Department heads must be creative — Mohammad

Dubai: Heads of departments are required to look into innovative ways to do away with routine and bureaucratic practices in offices. The call was made at a meeting chaired by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, yesterday.

Shaikh Mohammad received the heads and directors of Dubai Government departments at the Ruler's Court.

Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Shaikh Maktoum Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, were present.

"We have to forget about what we have already accomplished, and look to the future on ways to improve so the UAE can remain in a leading position among developed countries around the world," said Shaikh Mohammad.

"Economic and financial crises are only a period of challenges and tests from which innovations and creative initiatives are born," Shaikh Mohammad told the directors.

New initiatives

"You are required to launch new initiatives that contribute to achieving more development and progress in all fields. I don't want you to become complacent after accomplishing any achievement. As directors and heads that work with second and third grade work teams, you are required to strive towards coming up with more visions and ideas that help formulate creative initiatives," said Shaikh Mohammad.

"We have to have a positive outlook for the future. Never think that an idea or vision is impossible because this leads to despair and frustration. I want you to come up every day with new ideas, and to act upon them,"

Shaikh Mohammad put an emphasis on providing legal and logistics facilities in local departments and doing away with routine and bureaucratic practices in offices, reiterating his call for officials to take to the field and witness any deficiencies in the operations of their departments, and to address these issues by using a capable team.

He cited the initiatives of the Dubai General Dir-ectorate of Residency and Foreigners' Affairs, Dubai Police, Dubai Municipality, Dubai's Road and Transport Authority (RTA), which he described as "renewable".

He said these departments have launched initiatives from time to time and they are also constructive in their approach to the development of the work and have served the country and the citizens.

He instructed the directors about the importance of warmly receiving guests to the UAE, particularly at the airport, on the streets and at hotels.