We fully agree with the views expressed by Mr Karim Mansouri in the letter “Time to help local firms”, (GDN, September 20), on encouraging and supporting firms owned and promoted by Bahrainis wherever possible. Every country must encourage, promote and support industries, societies, companies and institutions owned by its own citizens with top priority. When local talent and expertise are available, it is certainly not right to allow them to go to waste by inviting foreign agencies to carry out the work and repatriate the profits to their countries.

We find that powerful countries with strong lobbies in various countries succeed in setting up their manufacturing and service oriented companies, getting contracts of huge projects etc on foreign soils and make huge profits. Such usurping of golden opportunities by other rich and resourceful countries deprives the locally available talent, technocrats, administrators etc who are fully capable of carrying out the tasks and proving their capabilities, thus creating desperation in the minds of skilled local population, besides draining huge amounts of profits to go outside the country. Bahrain has lots of technical and management talent.

The additional and most important factor to promote Bahraini-owned industries, service sector enterprises and companies to execute huge project proposals in this country is the abundant capital investors who are readily available. In the circumstances it will be a very right and prudent action if the government of Bahrain takes a policy decision to encourage locals to set up more and more industries, companies etc in all possible sectors, to boost the morale of qualified and competent citizens, making them proud owners of enterprises.

Such action will in no way affect employment of Bahrainis and expats based on their qualifications, suitability and efficiency. But the profits earned by these Bahraini-owned industries and companies will not get drained to other countries and the same will be available for reinvestment within Bahrain itself. This will surely make Bahrain a very prosperous country.

Bahrain can always allow engaging highly developed and modern technologies, which are not indigenously available, from all over the world, but retaining the ownership to its own citizens.

So before throwing away profitable propositions to people of other countries, Bahrain must try to allow local people to set up their own enterprises by extending all help and support with attractive incentives like land, loans and other infrastructure. The aim is to arrest unnecessary flow of funds from Bahrain to other countries and encourage Bahrainis to be on their own, serving their mother land with pride and purpose.

We sincerely hope that the government of Bahrain and the authorities concerned will give their sincere and serious attention to protect and promote the interests of this country and its people.

Chandra Madhavan