When Libyans in the UAE go to the polls tomorrow, Ramadan S Ben Amer of Al Ain will be among the 2,639 candidates on the ballot.
Mr Amer is running as an independent candidate in the city of Benghazi, cradle of the revolution.
"It's going to be a tough election as there are many candidates in the fray," said Mr Amer, 53, a media and marketing consultant who has lived in the UAE for 11 years. "But I am trying my best to win it. It's a new era for Libya. I am excited to take part in the elections."
About 2,000 Libyan expatriates will have five days to vote at the Dubai consulate ahead of the elections in their homeland on July 7.
While more than 300 political parties are in the running for 200 seats, Mr Amer believes his compatriots are inclined to support independent candidates.
"Libyans are not sure about the agenda of political parties - whether they are being sponsored from inside or outside," he said.
Mr Amer says that if elected, he will throw his weight behind education and creating opportunities for young Libyans. He said he would also advocate freedom of expression and religion. "We are going to build a new Libya where everyone will have an equal opportunity to learn, grow and prosper. It will be a free country built on strong democratic principles."
He would also like to see initiatives that have been successful in the UAE implemented in his country, such as creating a vibrant economy by promoting and supporting the entrepreneurial spirit.
"Libya should become one of the best in the region," he added. "It has a lot of potential, such as good weather, oil, history and a long coastline that could attract thousands of tourists every year."
To vote, Libyans in the UAE should go to the Dubai consulate by Saturday with proof of identity and any proof of nationality.
frahman@thenational.ae
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Company%20Profile
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UAE SQUAD
Ali Khaseif, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Khalid Essa, Bandar Al Ahbabi, Salem Rashid, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Mohammed Al Attas, Walid Abbas, Hassan Al Mahrami, Mahmoud Khamis, Alhassan Saleh, Ali Salmeen, Yahia Nader, Abdullah Ramadan, Majed Hassan, Abdullah Al Naqbi, Fabio De Lima, Khalil Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Tahnoun Al Zaabi, Muhammed Jumah, Yahya Al Ghassani, Caio Canedo, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue, Zayed Al Ameri
Gender pay parity on track in the UAE
The UAE has a good record on gender pay parity, according to Mercer's Total Remuneration Study.
"In some of the lower levels of jobs women tend to be paid more than men, primarily because men are employed in blue collar jobs and women tend to be employed in white collar jobs which pay better," said Ted Raffoul, career products leader, Mena at Mercer. "I am yet to see a company in the UAE – particularly when you are looking at a blue chip multinationals or some of the bigger local companies – that actively discriminates when it comes to gender on pay."
Mr Raffoul said most gender issues are actually due to the cultural class, as the population is dominated by Asian and Arab cultures where men are generally expected to work and earn whereas women are meant to start a family.
"For that reason, we see a different gender gap. There are less women in senior roles because women tend to focus less on this but that’s not due to any companies having a policy penalising women for any reasons – it’s a cultural thing," he said.
As a result, Mr Raffoul said many companies in the UAE are coming up with benefit package programmes to help working mothers and the career development of women in general.
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
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Dunbar
Edward St Aubyn
Hogarth
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Confirmed%20bouts%20(more%20to%20be%20added)
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Palestine and Israel - live updates
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BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
Kalra's feat
- Becomes fifth batsman to score century in U19 final
- Becomes second Indian to score century in U19 final after Unmukt Chand in 2012
- Scored 122 in youth Test on tour of England
- Bought by Delhi Daredevils for base price of two million Indian rupees (Dh115,000) in 2018 IPL auction
Teri%20Baaton%20Mein%20Aisa%20Uljha%20Jiya
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More coverage from the Future Forum
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Details
Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5
match info
Athletic Bilbao 1 (Muniain 37')
Atletico Madrid 1 (Costa 39')
Man of the match Iker Muniain (Athletic Bilbao)
Match info:
Wolves 1
Boly (57')
Manchester City 1
Laporte (69')
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
DUBAI%20BLING%3A%20EPISODE%201
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The%20specs
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Army of the Dead
Director: Zack Snyder
Stars: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera
Three stars