Page 177 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (IV)_Neat

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Campaign against Illiteracy and help for Arab Refugees
A number of young men from the Arab dubs, some of them belonging to an organisation known as
the Bahrain Circle, consisting of ex-students of the American University of Beirut, organised night schools
for illiterate men and boys in Manama, Muharraq and Hcdd. People of all ages and from all classes
attended the schools, among the pupils were policemen, shop keepers, taxi drivers, old men and small
boys. The subjects which were taught were reading, writing and simple arithmetic. The classes were
held in rooms in the Government schools and the men who taught gave their services freely.
The Bahrain Circle also organised a collection of money from cinemas for the Palestine Arabs
Refugees Fund. Cinema owners were persuaded to charge an additional anna on every ticket for this
cause. Approximately £1,000 was collected by these means.
Altruistic efforts of this kind arc rare in Bahrain. The younger generation of Arabs docs not often
engage in voluntary work but those who were educated at the American University of Beirut have acquired
a broader and more humanitarian outlook.

Government Officials
During the summer the Adviser to the Bahrain Government, Mr. C. Dalrymplc Belgravc, Mr. S.
Hills, Officcr-in-Chargc, Public Works Department, Dr. R. II. B. Snow, State Medical Officer and Miss
W. E. Millson, Nursing Sister at the Government Hospital, were on leave in the United Kingdom.
Mr. L. Harris was appointed Assistant to the Officer-in-Charge, Public Works Department. Mr.
J. Hudson was appointed Assistant to the State Engineer. Miss Selby Lowndes and MissM. A. Dowds
were appointed Nursing Sisters in the Government Hospital.

FINANCE

The estimated revenue for 1369 is 113 lakhs (£847,500). The actual revenue in 1368 was 122
lakhs, it exceeded the previous year’s revenue by 18$ lakhs and was the highest in the history of Bahrain.
Customs duties arc expected to bring in 52 lakhs, in 1368 the receipts from customs amounted to almost
59 lakhs, the oil royalty has been estimated at 49 laklis, approximately the same sum as was received in
1368. Customs and oil royalty provide about 90 per cent of the whole revenue. The sum of 5 lakhs
is the income from the Reserve Fund which now amounts to 180 lakhs (£1,350,000) interest on advances
represents 3 per cent of 15 lakhs which has been advanced to the Electric Undertaking. Other sources
of revenue arc expected to produce approximately the same as they did in 1368.
The expenditure side of the budget shows that all the revenue will be spent during the year, instead
of adding to the Reserve Fund provision has been made for certain revenue producing projects and
additional capital expenditure on Electric Undertaking has been allowed.

Recurrent expenditure under all headings has increased owing to the expansion of medical and
educational work, necessary increases of staff, dearness allowances and increments. State departments
will cost 1 lakh more than they did last year, the largest increase is in the Customs Department where the
quantity of work has entailed additional staff, education will cost Rs. 1,16,000 more than in the previous
year, this sum provides for the cost of a greatly enlarged school in Manama and a new school in Rafaa
which were opened at the beginning of the term. The Public Health budget provides funds for running
the new Women’s Isolation Hospital, the T.B. Sanatoriums and the Women’s Clinic in Hedd, for the
year. An additional Rs. 83,000 has been included under Public Protection, for the expansion of the police,
though it is doubtful whether the State Police will be increased to this extent.
A very large programme of work is included in the Public Works Department budget but it is
possible that not all this work will be carried out. Apart from the purchase of a powerful crane for the
Customs pier the P.W.D. programme consists of buildings and road work.