Page 226 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (IV)_Neat

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themselves as candidates and during the period before the election they conducted a spirited campaign
among their constituents canvassing them and addressing them from trucks furnished with loud­
speakers. The result was that over 80 per cent of the voters went to the polls, but these new and
unorthodox measures were looked upon with disapproval by the more old fashioned Arabs. The
voters returned a group of young educated men who became members of the council in place of older,
better known but less active citizens who had previously represented the inhabitants of Manamah.
The Government nominees, some of whom were foreigners, also included new members who had never
before served on the council as well as a leavening of men with previous experience.
It soon became evident that the council was roughly divided into three ' blocs,’ the new,
young members, the older and more conservative members and the representatives of the Shia com­
munity. The election has brought into being a body which is likely to be far more active and inter­
ested in its duties than any of the previous councils which have held office. This access of interest
in municipal affairs is very healthy though not regarded as being so in some quarters.
Municipal enterprise.—The most noticeable improvement which was made in the town
during the year was the metalling of a number of main roads, but most of this work was done by the
Public Works Department at Government expense. The metalling of Hospital Road, from the sea
front to the Manamah-Rafaa road was completed by the municipality which also surfaced several
important streets in the bazaar. Although the initial cost of metalling roads is high in the long run
it is cheaper than constant patching, repairs and sanding in rainy weather. A footpath was begun
along the Sea Road which besides improving its appearance will make walking safer for pedestrians.
Two sections of Barrett Road, from the covered bazaar to the Telegraph Road and also the
southern end from opposite the Catholic Church, northwards, were widened. This necessitated
the removal of 12 shops and n houses besides enclosed compounds. The central section of this
road still has to be dealt with, it passes through a residential area which has in it a number of sub­
stantial two storied houses whose owners profess 10 see no advantage in the road being widened, the
project is further complicated by the existence of several matems which will have to be partly or
entirely demolished. In other parts of the town the municipality cut almost 800,000 square feet
from some 80 houses in order to widen streets.
Public buildings are dealt with in the report of the Public Works Department. In addition
to buildings erected by the Government there was a great deal of private building enterprise. During
the year 97 new stone houses were built#as well as 87 garages, 153 shops and 128 barastis. In many
cases these new buildings were put up on the sites of old houses which had been pulled down. The
type of houses which are now being built are superior both in design and construction to those which
were built a few years ago and they are very much more expensive. Several purchasers of land in
the new Godhabia residential area began to build houses some of which were completed during the
year. Plans of all buildings in this area are submitted to the Government for approval before the
buildings are started. Lack of space in and around the town is now becoming a problem. There
are still many people who cannot afford to build stone houses and who do not own the land on which
they live in barastis. When land is bought and sold the barasti dwellers have to move and it is now
almost impossible for them to find any ground inside the town on which they can build their barastis.
Many of the people work in Manamah or are employed by the Bahrain Petroleum Company and if
they live some distance outside the town it is difficult for them to reach their place of work, or the
stations from where the buses start which take them to work, at a proper time. In many streets
and roads in Manamah it is forbidden for anyone to build a new barasti but there are not enough
stone houses, at present, to contain the inhabitants of Manamah, whose population has almost doubled
in the last nine years.
Miscellaneous works.—In addition to the normal town cleaning the municipality dealt with
the following matter:;
The fire engines were called out for 21 fires during the year.
The work of filling with town rubbish the low lying land behind the American Mission was
continued.