Coll 30/22 'Persian Gulf, Bahrein. Bahrein State Budget; Economy Proposals; Grant of Tariff Autonomy; Increase in Customs Duties; Developments in Bahrein' [‎9r] (17/883)

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It is trus that
but even if the
tne question of cige foils"
proposal for a fixed monthly contribution put
A
Si
ain lovert merit
le re <t ^14 6s. Tj
by the loyal Air’Force is accepted by tne barn
possible that there will be no^aiminution in t___ __ T ^_ jrw
if trie present system of cnernes is re a s uiiab 1 ey itni aurctT
contention of tne Bahrain G-overnment, tnen tnere should be
reason to anticipate a fall in revenue*
deration
forward
it is
fact
he
no
Oi tne rt Expenditure M side I have no comments to make on tne
allowances to tne railing Family and T consider tnat an increase
tne staff'of tne Customs Depart .'lent is lorn; over due, but T am
puzzeld by tne considerable increase in tne
in
forecast for tne n Land
Department H wnich is not explained by the Adviser and in view of the
antici a. ted
justifiable*
m tne first
reduction in revenue from this source seems scarcely
fhere is also no explanation for the additional grants
. three items under the heading ‘•Judicial’* and for "the
lOjOOO increase in tne cost of tne Technical School* This last
item is the more difficult to follow if one has been privileged to
read tne Superintendent *s aniiual report for 1944 in wnicn i*e erde-
a.vours to explain a falling pff of nearly 50% in tne number of stu
dents attending tne institution* Nor is wiare any explanation for
tne increase in the expenditure on the hostel unaer ailducati orxi"
aid one decrease in the amount which it is intended snail be
s pent on 6 xpans i on ai id n i e no r ecu c at on »
"HU
he nUblic ^orks Department has been granted an additional amount
oi n* 4b,000 over ti.e actual expenditure for tne previous year, but
nevertheless T am of tne opinion tnat this Department is being
starved* ihe roads in Lanama and Muharraq are in a shocking condition
a jg sx Irr st fe, 1,00,000 srjou Id bo spent immediately on the ip
improvement before they become so bad tnat tne cost of repairs will
kh Hamad Bridge and
> of the fact tnat a
- . _ !— year from tolls
levied on tms roaa* T should be surprised to learn tnat tn«
Bahrain Government nso spent as unen as h.5,000 on tne u ±eep of
tras road during tne rst twelve months* ^:any of the Government
but icings are in a sorry state and T fell tnat budget orovis-on
snoulc, have been made iordbype for tne purchase of materials snould
, bnry become available during tne present financial year. Trere
I is ample paint available in tne towns but no ettem.t is made to
apply it totnesun blistered wood, of tne public offices or to
repaint xxxxixklaxiH the road signs win*ch are no longer decvpherable.
I note that tne contributions by the Government to the two
muni c* 1 -
polities of iianamah and lluharraq have been increased by Pb* 12,000
but there is^no indiejation in tne Adviser's note of the purpose of
tnis grant aTof ^ miy ^ t ne increase has now become justifiable, not
? s indication of why tne ’•Unforeseen" should leap from
n*o,000 last year to Es*l0,G00 this year*
bungeting to save h*27,500 on the
Tne Electricity Department is 1 _
?£^f i iK^ 0 ? r ! s , worK,#rj §» but there is no indicati on that any budget
hew
provisi Oil
mace by this department for tne cost of"the
generating eiigine wnicn it is expected will firrive from the United '
kingdom during tne next two or tnrea months* Provision does not aooesr
c,o nave been made for the very extensive renewal and replacement ^
oi mtcnmei^ , appli aixct'S j suici iiistallation equipment v/n^cxi ■’a ^ on^
over au e* T note tnat the Telephone* section is still mtEg run >o
a co^siaeraule loss in spite of tne su- x> b sti ons wnich were made to
~ ^ ~7 w •-•xic- au^oauiunia wincn were mace
tue Bahrain ; nver*ment on tneir budget last year* I suppose that m
view of tiis mefficiency of trie present system ana tne geaer&i
aiia justified dissatisfaction of tne public tne time wasnot coi
dered opportune to increase cnaiges for this service. Tt would s-em
from tne loss unaer ^ir-conditioning" that tne general public are
still expected.to contribute indirectly to the coa^fort Ox* a favu
selected officials of tne Bahrain GovejTiment*
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