Page 106 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (II)_Neat

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The financial position of the. Municipality is satisfactory although for some
years the council instead of attempting to improve its revenue has reduced it by
decreasing the house and shop taxes, which have always been extremely low. Out of
the annual revenue, Rs. 24,000 is the Government grant, Rs. 16,000 is from house
taxes and Rs. 24,000 from shop taxes. In addition to the annual subsidy the
Government has made several special grants to the Municipality for certain specific
projects. In the Municipal budget for 1357 a revenue of Rs. 87,400 is estimated.
Election.

The council having officiated for three years, was dissolved at the end of the
year and an election was held. The Indian Mosloms and Hindu Communities,
although then not numerically sufficient to entitle them to representation, at one
time in the past had two members on the council. This arrangement ceased about
seven years ago. At the end of 1356 representatives of the Indian Communities
approached the Government and showed that their numbers had increased sufficiently
to entitle them to representation. A Hindu merchant and a Bohra merchant were
elected on the council.
The composition of the council after the election was as follows:—

Nationality Elected Nominated by Govt.

Arab 3 3
Bahama 3 3
Persians 2 2

Najdis 1 1
Indians 2

Jews 1

The elections were carried out in what is now the recognised method. Lists of
voters were displayed on notice boards, voting cards were issued to the voters at the
polling station, filled in and dropped into a ballot box. At the close of proceedings
the votes were counted by a committee.

Municipal Achievements.

In addition to the usual town cleaning services and the upkeep of municipal
roads the following new works were carried out.

Road Improvement Three road islands were built and a one way traffic system
was instituted in the open space on the east of the Adviserate which had become a
dangerous point owing to the converging ro ids and the increased traffic due to the
Manama-Muharraq causeway.

Additional street lights were installed including four lamp posts on the
circular roundabout in the Customs Square. The garden inside the roundabout was
provided with an ornamental fountaiu.
The Government presented the Municipality with a new road watering cart.

Various roads were resurfaced with mud. In the new year it is proposed to
experiment with stone for metalling roads. The parapet on Government Road from
the Eastern Bank t»the western end of the water front was rebuilt and raised and
portions of that road were widened.