Page 378 - Bahrain Gov annual reports (V a)_Neat

38
10. Inspection of Records. An inspection of all Registry Records has been made up to the
end of January, and a number of small clerical errors have been corrected. The system which
has been installed is sound, and expansion is proceeding according to plan.
11. Registry Formalities and Procedure. The staff have been taken through all Memor­
anda which the Registrar has prepared for instruction and guidance, and explanations have been
given on all points on which there appeared to be any doubt or difficulty.

12. Assistant Registrar—Study Leave. It is recommended that Mr. Yusif Kurdi should be
granted a further period of one month’s study leave in the United Kingdom. He had one
month’s duty in the Patent Office in London and in the Industrial Textile Designs Registry in
Manchester early in 1956. He has carried out his duties in Bahrain in a very creditable manner,
and a further extension of training and experience would benefit him as Assistant Registrar and
also the future work of the Registry. It is suggested that the whole Registry should be closed
for the month of July, 1957, and during this period the Assistant Registrar should be sent to
London. Mr. Kurdi is known personally to members of the Patent Office staff, and the
Board of Trade should be approached to agree to his further attendance.
13. Fee Stamps and Accounting. The Bahrain Government has been approached with the
object of furnishing Fee Stamps for the Registry to replace the present system of Foreign
Service Stamps and of accounting for issues and cash proceeds. The change will be con­
venient as regards Registry work, and will certainly give the Bahrain Government additional
financial interest and participation in the whole organisation. An official of the Bahrain
Government Finance Department has been given full details of the present system of charging
and collecting fees.
14. Supervision by Acting Registrar. Supervision will now devolve upon the Acting Registrar
whose appointment has been announced in the Persian Gulf Gazette. All routine work can
safely be left in the hands of the Assistant Registrar who proved capable during three months in
1956 and carried on the work efficiently. The Acting Registrar will only need to see papers and
record his decision at the two main stages of any application, i.e., on the Search Report, to
record his acceptance or otherwise of the application, and at the second stage prior to final
registration in any matter. Only in cases of special circumstances will it be necessary for him
to direct the Arab Assistant Registrar, or to give a decision on procedure. It is essential,
however, that the Acting Registrar should be available for consultation by the Assistant
Registrar as necessary. There is no reason why the Registry should not function under this
arrangement, but eventually a decision should be made as to what measure of control or joint
control and interest is to devolve on the Bahrain Government.
15. Arab Assistant Registrar. Steps have now been taken to give effect to the recom­
mendation of July 1956, that Mr. Yusif Kurdi be appointed Assistant Registrar, and to give
notice in the Persian Gulf Gazette and the Bahrain Government Gazette. This appointment has
received the joint approval of the Political Resident and the Ruler of Bahrain, and should be
made retrospective from July, 1956.

16. Industrial Property Law. In view of the expansion of the transit trade in Bahrain
Port the operation of the existing law affords a considerable measure of protection to pro­
prietors of established and registered Trade Marks, but enquiries from foreign countries are
still being received as to the scope of the present law, and of its probable extension to other
Persian Gulf States. If the present Arab Assistant Registrar continues to improve his know­
ledge of Industrial Property Law and has the ability to increase his experience in this branch of
commercial law and practice, it is recommended in 1958 that he should attend the Industrial
Property Department of the Patent Office to study the general principles as applied to inter­
national trade. He could then, if recommended as suitable, be considered for appointment as
Registrar in Bahrain, thus bringing the whole Registry under Arab staff.