Bahrain Mirror: Unemployed citizens demanded to spend the financial savings of the unemployment insurance fund through establishing development projects to engage and employ unemployed citizens in order to put an end to unemployment, instead of the training programs that do not suit the unemployed specialties.

Sabah Al-Dosari, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, responded saying "extending the subsidy period and increasing the unemployment payment or investing the surplus of unemployment fund will not take place except after an actuarial study that studies the unemployment insurance Act."

A number of unemployed told the Al-Ayam local that the training programs are but patching solutions that do not solve the problem. The unemployed also condemned the policy of Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs that insists on the weekly meetings. They added that the unemployed is prevented most of the times from the aid, either after refusing 2 jobs or failing to attend the weekly review one time in the month, indicating that the unemployed sometimes has to refuse many jobs because they don't suit their specialty or due to low salary.

They pointed out that the Ministry of Labour offers the unemployed many jobs that don't fit with their university certificates; they are offered jobs like truck drivers or receptionist or workers in fast food restaurants.

The unemployed highlighted the importance of increasing the amount of the monthly subsidy and extending its period, indicating that some brotherly Gulf countries provide monthly salary to unemployed university graduates until they get a job, and support people working in the private sector.

It is to mention that the unemployment insurance system was launched in 2002, being one of the projects that contributes in helping the unemployed financially until getting a suitable job.

Arabic Version