Bahrain Worker Transportation

Bahrain deserves praise for sticking to its guns on a workers' rights issue:

"Bahrain's traffic authorities on Tuesday pledged not to compromise on the ban to carry labourers in open trucks, saying that the grace period would not be extended.

"'The ban will be fully implemented starting May 1 as agreed. The companies concerned with the matter have been given ample time to adjust their situation and there will be no reprieve,' Khalid Al Dossari, from the Traffic Directorate, said. 'The ban was decided after exhaustive studies indicated a rise in the number of fatal and dangerous accidents in the last three years.'

"Several workers have been hurled to their deaths from the backs of open vehicles...

"Several contractors complained that the ban would mean the purchase of new vehicles would make heavy financial demands on their budgets, and lobbied for its postponement. Some contractors also argued that the addition of new vehicles would mean heavy traffic congestions and woes.

"However, the authorities are now determined not to extend the grace period and want all companies and contractors to comply with the ban."