Abu Dhabi: Members of the Federal National Council (FNC) Tuesday criticised the government for not taking seriously their recommendations and said nothing from these recommendations were implemented.
Dr Abdul Rahim Al Shaheen, a member from Ras Al Khaimah, questioned the government's commitment to implementing the recommendations of the legislature.
"The House has on many occasions demanded backing educational institutions and increasing their budgets, and the government approved these recommendations. But the government is now cutting the budgets of these institutions," he said.
Al Shaheen added that by ignoring the House's recommendations, its effort and cooperation with the government are made useless. "The government has to increase spending and create more jobs to overcome the financial crisis," Al Shaheen argued. Mohammad Al Za'abi, a member from Sharjah, said the government should get back to the FNC on reasons why any recommendation is not implemented and "not just disregard the recommendation".
Ali Jasem Ahmad Jasem, a member from Umm Al Quwain, said the government rejects many recommendations for lack of authority or power on the part of certain departments or ministries, but these recommendations should be studied thoroughly and action must be taken on them.
Dr Sultan Al Moazen, a representative from Fujairah, said: "Members of the FNC quiz ministers and they give promises, but nothing is implemented on the ground. We always get the approval of the government, but there is no improvement achieved on the ground." Dr Anwar Mohammad Gargash, Minister of State for FNC Affairs, said the government is taking the House's recommendations seriously and its records speak for themselves.
Recommendations
"Work of the government and the FNC has no end and is not linked to the term of the Cabinet or the House. The UAE, like other countries, went through a financial crisis. If we demanded 5 per cent cut on spending, Britain has slashed spending by 19 per cent and the cut in other countries reached 33 per cent," Dr Gargash said. He continued: "But [members of] the FNC should have political sense and be considerate of the financial conditions. The system for addressing recommendations has been standing for more than three decades now and the government has never failed to abide by it. We are also open to any improvement in keeping with the constitution."
Al Za'abi rejected Dr Gargash's remarks and said members of the FNC have political sense and are considerate of economic and financial conditions.
Abdullah Ahmad Al Shehi, a member from RAK, said Dr Gargash sent the system of the FNC work back three decades, when the then FNC Speaker said to the members of the House "say whatever you want and the government will do what it wishes".
