His Highness Sheikh Mohammed pledges to take UAE to ranks of developed countries and further

On the UAE's 41st National Day, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, pledged to move forward, taking the UAE to the ranks of the developed countries and further beyond.

''Together we celebrate today the auspices occasion of our national day as we did commemorate it over the last forty-one years, because we want this dear occasion to perpetuate in the history of our people and take roots in the minds and hearts of our citizens and in the national culture so that it can be inherited by generations after generations,'' Sheikh Mohammed said in a statement to the Dira'a Al Watan magazine on the UAE's 41st National Day.

''We will safeguard the symbols of communication between this deep-rooted past and the vibrant present as well as the promising future, which we, as leaders, are working to draw and build for the benefit of the present and coming generations.

“We do this through the construction of the scientific, educational and health facilities, as well as everything that will ensure opportunities of education, safe work and welfare for our citizens, especially the younger generation.

“It is on them we rely in the process of development and modernisation through their active participation.

The challenges faced by the process of building a modern state, he recalled, were many and complex. ''But our founding leaders, who were led by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the late Sheikh Rashid Al Maktoum, were able to meet those challenges and overcome them with determination, persistence and good intentions until we got this welfare, civilization, economic and political stability and social security.

''Today, under the leadership of my brother His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of UAE and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, we shoulder this great inheritance, which we cherish and glorify its national and humanitarian achievements.

“We preserve it, because it is our national identity that we have to protect and uphold. It is with this identity that we build bridges of communication between ours and other cultures in order to build a humane partnership between our people and the peoples of the world based on mutual understanding, dialogue and coexistence and empathy,'' he added.

Restoration of Union House

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has ordered the renovation of the Union House in Dubai and the restoration of every detail of the structure as it was at the time of the declaration of the Union on 2nd December 1971.

Sheikh Mohammed said: "This house represents a historical legacy of the UAE and an important milestone for future generations. To preserve it means to maintain the historic moments, to perpetuate the national memories and document the experience of an Arab unity that was, and is and will remain, God willing, as the most successful experiments of union in the Arab World".

He continued: "The moments the flag of the UAE was hoisted for the first time in this house are the moments that filled us with the feelings of pride, independence and unity too. And the election of Sheikh Zayed as president and Rashid as the deputy took place in the same House. It was the beginning of a blessed journey, a journey of making and development on the land of UAE. It is our duty towards the children of our motherland to perpetuate those great moments and we remind them all that the modest beginnings can lead to great endings if accompanied by loyalty to the homeland, determination and resolve".

The Union House, which played a key role in the contemporary history of the UAE, is located at the west end of the December 2 street, - formerly known as Dhiyafa street, near the sea. The Union House witnessed the signing of the treaty establishing the first federal state in the Arab World, the United Arab Emirates on December 2, 1971.

Mohammed orders distribution of 76 new homes to citizens

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has ordered to deliver 76 new homes to eligible citizens who were living in old type popular houses in the Al khawaneej Area.

Executive Director of Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Establishment (MBRHE) Samy Abdullah Gargash said that the kind directives of Sheikh Mohammed reflect his keenness to provide the citizens with the means of decent living and ensure social security to the national families.

Gargash thanked Sheikh Mohammed for this benevolent gesture and asserted that the order will be implemented without delay.

The establishment continues to construct modern homes in various parts of the emirate for distributing them among the nationals as per orders from the Ruler.

Balcony barbeques in Dubai may incur up to Dh500,000 fine

Residents of Dubai who use balconies for activities that put at risk public health and safety are violating rules and will be penalised, according to a top Dubai Municipality official.
Redha Salman, Director, Public Health Department and Safety of Community, Dubai Municipality, told  that although Local Decree No.11 of 2003 does not prevent residents from barbequing on balconies, if their actions threaten public health safety or if they cause harm to environment, then that is considered a violation of the decree and offenders will incur fines between Dh100 and Dh500,000.

The amount will vary according to the degree of threat to public safety and health, he added.
If the offence is repeated within a year a fine not exceeding Dh500,000 will be slapped, he added.

The penalties could also include suspension of utility services for not more than three months and suspension of activity permits for a period not exceeding one month.

