Tuesday, February 27, 2007
the hacienda is being built
So, first we had compounds to save the expats from the trouble of living/ dealing
with the locals, now we have gated communities.
"Marina West, comprising 346,372sqm of residential, retail and leisure space, will be Bahrain's largest gated beachfront residential community. Its 11 towers will accommodate more than 1,280 luxury apartments, duplexes, simplexes, penthouse suites and townhouses."
Only in Bahrain would I hear the word 'gated community' used alongside the phrase 'dream project'. And what a dream it is - a luxury residential, retail and leisure space that provides a beautiful living space which will exclude the majority of Bahrain's population (i.e. those who cannot afford it) from enjoying it.
Case in point: Riffa Views.
XYZ sqm of beautiful lush greens, palm trees, flowers (something Bahrain allegedly looked like before all this 'development') ... but only for those who are rich enough to deserve to live somewhere so beautiful. The man working for the property 'developers' chose to advertise it to us by saying that it would be fenced off from all sides ...
I take that to mean "so your dream residential area will not be intruded upon by those average Jaffars who rightfully share this land with you. Life in Riffa Views, not a hair out of place, not a non-lacoste t-shirt in sight". What a dream indeed!
And as a footnote, can I add:
"Prices vary from one tower to another.
Two-bedroom apartment price ranges from BD64,000 ($169,312) to BD116,000 ($306,878) three bedroom from BD90,000 ($238,095) to BD144,000 ($380,952) four bedroom from BD195,400 ($516,931) to BD227,800 ($602,645) and penthouse from BD325,000 ($859,788) to BD336,000 ($888,889)."
In a country where almost 20% of people of working age are unemployed, and calls for a monthly minimum wage of BD 350 ($925) have been ignored by the Labour Ministry, I ask again - who are all these damn high flying towers being built for?
Because most Bahrainis will not be able to afford them. And neither will those enslaved people who are building them.
with the locals, now we have gated communities.
"Marina West, comprising 346,372sqm of residential, retail and leisure space, will be Bahrain's largest gated beachfront residential community. Its 11 towers will accommodate more than 1,280 luxury apartments, duplexes, simplexes, penthouse suites and townhouses."
Only in Bahrain would I hear the word 'gated community' used alongside the phrase 'dream project'. And what a dream it is - a luxury residential, retail and leisure space that provides a beautiful living space which will exclude the majority of Bahrain's population (i.e. those who cannot afford it) from enjoying it.
Case in point: Riffa Views.
XYZ sqm of beautiful lush greens, palm trees, flowers (something Bahrain allegedly looked like before all this 'development') ... but only for those who are rich enough to deserve to live somewhere so beautiful. The man working for the property 'developers' chose to advertise it to us by saying that it would be fenced off from all sides ...
I take that to mean "so your dream residential area will not be intruded upon by those average Jaffars who rightfully share this land with you. Life in Riffa Views, not a hair out of place, not a non-lacoste t-shirt in sight". What a dream indeed!
And as a footnote, can I add:
"Prices vary from one tower to another.
Two-bedroom apartment price ranges from BD64,000 ($169,312) to BD116,000 ($306,878) three bedroom from BD90,000 ($238,095) to BD144,000 ($380,952) four bedroom from BD195,400 ($516,931) to BD227,800 ($602,645) and penthouse from BD325,000 ($859,788) to BD336,000 ($888,889)."
In a country where almost 20% of people of working age are unemployed, and calls for a monthly minimum wage of BD 350 ($925) have been ignored by the Labour Ministry, I ask again - who are all these damn high flying towers being built for?
Because most Bahrainis will not be able to afford them. And neither will those enslaved people who are building them.
