Council members 'should keep their promises'

Dubai: A professor of dermatology and Federal National Council (FNC) candidate said yesterday that members of the council ought to keep their promises, stressing that there was more to the FNC than "appearances".

Dr Ebrahim Galadari, professor of dermatology at UAE University, criticised former members of the FNC who, he said, failed to execute their programmes, emphasising the need for candidates to make promises that are achievable.

"Membership of the FNC is not just about wearing a bisht," he said, referring to the cloth covering worn during formal occasions over the kandoura, the traditional white robe worn by Arab men. "It is about acting on your promises."

He said although it was not possible for him to "solve all the problems", he could contribute to the FNC with his expertise in health and education, the two main issues on his platform.

"Most of the development that takes place comes from two centres: health and education. A healthy society is an active society."

Cornerstone

"It is not enough that we buy expensive equipment in hospitals. In many countries, hospitals lease their equipment along with experts who know how to use them," he said.

Meanwhile, Sharjah businesswoman Ameera Bin Karam launched her campaign yesterday, focussing on issues of education, the economy and social welfare.

"I believe that education is the cornerstone of our community," she said in a statement. "The real building blocks of a country are not made of concrete, but of flesh and blood. They are its people; its children - and the foundation stone of their development is education."

- With inputs from Zoi Constantine, Staff Reporter