However, the decree does not include buildings in free zones and freehold properties in Dubai, Salman said and urged authorities to bring them under the purview of the rule.

He also called on residents to circulate the terms of the local order among all nationalities so they understand what is permitted.
Salman said smells, sounds, fumes, dust and waste resulting from any building or facility or dumping waste that may pose a threat to public health and safety is included under the local order. Similarly, any building or creative activity undertaken that puts at risk public safety is also considered a violation.

Animal farming in residential and populated areas is also against the rules, he added.

Naturalization and Residency Prosecution initiatives A'awiddne to compensate the sponsor

A'awiddne  is one of the initiatives by Naturalization and Residency Prosecution so as to compensate the sponsor with Five Thousand Dirham from the amount of fine imposed by the court and this is as a result of his absconding worker being hired by another person pursuant to the Article No. (34) repeated of the Law of Entry and Residence of Foreigners No. (6) of 1973 concerning Immigration and Residence as amended by the Federal Law No. (7) of 2007.

Purpose of this initiative:

1. Enforcing the Law of Entry and Residence of Foreigners.
2. Mitigating the losses of the sponsor.
3. Compensating the sponsor by five thousand dirham.
4. Increasing the clients' satisfaction.

Regulations of enforcing this initiative:

1. Applicant must be the sponsor of the violator.
2. He must have filed the absconding report before arresting the violator.
3. Employer must be arrested and sentenced by fine.
4. Sentence of fine must be final and conclusive.
5. Convict has paid fully the fine imposed.


Mechanism of enforcing the initiative:

1.Cases of employing absconding workers sentenced by fine will be sorted out.
2.Make sure that the employer has paid the fine amount and the conditions are applicable to the sponsor.
3.Contact the sponsor and ask him to submit a request for compensating the sponsor along with enclosing his identity proof.
4.Request is presented to the chief prosecutor and after approval, it will be transferred to the account section to disburse the money.
5.Amount will be disbursed within five working days.

No bank loans for UAE residents without Emirates ID card

The Emirates Identity Card could soon be one of the must-have documents when applying for a loan or to get other bank services and facilities as well.
According to a report in Emarat Al Youm, citing, a UAE Central Bank circular, all banks and finance companies and houses operating in the country are to request the Emiartes ID of a customer applying for banking facilities.
The report says the circular, issued by Saeed Al Hamiz, Assistant Governor, UAE Central Bank, specifies loans will not be granted without the national identity card.
The newspaper adds that the circular was issued at the request of Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, Minister of State for Financial Affairs and Chairman of the Federal Credit Bureau.
A central bank official who asked not to be named said that under this circular individuals will not be able to get any loans or financing without providing the national ID card.
The official clarified that the customer's passport is no longer sufficient to accomplish bank transactions.

The Emirates Identity Authority (Eida) has tied up with a local bank to experiment the use of ID cards in banking transactions.
According to a report in the Arabic daily ‘Emarat Al Youm’, the authority helped a client open an account with a local bank.
The transaction was quicker by at least 20 minutes, said Dr Ali Mohammed Al Khouri, General-Director, Eida.
The bank staff was able to quickly download all necessary client information from his ID card, thereby saving time. The process is also safer and more accurate, he added.
It is now up to the UAE Central Bank and individual banks to decide how to use ID cards to enhance their services, he said.
Dr Al Khouri said ID cards could also be used to deposit and withdraw money in future.

At present, Eida is also in the process of linking up with all government institutions.

Emirates ID card to open bank account

The Emirates Identity Authority (Eida) has tied up with a local bank to experiment the use of ID cards in banking transactions.

According to a report in the Arabic daily ‘Emarat Al Youm’, the authority helped a client open an account with a local bank.

The transaction was quicker by at least 20 minutes, said Dr Ali Mohammed Al Khouri, General-Director, Eida.

The bank staff was able to quickly download all necessary client information from his ID card, thereby saving time. The process is also safer and more accurate, he added.

It is now up to the UAE Central Bank and individual banks to decide how to use ID cards to enhance their services, he said.

Dr Al Khouri said ID cards could also be used to deposit and withdraw money in future.

At present, Eida is also in the process of linking up with all government institutions.