ABU DHABI // Almost halfway through their second year, there are signs that some Federal National Council members are becoming frustrated.
Some attribute the dip in morale to the slow pace of work - and others to members' unrealistic expectations.
Since it convened in October, the FNC has met six times in the capital. But in those sessions, some say it has accomplished less than in the same period last year. Some members claim work has been hindered by the repeated absence of ministers called for questioning.
"I see in this term we are very weak," said Ahmed Al Shamsi (Ajman). In its first year, the council posed 24 questions to ministers in its first six sessions. This year, 21 questions were asked. "We hoped for more participation from ministers to come to discuss the questions," said Mr Al Shamsi.
He believes the council would get more done if it met more often, which would need to be approved by the Government. "The questions are there, in tens, but there are no sessions. This is something that interferes with the role of the FNC. If this continues, then we will have nothing to show for our nine months of work."
Hamad Al Rahoomi (Dubai) shared his frustration. "They are not there," he said. "There are many questions, but ministers are not attending." He has about eight questions awaiting ministers' attendance.
However, Umm Al Quwain's Ali Jassim, the longest-serving member of the FNC, said any sluggishness was the fault of the council members themselves. He said some members are less productive than their predecessors, producing weak reports and asking petty and repetitive questions.
The result, he said, was declining morale. That could be rectified by having the council's work evaluated every three months. "There is no way to measure how we are working," he said. "There is initial enthusiasm, then in the second year this goes down, and the third year is depression."
He warned new members of this pattern before they took their seats in 2011. "I told them you will have soft laws to pass, these take time, so have programmes that concern Emiratis to follow. Having two set goals and achieving them in the council is better than passing 50 proposals to the cabinet."
Members should also be proposing laws, as previous councils had done. "They have the right to suggest a certain legislation or amend one, but they do not practise this right," he said.
The previous council, he said, was the first to propose a child protection law. "Wadeema's law was actually the suggestion of the FNC," he said. "Hamad Harib Al Midfah, I still remember it, asked for a law to protect children. This was a recommendation from the council."
But the current FNC members are largely unaware of what they can do if they put their minds to it, he said. "To them everything is new, so even if the minister says something they said five years ago, they will not know they are saying the same thing," he said.
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UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
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Visa changes give families fresh hope
Foreign workers can sponsor family members based solely on their income
Male residents employed in the UAE can sponsor immediate family members, such as wife and children, subject to conditions that include a minimum salary of Dh 4,000 or Dh 3,000 plus accommodation.
Attested original marriage certificate, birth certificate of the child, ejari or rental contract, labour contract, salary certificate must be submitted to the government authorised typing centre to complete the sponsorship process
In Abu Dhabi, a woman can sponsor her husband and children if she holds a residence permit stating she is an engineer, teacher, doctor, nurse or any profession related to the medical sector and her monthly salary is at least Dh 10,000 or Dh 8,000 plus accommodation.
In Dubai, if a woman is not employed in the above categories she can get approval to sponsor her family if her monthly salary is more than Dh 10,000 and with a special permission from the Department of Naturalization and Residency Dubai.
To sponsor parents, a worker should earn Dh20,000 or Dh19,000 a month, plus a two-bedroom accommodation
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Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
It is expected to attract 25 million visits
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A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
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