Page 449 - Bahrain Gov annual reports(V)_Neat
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           During the troubles in 1956 the law abiding elements in the community, especially the
       merchants and shop-keepers, complained that the police force was inadequate. The same
       people now complain about the amount of money which is being spent on the police, at the
       expense of social services, such as education, hospitals, etc. They resent the fact that most of
       what is spent on public protection goes in the salaries and pay of foreigners, for the proportion
       of Bahrain Arabs in the police is small. If the police force consisted mainly of men from
 3     Bahrain they would be less unpopular.
           In spite of certain economies, such as the conversion of the Schools Hostel into quarters
       for foreign teachers the cost of education is 4J lakhs higher than in 1955. Included in the
       education budget is the cost of students abroad, among them arc members of the Ruling Family.
       It is hoped that the new Education Committee will turn their attention to reducing some of the
       expenditure which is not essential.
          An additional 7} lakhs has been provided for Public Health to allow for expansion, new
       staff and to cover the cost of running the large new Women’s Hospital for six months during
       1947, though there is considerable doubt as to whether this hospital will be completed by the
       middle of 1957.
          An increase of 2\ lakhs has been made in the Government subsidy to the Municipalities.
       Unfortunately, however, whenever the Municipalities receive additional grants from the
       Government they tend to reduce their efforts to find more money from municipal taxes.
       Manama is a rich and prosperous city but the method by which the municipal tax on houses
       and shops is applied is inequitable. Premises which are rented are assessed according to the
       rent, the tax being paid by tenants, but premises which are occupied by the owner pay maxi­
       mum tax of Rs. 5/- per month, often for a small house which is let, usually to foreigners, house
       tax of Rs. 20/- or Rs. 30/- is levied, but a large house whose rateable value is high, pays only
       Rs. 5/-.
          The largest item in the Public Works budget is 67 lakhs for the deep water pier; this is
       approximately one-third of the contract price for this project which will take three years to
       complete. A number of firms were invited to tender for the contract but several of them
       withdrew possibly owing to the disturbed conditions in the Middle East at the time. Recurrent
       expenditure is up by 8j lakhs over last year’s actuals. Maintenance of roads and drains will
       cost 6 lakhs more than in 1956, this allows for considerable new road work, including the re­
       surfacing of the Awali road as far as Radam A1 Kawari bridge and the introduction of more
       drains in Manama to carry away the water which lies so near the surface. The work which has
       already been done for this purpose has proved successful. The $um of 10 lakhs has been
       provided for the Muharraq town water supply. Efforts were made to encourage local enter­
       prise to undertake this work but after lengthy discussions this was found to be impracticable.
          An extensive programme of new works is to be carried out during the year, the largest item
       being the completion of the new Women’s Hospital. Altogether 49 lakhs is to be spent on
      hospitals, dispensaries and additions to existing buildings. Extensions to schools, a school
      clinic and the rehabitation of Aradus House, the block of flats which was gutted during the
       November riots, will cost 7 lakhs. Another 7 lakhs will be required to provide accommodation
      for the police and for improvements to the jail at Jidda island. The completion of two new
      customs sheds and reclammation of more land from the sea alongside the customs piers will
      cost 8 lakhs. Extensions to the Transport buildings and the broadcasting station, new P.W.D.
      offices and a house for the Director of Public Works, to replace the office and house which  were
      destroyed in the riots, will cost I0i lakhs. The sum of 7 lakhs is allocated for the rehabitation
      of Shaikh Hamed Bridge, 3 lakhs” is required for extending the Manama town water supply,
      21 lakhs for new roads and 2$ lakhs for village improvements.
          In most cases departmental recurrent expenditure is higher than in 1956 owing to expansion
      and normal increments. Public Relations and the cost of the Bahrain Broadcasting Station is
      considerably higher than last year’s actuals, as in 1956 the department was not fully in action
      for the whole year.
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