Page 130 - Records of Bahrain (6)_Neat
P. 130
118 Records oj Bahrain
-a-
incrouuod royalty ruto.
4. Arguments to prove that Bahrein noods more
rovonuo from oil huyo not boeu introduced into tho letter
to tho Company, although tho Covormaont in uwuro that
there iu frequent oritioinia in lCuropo und in America of
oil companioo which oxploit tho oil of tho Middle if.ust
otaton without making rouoonablo oontribution to tho
economic duynlopiQout of tho producing oountriou, Tho
i
luannor in whioh tho Covormaont npondu lto rovonuo in
Uuhruin, half of whioh in Uorivod from thu oil royalty,
oould bo onlurged upon und it can bo truly oaid that
i
considerably over half of tho rovonuo in upont upon
public iiuprovoiQonto, uoolal services und bronchos of tho
udiuiniotrntion which arc for .tho direct benefit of tho
people of Huhrain. Tho standard of living has rioon
groutly in tho loot fifteen yours und it iu ntill rising,
oomlitiunu have iiaprovod mainly owing to tho work which
tho Covormaont lias done for tho people whioh hnn boon
paid for from rovonuo.
53. Costs, during rooout yours, liuvo inoroasod
enormously, the price of labour und uutoriulu iis throe
times higher then it wus a fow yours ago. If tho present
rute of progress la to bo inaintuinod in future ljahruiu
must have more revenue. Bahrain huo no substantial
sources of rovonuo upart from tho oil royalty und oouroos
dependent upon oil, poarling used to be the main industry
but tJiiu trade iu now iu u poor ututo. The (Jovernwont
would lilco to embark upou important agricultural schemes
but this is not poualblo unless its inoomo is oonuidorubly
increased.
o. Oil does not lust for ovor and tho Bahrain
field is u small one. The Oovornmont huo to consider