Page 28 - Records of Bahrain (4) (i)_Neat

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18 Records of Bahrain

Speech made by Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa
at the Majlis convened in Bahrain on the 26th May
1923.

Gentlemen:

In obedience to the orders of the High Government, today
I assume on my shoulders the responsibility of the
Government of this country with the object of preserving
the honour of my dear father and to serve the family of
Al-Khalifa and the public, I will do my utmost for the
welfare of the subjects of His Excellency my respected
father and, as you are perfectly aware, His Excellency my

father has always been solicitous to preserve peace, order
and prosperity in his Country and I shall endeavour to
follow in his footsteps. Moreover, Gentlemen: I know, as
also you all know, that, of recent years, there has been
a great progress in civilization and prosperity in all
towns in this world and why should our dear native country

not follow their example? I say that my chief duty is
cheerfully to attempt to promote the prosperity of my dear
native country, the spread of education and public sani­
tation, to encourage commerce and agriculture. I thank
Almighty God for my good fortune in that my brother, Shaikh
Abdullah, on whom I fully rely has promised me in his
assistance in Council and to co-operate in settling

Government affairs. From the love I bear to my dear
country I desire that all in my town attend to their own
business, that the merchant busy himself in his mercantile
affairs and others follow each the work by which he earns
his livelihood and the peasant concern himself with his
cultivation,

I say confidently that 1f I find persons intriguing
against the nations or indulging in any mischievous actions
or disturbance I will take the necessary action for his
chastisement

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