UAE | Government
Profiles of elected members from Dubai and RAK
The seven elected members from Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah hail from different backgrounds, and include a health professional, businessmen, and an academic.
- Compiled by Bassma Al Jandaly, Nasouh Nazzal, Zoi Constantine and Abbas Al Lawati, Staff Reporters
- Published: 23:36 May 3, 2009
- "My victory is the outcome of 15 years of dedicated work in the health sector in the emirate." Abdullah Ahmad Salem Al Han Al Shehi
- Image Credit: Gulf News
The seven elected members from Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah hail from different backgrounds, and include a health professional, businessmen, and an academic.
Winners from RAK announced yesterday that they will suggest opening of branch offices of the council in various emirates to create direct and permanent contact with their constituents.
Below, we take a closer look at the new members of the FNC.
Abdullah Ahmad Salem Al Han Al Shehi
Winner from Ras Al Khaimah
"The campaigns and programmes are very similar, but what made the difference has been the ability of the candidate to help and serve his people."
Born in Ras Al Khaimah in 1967, Al Shehi graduated with a degree in Business Administration from UAE University. Al Shehi has a son and five daughters and started his career as health attaché to the UAE Embassy in the UK and later recruited by a cement factory in Ras Al Khaimah.
Al Shehi has been the head of both the Saif Bin Gobash Hospital and Obaid Allah Hospital for the past 15 years. "My time concentrating solely on the health sector is over. I am looking forward to serving my community in other sectors," he said.
He believes his long service with the health sector in the emirate and contact with other sectors has made him a popular figure and paved the way for his victory in the elections.
Khalid Ali Ahmad Obaid Bin Zayed
Winner from Dubai
"I will serve the country to the best of my abilities because this mission is a significant one. I am very concerned about emiratisation."
Khalid Ali Bin Zayed, 42, is the director of administration for municipality centres. He studied general administration at UAE University in Al Ain with a specialisation in media, graduating in 1986.
He has also taken several training courses in media and administration and regularly gives lectures throughout the UAE. He is a member of the board of trustees in the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation as well as the secretary at the Dubai Chess and Culture Club.
Bin Zayed said he will give all his effort in his new role to serve his country and the people. The high cost of living tops his agenda. Bin Zayed said he will also work to improve health services and education. He added that emiratisation should be taken seriously and that offering jobs to the UAE nationals will be one of the main issues he will focus on.
Jamal Al Hai
Winner from Dubai
"My majlis, however modest, is open to all my constituents at all times to come and talk to me. They can also call me or e-mail me. I would specifically like to represent women, who did not reach the council."
Jamal Mohammad Al Hai, 46, is married and was born in Dubai. Upon completing his bachelor's degree in public administration and media communication at UAE University, he did a one-year advanced English language diploma at San Diego College in the United States.
In 1982, he joined the banking sector following which he moved to the Department of Civil Aviation where he spent almost 25 years.
He eventually became the head of the executive council at the department in 2005. He is also the director of the Department of Strategy and Management Excellence.
During his time at the Department of Civil Aviation, Al Hai signed bilateral air transport agreements with 25 countries. He was also a member of several committees responsible for major events such as the Dubai Shopping Festival and Dubai Airshow.
Hussain Al Sha'afar
Winner from Dubai
"I was absolutely not expecting this, especially as there were 77 other candidates, including many women. If I could put it down to one thing, I would say that it is my good relations with people."
Born in 1968, Al Sha'afar is one of the youngest winners and said that he conducted most of his campaigning by visiting traditional majlises and maintaining personal contact with voters.
According to Al Sha'afar, the key to his victory lay entirely in personality, rather than high-profile campaigns. Al Sha'afar has a degree in Business Administration, from South Eastern University in London and is married with three children, the youngest of whom was born earlier this year.
A businessperson, Al Sha'afar has worked in construction, insurance and security systems, starting with his family business, Sha'afar Holdings. He then moved into the insurance sector, before starting his own business, Emirates International Insurance, which has consulted for the WTO, Dubal, Dubai Internet City, as well as a number of government accounts.
Al Sha'afar says he enjoys photography and camping. "When I am outdoors, I forget all of my stress," he told Gulf News.
Sultan Saqr Al Suwaidi
Winner from Dubai
"I am very pleased to be able to serve my country through the FNC. I will work on amending the constitution to empower the FNC and make it more effective."
Born in Dubai in July 1951, Al Suwaidi is married with two boys and three girls. He completed his high school in the UAE before going to study at Alexandria University in Egypt obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in history.
In 1970 he was awarded a diploma in business administration from a university in the UK. His career started in the Executive Office, where he worked from 1973 to 1977, following which he became the director of Youth and Sports Administration until 1980.
He then went on to become the assistant secretary general of the Supreme Council of Youth and Sports for the next decade.
In 1991, he became the undersecretary of the Ministry of Youth. From 1999 until his retirement in 2006, he was the secretary-general of the General Authority of Youth and Sports.
His career in the field of sport spanned from before the establishment of the union in 1972 until his retirement in 2006. Since 1996, he has also been the deputy director of the Culture and Science Symposium as well as the director of the council of leadership.
Yousuf Obaid Ali Bin Eisa Al Nuaimi
Winner from Ras Al Khaimah
"Being elected as a member of the FNC is true joy, which is beyond description. Since my election, my house has been overflowing with well-wishers."
Al Nuaimi was born in Ras Al Khaimah in 1953 and worked as a banker for 35 years primarily with HSBC. Al Nuaimi, who has two sons and two daughters, graduated from a university in the UK, majoring in English language.
He says that his time spent as a banker enabled him to get to know many of the residents of Ras Al Khaimah, which he says paved the way for his victory. He stressed that his work to activate and empower the FNC will start once the council is assembled.
Al Nuaimi is currently the Vice-Chairman of the RAK Chamber of Commerce and Industry, member of the Union of the UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Member of the RAK Municipal Council and member of the Inspection Committee at the Higher Colleges of Technology.
Abdul Rahim Abdul Latif Abdullah Al Shahin
Winner from Ras Al Khaimah
"I hope that with the help of other members of the FNC we will come up with a plan to implement our promises. I hope that I will be able to live up to the responsibilities and faith placed on me by the RAK Electoral College."
Dr Al Shahin was born in Al Maireed in Ras Al Khaimah in 1957 and graduated from the Economics Department of UAE University in 1981.
Dr Al Shahin was then awarded a Masters Degree from the Economics and Political Science Department of Cairo University, and in 1990 received his PhD. In the same year he was recruited as a political science professor at the UAE National University in Al Ain.
Dr Al Shahin has three sons and three daughters, and has been doing political commentary. Several of his articles have been published. He is the author of three books including the 1997 Ruling and Administration Systems in the UAE, a comparative study on the higher education in the public and private sectors.
In 2006, Dr Al Shahin published "The UAE Federal National Council: Missions and Accomplishments" which was distributed to all members of the UAE Electoral College to introduce them to the elections and the nature of the FNC.
Following his win, Dr Al Shahin has proposed the opening of branch offices of the FNC staffed with people able to receive complaints and requests, saying that this would be the best way to serve constituents.
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