Page 325 - Bahrain Gov annual reports(V)_Neat

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PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT

(Report by J. H. D. Bclgravc, Public Relations Officer to the Bahrain Government)
The Department was set up on 1st February, 1955.
It was intended to deal primarily with the new Radio Station, the Government
Gazette and publicity and information generally. It soon appeared however, that the department
was called upon to handle many other matters because of the lack of other suitable departments
to deal with them. The work of the Department falls into two main categories which can be
described as Social Welfare and Public Relations.
Social Welfare. Some of the activities under this heading will eventually be taken over
by the proposed Labour Department but others, until such time as there is a Department
of Social Affairs and Rural Welfare will remain the responsibility of the Public Relations
Department.
Labour Affairs.
(a) Employment.
When the Department was first opened it was looked upon by the public as an office which
would help workers to obtain employment. It soon became obvious however, that it would be
necessary to open a Government employment exchange and this was done under the direction
of Mr. Ibrahim Khalfan, a senior official, previously the Secretary of the Muharraq Municipal
Council. At present the only persons for whom the Public Relations Department tries to find
employment are those who by reason of physical disability are unable to compete in the open
labour market. Ex T.B. patients present a particular difficulty, for, with the exception of the
Government, most employers are unwilling to permit them to return to work, even on light
jobs, so they are unable to find employment. It is essential that some sort of arrangement be
made by which each employer agrees to have on his payroll a certain number of disabled
persons and ex-T.B. patients, the number to be calculated in proportion to his total number
of the employees.
(b) Workers’ Complaints.
For many years Shaikh Ali bin Ahmed A1 Khalifa held weekly meetings at Rifaa camp to
settle disputes between the employees and the management of Bapeo. When Shaikh Ali was
nominated as a member of the labour committee, the Public Relations Officer took his place at
these meetings. The meetings had proved adequate for the problems of the employees of Bapeo,
but the majority of complaints that were received were from employees of other companies. In
these cases every effort was made to hear both sides of the story and, as was to be expected, in
some cases it appeared that dismissals and warnings were justified, while in other cases they were
not justified. There seemed, however, to be an unfortunate tendency among employers to agree
that while some action which had been taken was unfair but to refuse to remedy the matter
on the grounds that it would be bad for discipline. In addition, a number of companies failed
to give their European supervisors sulficient instruction about the correct and fair way of
dealing with Bahrainis, resulting in ill-feeling on both sides.
Other complaints that were dealt with included such questions as transport arrangements
and the failure of employers to pay compensation for industrial injuries, etc. In most cases
the problems were satisfactorily settled.
It is hoped that when the Labour Law comes into force, and with it the Trades Unions,
these matters will be handled directly between the Unions, the Employers and the Labour
Department.
2. Deserving Cases.
(a) Fires in Barastis.
When fires occur in barasti houses and result in their destruction or damage, it is the
practice of the Bahrain Government to give financial compensation to the people concerned.
A system was developed by which a committee of four inspected the houses concerned, and then
submitted to the Government their recommendations for compensation. These were then paid
by the Public Relations Officer.