Bahrain Mirror: Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) board member, Othman Sharif resigned from the chamber's board after criticizing its performance in the face of what he called "a series of harsh decisions, and package of successive fees and taxes targeting the commercial market."

In justifying his resignation, according to al-Wasat newspaper, Sharif criticized the "clear negativity in defending the interests of traders and private owners of small businesses, including showing no objection towards raising fees, and dividing business, in a way that imposes on the trader to pay separate fees for each of his business activities."

"The fees have risen through the new ratings issued without understanding with the chamber, which is supposed to represent the economic sector in the country, and whose opinion was viewed by all ministries and governmental apparatuses, in anything related to this sector. There wasn't any slightest consideration to the small business owners, and the hard economic situation witnessed by the country", he added.

Moreover, Sharif said the chamber is no longer able to return such fees imposed by the government, saying that the chamber has become like a false witness, whose name is used to conduct all measures and decisions.

Sharif called for early elections, while he criticized the disputes inside the BCCI, saying that the chamber board hasn't witnessed any kind of disputes and conflicts as those witnessed in the current 28th mandate, which is supposed to continue until February 2018.

BCCI board member Nabeel Kanoo had announced on Thursday (January 12, 2017), that he resigned from him membership at the chamber for similar reasons. He had criticized "the interference of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, and the Fatwa and Legislations Committee in the chamber's internal affairs. This represented a precedent in the history in the Chamber."

Arabic Version