ABU DHABI // As the FNC marks the 40th anniversary of its first meeting today, it can look back on decades in which its members have held substantial sway over policy.
In those four decades its members have amended 470 laws.
The current FNC Speaker Mohammed Al Murr described the establishment of the council as a historic moment and "politically wise".
"[Today] the FNC will turn 40 years old - years characterised [by] continuous parliamentary work with the support and vision of the late [President] Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan," Mr Al Murr said.
Established under the orders of Sheikh Zayed shortly after the country's foundation, the FNC archive provides a vivid picture of the UAE's transformation since that time, and the issues the people have grappled with.
Some early concerns remain high on the agenda today, including housing, health and education. Others, such as the regulation of medical responsibility, have faded.
The evidence of the council's work defies frequent criticisms of its limited powers.
"The council had a big role in amending laws as members took the opinion of Emiratis in them," said Dr Mohammed Al Mazroui, an FNC member between 1984 and 1991 who has for the past 15 years been its secretary general.
"The Government needed this. The council's recommendations had a big impact on government projects. Its work has been far-reaching."
Prevailing topics in the 1970s included the need to increase the population of Emiratis in the country, the need for more nationals to work in the security and defence sector, and a shortage of medicine in hospitals.
There were also more bread-and-butter concerns, such as the need to build more housing for nationals and demands for higher pay.
By the 1980s, the housing shortage had become a crisis with the council demanding solutions. Health services have remained an issue, as have calls for greater taxation of tobacco.
In the late 1980s, the council addressed the issue of the rising number of Emirati men who were choosing to marry foreigners - a trend that continues today.
And there has been repeated frustration at the sometimes glacial pace of change. Issues such as agriculture and transport were all problems in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.
By the late '80s, with health care standards rising, the FNC turned its attention to preventive health and concerns about drug use.
With more Emiratis sending their children abroad for education, there were also calls for more investment in the country's schools and universities.
By the late 1990s, Emiratis' reticence at integrating into the workforce was working its way to the top of the agenda.
The council saw a special need for nationals to be employed in the media sector and in particular Wam, the state news agency.
"The community grew and problems become more complex," Dr Al Mazroui said.
"Government departments also grew and branched out and cities expanded."
As the population grew, so did its calls on the Government. When members requested the Government step up the pace of home building, the result was the establishment of the Sheikh Zayed Housing Fund.
A few years later the council was also instrumental in creating a fund to support marriage between Emiratis.
After Sheikh Khalifa became the President in 2004, he gave the council greater powers and opened half of the seats to elections.
He extended the terms from six to seven months, and the chapter from two to four years. Sheikh Khalifa also decreed that women should be allowed to sit on the council.
Members became more active, questioning ministers more often and more aggressively.
"If we notice through the past chapters until the 14th, the questions were much less than in the last two," said Dr Al Mazroui.
"Communication with the council has also changed."
He said even if communication with the community was easier before with a smaller community, now the council had fast ways to reach people through modern-day technology.
"The council cannot be compared to before," Dr Al Mazroui said.
And from the start, members had been forthright in pointing out policy missteps and facing embarrassment by asking obvious questions to help to improve life for Emiratis.
"It was an honour to serve at the council, and the Emirati is always on top of our agenda," said Rawiyah Al Samahi, a member of the last chapter.
And Ali Jassim, a member from Umm Al Qaiwain since 1993, expected the council's role to keep developing.
"The council year by year changes, but we always aim to be higher and better," Mr Jassim said.
osalem@thenational.ae
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Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
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MATCH INFO
Manchester City 2 (Mahrez 04', Ake 84')
Leicester City 5 (Vardy 37' pen, 54', 58' pen, Maddison 77', Tielemans 88' pen)
Man of the match: Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)
Vikram%20Vedha
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Emirates exiles
Will Wilson is not the first player to have attained high-class representative honours after first learning to play rugby on the playing fields of UAE.
Jonny Macdonald
Abu Dhabi-born and raised, the current Jebel Ali Dragons assistant coach was selected to play for Scotland at the Hong Kong Sevens in 2011.
Jordan Onojaife
Having started rugby by chance when the Jumeirah College team were short of players, he later won the World Under 20 Championship with England.
Devante Onojaife
Followed older brother Jordan into England age-group rugby, as well as the pro game at Northampton Saints, but recently switched allegiance to Scotland.
