Dubai: A well-known businessman yesterday announced his candidacy for the upcoming Federal National Council (FNC) elections, pledging that Emiratis as well as expatriates will benefit from enhanced representation, because of a "shared destiny."
Shehab Gargash, executive director of Daman Investments, said that if elected to one of the four seats allocated for Dubai, he will try to focus the agenda on issues pertaining to housing, emiratisation, the high cost of living, as well as reform of financial markets and the health care sector.
While his focus is primarily on his constituents, Gargash says that expatriates will also benefit from more focus being placed on the issues that affect the "broadest number of people".
"Over the past 35 years the country has evolved and the issues have become more complicated ... demanding [greater] participation, so that we can achieve results that are beneficial for the country."
Unemployment also topped Gargash's platform, who contends that the problem for the reported 20,000 unemployed Emiratis is not a lack of jobs but the "preparedness of some of the national workforce".
The candidate also described current healthcare services in the UAE as "miserable when compared with the amount put into the system," and says he will advocate enhanced "quality care".
