HUMAN rights activists have condemned moves to postpone the introduction of a ban on transporting workers in open vehicles.

The ban was due to come into effect from Thursday, but businessmen are lobbying for more time and say the costs involved could seriously affect their earnings.

However, supporters of the new rule have accused companies of putting profits before the safety of their employees.

The ban was first mooted after a spate of serious road accidents in which workers were killed because the trucks they were being transported in overturned.

"They (companies) were given enough time and several notices before finally deciding to implement the open truck ban," said Migrant Workers Protection Society (MWPS) action committee head Marietta Dias.

"The credit crunch thing that they are talking about now is just an excuse.

"They have been postponing the issue for a long time - it's been almost two years since they were informed about it.

"I think it is just an excuse, saying that it would cost more money to their overburdened finances.

"Why don't they think of the money they have made from all these years of putting the lives of these labourers at risk?

"Safety of people is more important than money and it has to be paramount."

She said the risk to workers had now increased because of increasing numbers of cars on the road.

"The chance of having an accident in an open truck is greater now than it was two years ago," she claimed.

"Why are they talking about the cost and traffic congestion now?

"They have had enough time, why didn't they highlight the issue earlier?"

Traffic authorities last month urged labourers and drivers to blow the whistle on employers who forced them to travel in open trucks once the ban was brought in.

They said both drivers and vehicle owners would be held accountable if they were caught transporting workers in unsafe conditions.

However, the Interior Ministry said last week that it would support efforts to postpone the ban following complaints from the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

It announced its intention to raise the issue with the Labour Ministry last Tuesday, with a view to introducing the ban gradually instead of immediately.

But only last month, General Directorate of Traffic licensing head Lieutenant Colonel Khalid Al Dossary revealed that 117 people were injured and four were killed last year in work transport accidents.

This compared to 326 injuries and seven deaths in 2006.

The Labour and Interior ministries drew up a plan last year to introduce the ban on transporting workers in open trucks, insisting that companies use vehicles with adequate seats and seatbelts.

However, it was postponed until this year because the business community complained it was impractical and too costly.

Bahrain Human Rights Society general secretary Dr Abdulla Al Deerazi is among those in favour of the ban.

He warned the onset of winter meant Bahrain's roads were about to get even more treacherous than they already are.

"Ac-tion should have been taken when they postponed the issue for the first time," he said.

"This is just another excuse, saying it would congest the roads and put pressure on already overburdened fin-ances.

"It's very shameful to see this image of Bahrain and many poor people dying because of the delay and the terrible weather conditions faced by Bahrain these days.

"We condemn the postponing of this issue - as this a black spot on Bahrain.

"The rich community has made a hell of a lot of money out of these labourers and now they are talking about expenses, which would actually cost nothing to them.

"This is unacceptable and we are hoping the ban will be implemented within next few days, for the safety of the people." aneeqa@gdn.com.bh