Page 401 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (III)_Neat

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SOCIAL SERVICES
Twenty years ago, as far as the Government was concerned, social services were practically
non-existent in Bahrain and it is only during the last decade that there have been important develop­
ments in Education and in measures to improve the public health.
In 1347 (1928-29) the only expenditure by the State on what could strictly be classed under
the heading of social services was the cost of maintaining two boys schools, monthly contributions
towards the work of Manama Municipality and payments for the quarantine services and in aid of
the Victoria Memorial Hospital. Bahrain today is well provided with hospitals but before 1345
(1926) the only hospitals were the American Mission’s Men's Hospital to which a Women’s Hospital
was added later, and the Victoria Memorial Hospital which for many years was not equipped for in­
patients, the Mission hospitals together contained about no beds and the Victoria Memorial hospital
eventually provided about 10 beds.
Some years before the State developed its own medical services a start was made by employing
one or two trained nurses and midwives and a clinic was held in the married lines in the Fort which
was attended by the wives and families of the policemen. Later a small clinic for women, capable
of accommodating a few in-patients, was built on the west of the town and by these means a certain
number of women began to acquire confidence in trained medical workers.
Public assistance such as pensions, regular poor relief or liousing schemes have never been
undertaken in Bahrain nor is there at present any need for these services. The Arabs of Bahrain are
charitable both by nature and according to their religion. In normal times almost every household
provided food for a number of poor people who regarded it as no shame to accept help from those who
were better off than themselves. Rationing during and after the war struck a blow at this form of
charity and for some years the Government issued free food, dates and bread, to poor people in Manama
and in Muharraq and an organisation of leading Shias distributed food to needy people in the villages,
with funds provided by the Government and by public subscription. Eventually it was found that
1 very few genuine and deserving people made use of the free food which in many cases was taken by
servants from well to do houses who used the dates to feed their chickens.. The very small number
of beggars normally to be seen in Bahrain, apart from a few well known professionals, is an indication
that there is very little real poverty. For a spell during the war however conditions in this respect
were different, the Manama bazaar swarmed with beggars, many people left their work in order to beg
because owing to the misplaced and promiscuous charity of Europeans and Americans presentable
children could earn several rupees a day by begging.
When any form of catastrophe occurs such as fires, floods or wrecks a public subscription is
organised for the victims of misfortune which is always generously supported. Admittedly many
of the contributors are administrators of wakfs or estates who hold money which is dedicated to
charity and good works. One of the reasons that state poor relief is unnecessary in Bahrain is because
much valuable property is dedicated to purposes such as poor relief and though a considerable propor­
tion of it never finds its way to the deserving poor yet some of it is spent upon public assistance. If
the Government assumed control of “ athlath”, the third of estates which is dedicated to charity, it
could direct the distribution of very large sums in public charity.'
The State provided for the inhabitants of Bahrain free education and free medical services,
the exceptions to this being that a small fee is charged for secondary education and for certain medical
facilities in the case of people who are earning sufficient to make it possible for them to pay fees. The
estates of minors, widows and orphans are administered for them freely. Municipalities are heavily
subsidised by the Government so that the small proportion of people ,in the towns who are liable to
pay any municipal taxes pay at a very low rate. Considering that most people in Bahrain pay no
taxes of any kind, apart from the 5% import tax on essential clothing and foodstuffs, etc., few people
appreciate how much they are getting for nothing until they visit neighbouring countries where little,
if any, social services are provided and the people pay taxes on land, houses, date trees, pearl catches
and the customs rates are high.
The following tables show the expenditure by the State on social services over the last 20 years
and the State’s revenue and Reserve Fund.