Hugging the western and northern shorelines of the Kingdom, the Northern Governorate has its own very distinct persona.
When you enter the office of the Northern Governorate,
located in the ‘real’ Budaiya, there is a map on the wall that offers an insight into this area of Bahrain, and its peculiar L-shaped geography.
When the governor of this region, Jaffar Bin Hasan Bin Rajab, tells us, his area of authority is centred around 39 villages, each with their own history and identity. When you peer more closely at this map of the governorate, a story unfolds; it is a collage of images depicting the traditional trades of each village. From the basket makers of Karbabad to weavers in Bani Jamri, it’s a visual expression that reflects the Kingdom’s history and culture.
“You know,” says the governor, “90 per cent of all the heritage sites in Bahrain can be found within the Northern Governorate.” As he weaves his own tale, the statistics offered paint a self-evident image. This is a governorate where people reside, not just live; it does not possess the business or industrial centres found in other parts of the island.
 The biggest governorate, in terms of size and population, boasts 60 schools, is home to 40 charities and societies and hosts 26 sports and culture clubs. Like other governorates, the twin issues of youth employment and housing are a primary area of attention — they’re just bigger here!
Reflecting the residential nature of the area, the thoroughfares that knead the area together are dotted by groups of buildings offering the essentials of life; regional and modern shopping malls, dining areas such as Cyprus Gardens and a host of businesses dedicated to life at home.
Step off the beaten track, though, and most of us probably have little comprehension what lies beyond a 50-metre strip either side of the main roads. Interconnecting the multitude of villages, yet retaining their individual identity, plays a key role in the work of the governor and his team.
Unlocking a conundrum
It would be easy to conclude, given the extent of waiting lists, that the provision of affordable housing has been somewhat neglected across Bahrain, over the years. The governor, though, offers a perspective that rarely grabs the headlines.
“To build new housing we obviously need land, and most Bahrainis prefer to remain close to their roots, residing in houses and villas rather than apartment blocks,” he notes. “Acquiring land for housing that meets these demands is not the simple proposition it might seem; the majority of landowners prefer to swap their land rather than just sell it to the government.”
 It’s not difficult to imagine that matching up acceptable land for a swap is not a trivial task. One solution to this conundrum has been to reclaim land to build new homes; the new northern town is one such example. However, that in itself also generates as many problems as it seeks to solve.
We have all read about the delays in getting the northern town project off the ground; what we do not appreciate is the issues this has placed on the desk of the governor. The number of applications for housing, from both within the Northern Governorate and beyond, has far outstripped the proposed supply. Deciding how to allocate homes to individuals has therefore been a major task, particularly as the homes to be built on the reclaimed land will all have sea views and are deemed to offer a superior lifestyle compared to other government-sponsored housing projects.
Fighting a killer
More than any other part of the Kingdom, the Northern Governorate is afflicted by the sickle cell disease. It is the principal medical issue facing the governor, and one that he notes is targeted to be eliminated by 2015.
A key component of the strategy to, as he puts it, “kill the disease” is the construction of the new sickle cell centre at Salmaniya Hospital, which should be completed during 2012.
Optimism for the future
Ask the governor about the issues that have confronted the Kingdom during the course of this year, and he is quite sanguine in his reply.
“We need to remember what it is like to be a Bahraini; we are a loving and friendly people who appreciate that unity is what makes us strong,” he observes. “Bahrain is a land of peace and our vision of who we are and what we wish to achieve does and has not changed.”
These are the words of a man who fully appreciates and understands the tapestry that interconnects those that reside in the governorate, and that is so graphically depicted on the map at the entrance to his ‘business’ home.
The governor also hopes that the National Dialogue will result in additional powers and more authority for the governorates to tackle the issues within their territories. There’s a sense of ‘back to the future’ in this sentiment; one that seeks to empower local communities with a sense of ownership.
It’s an approach that the science of modern management supports as well; the notion that smaller teams working together are more effective than a larger counterpart. One that finesses a tapestry that binds as it grows.
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