on your high horse and go off your rocker.
Excellent. You were waiting to pounce, you did, but landed in your own mess.
You can go back to lurking now and let the debate continue.
Hassan, we’re still waiting for your answers, but be brief and stay on topic.
I needed to verify this statement. I ran the Find command on those three words and they don’t come up under Hassan’s postings.
Maybe you THINK he is swearing at you, but in actual fact I think you’ll find your the only one doing so.
in the end of the day this project is going to happen whether you like it or not. as a result the price of all the land in its vicinity is going to skyrocket. if your still unhappy when its complete sell your land to house and a huge profit and move somewhere else.
I think there is quite a bit of egoism in this debate.
I think people are not listening to each other here and things have become personal when they should not have become so. (it is sad to see mahmood go down that road especially when he put in red ink “Don’t raise your voice. Improve your argument” in the post a comment field..sorry mahmood if this was slightly offensive but just to remind you as we like your blog)
As mahmood was saying..I do believe that hard work and being positive pays because that is what God has promised and as a muslim one should believe and keep on working with a strong faith. Tawakul we call it.
As hassan was saying..I also think that there is extreme injustice and discrimination in Bahrain which makes it unfair to blame the youth of bahrain for their negativity as their hard work does go in vain due to their sect, race, family name accent..etc. this negativity and attitude does harm them more than they realise however it is unfair for those that have been blessed to enjoy the fruits of their own labour to look down upon those who have not. it is also unfair to pacify them by saying nothing can be done.
we should help each other rather than foster mistrust and personal vendettas. in countries where there is no discrimination youth still go down a wrong road and do mistakes and need to be directed and helped. In Bahrain it is worse because they actually do suffer injustice.
it would be nice to see both side of this story, mahmood and hassan, instead of arguing working together to help those who suffered injustice or discrimination to find jobs, to pick themselves up, to show them examples of people who worked and earned their living. You cannot change their negativity by just condemning them. you have to dip their finger deeper in the glass so they can actually believe that it is half full and that if they work they may reach that half.
there is a lot of blame to go around however I think if we rather than shout at each other try and work together even on a small scale things can get better. I don’t want to sound hippie but I have seen some bahraini web forums (where you can find a lot of rubbish) open up a small forum for helping people find jobs and although a lot of the jobs seem to be out of reach of the poor people in those villages quite a few got jobs and it made me happy to see that forums are finally helping people to make their lives better.
now imagine people like mahmood and hassan who seem to know bahrain more than the villagers in those web forums (where they just collect job ads) imagine organising a few recruitment events in these villages (rather than in the Sheraton) with a few speaker from different fields with their own stories and a few willing companies who like to break norms. how much of a positive change would that bring? I dont know but I reckon it would at least open more horizons for these youth and give them some greatly needed motivation in face of the discrimination they have suffered.
I know it may sound dreamy but my point is to put our energy in good use rather than descend in to shouting condemning and blaming.
we should keep on trying harder!
Salam
Amazed, that statement would be more appropriate for other spots in the world, Zimbabwe for instance. Not Bahrain. We do have injustice and discrimination, but I would not use “extreme” to describe them.
ok delete “extreme” from my previous post. and then what? are you listening to what I am saying? was most significant point in my post?
Yes, it was the most significant part of your post as the other points raised have already been addressed. If you care to rephrase what you said and come up with a position of your own, I would love to engage you and laud your efforts at fostering collegial relationships.