The Plot thickens .. my perspective.. Bahrain's Peaceful Movement for change...

People should listen, and then judge for them selves. or ignore completely and walk away .. Freedom to choose .. is a god given right and must not be taken away ..

We can agree to disagree .. but at the end of the day .. u r my brother & i yours .. That point seems to be lost to some ..

My stance on all this is simple, implementation of THE original Constitutional Monarchy that was promised, NOT this Flawed constitution. A Constitution written by Bahrain citizens for Bahrain citizens. UNDER no situation is Government allowed to use Violence or deadly force against Bahrain citizens. Military is to Defend Bahrain & its Citizens not to attack Citizens. No detaining & torture.. No Political Naturalization, No Discrimination by government & no promotion of Discrimination by Gov as is the case now in military & certain ministries .. sadly also true on certain Private institutions.. Actual Freedom of Press & Speech... not the facade we have now..Public land is Public .. NOT Private... A parliament without actual powers is redundant..

I hate Sectarianism. NATIONAL UNITY only .. No Shia No Sunni .. Just/I'm Bahraini...

Feb14 is being depicted as a Shia against Sunni movement .. where in actual fact it is a Peaceful movement, a struggle by citizens for their rights... IT IS SAD, that after living together for decades & more, the plight of these demonstrators is still not apparent to some unwilling to look but chose to listed to propaganda..

Keep in mind that it is the Bahrain citizens/Demonstrators that occupy LuLu, not the Gov Opposition or Opposition political groups. The latter come there to talk to them through speeches .. That is why u see camps, food stalls & the more lively family atmosphere... the hospitality and friendliness ..

Also don't forget that people are angry with their government for using deadly force against their peaceful movement resulting in injuring many and the death of 7. Like it of not .. thats why u hear resentment slogans of government.. People still hurt .. for the innocent blood spilled ..

Mushaima, a long time opposition of the Government has just arrived in Bahrain. He was speaking at LuLu last night, mostly repeats of what many have already been saying, but he did emphasize that WE, meaning previous opposition movements, had trusted the Government when invited to dialog only to be tricked. He said that this time, the movement was by the people, their demands are what must be met, and the oppositions are united in the stance. Additionally he said this is not a Shia or Sunni movement..Its a National Unity movement ..

If he adds value to the peaceful movement for Freedom and change, then good, but if he is here to sell his own self interests, or promote HATE, i'd rather not be part of that, and hope the People of LuLu reject that ideology too..TIME WILL Tell ..

I'm still unsure what to think, i've heard Mushaima has an extreme view & no cap to demands.. Time will tell .. But if u ask me, the opposition by now should have an agree list of demands, also how & when best to approach Dialog.

Yesterday, an article in the GDN caught my eye, 'Tribute to Gandhi's non-violent struggle' in which retired engineer Mansoor Jamal linked the protest at the Pearl Roundabout to India's struggle for independence & Manhatman gandhi. Quotes from the article ..

"The more i see these people there (at Lulu), the more i am convinced that they are following on the Mahatama's path"

"We are not against His Majesty King Hamad but we do not like a lot of things happening under his rule. We want change and we hope we will achieve what we have set out to get"

Many ask why has dialog has not started, what are the Demonstrators/Opposition waiting for, since Government has already extended an open arm. . . My opinion is that the Concessions requested of Government have not been met yet .. not entirely .. Not all prisoners have been released and the biggest point of all, PM is still present.

Will this be an ice breaker, i don't know ..

But till then ... i'll continue to cover as much as possible .. as objectively as i possible can..

and as always those who want to accuse .. continue to do so .. and those that want to be rude may do so .. I choose not to .. In the end i want my family (My Country) together not Divided ..

Democratic reform: a great divide OR NATIONAL UNITY

First of all, I have faith in Crown Prince Shaikh Salman's ability to guide us through these times of change, to a better and real democratic Society. Under National Unity.

No Government has the right to USE lethal force against its citizens. Only Bahraini's will risk their lives to defend Country and each other, Bahraini's will never kill each other.

Regardless which side you stand on, the fence must be movable, not made of stone or resistant to change. To do this we must have a real Constitutional Monarchy. The monarchy exists but the constitution is flawed.

SOME ISSUES WITH OUR CURRENT CONSTITUTION:

No freedom of speech.

Ministers selected by Government not elected by citizens.

A Parliament that has no significant powers.

** there are so much more.

MOJANASEEN:

The government has, since 2000 brought in Arabic speaking nationals from other MENA states, providing them with Bahrain Passports, housing and government jobs.

The above are completely separate from legal, binding & rightful Bahrain passport holders.

