Page 234 - Records of Bahrain (6)_Neat

222 Records of Bahrain

-3-
three Items under the heading "judicial" and for the
Rs. 15,000 increase in the cost of the Technical School.
This last itom is tho more difficult to follow if ono
has boon privileged to road tho superintendent's annual
roport for 1944 in which ho endeavours to oxplain a
fulling off of nearly 50% in tho number of students
attending tho institution. Nor is there any explanation
for tho increase in tho expenditure on tho hostel under
"Education", and tho docreaso in tho amount which it is
lntondod shull bo spent on expansion and higher education.
Tho public 'yorks Department lias boon granted an
additional amount of Rs. 43,000 over the uctuul expenditure
for tho previous year, but nevertheless I am of tho opinion
that this Department is boing starved. The roads in Manama
and Muharraq are in a shocking condition ana at laast
Rs. 1,00,000 should be spent immediately on their improve­
ment before they become so bad that the cost of repairs
will be oven more costly. The roud across tho Shaikh
Hamad Bridge and Causeway is in a disgracoful condition
in spite of tho fact that a sum of no less than Rs. 66,000
was obtained last year from tolls levied on this road. I
should be surprised to learn that the 'Bahrain Qovoriiment
had spent as much as Rs. 5,000 on tho upkeep of this road
during tho past twelve months. Many of the Government
buildings are in a sorry state and I feol that budget
provision should have been made for the purchuso of materials
i
should they become available during tho present financial
year. There is ample paint available in tho towns but no
attempt is made to apply it to the sun blistorod wood of
the public offices or to repaint the road signs which
; are no longer decypherablo.
I note that the contributions by the Government
to the two municipalities of Manamah and f.fuharraq have
been increased by Rs. 12,000, but there is no indication
in the Adviser's note of the purpose of this grant or
of why the incroase ha3 now become Justifiable, nor is
there any indication of why tho "Unforeseen" should
leap from Rs. 3,000 last year to Rs. 10,000 this year.
5. The Electricity Department is budgeting to 3ave
Rs. 27,500 on the present year's working, but there is
no indication that any budget provision has been made by
this department for the cost of the new generating engine
which it is expected will arrive from the United Kingdom
during the next two or three months, provision does not
appeur to have been made for the very extensive renewal
and replacement of machinery, appliances, ana installation
equipment Which is long over duo. I note that the
"Telephone" section is still being run at a considerable
loss in spite of tho suggestions which were made to the
Bahrain Government on their budget last yoar. 1 suppose
that in view of the inefficiency of tho present system
and tho general und Justified dissatisfaction of tho
public the time was not considered opportune to increase
charges for this service. It would seem from the loss
under "Air-conditioning" that tho general public aro
still expected to contributo indiroctly to tho comfort
of a few selected officials of tho Rahruin Government.

6. I am taking this opportunity to put forward my
views on what j consiuer Should bo the present and future
/policy.........