Periodic pay review call to assess impact of inflation in Bahrain

Periodic pay review call to assess impact of inflation in Bahrain

LEGISLATORS have called on the government to review salaries in the public and private sectors every five years to assess the impact of inflation and boost citizens’ standards of living.It followed a debate between MPs and two ministers on government policies for wages. The last pay rise for civil servants was granted in 2011.Parliament second deputy speaker Ahmed Qarata urged his colleagues not to remain silent – claiming that the country’s citizens would soon be either rich or poor, with the ‘middle class fast disappearing’.

He attributed it to the absence of a wage review to match the rising cost of living.“The government must probe and review wages and salaries every five years, and make the necessary increases to help citizens,” he said.Mr Qarata also claimed that several Bahrainis were unemployed and that government should fast-track measures to ease their burden.He was backed by MP Bassema Mubarak, who called for a ‘decent’ pay for citizens.“A top economic researcher recently said that BD600 a month would be enough for a family to meet basic needs,” she said. “What if they have multiple loans, commitments and financial obligations and that’s why we need a review of salaries every five years,” she added.MP Waleed