Manama: Bahrain's business community is mulling the formation of a political society that will allow it to enter the parliament and help promote its views and interests.
The formation of the society is one of several options being considered by Bahrain Chamber for Commerce and Industry (BCCI) to have a greater say in the debate of the parliament's lower chamber, said Othman Shareef, the chamber's treasurer.
"There are several ideas being debated right now, and we hope that we will have a final decision within two weeks in order to select our candidates and announce the programme way ahead of the elections date," he said. An ad-hoc committee has been set up to coordinate ideas and action for the elections.
The candidates will not be BCCI members and Othman Shareef said that he would not run even if he is pressured by the chamber.
"The committee is tasked with presenting views on the elections and on the selection of the candidates and constituencies. The BCCI will not be involved," he said.
The BCCI had said that it intended to field candidates in six or seven constituencies and that it would support them in various ways.
It attributed its decision to the need for a greater representation of the business community in the lower chamber, perceived as not being business friendly.
"We will have no objection sitting with parliamentary blocs and political societies to discuss issues to be debated by the parliament. The objective is to boost the national economy and to enhance the income and living conditions of all Bahraini citizens," he said.
Unlike the upper chamber, the lower chamber has few businessmen and economists and many of its politically-motivated decisions were seen by businessmen as not helping the national economy.
Bahrain has 18 registered political societies, but only Al Wefaq, Al Asala and the Islamic Menbar, all religion-based formation, have won seats in the 2006 elections.
