Page 205 - Records of Bahrain (6)_Neat

Budgetary affairs 193
—4-
Y/liich appears to me to fee a public work and i3 in fac t the
principal public work in the Islands should bo a dministorcd by
the State Engineer and not by the F.V/.D. and I have been unable
to obtain a satisfactory explanation of this phenomenon. It
would bo surprising if it v/oro in any other department to see that
no depreciation has been charged on the structure for the pa3t tv/o
years.
(b) I have been unable to obtain a satisfactory explanation
from the Advisor why the Telephones Service, and the Air Conditioner!
Service are considtontly run at a loss. To budget for a loss
when it is unnecessary i3 bad finaneo especially when the deficit
con be expunged perfectly simply by increasing the charges to
balance the expenditure, As it is at the moment people who are
not sufficiently fortunate to ov:n a telephone or an air conditioning
unit subscribe to provide their more fortunate brethren with tele­

phones and the employees of the Bahrain Government, with air
conditioners.
6. In conclusion I think a reasonable comment on the budget
for 1363 i3 that the Adviser, although too conservative .in outlook,
a
has prepared/satisfactory budget which is expected not only to
cover expenditure but to produce what for the fifth year of the
war must be considered as a very satisfactory surplus.

1 have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient servant

Political Agent, Bahrain.