Bahrain may appoint national cleaning company

A new national cleaning company could soon be established to cover Bahrain, reports the Gulf Daily News. Municipalities and Agriculture Affairs Minister Mansoor Bin Rajabsays says that if the plans are approved by the relevant authorities, his ministry would own 60% of the company, while the remaining 40% would be for Initial Public Offering.

"I know that people are suffering and we are doing whatever we can to solve the problem," he says. "A new national cleaning company could be a solution and we are currently preparing a study. Until then, a new firm will be assigned and hopefully, as promised to us by the Tender Board, this would be by the end of the year."

He says that most of the neighbouring and other Arab countries have their own cleaning firms.

"It is important to have our own and currently we are studying the experiences of others to ensure ours is set-up properly," he says.

MBM Alam Flora is currently working on renewable six-month contracts, each worth BD2.3 million, and those wishing to nab the contract have until November 15 to submit their bids. The

13 companies that have already applied were were asked to submit their bids again - reportedly because of a problem in the selection process.

1st November 2007