MP Kadhem criticises permit rule pushing Bahrainis into informal trade

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

A rule that bars Bahrainis from holding a public or private job while running a mobile food truck or working as a street vendor was criticised in Parliament yesterday, with MP Jalal Kadhem saying it has led some citizens to sell without permits for fear of losing allowances and services.

Kadhem spoke as MPs discussed the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture’s reply on rules for street vendors, the use of roads and properties, and food sales from mobile vehicles.

He questioned why a citizen must leave employment to open a commercial registration or operate a truck, while expats on regular visas are, in his words, allowed to do “several jobs in a single day”.

Pressure on household budgets, he said, has led more Bahrainis, including students and young men and women, to sell in residential areas.

Makeshift

“Some villages have turned into makeshift selling spots on pavements and tables,” he said, urging organised options for vendors across the governorates.

He said mobile trucks, once seasonal, have become a main income source for many citizens, but unclear organisation and weak planning have contributed to disorder in different areas.

Kadhem called for existing rules and standards to be applied, alongside dedicated sites that meet vendors’ needs, protect consumers and maintain the look of public spaces.

He urged Bahrain to learn from other Gulf states in creating dedicated markets for mobile trucks, pointing to models such as farmers’ markets and the Qaisariya market, with services including electricity and suitable spaces.

Kadhem welcomed the ministry’s intention to launch an electronic system to manage licences and locations

He also praised support for mobile trucks and street vendors through Tamkeen programmes, and moves to allow social insurance subscriptions, saying this could help young people who are outside the social insurance system.

The lawmaker also referred to fish markets and selling facilities provided by the state, saying some citizens avoid working there because they fear allowances and support will be cancelled, raising what he described as problems in how social support is tied to income.

Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture Minister, His Excellency Wael Al Mubarak, said regulating mobile trucks is meant to open opportunities for Bahraini youth, adding that the “human element” remains central to development.

Locations

He said proposals to identify sites and provide infrastructure were reasonable and would be considered, confirming that 12 locations will be allocated for mobile trucks with basic services.

Al Mubarak said a new electronic system aimed at reinforcing transparency and fairness will be launched in the first quarter of the year.

He added that more than 1,100 locations are available to Bahrainis in popular markets, stalls and similar venues, alongside initiatives aimed at helping young Bahrainis expand their work in these activities.