It is good & dandy to send messages of love or greet one another and smile, but the fact remains that there is a great rift, a divide which has resurrected its ugly head, tearing at the fabric of our friendly society. Our family.

Bahrain, being a small island, has citizens who are intricately linked to one another, either being neighbors, close friends, work colleagues or binded through marriage.

Today, i see friends arguing, family members divided and scornful, colleagues eying one another then grouping together and chattering their true feelings and neighbors building invisible fences.

Why are there those that are afraid of change, why fear the worst when you should be expecting the best. That is what this democratic reform will bring, the same close knit family (Bahrainis) under a true constitution written by and for the people, WRITTEN by ALL PEOPLE.

I implore people to stop listening to the hogwash lies being spread, done so to scare people and ensure we are divided.

Who would benefit from this divide, certainly not Bahrain’s citizens?

Try looking at similarities not differences, you'll notice they far out weight the differences, make them your priority and concentrate on them when you meet your fellow Bahraini.

We can all agree to disagree, but we do not have to stop being courteous, well mannered, pleasant; or to stop talking & fight one another.

Let us instead understand the other point of view.

and to those on Twitter trying name calling & bully tactics, my time is better spent ignoring you and concentrating on the future of OUR COUNTRY, Bahrain.

Egypt: Revolution reform OR back to a revised NDP Regime..

My prayers go out to all the souls lost in Egypt and their surviving loved ones who have to go on without them ...

How i See it ......................

When i first heard of the events in Tunis, i was doubtful of the outcome... BUT THEY SUCCEEDED ....soon Egyptian caught sight of the possibilities, and the pent up anger erupted, so they took to the streets..

To me, Egypt was the Rubicon, the point of no return, the one domino that could fell them all .. there would be changes, definitely not full fledged Democracy, but changes none the less, throughout the Middle East & North African countries... there was HOPE ..

I'm pretty sure all the leaders were monitoring progress in Egypt, some immediately introduced minute changes by sacking and replacing senior government members, some distributed sums of money in the form of monthly aid, others agreed to continue subsidies of goods, all short term changes.. and all of them were still waiting the final outcome in Egypt..

While we were watching NEWS channels, reading newspapers & following blogs and Tweets from Egypt .. WE MISSED OUT ON THE BIGGER PICTURE.... which is .. WHO WAS ACTUALLY MANIPULATING WHOM there..

Protesters are still occupying Tahrir Square, and gatherings are still being held there, in reality i think they are exactly where the government wants them to be, corralled in an area very much manageable and under watchful eyes.

Businesses & Banks are slowly opening, life seems to be gradually going back to normal except for the protesters holding on to Tahrir Square.... unaware that as it currently stands, they may have won the battle ... But they have already lost the WAR ..(i hope to god i am wrong in this).

The interim government is now run by Vice President and former head of intelligence, General Omar Suleiman, a close ally of the US & Israel and the heir apparent to the Egyptian Presidency.. He will sit down with the opposition, he will promise political & economic reform, he may even introduce financial incentives.... all in the name of change.. whereas actually to cause a rift in the Pro change movement... divide and conquer.. or make sure their momentum is lost.. and with at least 7 months to go before the elections.. he will have placed himself as a front runner in the horse race....

WHY Would i say that... SIMPLE..

Hosni Mubarak may be staying on as an honorary role, his presence has ensured that the essence and structure of the ruling party remains after departing, even if changes are introduced...which i am guessing may not be significant enough.. and come election day...

it will be Business as Usual in Egypt but under New Management,

just as the US & Israel want it...

I so do hope & Pray i am Wrong .. This movement should & must not fade... all our futures depend upon its success ..

Prologue

By now everyone is aware of events in Egypt, it's on all the NEWS channels ..

Briefly:

regime change was triggered by Events in Tunis, but for Egyptians, 25th of Jan 2011 signified their stance against oppression.

Brave men, women and children gathered in Tahrir Square .. THEIR DEMAND.. .. resignation of President Hosni Mubarak..

With aspirations that regime change would lead to an end to 'Emergency law'... Positive and progressing changes to the constitution, Free and fair elections..Freedom of Speech, basic human rights..

in days that ensued, the number of injured exceeded a thousand. The official fatality count just below 20 (last i read).. BUT .. protesters, and witnesses contradict this and have stated that the dead may run in the hundreds..

i believe the names of all the fallen Heroes of the Egyptian 25Jan Revolution are being registered on a site...

The event is best described by 'SandMonkey', a prominent Egyptian blogger.. who was also a member of the Pro regime change movement

http://www.sandmonkey.org/2011/02/03/egypt-right-now/

The STANCE may have started off as a Leaderless revolution, going forward and to be taken serious, there must be a structure and an identifiable leadership .. to this effect 'Sandmonkey' shares his views and suggestions: http://www.sandmonkey.org/2011/02/06/the-way-forward/

Egypt, a significant ARAB nation & a KEY player in the MENA because of its close relationship with USA & Israel ...

