Bahrain Chamber’s clamp down on ‘ghost’ companies

Manama / TNS

New rules that make it mandatory for all commercial registration holders (CRs) to be members of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce (BCCI), will help reduce the incidence of ‘ghost’ companies, a top official has said. BCCI second vice-chairman Abdulhameed Al Kooheji told the GDN on the sidelines of the inauguration of a new and improved Client Care Centre at Beit Al Tijjar that some unethical people were taking CRs so they get can get visas which could then be sold as “free visas”.
Mandatory BCCI membership which carries a fee will deter such fraudsters, he said.
Al Kooheji said that asking all registered businesses to become members of the national chamber of commerce was the standard practice internationally and Bahrain was now getting in line with global norms.
He said the chamber currently has 11,000 active memberships of whom 6,000 were renewed and another 18,000 were inactive. “We are confident that
the number of members will rise as a result of the new law, which will empower us to represent the interests of Bahrain’s private sector better locally as well as internationally.”
On the new centre, Mr Al Kooheji said it was three times larger than the previous one on the ground floor, and included a reception desk, a desk for issuing ATA Carnet, in addition to service counters. “The re-launch is a part of the board’s strategy emphasising the role of the chamber and offering top services to members,” he added.
“Revitalising and restructuring services offered by the chamber is vital, particularly in light of the speedy changes in the local and international markets and the numerous opportunities that get created as a result.”
In addition to the main centre at Bait Al Tijjar, another centre is functioning at the Customs in Khalifa Bin Salman Port and another will opened shortly within the new premises of the Industry, Commerce and Tourism Ministry at Harbour Gate in Bahrain Financial Harbour.
Acting manager of the Client Care Centre Fahad Alshaer said there was a plan to open a new centre on the Saudi Causeway.
“The relocation comes in a bid to cater to all BCCI members’ needs and ensure quality and speedy services, particularly in light of the expected increase in the number of members following the compulsory membership,” he added.
According to Alshaer, services offered by the centre include updating members with lucrative business and partnership opportunities and safeguard their interest by notifying them of various risk factors including fraudulent business transactions, trade bans, sanctions, and bankruptcy of business establishments. “This was in addition to regular services including ratifying the certificates of business owners’ identifications, issuing and renewing memberships, and informing members of the various activities and events of the chamber,” he said.