MP Presses for Faster Pension Payments, Fair Treatment for Fishermen and Mosque Rehabilitation

TDT | Manama

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During the seventeenth ordinary session of the Council of Representatives, held within the fourth ordinary annual term of the sixth legislative term, MP Eman Showaiter delivered a comprehensive parliamentary intervention focusing on delayed pension payments, the regulation of fishermen’s shelters, and long standing obstacles to the renovation of historic mosques.

Addressing social insurance matters, Showaiter spoke in support of proposals calling for the acceleration of pension payments, retirement rewards, and outstanding entitlements owed to retirees. She referred to multiple complaints received from beneficiaries regarding prolonged delays resulting from the implementation of a new electronic system, which had led to procedural bottlenecks affecting retirees and, more critically, the families of deceased contributors.

She noted that the concerns had been raised directly with the Chief Executive of the Social Insurance Organisation, Sahar Al Noaimi, who demonstrated responsiveness to the situation and issued directives to expedite the disbursement of entitlements, particularly those relating to deceased beneficiaries. Showaiter added that the authority had allocated more than one million dinars to facilitate the transition to the new system, despite existing financial pressures on the pension funds, in an effort to prevent further disruption to beneficiaries.

Turning to fisheries, Showaiter addressed the issue of regulating fishermen’s shelters following the removal of some structures and the reassignment of others. She stressed the need for a unified and transparent approach, warning against transferring shelters from one fisherman to another where the site itself was unsuitable. She referred to meetings held with the relevant undersecretary and affected fishermen, during which demands were raised for compensation or targeted support, particularly for those with no alternative source of income.

She further proposed that fishermen who previously owned multiple fish weirs should not be stripped of all facilities, suggesting that a minimum of two weirs be retained to safeguard livelihoods.

On religious infrastructure, Showaiter discussed proposals to rebuild the southern mosque in the Sanad, describing it as a century old mosque serving a now densely populated community. Although residents had covered renovation costs, the absence of formal documentation had prevented official registration, blocking restoration works and basic utility connections. She called for recognition of changing circumstances and the formal registration of the mosque to enable rehabilitation. She also drew attention to neglect affecting Ahmed bin Isa Mosque in Sanad, where the lack of cooling facilities continued to burden the community despite repeated appeals from residents.