Gobash calls for objective analysis

Dubai: A permanent and responsible partnership between the government, private sector and academic institutions is necessary for an objective analysis of the labour market, said Saqr Gobash Saeed Gobash, UAE Minister of Labour, at the Cost of Labour workshop on Tuesday.

Wages and labour costs are one of the fundamental building blocks of the labour market and enjoy great attention from policy makers, entrepreneurs, and those who follow the UAE economy, he said.

He hopes that the workshop will lead to a "calm" and "deep" dialogue that is objective and open to other perspectives in the desire to achieve economic development. The working papers are not meant to be conclusive but rather lead to intellectual interaction and debate, he added.

"Deep and comprehensive dialogue leads to logical and scientific conclusions that provide systematic solutions," he said.

"I am confident that you share our views, that when we commit ourselves to open and critical dialogue we will be in a position to establish partnerships through the organisation of this workshop so we can revive national dialogue about the future of the economy, education system, environmental challenges, preserve identity, and…. seeking higher levels of development for UAE nationals," he said, adding that the labour market can absorb the participation of UAE nationals and achieve development.

"The development of social, economic, and human capital policies is the compass that directs the labour policies," he said.

The labour policies and recommendations presented at the Cost of Labour workshop organised by the Ministry of Labour may not necessarily translate into actual policy changes.

"We are putting forth labour market policies and their relations to economic development and Emiratisation. This is the forum to do it. But there are no pre-conceptions before entering this dialogue. For policies to change, everyone involved has to share in the dialogue before it turns into policy," he told Gulf News.

The minister declined to elaborate on questions raised during the presentations about the sponsorship system and its effect on labour mobility and Emiratisation.