Bahrain This Week

A TOP Bahrain nightspot, where a security guard was shot, will reopen once the investigation is over, vows the man behind the club.

Police are still hunting the killer of Bahraini Abbas Ali Salman Hadi Al Shakhoori, who was shot in the head on the steps outside BJ’s, at the Al Bustan Hotel, Adliya, on March 20.
The 27-year-old, who had been married for just three months, died in Salmaniya Medical Complex 10 days after the shooting. Bullet fragments taken from his brain have been sent to UK to try to identify the kind of weapon used.
But while the inquiry continues, the doors to BJ’s remain closed, spurring rumours over whether the popular club will ever reopen.
“Of course it will,’’ says Karim Miknas, general manager of Sevenleisure, which owns BJ’s. “It must be understood that BJ’s has remained closed because the company has chosen to keep it that way, not because the authorities have asked us to.
“I could easily open it tomorrow, but I don’t want to do that until the authorities tell me that they have officially concluded the investigation into death of Abbas. The last thing we want is to hamper the investigation by reopening the nightclub.’’

MANY expatriate workers are being left stranded in Bahrain and unable to work because employees are abusing the sponsorship system, according to a rights activist.
Migrant Workers’ Protection Society (MWPS) committee head Marietta Dias says some companies are automatically renewing the visa of their employees, even if they have finished their contracts and resigned with the correct paperwork.
This means they have trouble leaving Bahrain or are unable to legally work for anyone else until the situation is resolved. Even if they manage to get out of the country, they are then unable to return to Bahrain for at least two years, or until the visa renewed against their will expires, as they would be classified as illegal and would be unable to work for another sponsor.

NEW building is to come up at the Isa Town campus of the Indian School soon, while some crumbling old buildings will undergo extensive repair.
An approval to spend BD 950,000 for the new structure, as well as another BD 25,000 for the maintenance of some existing buildings, was obtained during an extraordinary general meeting.
BAHRAIN’S ancient burial mounds are under threat of being wiped out due to population needs and construction projects, claims a local historian.
Bahrain University Islamic History Professor Ali Al Shehab said while Bahrain and other Gulf countries were developing their infrastructure, historical sites were suffering.
‘‘Developing countries need more land, so they demolish historical sites such as the graves in Saar and A’ali,” he said.

BAHRAIN has given carte blanche to Emirates Airline to offer as many flights as it wants to the country. Emirates will be increasing its Dubai-Bahrain flights from 14 to 17 a week from June 1, says the airline’s senior vice-president and commercial operations head for the Gulf, Middle East and Iran, Hamad Obaidallah.
He said the airline was grateful for Bahrain’s offer, but could not yet make full use of it because of a shortage of aircraft. At present, the airline flies twice daily to the kingdom.
The additional flights starting will be every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.

A NEW network of one-stop centres is being set up at which people can clear all their licence applications for construction, from private homes to major commercial projects.
Branches of the Comprehensive Municipal Centre are to be opened in each of Bahrain’s governorates.
The centre is currently in Tubli, Central Governorate, but four new branches will be opened in the Northern, Southern, Muharraq
and Capital Governorates, said Municipalities and Agriculture Affairs Minister, Mansoor Bin Rajab.

And finally ... LG and A.J.M. Kooheji & Sons have launched their biggest-ever summer promotion offering customers the opportunity to win a package of prizes including a Mitsubishi Pajero.
Any LG product bought from one of LG’s five showrooms at Sehla, Exhibition Road, Manama, Pearl Roundabout, Sitra, could prove a winner.   For every BD 25 spent, customers will receive one entry into a draw to win two cars and 98 other prizes including televisions, car navigators, refrigerators, air-conditioners and washing machines.