MP seeks total Bahrainisation in news agency

Manama : A parliamentarian yesterday demanded to completely Bahrainise jobs in the national news agency.

MP Khalifa Al Ghanim submitted a proposal yesterday to recruit only Bahrainis at Bahrain News Agency (BNA). This includes full time and part time jobs, as well as deputies.

“With qualified national media competencies in the local market, there is no need to contract non-Bahrainis in the press, media and editorial positions,” Al Ghanim affirmed.

The MP, who’s the Deputy Chairman of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee in the House of Representatives, said that replacing foreign workers in BNA would reflect positively on the outputs of the Bahraini national media and would help promising young Bahrainis to serve their homeland.

He stressed that any leniency in recruiting Bahrainis instead of foreigners or replacing the existing ones would subject the parties involved to legal accountability.

“Article 16 (A) of the Constitution prohibits foreigners from holding public jobs only on an exceptional basis and the situation is not permanent. The base of employment under civil service legislation is the employment of Bahrainis. However, if candidates are not available for vacant positions, the institution could resort to non-Bahraini cadre,” Al Ghanim added.