Emiratisation has become a divisive issue even among the people it is supposed to benefit in the many years since the initiative was launched. Faisal al Qasimi, 27, an Emirati, works as an associate at the Advanced Technology Investment Company and believes some Emiratis have been hired just to fulfil government mandates. "The inherent problem is a sense of entitlement," says Mr al Qasimi. "It can be solved if you encourage more competition and open up more sectors. If you add more positions they'll become more competitive. Not everyone wants to be a banker or work in government."
But other Emiratis say the past decade has brought vast improvements in the local workforce. "The local workforce is becoming more and more competent," says Mohamed bin Jabr, 28, an executive director at the defence contractor Bin Jabr Group. "They can compete with expats in certain areas. Jobs like engineering, which usually were dominated by expats in the past, have become more diversified." Mr bin Jabr attributes this change to investment in skills and training. "The Government has been investing a lot in sending students abroad and encouraging them to study not only business but also niche subjects and certain specialisations," he says. "That is certainly paying off."
Many business owners, such as the Indian businessman JP Nambiar, 52, the head of retail at an electronics firm, support Emiratisation but with reservations. "Ideally, [hiring] should be based on merit rather than any particular nationality," he says. "But, having said that, we're all living in a country as expatriates and I think it's important that the local population should be given first rights in terms of employment.
"It'll take a while for people of this generation to adjust to the rigours of free enterprise." @Email:gregor.hunter@thenational.ae
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
Find the right policy for you
Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
Company%20profile
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded