Page 387 - Records of Bahrain (7) (i)_Neat

Internal situation, 1959 373

An’
• /<•< *-1
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I British Political Agency,
10113/2/39) Bahrain.
:■! :J! i:)59
CONFIDENTIAL
<o»b jn July 13, 1959.

Since the Ruler's illness, public opinion in
Bahrain, or rather the talk of "top people" here, has
become restless and speculative. The confidential
news that Mr. M.H. Leco, M.B.E., the Director of Works
(who has been here for over tv/enty years) and Mr. J.H.D.
Belgrave (v/ho has been here for only five) huve recently
resigned has, of course, leaked out. Criticism of the
Government medical service is nothing new, but His
Highness' illness has fanned the smoulder into fresh
flame, the immediate targets being Dr. R.H.B. Snow, M.B.E • i
Senior Medical Officer, and Dr. I.M.A. Doeg, M.B.E., lady
Medical Officer. It is even bruited that these hwVfe been
sacked, but this is certainly premature; a move to
reorganise the service is, however, apparently impending.
The expected departure of four prominent Britishers during
the next year from the Bahrain Government has lo^d to
contradictory interpretations and comments; some of them
with nationalist, anti-British overtones, others pro-
British in the expectation that we will intervene to
improve affairs. The leuding critic of the existing
regime is unquestionably Shaikh Daij bin Hamad and it is
not impossible that he has used a nationalist line of
argument to at least some of his listeners. The slogan
"Bahrain for the Bahrainis" io liable to be infectious,
but those v/ho might feel tempted to press for its
realisation arc, I think, checked by fear that a whole­
sale departure of British officials v/ill only make things
more chaotic. Thus one hears Ahmad Omran, the Director
of Education, suggest to one hearer that there should be
more Arab heads of departments, to another that Her
Majesty's Government should advise the Ruler to be less
autocratic, to reorganise his whole Government machine
and put in a high-calibre British secretary to replace ■
the Secretary to the Government.
Mr. Q.W.Ro Smith, M.B„E • i
It ia indeed rumoured that this well-known figure also
will not be with us much longer; criticisms of him are
heard on all sides.
2. The hand of the master having been removed from the
helm, contradictory orders from various interested partioo
are being received by the various departmental heads

responsible /

:.A. Beaumont, Esq., C.M.G. ,O.B.E.
Arabian Department,
Foreign Office,
London, B.W.l.
CONFIDENTIAL

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