Reef Island election faces turmoil as major investors withdraw over voting irregularities

TDT | Manama     

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The upcoming election for the Owners Association of Reef Island has encountered significant issues as several prominent investors and developers have withdrawn their candidates, citing serious irregularities in the voting process.

Notable figures such as A. Hamid Alasfoor and Hala Farouk Almoayyed have voiced their concerns, accusing the election organizers of blatant manipulation intended to favor the principal developer and suppress minority voices.

Key allegations include incomplete invitation lists, a restricted agenda, and a general lack of transparency.

The controversy began on April 8th, when the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) appointed a temporary director to oversee the election of the association’s board of directors and the procedures of the General Assembly.

The withdrawing members claim this director has introduced significant irregularities, including:

• Modifying the voting system to allow each unit owner to vote for multiple candidates instead of one, which they argue violates the Real Estate Sector Regulatory Law and undermines the protection of minority owners from dominant developers.

• Failing to invite certain unit owners to the General Assembly and using incomplete lists, compromising the fairness and transparency of the electoral process.

• Excluding critical issues like the annual financial statements from the meeting agenda, raising concerns about financial transparency.

• Not referencing the required bylaw under the Real Estate Sector Regulatory Law in the invitation and neglecting to specify common parts and shared properties, impacting voting integrity.

• Failing to clarify the status of subsidiary or main federations on Reef Island in the agenda, crucial for forming the central federation. 

The withdrawing faction asserts that the election will not ensure fair representation for all proprietors. They have submitted a formal withdrawal letter to the Chairman of RERA, detailing their grievances and calling for the correction of the claimed irregularities.