Communications Director at the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs & Urban Planning Fahad Buallay revealed that the Ministry's Works Affairs received a total of 560 requests and complaints during the first half of 2016, in comparison to a total of 938 complaints received during the same period in 2015. The Ministry's achievements and projects implemented last year and the Communication Directorate's prompt response to complaints and requests have contributed to reducing the number of requests and complaints.
Buallay stated that the number of requests and complaints which the communications team responded to within only 10 days from the date of reception, or less, amounted to 354 requests and complaints out of the total number of requests, which reflects the active interaction between the Ministry and citizens and residents; in line with the initiatives taken by the Communications Directorate of the Ministry. This also comes in response to directives from HRH the Prime Minister urging the Ministry to respond to citizens' requests and complaints promptly. The Ministry is also keen to respond to any request or complaint in record breaking time; following directives from HRH the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister in this regard.
The number of applications received at the roads sector during the first half of this year amounted to 468 applications and complaints, while the sanitary engineering sector received 89 requests and complaints.
As for the response mechanism, Buallay explained that most requests reached the Ministry via the phone (180 requests/complaints), then came newspapers with 138 requests/complaints, the radio (38 requests/complaints), Twitter (26 requests/complaints), personal visits (34 requests/complaints), the email (17 requests), Instagram (9 requests), Tawasol (97 requests), and 4 requests via the mail box.
Buallay explained that the most repeated requests in the roads sector are pavements and roads maintenance requests, roads revamp and expansion requests and new roads pavement requests. As for the sanitary engineering sector, most requests centered around the construction and upgrade of sewerage networks, the construction of storm water drains and connecting houses to the sewerage networks.
The Community Service Group of the Communication Directorate promptly responds to complaints directed to the Ministry through the radio Programme Sabah Al Khair ya Bahrain, the National Complaint System Tawasol, social media channels; Twitter and Instagram. The applications that require further inspection or field visit are responded to within 5 days; based on the procedure that needs to be taken in coordination with other directorates or service entities.
The Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs & Urban Planning is employing modern media channels, like the Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (Bahrain_Works) to stay in touch with all groups of the society; in line with directives from HE the Works, Municipalities Affairs & urban Planning Minister Eng. Essam bin Abdulla Khalaf to communicate with citizens and accommodate their needs.
