With protesting groups’ lukewarm response to the call of the National Dialogue, the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) on Thursday formed a high-level committee to look into the losses as well as to seek a viable solution to the ongoing fiasco in the country.
This was decided at a meeting attended by 80-businessmen, traders and members of the BCCI board to discuss the current political situation in the Kingdom and assess the losses incurred by the unfolding events in the country.
The BCCI Committee led by Ali Fakhro, a respectable figure among the Bahrainis will try to persuade the protesters to bring to the table and discuss their all issues and grievances, if any, with the Government through dialogue and not violence.
The National Dialogue call announced by HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa the Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Defense Forces is backed by all major political and social groups in the country except protesters.
The Committee as part of its mandate will also prepare a report aimed at assessing the losses attributable to the protests which for some sectors proved detrimental.
The hospitality sector is seemed to be worst hit as the inter-GCC tourists and international visitors cancelled their bookings at major hotels after the Government of Bahrain withdraws from the Formula One opener set for March 13.
The losses of postponing the F1 and other conferences and major events will be in range of millions of dollars and Bahrain which weathered the financial meltdown relatively well in 2010 has become a victim of self-inflicted crisis in early 2011 making it difficult for businesses to see a sustainable patterns of growth forecast.
The protests which started on February 14 are still continuing at the symbolic ‘Tahrir Square’ which is known as Pearl Roundabout in Manama has been interrupting the lives of common citizens, paralyzing the businesses and giving a wrong message to the world.