Will their relationship Chang? I think not .. for an explanation read about the Closed door maneuvering by the Mubarak party and the foreign intervention as best described by Esam Al-Amin : http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article27411.htm ,in his article titled 'Mubarak's last Grasp'. (do not miss reading his summary titled "Likely scenarios: remember Marcos?"

The Military made its position very clear by announcing No intervention... WHY?

Well, no revolution is successful without the backing of the military, they tip the balance of power in favor of the Victor.... by being present but only as observers.. The pro Mubarak generals pulled a fast one over the protesters, pretending to be Neutral but actually continuing to support the regime not Mubarak himself.....

The defining moment for the Pro change movement was Friday the 4th of February 2011, know as the 'Day of his (Hosni Mubarak's) Departure' ..

I was expecting a Peaceful march on to the Palace, but they continued to stay in Tahrir Square...

resulting in .. NOTHING ... some NDP cosmetic reshuffling .. BUT STILL NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE... and this is where i believe the protesters lost momentum ..

Why? The government called their bluff and someone Blinked...

When Goliath is out of reach

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The actions of our MPs shows how desperate they are to retain their ‘cash cow’ seats, having not accomplishing anything significant during their tenure, as was intended by the founding father's when the lame excuse for a Parliament was first established (by the Government), having made sure it had limited or no authority, misguided loyalty within and giving the least suitable candidates access to the coveted seats, thus ensuring the absence of a unified front, progress and advancement....
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and they have not failed on that objective. MPs do not have the power to change life altering laws nor are they suggesting the introduction of applicable regulations, they have not put any effort into exterminating the mistrust between Government and its people, and are absolutely unable to stamp out the ongoing recruitment of foreign mercenaries for the Armed & Special Forces, police department and the Riot police.
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Since they are powerless and are unable to reach the higher branches where the more juicier leaves are, they have settled for the forrage at ground level .. Alcohol ... Pork ... Prostitution ....
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I can paint my face red & blue, then perform a rain dance, but that don't mean it will rain.
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This too, they will eventually find out, are powerless to do .. as their absence would devistate the tourism (wink, wink) influx from our neighbours and the resident foreign nationals.
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And so by having beaten their drums, the sheep following them will once again vote them back into their seats .. without having ever accomplish a thing.

Is a Dumb @ss quick Fix the solution?? I think not!!!

The current proposal to grant Bahraini Citizen (with incomes less than BD1,500) a monthly assistance (aid) of BD50 to cope with rising inflation & hike in the price of goods, is still being tossed around in the Parliament pending final approval. I think it is being limited to only one year.

By my simple calculations, only 66,666 Bahrain individuals will be eligable each month. What about the other 944,444 or so that are excluded?

Do the MPs believe this aid is going to resolve the crisis, curb it in any way, or dampen the effect on our pockets?
Prices will continue to rise, good will continue to get even more expensive, and the freaking cost of living will be more unbearable.
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Yet Dumb Ass proposals are being made by our ""highly educated"" MPs, who are convinced this quick fix is exactly what the doctor ordered.

There's a saying that goes something like this "Feed a man for a day & you will have to feed him tomorrow as well. But, teach a man to GROW his own food & you will have fed him for LIFE".

Why is this simple concept not easy for our MPs to understand.

The proposal will provide an additional source of income for some famalies, the benefits of which has already being nullified by rising rent prices & increasing cost of goods, which will then dry out by the end of 2008..!!!!

Rent continues to sky rocket, Food is becoming more expenseive, I SUSPECT THAT FUEL PRICES WILL INCREASE AS WELL..........WHY THE HELL NOT??..

There's more, land prices are phenominal, construction material has sky rocketed, the purchasing power of our currency has decreased drastically because of the PEGGING to the dollar....

I suspect alot of the price increases are due to GREEEEEEEEDD, not increasing supplier costs or transportation expenses....

All the MPS are recommending is a fix that is short term, i guess maybe up to the end of their Term in office......!!!!!!!

I don't profess to know the solution to all our problems, but maybe MPs should consider a Rent freeze, maybe a pre-approval by Government agencies before Suppliers of Consumer Goods, Services & Raw matterial increased prices (to ensure no price fixing and increases are justified). The immediate ban of the sale of Land to foreigners (inclusing other GCC nationals), allowing them to only purchase into the special residential schemes being offered. A matirx for Residental Flat specifications and the legal rent prices applicable basee on the location to be published by the government and adhered to by Land lords. Any one of the above suggestons, in my mind, would be better than offering the BD50 bribe to citizenzzzzzzzzzzz............

