Dubai police chief next to be detained?

Give FNC bigger mandate: Dubai Police chief (Gulf News)

The Federal National Council (FNC) must have more powers to scrutinise the government and take part in the decision- making process rather than just submitting recommendations that may or may not be implemented, a top official said yesterday. "If the next FNC will be typically like the previous legislatures, it will be useless and we have little concern for extending the voting rights to more Emiratis," said Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Dubai Police Chief.

Writing in Al Khaleej Arabic daily, Dahi demanded moving on to a full-fledged legislature to help it play its role in supporting social, economic and political development.

"The issue is not all about increasing the number of voters, rather it's about powers of the legislature. At present, powers of the FNC are pointless for citizens of the UAE," Dahi said, stressing: "our previous legislatures were useless, like flogging a dead horse." On September 24, half of the 40-member council will be elected by an electoral college, which is to be at least 300 times the number of its representatives. The 20 remaining legislators will be appointed by the Rulers of the emirates.

Baby steps.