Page 322 - Records of Bahrain (7) (ii)_Neat

712 Records of Bahrain
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forward thinking, Tho Ruler himself cannot, or will not,
appreciate thut the changing economic conditiono of other
Oulf states muot react upon the commercial scene in Bahrain.
To him everything is well in Bahrain, "thanks he to Allah";
and there is no official in hie government with the courage
or ability to explain to him that the time has come to stop

thanking Allah for the progress which Bahrain has indeed made
hut to draw up a positive oconomic policy which will take account
of changing conditions and safeguard the future prosperity of
a Bahrain where the already exceptionally young indigenous
population of just under 119,000 is increasing at the rate of
3$ a year, and where failing water' and oil suggest that the
long-term future of her people is inextricably interwoven.
with the fate of the populace of the Arabian mainland.
6. The present prosperity of Bahrain rests upon the* revenues
of about £6 million a ycar| paid by the Bahrain Petroleum

Company to the OoKrernment of Bahrain and of which about £2
i
million goes to tic Privy Purse; upon the employment by tho
oil company of ovbr 7,700 people, of whom 5,400 arc Bahrainis
(the total number of Bahraini "employees" is just over
I
17,000 according to the 1959 Census: thus 32$ of Bahrain's
I
active work force* is employed by the oil company,); upon the
£5;\ million a year paid into the economy by the oil company
in tho form of salaries, wages, local purchases and local
contracts; upon an estimated £1 million a year contributed
to the economy by British forces stationed in tho island;
upon an estimated local expenditure of £7 million a year by
foreign firms who have their headquarters in Bahrain; and
last but not least by the commercial activity, employment,

profito and customs revenues doriving from un entropdt trade
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