Yet another black day in our Country's History

I came back to Bahrain for the Eid holidays, only to find that for the past couple of days, demonstrators/protesters & riot police/special forces have been clashing around the island.

The words is that there have been countless numbers incarcerated, many more casualties, and to date one fatality that has been made public.

Yesterday, i could not help but see the road leading to Sanabis & Jid Hafs blocked by police, no one allowed in. The road leading to Dana mall was no different; riot police & Special Forces on the left side of the road, blocking all roads leading into the Jid Hafs area. The same could be seen driving on the road leading towards GEANT.

What bothers me most is that our government officials willingly sets there vicious dogs against its people, these mongrels have been brought to Bahrain and nationalized for the sole purpose of keeping civilians in-line ensuring/preventing demonstrations against the continuing suffering and standing for what they believe in.

Bahrainis, have become second-rate citizens, the newly nationalized now-called BAHRAINIS are living better lives, getting higher paying government jobs, government support & housing. They have infested the Armed forces, Special Forces, riot police & the police stations, just to name a few government agencies; and some private companies/businesses now have a preference towards the newly nationalized Bahrainis as well.

So then, Bahrainis find it harder to live, day-by-day living expenses increase because of inflation and the fact that we now have to compete with high paid expatriates and government backed NATIONALS.

Whereas in other GCC countries the nationals come first, and they have rights guaranteed by their government; here in Bahrain, we don’t even come in second, we come in last to who ever is ahead of us, and there is a queue that gets longer day-by-day.

Our jobs are being exported.

The minimum wage is a joke so long as the government does not enforce it by law.

Our children are expected to compete for the few remaining seats in government schools whose curriculum is so out dated that graduates have to take evening classes in English & computer studies (paid for by their low paid parents) just to bring up their education to par.

When our government allowed Gulf & Foreign national to own land anywhere in Bahrain, they condemned us all to a life along the poverty live, if not below it; a life where most of one’s salary is to be spent on rent.

Where once, we could get a good size land for fifteen to twenty thousand dinars, NOW, fifty thousand will not get you squat.

Government housing is a joke, the Housing Bank’s records, if they are ever made public will show exactly how corrupt officials and employees have been using it as their personal piggy bank.

All this and more has let to the gap between the rich and the poor to significantly increase.

So then, rather than sending negotiators to these troubled areas, to listed to the people’s concern’s, to comfort them in their time of need, to communicated the government’s concerns and wishes, government officials send in their death squad. Why is it so hard to do the obvious, the best thing to do, even if it may be the hardest, rather than what is currently being done?

For god sakes, our government should be defending our rights, and our lives, not leaving us in the open to be trampled over and humiliated.

And now, we come to know that in a month’s time, the leader of the land of the free & home of the brave will come, only his aim is not to demand a stop to the violence, or a request for a renewed period of reconciliation and forgiveness.

No, in a years time he will be out of the oval office and he has now come to the Gulf to collect his expensive gifts, after all its what his father did before him, and I’m sure it’s what his brother will do after him when he is somehow miraculously voted into the white house.

I hope the violence stops immediately, and that there are no more deaths, on either side; that this issue gets resolved peacefully, and sound minds set forward to ensure a period of calm and reconciliation.

There must be concessions on both sides, but I implore our government to change its tactics, violence only begets violence. We have the leadership and the means to get over this, in a manner that is to the benefit of us all.

But first, please lock up the dogs, send them packing…this must be the first step forward.

Another Sleepless night.

It was around 4:00 am in the morning and i was still wide awake. I tried gulping down numerous glasses of water, i got up and walked around, i did some push ups in a effort to tire my self out. I also picked up my son's PSP and played for a while, seeing that it too was not having a effect on me, i turned to reading.

I remained awake until 7:30 am, when i finally fell asleep and did not wake until just after 12:00 in the afternoon.

So why did i have such a hard time sleeping? You ask.

The reason is simple, i have a big chip on my shoulder when comes to the issue of ownership of Land or a house in our country, Bahrain.

I logged on to the net yesterday after an absence of two to three weeks and one of the few sites that i must visit first had posted an article on this matter.

It's a point of view, the experiances of one person on his plight to achieve peace & security. But it's not the whole picture of what is going on in our society.

Yes, there are lots of Bahrainis who own land, and yes, some saved, other got loans from Banks and yet others got assistance from their parents.

