MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021 03

New COVID medical 23 gyms plan to go on sale ‘soon’ centre is inaugurated Owners complain about growing debts and unpaid rents due to pandemic

Revenues have declined• significantly since last year

TDT | Dr Shaikh Mohammed at the new centre TDT | Manama for his constant follow-up on wenty-three gyms are the Team ’s national planning to go on sale efforts. “soon” for failure to pay specialised COVID-19 med- The centre includes eight Tgrowing debts and unpaid rents A ical centre was opened stations for initial classifica- due to their frequent closures yesterday at the Bahrain In- tion, eight for registration, six as part of the Kingdom’s meas- ternational Exhibition and for nursing, 16 medical clin- ures to prevent the spread of the Convention Centre (BIECC). ics, seven treatment rooms, coronavirus (COVID-19). Supreme Council for Health seven follow-up rooms and This was confirmed by As- Gyms are among the businesses hardest hit by the pandemic (SCH) President and National stations for granting follow-up sociation of Gymnasiums and Furthermore, the intermittent Medical Taskforce For Com- appointments. Health Clubs head Abdullah Al closures have put a strain on bating COVID-19 head, Lieu- There are also radiology Morbati in an interview with Al their already meagre earnings tenant-General Dr Shaikh equipment and stations for Ayam newspaper. that are not even enough to cov- Mohammed bin Abdulla Al recording short stays for cas- Gym owners have been com- er their monthly operating cost. Khalifa, inaugurated the hub es that need observation, as plaining about the accumulation Some gyms normally run BD4,000 which will follow up on light more than 80 beds have been of debts and unpaid rents and their businesses at an operating The monthly operating and medium coronavirus cas- allocated for follow-up and their inability to pay them be- cost amounting to more than cost of some gyms to es. observation. cause of poor revenues. BD4,000 per month. normally run their He paid tribute to His Maj- The facility, which was set Lack of cooperation from real “The intermittent Al Morbati pointed out that businesses. esty King Hamad bin Isa Al up in a record five working estate owners regarding late the government has reduced the Khalifa for his support, ex- days, has been provided with payment of rents makes matters closures have put burden of the pandemic on in- tending thanks to His Royal two ambulances to shift emer- even worse for them. a strain on their stitutions and citizens through Highness Prince Salman bin gency cases that require trans- Al Morbati said that the oper- already meagre the large support packages that Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown fer to hospitals and intensive ating cost of gyms is very high. earnings that are it provided. also have taken legal actions Prince and Prime Minister, care units. Rent constitutes the largest not even enough to The private sector, especially against gym owners for paying portion of the operating cost, cover their monthly real estate owners, however, their rentals late. he noted. operating cost.” have failed to cooperate even Al Morbati called on the gov- Revenues of gyms have de- as required by the government. ernment to intervene to resolve clined significantly since the – ABDULLAH AL MORBATI, ASSOCIATION the problem, saying gym owners New restrictions leave beaches OF GYMNASIUMS AND HEALTH CLUBS Many owners of rental prop- beginning of the pandemic last HEAD erties for gyms have refused to have committed to following completely empty year. heed the government directives, all precautionary measures and The implementation of pre- sure for more than six months and insist on collecting full rent supporting the national efforts cautionary measures to limit the last year have worsened the sit- amounts since the beginning of to contain the spread of the vi- spread of the virus and their clo- uation for owners. the pandemic. Some of them rus.

Cassation Social Welfare Complex project Court confirms sentences of in on the right track five thugs TDT | Manama ork on the Social Wel - Wfare Complex project in Hamad Town is progressing at a good pace, with a completion rate of 50%. KNOW WHAT Engineer Shaikh Mishaal bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Assis- Construction work in progress tant Undersecretary for Con- Eng. Shaikh Mishaal noted care, Al Karama Houses for struction and Maintenance Pro- that the project achieves the Social Care, Al Aman for shel- According to court jects at the Ministry of Works, objectives of the Ministry of La- tering victims of trafficking in Municipalities Affairs and bour and Social Development persons (men) and Al Aman for files, the defendants Urban Planning, said that all by providing the best social, the care of victims of violence participated in protests construction works have been psychological, health and re- and trafficking (women) and that broke out in Nabih completed in all the main and habilitation services through their children, in addition to Saleh area, during which service buildings in the com- specialised centres for social all accompanying services such plex. care and temporary and alter- as sports and entertainment thugs attacked police Work is underway in the in- native shelter centres. halls, a central kitchen, service officers with stones and ternal and external finishes, The project is implemented and administrative facilities, a Molotov cocktails. electromechanical works, ex- on a land area of 37,675 square sub-electricity station, and car ternal fences and watchtowers, metres, with a total building parking. and the electricity sub-station area of about 11,667 square me- The tender for the project TDT | Manama has been completed and hand- tres. was awarded by the Tender ed over to the Electricity and It consists of four connected Board to the coalition of Ku- he Cassation Court has Water Authority (EWA). buildings, a centre for juvenile waiti and Bahraini contractors. Tconfirmed the sentences issued against five defendants involved in attacking a police patrol car with petrol bombs. Foreign Ministry Undersecretary receives Three of the defendants Turkish Ambassador-Designate to Bahrain received five years in pris- on, while the remaining two were given three years each in prison. All defendants were also fined BD500. According to court files, the defendants participated in protests that broke out in area, during which thugs attacked po- The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Consular and Administrative Affairs, Ambassador Tawfiq Ahmed lice officers with stones and Al Mansour, received in his office at the ministry yesterday, the Ambassador-Designate of Turkey to Bahrain, Esin Cakıl. Molotov cocktails. The Undersecretary hailed continuous development of cooperation and coordination between the Kingdom of Bahrain The beaches in Al Malikiyah and in the are Nobody got injured among and the Republic of Turkey, stressing Bahrain’s keenness to further strengthen ties in the interest of both countries completely empty of visitors. Community police and security personnel the cops involved, and the and people. He also wished the Ambassador-designate success in carrying out her diplomatic duties. Ambassador prohibit public gatherings in the areas to ensure compliance with the new defendants were arrested Cakıl praised relations between the two countries, noting the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation and COVID-19 restrictions aimed at stemming the spread of the virus. Citizens and following investigations. coordination to serve common interests. She also wished Bahrain continued progress and prosperity. residents stay away from the beaches as a precaution.