LEGAL action has been taken against 27 homeowners who rented out their rundown properties as labour camps, while another 600 have received final warnings, the GDN's Mohammed Al A'ali reported today.

Details of the action taken in the last month, including referring the 27 cases to the Public Prosecution, were revealed to MPs yesterday as part of efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19.

The overwhelming majority of Bahrain’s 990 active Covid-19 cases have been registered among migrant workers, with many calls from legislators and councillors to curb their gatherings and look into their living conditions.

Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister Essam Khalaf told Parliament’s services committee yesterday that action was being taken to prevent rundown and unsuitable properties from being used as labour camps.

He was speaking during the committee’s meeting, which was held remotely through video conference yesterday.

Also taking part in the meeting was Labour and Social Development Minister Jameel Humaidan, who gave feedback on a Parliament-proposed legislation that places restrictions on accommodation of expat labourers.

Mr Humaidan said new measures introduced earlier this week to regulate labour camps were being developed to ensure the safety and well-being of workers.

“The rate of spread among this poor community is faster than any due to their large numbers,” said services committee chairman MP Mamdooh Al Saleh.

“Different factors are also involved, but they need to be resolved fast to protect the health of the workers and the community at large.

“Expat labourers have been divided among government schools to defuse their numbers but again the numbers are high and that requires stricter and faster action to drop the clusters within one place.”

MPs on Tuesday approved an urgent proposal to give free airline tickets to ‘runaway’ expats and those on flexible permits to enable them to leave the country.

Under the proposal, which has been referred to the Cabinet, any runaway expat who comes forward would be sent home without facing legal action while those on flexi permits would have their payments refunded.

The Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) has also announced a nine-month amnesty for illegal foreign workers to either regularise their stay or leave the country without facing penalties.

Meanwhile, the GDN has exclusively learned that MPs are trying to revive a draft legislation that places strict restrictions on labour camps.

The bill was originally presented in 2015 but has been on hold since after the government asked for a rethink because it violates workers’ rights.

However, MPs now believe it is necessary amid the Covid-19 outbreak. The draft law states that bachelor labourers would be prohibited from residential areas inhabited by Bahraini and expat families.

It would also prohibit leasing old and derelict homes as mass residences for expats.

“We will make changes to the law to be more flexible after the experience with Covid-19 and taking worst case scenarios in future,” explained Mr Al Saleh.

“The law deals with human beings so it needs to reflect Bahrain’s commitments to labour rights and human rights.

“More than 600 homes found to be unfit for living is an alarming number and homeowners have been strictly warned to make immediate changes within the weekend.

“Twenty-seven individuals will also face legal action.”

A report from the meeting will be shared with the rest of the chamber.