I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth, or one lying anywhere close to me for that matter. I was lucky that my parents put me through private school which led me to getting a good job after graduating from high school. I was not lucky enough to continue my studies until now. I have worked hard to get where i am today but i still have not achieved my goal of owning my own home, this is because of some bad decisiond and the every elusive good luck, which i have none.

Now, you can't get away by saying that people blame the Government for all their problems or only seek assistance from them to get out of a problem, or that people don't bother to get off of their lazy asses to work hard to increase their purchasing power, or save up as much as possible and then apply for a long term housing loan for the remaining amount, there is more......

People have expenses, yes there are people out there who spend like there is no tomorrow and then bitch about the fact that they are unable to afford their own residence and are forced to live in a rented apartment.

Ok, people should learn to spend less and save a bit more, if they haven't started already.

But, when you are not given an opportunity, when the flood gates are opened to GCC nationals and foreigners who have loads and loads of money, levels up to which you are unable to compete, then here is the biggest dilemma. Not the only, but the BIGGEST, which is totally out of our control while the other factors may be in our control.

The price of land was increasing in Bahrain, but not at the rate that is has in the last couple of years. In 2005, i read a statistic posted in one of the GULF financial magazines, if I'm not mistaken (IF I FIND i have retained a copy i will surely post it later on when I get back home). I was astonished to find that Bahrain, the smallest land mass in the GCC had over 4000+ foreigners who owned private land, and non of the other countries, not Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE or Qatar or any other, had foreign ownership anything close to that figure. The point being LAND ownership.

So one can be forgiven if they believe the root of problem in Bahrain is only due to the facts that (a) we do not save enough, (b) or don't work hard enough, (c) or for any other reason for that matter..................The fact of the matter is we are trying but each time we get near the dotted line, it gets moved a couple of notches by policies made and implemented by the Government.

Bahrainis need to get good high paying jobs, but to do that they are required to have a high level of education to enable them to compete against the influx of highly educated foreigners' brought in by Employers. Additionally, while on the subject of employment, Employers should be restricted from recruiting a foreigner as a replacement of a Bahraini who has received a better opportunity somewhere else and has left. This is happening more and more, opportunities that must go to Bahraini graduates are being sold off abroad. (Don't get me wrong, I'm no hate monger but one must be fair and honest about the on goings within our country)

So................ go ahead and write your columns, and the self help advise that may or may not help others, it's a point of view that should be out there so everyone can read and get a complete picture of the ins' and outs' of the problems we are facing. This is our god given right.

Me, it's going to take another couple of days to get this out of my system, but by posting my views on this blog, i have vented a lot of the frustration and despair built up in me.
Yes, i will go ahead and read your articles, and maybe i might pick up some pointers on how to achieve my goal of owning the roof that is over my head; and I'll continue to save, and look for better opportunities to increase my income; i might even place a couple of dinars in the local Bank's saving schemes in the off chance that i might actually win something, but i won't hold my breath nor will i be sitting impatiently by the phone for the call telling me of my winnings.

No, I'll be hard at work, trying to climb the corporate ladder, advancing my education and keeping a look out for any off the chance opportunities that come my way to buy a piece of Land or a home.

BanderGate, CNN & now the LA Times; all raising the issue of promoted Secretarianism by factions within the Government. What now?

The article in yesterday's (7th July 2007) LA Times has put the spotlight back on to our country, the last time this happened was with the Bandergate incident.

Transparency, Trustworthy & Accountable; three words that do not come into the picture when talking about entities within the Government.

Why is there still a division?

Well, for one, there are many economical, social & political reasons leading to the continued division;

Some of the more apparent causes are:

a) a high rate of unemployment, even if the Government entities dispute the calims, the figures they release can't be confirmed or refuted by an independant body,

b) continued discrimination of shia majority in Government positions that are considered too sensitive,

c) The mistrust by the Government in its population believing that external bodies are influencing their decisions, thus the target populous can't be trusted or depended on,

d) The previous two points leading to the government continuing to employ foreigners in its Civil services & Armed forces'
Quote"Independent observers have criticized the government for regularly staffing security forces with non-Bahraini Sunnis."Unqoute

e) A widening gap between the poor and the rich,

f) A low standard public education system that has not been updated to today's requirements

and many more.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A blogger mentioned in an article earlier this year that the only way forward, was if the Government come out and accepted responsibilities for the role it played in past events, and sincerely apologised for the tragic deaths of many civilians and the torture of prisoners. This would not clear the slate clean but it would prove their seriousness in moving forward and enable progressive dialogue to ensue, with the aim of a better future as one nation. It is not enough to say that we are one nation; we should actually feel like one nation, and not a nation within a nation.

I wholeheartedly agree but also, as the article rightly states;
"King Hamed bin Isa AlKhalifa, the ultimate authority in Bahrain".