Company%20Profile
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Martin Sabbagh profile
Job: CEO JCDecaux Middle East
In the role: Since January 2015
Lives: In the UAE
Background: M&A, investment banking
Studied: Corporate finance
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
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ELECTION%20RESULTS
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
FINAL LEADERBOARD
1. Jordan Spieth (USA) 65 69 65 69 - 12-under-par
2. Matt Kuchar (USA) 65 71 66 69 - 9-under
3. Li Haotong (CHN) 69 73 69 63 - 6-under
T4. Rory McIlroy (NIR) 71 68 69 67 - 5-under
T4. Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP) 67 73 67 68 - 5-under
T6. Marc Leishman (AUS) 69 76 66 65 - 4-under
T6. Matthew Southgate (ENG) 72 72 67 65 - 4-under
T6. Brooks Koepka (USA) 65 72 68 71 - 4-under
T6. Branden Grace (RSA) 70 74 62 70 - 4-under
T6. Alexander Noren (SWE) 68 72 69 67 - 4-under
THE BIG MATCH
Arsenal v Manchester City,
Sunday, Emirates Stadium, 6.30pm
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)
Credits
Produced by: Colour Yellow Productions and Eros Now
Director: Mudassar Aziz
Cast: Sonakshi Sinha, Jimmy Sheirgill, Jassi Gill, Piyush Mishra, Diana Penty, Aparshakti Khurrana
Star rating: 2.5/5
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The biog
Full name: Aisha Abdulqader Saeed
Age: 34
Emirate: Dubai
Favourite quote: "No one has ever become poor by giving"
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
South Africa v India schedule
Tests: 1st Test Jan 5-9, Cape Town; 2nd Test Jan 13-17, Centurion; 3rd Test Jan 24-28, Johannesburg
ODIs: 1st ODI Feb 1, Durban; 2nd ODI Feb 4, Centurion; 3rd ODI Feb 7, Cape Town; 4th ODI Feb 10, Johannesburg; 5th ODI Feb 13, Port Elizabeth; 6th ODI Feb 16, Centurion
T20Is: 1st T20I Feb 18, Johannesburg; 2nd T20I Feb 21, Centurion; 3rd T20I Feb 24, Cape Town
The specs
Engine 60kwh FWD
Battery Rimac 120kwh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry
Power 204hp Torque 360Nm
Price, base / as tested Dh174,500
UAE jiu-jitsu squad
Men: Hamad Nawad and Khalid Al Balushi (56kg), Omar Al Fadhli and Saeed Al Mazroui (62kg), Taleb Al Kirbi and Humaid Al Kaabi (69kg), Mohammed Al Qubaisi and Saud Al Hammadi (70kg), Khalfan Belhol and Mohammad Haitham Radhi (85kg), Faisal Al Ketbi and Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)
Women: Wadima Al Yafei and Mahra Al Hanaei (49kg), Bashayer Al Matrooshi and Hessa Al Shamsi (62kg)
KEY%20DATES%20IN%20AMAZON'S%20HISTORY
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You may remember …
Robbie Keane (Atletico de Kolkata) The Irish striker is, along with his former Spurs teammate Dimitar Berbatov, the headline figure in this season’s ISL, having joined defending champions ATK. His grand entrance after arrival from Major League Soccer in the US will be delayed by three games, though, due to a knee injury.
Dimitar Berbatov (Kerala Blasters) Word has it that Rene Meulensteen, the Kerala manager, plans to deploy his Bulgarian star in central midfield. The idea of Berbatov as an all-action, box-to-box midfielder, might jar with Spurs and Manchester United supporters, who more likely recall an always-languid, often-lazy striker.
Wes Brown (Kerala Blasters) Revived his playing career last season to help out at Blackburn Rovers, where he was also a coach. Since then, the 23-cap England centre back, who is now 38, has been reunited with the former Manchester United assistant coach Meulensteen, after signing for Kerala.
Andre Bikey (Jamshedpur) The Cameroonian defender is onto the 17th club of a career has taken him to Spain, Portugal, Russia, the UK, Greece, and now India. He is still only 32, so there is plenty of time to add to that tally, too. Scored goals against Liverpool and Chelsea during his time with Reading in England.
Emiliano Alfaro (Pune City) The Uruguayan striker has played for Liverpool – the Montevideo one, rather than the better-known side in England – and Lazio in Italy. He was prolific for a season at Al Wasl in the Arabian Gulf League in 2012/13. He returned for one season with Fujairah, whom he left to join Pune.
UAE%20athletes%20heading%20to%20Paris%202024
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PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
Saturday (UAE kick-off times)
Watford v Leicester City (3.30pm)
Brighton v Arsenal (6pm)
West Ham v Wolves (8.30pm)
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace (10.45pm)
Sunday
Newcastle United v Sheffield United (5pm)
Aston Villa v Chelsea (7.15pm)
Everton v Liverpool (10pm)
Monday
Manchester City v Burnley (11pm)
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 611bhp
Torque: 620Nm
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Price: upon application
On sale: now
Overview
What: The Arab Women’s Sports Tournament is a biennial multisport event exclusively for Arab women athletes.
When: From Sunday, February 2, to Wednesday, February 12.
Where: At 13 different centres across Sharjah.
Disciplines: Athletics, archery, basketball, fencing, Karate, table tennis, shooting (rifle and pistol), show jumping and volleyball.
Participating countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Qatar and UAE.
If you go
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Funchal via Lisbon, with a connecting flight with Air Portugal. Economy class returns cost from Dh3,845 return including taxes.
The trip
The WalkMe app can be downloaded from the usual sources. If you don’t fancy doing the trip yourself, then Explore offers an eight-day levada trails tour from Dh3,050, not including flights.
The hotel
There isn’t another hotel anywhere in Madeira that matches the history and luxury of the Belmond Reid's Palace in Funchal. Doubles from Dh1,400 per night including taxes.
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