Civilians could be recruited as municipal inspectors to deal with littering, dumping, illegal street sales and road occupation, construction and building violations besides vandalising public property.
The Muharraq Municipal Council has unanimously backed a proposal spearheaded by chairman Ghazi Al Murbati to have Parliament draw up the legislation dealing with voluntary municipal work.
Two laws – 2020 Public Security Voluntary Service Law and amendments to the 1987 Defence Reserve Force Law – allowing civilians to sign up for a reserve force under the country’s police and emergency services, plus the military, were introduced in Bahrain last year following the National Assembly’s approval and ratification by His Majesty King Hamad.
Civilians, aged 21 and above, from the private and public sectors, alongside the unemployed, were called in to help with tasks, responsibilities and duties that the Public Security and Bahrain Defence Force needed support with.
“There are only 10 official municipal inspectors dealing with numerous violations across the country, which is nothing compared to violations committed by irresponsible people on a daily basis or those going unnoticed for lengthy periods of time,” said Mr Al Murbati.
“It is time that civilian volunteers are given actual powers to deal with violations whether it is littering, dumping, illegal street sales and road occupation, construction and building violations besides sabotage and vandalism to public property,” he added.
“The government has successfully managed to get thousands of people to volunteer for police and Civil Defence services and thousands others as defence forces; having them act as municipal inspectors would follow on those lines.“
The more the public gets involved, the more the chances of violations and crimes getting eradicated.
”Council vice-chairman Hassan Al Doy said community members were already taking part in the parks’ friends and environment voluntary force, but without having proper powers.
“The only powers volunteers in municipal schemes have nowadays is cleaning after litter-bugs and fixing damage caused by vandals in public parks, walkways and gardens or on coasts and beaches,” he said.
“Municipal volunteers should be acknowledged as local inspectors and handed duties to deal with violations on the spot. Nowadays, it is easy to catch people red-handed by taking their photos and issuing them electronic fines.“
But if volunteers with no power decide to step in, they are always shooed away and made fun of.”
Under the two volunteers legislations, the wages and social insurance of civil servants are covered by the government for the entire period of their service, while the private sector shoulders 30 per cent of the cost for a year and the government for the remaining period.
It is obligatory to issue personal identification cards to volunteers, showing their legal status as volunteers.
Compensation will be disbursed in the event of a volunteer’s injury or death during their work or training.
The GDN reported last week that a proposal to allow community police in Bahrain to act as municipal inspectors while enforcing the 2019 Public Cleanliness Law has been rejected by the government on the basis both the duties were different.
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