Yes His Highness is the ultimate authority in Bahrain and he has on many occasions clearly stated his wishes, both in the past and by reiterating it again on the 20th of June 2007,
QUOTE from another blog
His Majesty King Hamad vowed yesterday that Bahrain’s human rights clock “will never turn back”. He told members of Bahrain Human Rights Society and Bahrain Human Rights Watch: “We will not tolerate any injustices or violations of Bahrainis’ or expatriates’ rights.”
“Our doors have remained open from the beginning for all to report their grievances,” His Majesty said.

With His Highness, the King in the forefront, and assistance from the Prime Ministry, His Excellency Shaikh Khalifa Bin Slaman Al Khalifa, and backed by our forward minded Crown Prince, Shaikh Salman Bin Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa, i hope these factions are convinced that the best way forward is together as one nation, we can not and should not support the hard line ideology nor should we as a county, replicate the events that are occurring in countries around us like Saudia Arabia, Afghanistan & Iraq where fundamentalism is rampant or an Islamic state such as Iran or Saudi Arabia; this may lead to the break down of the fabrics of our Society; this is a fact that has been realised by some of these Government who are now having a difficult time combating the movements.

Our loyalty remains with God (Allah), our King (His Highness King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa) and our Country (the Kingdom of Bahrain), it is high time the rest of the faction realize this and allow the cycle of healing to commence. We need to go forwards not backwards.

OOPS they did it again, MPs confess that they do not know what the hell they are doing!

Well, almost…..In yesterday’s Bahrain Tribune an honorary MP confesses that they actually did not know what they were approving, when they signed the 1% forced unemployment contribution into law, that which has now become a thorn in our sides.

They really did not read it, did they? Nor did they understand the implications it would have. Who blames them?

You ask me, the whole useless lot of them, went to work that day, punched in their card so as to make sure they got paid their undeserved dues, voted ‘Yae’ on all the petitions without reading them and then left to go back home to rest after such a long and hard day’s work.

Yes, thinking, or actually trying to think takes a lot out of anyone not used to it.

What’s new?

We, the people of K.O.Bahrain F’ed up when we elected each and every one of them; whether it being members of the Al Asala, Al Wefaq, the Independents, the Government stooges or any other trigger happy Bahrainis who’s motives for acquiring a seat in the Parliament was to get the benefits that went with the coveted position and the pension that will ensue soon after they are kicked out; which will definitely happen since they have already exposed their true colors during the first term.
They have proven this by their unsatisfiable greed which is driving them to further improve their already hefty benefits rather than do what they were elected for, which was to cater for the people’s need, better their lives and protect them against the Government’s unilateral decision & policy making and lack of transparency.

“Why has this happened?” You ask yourself.

I’ll tell you why, because the first year we elected the good for nothing MPs we got diddle, all they achieved was to fattening their pockets and of course continue to benefited from the gifts bestowed upon them, tokens of appreciation from the Government to bud out of their affairs. They exercised a blind eye and were deservedly kicked out by the end of the first term.
So what did we then go out and do?

Don't get me wrong, i not blaiming the Government, who the hell would not try to take advantage of a group of people who really do not know what their duties are and where their loyalty should lay. (I'm not trying to bash the Government at each opportunity i get, but they have become used to their old ways and it's going to be a very hard journey for them to reform)

Poor misguided and ignorant us, we went out and elect another bunch of good for nothing MPs.

What now?

Well, in a little over two and a half years time we will yet again get another opportunity to shove another hot iron rod right up our @$$es, for the third straight term.

I’m looking forward to it.

You know, how does the saying go?

‘Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me’.

I can’t wait to see us get fooled again. Trust me it will happen again; there is too big a divide between the Bahraini citizens now, and this weakness will be further fuel and taken advantage of by the next batch of graduates (illiterate) candidates.

The only way out of this $hit hole is to elect intellectuals and highly educated Economists, Doctors, Engineers, Professors and Scientists; no religious fanatic, no wolves in sheep’s clothing and especially no Government stooges.

FAT CHANCE!

Oh yah, take a good look at the mannequins in the shop windows, they will probably disappear very soon being as they are so sexual in nature and continue to turn us guys in to horny, brain dead perverts.

I’m going to take the MPs word on this.

1% here, 1% there, it's now LAW. What Now?

By now it has become common knowledge that the government unilaterally has decided to pool 1% of monthly income from the private sector, basically from our hard earned salaries, to be used as a slush fund for the unemployed.

The drone MPs, in effect, have put their A.O.K. on it as well and businesses have officially been instructed to started to leach funds out of salaries, before employee pay cheques are handed over.

