Page 143 - Records of Bahrain (7) (i)_Neat

Constitutional reforms, 1955 129

CONFIDENTIAL

Pfhraln telegram No; U3 to Foreign Off Icq
- 2 -
3, Tho Goyomment Committee have completed their investigation
•f the Education Department and roport will be available shortly.
They will then go an to the pellao, and lator to the administration
of justice an whioh discussions are likely to bo more controversial,
4, Wo now have to consider what reply should be givon to tho
letter from tho "High Exooutivo Committee", enclosed in my despatch
under reference, My present thought is that: •

(a) Wo should now urge tho Ruler to allow an independent
newspaper to bo published, at any rate for a trial period, Instead
•f a government ene, but oontlnuo to make full use of tho fffloial
gazette for government announcements, (Apart from anything else,
I think it most desirable that an independent newspaper should be
in existence before Mr, Batt's newspaper is published), Tho
existence of the Bahrain Government Public Relations Offlao, and
shortly of our own Information Office, should make it much easier
te guide an Independent newspaper, without resort to censorship and
suppression, than it was previously;
(b) We should suggest to the Ruler that one or two of tho
members of the "High Executive Commit toe11 should be appointed as
individuals on the government committee which is to study labour
questions, and possibly that the government should announce now that
this study will include tho question of labour organizations; this
I
will be. much the most difficult point for the Ruler to accept,
largely owing to personal attacks which tho oomraltteo have made on
him and members ef his family, but it seems to allow the best ohance i
of getting government and "High Executive Committee" representatives
round a table together, whioh I believe 1s Indispensable If we are to !
have any real ddtento;
(o) Wo might urge modification of tho status of municipalities
so as to glvo them greater independence in the hope that elections
could then be successfully held, (Tho "High Executive Committee"
secured a boycott of elections to the Manama municipality, duo to be
held last month, owing to tho alleged lack of independence of 1L?
municipalities from government control);

(d) Reports of the Government Committee on Health and Education
should be published with appropriate comments, showing how rnuoh tho
goyemment has already done, or is doing, to carry out the suggestions
contained in them,
5, After,