Page 185 - Bahrain Gov annual reports (V a)_Neat

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PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
REPORT FOR PERIOD 1/1/73 TO 31/12/54

(From Mr. Malcolm Lees, M.B.E., Director of Works)
General. The period under review showed a steady increase in departmental activity,
expenditure for the year 1373 amounting to Rs. 63,53,387, and for 1954 to Rs. 73,18,022
against Rs. 57,37,227 for 1372. This was facilitated by an increase in senior staff, the number
of British officers supervising the work of the Department being increased to five. The labour
force at the end of 1954, directly employed, numbered over 1,700 artizans and labourers of
which approximately 1,400 were employed on new construction, 200 on maintenance and 50
on the Manama Water Supply. The building up of this large labour force has proved difficult,
owing to the fact that contractors and private builders with ample work on hand are ready to
pay far higher wages than the closely regulated rates applicable to Government employees,
with the result that the better tradesmen and producers are being constantly tempted away by
more remunerative employment elsewhere. Nevertheless, towards the end of the year there
was a considerable influx of Bahraini artizans from Saudi Arabia and although few of them were
highly skilled the greater availability of skilled men enabled some of the less effective producers
to be dispensed with. Lack of overseers, foremen and of supervisory staff generally at the
lower level, however, continued to be a grave handicap and efforts to recruit from local sources
were unfortunately unsuccessful. Until training arrangements can be set up in Bahrain for
producing this class of technician from local material, the employment of expatriate super­
visory staff must continue and is unavoidable.
The cost of works continued to rise. Wage rates increased some 20 per cent, in April,
1954, following increases in the wages of employees of the Bahrain Petroleum Company, but
there was no corresponding increase in production, in fact, output was generally disappointing
due probably to there being little fear of unemployment. Cost of material on the whole was
fairly stable and the shipping situation a good deal easier than it has been in 1372. Labour
troubles were on an increasing scale and for the first time a tendency was observed to dispute
orders, to resist disciplinary measures and to seek collective action. The ten days bus and taxi
strike in September was supported by all the carpenters and most works eventually were brought
to a standstill. The general strike on December 4th caused a complete shut down of all works,
with the exception of the Water Supply which was kept running with some difficulty.
Generally the standard of workmanship of building works was well maintained. During
the period under review, the new emulsion paints for interior decoration were introduced and
also paint rollers for their application. Results at first sight appeared to be extremely satis­
factory and it was found that with this equipment painters with little skill could surpass the
efforts of the best painters working with traditional paint and brushes. Another innovation
was the use of hollow concrete blocks for partitions and unloaded walls with a considerable
saving in labour and cost.

New Buildings. The new Palace at Gudhaibia was virtually brought to completion by the
end of 1954 and is a refreshing example, in these days of intense and costly specialisation, of
what can be achieved by keen departmental effort. The entire project, illustrated in the
photographs accompanying this Report, was conceived and designed in Bahrain and built
by local labour. It is a fitting reminder of the versatile designing skill of the former Director
of Works, Major S. Hills.
The Medical Service claimed the greater part of the building output of the Department
during the period under review. A large block of staff flats was constructed on Awali Road
containing scvcn.singlc quarters and four married flats ; a new wing was added to the Men’s
Isolation Hospital, a T.B. Clinic was designed and built at short notice, and by the end of the
year a 50-beded T.B. Hospital, also urgently needed, was well advanced. In October, 1954,
a start was made on the Maternity Section of the new Women’s Hospital (240 beds), a project
which will absorb most of the building capacity of the Department for upwards of three years.
thcr works included a new Port Health Office and the rehabilitation of the Arab kitchen in the
Government Hospital. For the Education Department a large Boys’ Primary School was built
at Gudhaibia, an extension of six classrooms was added to the Secondary School, a second
storey of eight classrooms added to the Muharraq Infants School and various extra classrooms