Oh yah, i forgot to mention that our GOSI contribution, which most bahrainis will not see a cent of during their life time, has been increased from 5% to 6%. The 1% extra will be deducted back valued from May.

So in effect, i will get 8% less this month to the usual 5% GOSI contribution deducted each month; the additional 3% being, 1% for the unemployment slush fund, the other 2% being the increase in the GOSI contribution for MAY & JUNE, and 7% from next month onwards.

If salaries in Bahrain were adjusted for the inflation rate and the yearly increment, if any, was significant, this would not have a big impact on our day to day lives. Unfortunately here in la la land it WILL HAVE A HUGE IMPACT.

MPs and Ministers are eXcluded, WHY?

They get the big bucks, then why in the world would one not expect them to cough up their contribution? They too must pay their dues to Society, Don't you think?

The fact is all the MPs would have immediately voted against the scheme had they been included as well.

All employees of the 'Ministry of Interior' are excluded as well; namely the Armed forces, Public Police & Riot Police; WHY?

FACTs
If you want to look at it from a religious point of view, it is haram, this is not ZAKAT.

If you look at it from a legal point of view, IT SHOULD BE ILLEGAL, we are being forced to pay, I NEVER AGREED TO IT.

Questions: Why don't they make it a voluntary contribution?
Answer: Simply because no one would voluntarily contribute.

FACT
So what is left out of our meagrely salary?

Peanuts!

What guarantees is there that the slush fund will not be used for alternative means, similar to what was and is happening in some ministries?

Mark my words, AT SOME POINT IN TIME, the Government will implement TAXATION, and we will have to pay it, no question's asked.

Now excuse me as i have to trim down my monthly spending & recalculate my saving, what ever is left to save.

PEANUTS, huh!

We're expecting too much from the government! Let's ease up our demands.

I should have posted this blog three weeks back, but it was MISPLACED somewhere on my Lap top, wrong file name; anyways better late than never.

I’ve heard comments made by the Ministry and their representatives, comments made by MPs, and conversations between people; I’ve read newspaper articles, visited local blog site discussions; all relating to the subject matter of the high unemployment in Bahrain, the steps (or lack thereof) being taken by the government, the ungrateful attitude of Bahrainis being presented with positions, lack of qualifications, unwillingness to start from the bottom up; but the last straw has been the comment that Bahrainis are expecting too much from the government!

I beg to differ;

It’s a ripple effect, consider the events that occur when a pebble is thrown into a POND; the rings that follow suite are large and can be seen by the naked eye, but there are more rings to follow, and gradually they may not be visible but are there and much slower that the first ones, thus their effects are not quickly noticed but rather are felt over a period of time.

SO;

It is absolutely the Government’s responsibility to find a lasting solution to this ugly problem, the reason being that the Government has played a large hand in the formula that has led to this situation; mainly because of the questionable economic & social policies in the past, and partly because of its employment policy which has supposedly changed now, but I wouldn’t be able to confirm it since there are no statistics being released (again lack of transparency), also I still see Indian, Pakistani & Baluchi policemen and also lets not forget the foreigners that are in our Armed forces and the Riot police.

What now?

The Government & the EDB has taken up a lot of new initiative to ensure there is sustainable economic growth in the country. That is not enough, there should be changes made in the education system as well as in some other areas that will assist in advancing the skills and knowledge of Bahrainis as well as provide them with opportunities.

A five / ten year plan is needed and the following much be achieved;

Here are the areas that I believe the government can improve in which will reap immediate benefits in the first year at least.

Education;
The schools are over crowded; some teachers are not qualified to teach the subjects they have been appointed for. The level of English being taught is not at par with standards required by businesses, additionally, the opportunity to learn other languages is minimal.

More qualified teachers should be recruited to ensure the ‘student / teacher’ ratio is at an internationally acceptable ratio and that each and every child’s needs are catered for.
Language;
English is an international language and must be the second if not the first language being taught to children in Bahrain public schools, and they must achieve a high level of fluency and competence.

I find it hilarious that many of the English teachers are themselves products of the public education system, who have graduate and return back as teachers and continue to contribute to the down ward spiral that has led to a sub par level of English.

If I wanted to learn to make bread, you’d find me at the door steps of a baker, not a mechanic’s; this is exactly what’s happening in schools.

If anyone disagrees with me than please explain why there so many parents enrolling their children to study English in the evenings at the British council.

Curriculum;
The text books that are being taught are old, and by that I mean that the curriculum is out dated and not relevant to the requirements of the job market, it’s just not practical. There have been many advances in most of the subjects but that knowledge has yet to be transferred over to our children. Fundamental subjects such as Computers, mathematics, accounting, chemistry and physics must be taught to all students. They must be given the opportunity to enhance their knowledge.

