FNC to quiz ministers on pensions and delayed legislation

Three ministers will be quizzed this Wednesday on pensions, delayed legislations, and encouraging tourism.

Powered by automated translation

ABU DHABI // Three ministers will be questioned by Federal National Council members next week, as the assembly focuses on issues such as pensions and delayed legislation.

Dr Abdullah Al Shamsi (Sharjah) will ask Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, Minister of State for Financial Affairs and deputy head of the pensions authority, about the possibility of increasing the pensions payments for undersecretaries, managers and employees who retired before January 1, 2008.

The issue has previously been raised in the council without much progress, and FNC members have been keen to raise the issue again.

Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, is also set to attend.

Sheikh Nahyan will be questioned by Rashad Bukhash (Dubai) over the delay in introducing a law to protect archaeological sites.

“We have 2,800 archaeological sites that need protecting,” Mr Bukhash said, adding that without the law, sites and artefacts were constantly under the threat of theft or destruction.

Mr Bukhash said that a law on the subject was first passed to the FNC three years ago, but after approval it was rejected by various emirates that wanted it to be sent back to the council.

Mr Bukhash will also question Mariam Al Roumi, Minister of Social Affairs, over a delay in a law to grant international organisations the right to open branches in the UAE. He said he was a member of a museum council in Paris that is unable to open a branch in the UAE without this law.

Mr Bukhash said that the council had 30,000 members and held a number of conferences, which could benefit the UAE.

After the questions, three draft laws will be debated: a law establishing a court of First Instance in Al Dhiyad, Sharjah; a draft to amend some articles in a 2008 law on the national centre for research; and Wadeema’s law on child protection.

The session will start at 9am on Wednesday at the FNC headquarters in Abu Dhabi, and will be open to the public.

osalem@thenational.ae