Page 335 - Bahrain Gov annual reports (V a)_Neat

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REVIEW OF 1956

Throughout the year 1956 Bahrain was in a state of political tension frequently interrupted
by outbreaks of serious disorders, but in spite of abnormal conditions progress was made by
the Government in extending social services, in carrying out important public works and in
administrative developments. The revenue was approximately £5,434,000 ; it was higher than
in 1955, owing to certain back payments for oil being received during the year. As usual
most of the expenditure was on social services, public protection and the construction of roads,
piers, schools and hospitals, all projects which are of benefit to the people of Bahrain.
The State spent £700,000 on Medical Services and the construction of the new women’s
hospital ; £420,000 was the cost of the Police and £300,000 was spent on Education. These
amounts, together with the sum spent on public works, represent a very large proportion of the
total expenditure of the State after deducting one-third of the oil revenue. The Public, how­
ever, are apt to forget that Bahrain has a relatively small income and they compare what is
spent in the rich oil states with what the Government of Bahrain can afford to spend.
Schools were enlarged and attendances increased ; a fine new T.B. hospital was opened
and the medical staff was augmented. More workers’ houses were completed and His Highness
built a home for old people; as a temporary measure it was used by the Public WorksDepartment
when their offices and director’s house were burned down by a mob during the riots in
November.
Dredging at the site of the deep water pier at Jufair was finished, a stone causeway from the
shore, the approach to the new pier, was built and a contract was given for the construction of
the pier, which will take three years to complete. The new Power House was opened, electric
power being generated from gas piped from the oil field and by the end of the year many of the
villages were using electricity.
During the year His Highness appointed an Administrative Council, somewhat on the
lines of the Maglis in Kuwait. It consisted of members of the Khalifah family who held senior
posts in the Government and three senior officials under the chairmanship of H.E. Shaikh
Abdulla bin Isa. It was intended to be a body to which other organisations and members of
the public could refer if they had any proposals or grievances to discuss. The Council was
boycotted by the Higher Executive Committee and its supporters but it sat during the year and
dealt with various matters which were referred to it by His Highness and from other sources.
At the end of the year the Health and Education Committees began to function. It was
originally intended that half the members of these two committees should be nominated and
half elected but owing to the objections to the nominated persons which were raised by the
Higher Executive Committee and also their objections to the chairmen being members of the
Khalifah family and the pressure and threats to which the members were subjected, neither of
the two committees came into being until November when eight members were nominated
by His Highness on each committee. They were leading Arabs with a sense of responsibility
and they showed every prospect of making a success of the new arrangement.
Two important reports were made for the Government. Mr. J. W. Cummins, who
previously held a senior post in the Sudan Government, carried out a survey and prepared a
report on the various departments of the Bahrain Government. He spent some months in
Bahrain but his report was not presented by the end of the year.
The Honorable William Buchan, a Consultant in Public Relations, made a report on
Public Relations and Broadcasting which contained many valuable suggestions, but for financial
reasons only some of the recommendations were adopted.
The Labour Law Advisory Committee finally finished the draft of the Labour Law, which
embodied in it plans for Trade Unions, after working on it for almost 18 months. The draft
was submitted to His Highness in October but decisions on the matter were deferred owing to
the unsettled political situation.
Dr. Abdel Razzaq Sanhouri, an eminent Egyptian jurist, was invited to visit Bahrain in
order to revise the Criminal Code which had been approved in 1955 but which was not enforced
owing to the objections which were made by the Higher Executive Committee to some of its
clauses, including those regarding sedition and certain other matters. Unfortunately Dr.
Abdul Razzaq found it impossible to come to Bahrain and by the end of the year he had pro­
duced nothing. However, most of the code became law in November when it was essential
owing to the situation in Bahrain that the Criminal Code should be enforced. This code was
originally drafted in London and was amended in certain respects to suit local conditions.