Page 274 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (I)_Neat

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Government’s attempt to regularise
administration of estates.

Preliminary.

The complete lack of supervision either by the Govern­
ment or even the Shera over estates of widows, minors

and orphans has during recent years been the subject of
much criticism in Bahrain. It is a notorious fact
that this attitude of indifference on the part of the
Government has led to innumerable instances of mis­

appropriation by executors of wills and by persons ap-
pointed by wills or by the Kadis to administer estates

of deceased persons. .About six years ago Major Daly,
then Political Officer, attempted to introduce certain
reforms in this direction. He succeeded to some

extent but when h® left Bahrain opposition was organised,
at that time mainly by the religious leaders, and the
measures were withdrawn.

Particular instances.

During the last year or two a number of cases have
come before the Bahrain Court revealing a most unsatis­

factory condition of affairs, innumerable women and
children have been robbed and cheated by persons who
were supposed to be guarding their interests and adminis-

tering their estates, In many cases the general pub-
lie were aware of the facts but nobody considered it his
duty to inform the court, and the people who were being

robbed were incapable of complaining. It is beyond the
scope of this note to give particulars of all these cases
but two or three instances are enough to show what has

1 of a young family whose father died was appointed by the
been happening.
Ahmed bin Rashid al Naimi, the eldest brother
1.