The Bahraini Minister of Finance, Salman Al Khalifa, faced severe criticisms regarding his review of the achievements of the economic recovery plan during a meeting of the Economic Development Board chaired by Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad.
Majeed Milad, a member of the General Secretariat of the Al-Wefaq Society, expressed concern about the deteriorating living conditions of citizens. He emphasized, through his account on the AX platform, the importance of improving the country’s economic management by the authorities to enhance the citizens’ conditions.
In numerical terms, Ibrahim Sharif, the former Secretary-General of the Waad Society, criticized the government’s illusory economic achievements, stressing the need for discussions and clarifications regarding them.
Sherif clarified that employing a large number of Bahrainis, reaching twenty-nine thousand five hundred and thirty-three during the past year, is considered excessive. He pointed out the necessity of clarifying the number of newly employed Bahrainis and determining the impact of this employment on the unemployment rate in the labor market.
In a related context, the former Secretary-General of the Waad Society called on the Bahraini government to accept criticisms and work on rectifying the situation, whether economically or politically. Regarding the reasons for unemployment in Bahrain, the political opposition figure Fadel Abbas considered that the issue of unemployment has not been adequately addressed, noting that many talk about unemployment without focusing on its root causes.
Furthermore, Fadel Abbas believed that the Prime Minister is responsible for the crisis, as he abolished the “Bahrainization” policy and opened the door to foreign labor. Unity leader Adel Al-Marzouq cited statements from an economic expert indicating the presence of corruption that has undermined Bahrain. He explained that this corruption is the root cause of the collapse of Bahrainis’ lives, along with other issues such as naturalization and surplus foreign labor.
On the other hand, some citizens demanded that the authorities engage in a national dialogue and discuss the economic situation in the country to find urgent solutions. Others questioned the absence of relevant officials in addressing the plight of Bahrainis, while foreigners, including Indians, Bangladeshis, Jordanians, and others, benefit from jobs and higher privileges.
source: lualuatv