By the time the young adults graduate from high school, they should have achieved a level of competence that is comparable to other developed countries. We should learn from small countries like Singapore.

Discipline;
There ratio of children to teachers in Public schools is high which is a major disadvantage

Many of the children in public schools are badly behaved because the teachers can’t control them; the ratio between children to teachers is higher than acceptable level. This prevents the teachers from adequately catering for all the needs of the children and thereby adding to the mediocrity.

The teachers need to be able to control the students this is currently not possible.

Educating Parent;
Parents must be made to understand that they too have a role to play in their child’s lives. Education starts at home, and continues in the schools. Parents must rear their children with a work ethic and good morals. We do not need felons, thugs or rapists, nor does society need dead wood leaching on its resources.

There has to be an initiative by the government, maybe with the assistance from some of the mosques and maatams, parents can be educated on their duties at home. Big brother must lead, and others will follow.


Discontinue selling JOB opportunities to foreign countries;
A while back our government pledged 2000 nurse positions to the government of Philippines, positions for which our unemployed boys and girls could have been selected and re-educated for, a few years back, had the government been employing the right people who are forward thinkers and .

Favouritism (I refrain from using the ‘S’ word)
The government continues to import foreign workers for positions within the armed forces, police force and riot police. Just visit one of the police stations and you will know exactly what I mean.
This must stop. To go forward, this form of favouritism must stop. Give the Bahrainis the opportunity to prove themselves.

On the job training;
The Private sector recruits university students during their summer holidays for the three month duration, so why not take advantage of such a scheme to reeducate and train the unemployed into learning new skills. This could be in parallel with the salary that will be paid to them, it will relieve the burden on the company by them not having to pay a lot for the trainees, thereby encouraging them to do their part in ensuring that the unemployed get the necessary assistance and push to gain a tool, and be more prepared for the current job market.

Foot note:
I read recently on the Blog father’s site that there have been some educational reform initiatives that will be implemented in the near future, here’s to hoping.

When the wolf cries 'WOLF'!

The Jewish lobbies in the US and around the world has a practical way of deterring opposition, by crying out 'Anti-semetism' and branding any critic as an 'anti-semetic' they immediately get full immunity and unquestioned support by all. This is of course because they, the people in general and high positioned government officials, fear being branded as well.

Well, our government and its henchmen have learnt to do the same. Anyone who cries out foul play immediately gets branded a 'traitor', a person who is against the government or 'someone who is trying to incite hatred and Secretarianism'.

These have been rumours of financial irregularity on some government projects and within Governments institutions, illegal land grapping and distribution and so on and so on, but never a clarification from the government, only the familiar cry of 'WOLF'.

This bigotry must end. The wrong doings or 'MISTAKES' by the government should be exposed by none other them government officials and representatives. There should be a clean slate on which we may build a better future for everyone living in our country.

We need to go forward but the only way to do so is by first going back to what happened in our 'black' past and enforce an all out closure, not a blinding cover-up.

There should be a transparency by the government on the reasons for 'foreigners' being nationalized for political purposed. Not all these rumours are false. If the government claims they are then, this issue can be set to rest by having ALL the Passport directorate records for the past 10 to 15 years open for public scrutiny.

I won't be holding my breath cause It ain't gona happen.

Mr. MP, Pika-Boo - I see you.

The MPs have been in office for some time now and our ‘combined’ parliament has achieving nothing significant. There have been many short sighted proposals and other absurd ones. A major achievement, for their benefit, has been a successfully increase their own salaries. This is probably the only thing that all the MPs unanimously agree on.

Saying this, I understand our Parliament is still young and will need time to achieve productive change that may resemble anything close to what other country’s parliaments have achieved; but they must at least learn from the mistakes of their predecessors; sadly this is not the case.

They seem to be having too much freedom at our expense. The only reason they were elected to this prominent position, BY US, was to enforce productive and necessary change both in the LAW and the Standard of living, for the greater good of the citizens of the K.O.Bahrain.

Alas, there too they have fallen significantly short.

The only way to ensure that these changes, i.e. our interests and rights, are being protected must be for us to literally keep an eye on them.

An article in today’s (16th May 2007) Bahrain Tribune titled ‘Be in your Seats, MPs told’, just confirms the fact that since the MPs feel no one is watching them, they can get away with anything.

I propose that the Government install cameras in the Parliament and commission a dedicated local terrestrial channel to broadcasts all the Parliament sessions. It would be very interesting to listen in all the conversations and watch their reactions.

We would also be able to differentiate between the bench warmers, the activists, the fanatics, the puppets and the truly honorary MPs.