Page 130 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf - Vol II) 1907-1953

117
reached by the end of 1953 as Cable and Wireless had been unable to obtain the
equipment required for installing multilateral communications between Kuwait,
Fao and Basra.(4o4) They had, however, opened a direct wireless telegraph service
with Bagdad. They were of opinion that it would be quite uneconomic for them
to carry trallic between Kuwait and Iraq at the Iraqi inland rates and that it would
be necessary to fix the rates in agreement with the Iraqis.!,oa)
|
209. In October 1952 Cable and Wireless reached an agreement with the
Kuwait Municipality whereby the Kuwait Government would purchase the
telephone system but the company would continue to operate and maintain it on a
contract basis.(,r’°) The system had for long proved inadequate and the company
was only willing to extend it provided it could increase its charges to the public. To
this the Ruler would not agree, and this led to the proposal that the Kuwait
Government should take over the system and subsidise it. Fahad refused to
approve the agreement, and expressed an opinion that the Kuwait telegraph services
should also be nationalised. In December the Political Agent received a written
request that both the wireless and the telephone services should be taken over by
the Kuwait Government.!'r‘7) The Ruler, who had been away when these events
were taking place, supported the proposal on his return to Kuwait in January 1953
and refused to ratify the telephone agreement. Under instructions from His
Majesty’s Government the Political Agent called the Ruler’s attention to the fact
that he had a firm obligation to uphold his agreement with Cable and Wireless until
it expired or was modified by agreement between the parties.!,f'8) The Ruler
admitted that the agreement was still in force and said that he only desired a
modification of it and that even when the Kuwait Government took over the
services Cable and Wireless would continue to administer them.!"*9) The company
were strongly opposed to any nationalisation of the telegraph services, and
eventually agreed to proceed with the extension of the telephone system without
waiting for the ratification of the new agreement. The Ruler was informed
accordingly and said that the rates for the extended system must be regulated
under the existing agreement, which he promised to honour.!'70) The company
were not satisfied with the situation and, at the end of the year, held up the despatch
of the equipment for the extended service because of the uncertainty regarding the
outcome of the negotiations for a telephone agreement. They were urged to
continue at least the preliminary operations for the extension of the service.!'71)
210. In 1953 communication by radio telephone was established between
Kuwait and Bahrain.
211. In or about 1952 Abdullah al Mubarak established a small broadcasting
station in Kuwait. It was visited at the end of 1952 by the Head of the Near East
Broadcasting Station who reported that it was most amateur and inefficient and
that Abdullah al Mubarak wanted a much bigger station “ which would make the
voice of Kuwait heard in the Arab world.”!4 72) Though there were objections to
such a station it was agreed that it was desirable to help in its development, rather
than that Abdullah al Mubarak should turn for assistance elsewhere, and in
February 1953 a team from the Near East Broadcasting Station visited Kuwait to
advise him on the subject, but fortunately the Ruler disapproved of the scheme, no
doubt on account of the expenditure involved, and nothing further had been heard
of it by the end of 1953.

(/) Medical and Quarantine
212. The Mission of the Dutch Reformed Church of America opened a
hosptal in Kuwait in 1919. The Government of India maintained at Kuwait an
appointment of Agency Surgeon, which was ordinarily held by an Assistant Surgeon
from the Indian Medical Department, and an Agency Dispensary which was open
(4M) Kuwait to F.O. 69/4/53 of January 13. 1953 (EA 1431 /4 of 1953).
(4,s) G.P.O. to F.O. 70145/46/57 of June 23. 1952 (EA 10393/25 of 1952).
(4“) P.R. to F.O. 1431/33/52 of December 23. 1952 (EA 1431/1 of 1952).
!4*7) Kuwait to F.O. 69/3/53 of Jan. 8. 1953 (EA 1431/2 of 1953).
!4") F.O. to P.R. Despatch 43 of March 21. 1953 (EA 1431/7 of 1953).
(4°) P.R. to F.O. Despatch 40 of April 15. 1953 (EA 1431/8 of 1953).
(4,°) Kuwait to F.O. 69/28/53 of September 28. 1953 (EA 1431/14 of 1953).
(4M) F.O. to G.P.O. EA 1431 /16 of December 28, 1953.
(4,J) (PB 1045/37 G of 1953.)