MPs pass tough laws to penalise hygiene violations

Manama: MPs finally passed a law proposal that imposes tougher penalties on hygiene violations after a lengthy discussion on some of the articles mentioned in the newly presented law yesterday.

The proposal was submitted along with a report by the council’s Public Utilities and Environment Committee before the lawmakers yesterday.

It introduced penalties including BD50-100 for urinating in the public and BD20-50 for spitting or washing vehicles in non-designated areas.

Some of the punishments mentioned in the law proposal were rejected by a few MPs, who claimed that it would have a negative impact on citizens’ livelihoods.

MPs Isa Al Kooheji, Jameela Al Sammak and a few others voiced out their rejection specifically to article 3 of the law proposal, which includes the part in relation to imposing a fine on washing cars in the public.

The committee’s chairman Adel Al Assoomy said “this only includes public areas,” confirming that “this won’t affect citizens washing cars inside their residences.”

The committee mentioned in its report that “the new law proposal would specify responsibilities of the public in maintaining a hygienic environment in the country, curb uncivilised behaviours and grant municipalities more authorities.”

It also confirmed that “it criminalises abandoning vehicles on public roads, washing vehicles in inappropriate areas, displaying vehicles for sale on public roads and other industrial, medical and construction waste disposal violations.”

Despite a prolonged discussion, majority of the parliamentarians voted for the law proposal yesterday.