McKinsey on labour market reforms
Tuesday, September 21, 2004Man, I can't believe that the government needed a report from bloody McKinsey & Co (which must have to cost a hefty sum) to be convinced of the things that many of us ordinary folk have been saying for years. That said, I'm not complaining, because its better late than never. At long last the government is now recognizing the huge flaws in its Bahrainization policy of the past 8 years.
From today's GDN
Wake-up call on wages
A wake-up call went out yesterday to Bahrain businesses which survive on the back of cheap expatriate labour. The low-wage culture must go if Bahrain is to meet soaring demand for jobs, say experts.
Bahrain must level the labour playing field and create a skilled national workforce, with well-paid jobs that will attract Bahrainis, says a team probing potential labour and economic reforms.
The low-wage private sector business structure cannot produce jobs for the 100,000 Bahrainis entering the labour market over the next 10 years, said McKinsey & Company Middle East managing partner Kito de Boer.
The company has been studying potential labour market reforms in conjunction with the Economic Development Board, chaired by Crown Prince and BDF Commander-in-Chief Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Labour and Social Affairs Ministry and the Interior Ministry.
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, September 21, 2004 at 9/21/2004 11:31:00 pm. Permalink
9/22/2004 12:53:00 am
One step in the right direction. The other, and harder issue to tackle is the "work ethic" of many Bahrainis.