ABU DHABI // After joining the Federal National Council, Khalifa Al Suwaidi brainstormed to discover the best way for the public to reach the council with their concerns.
Shortly after he became chairman of the Appeals and Complaints Committee in 2011, he came up with the idea of setting up a 24-hour hotline.
“If the [labour] ministry does not respond or cannot help, then the case should come to us,” he said.
“We won’t refuse any complaint. We must, however, first make sure that the complaint raised is legitimate, and that all statements are true.”
Unfortunately, the idea was never put into practice.
During his first year he voiced displeasure at the delay by the Ministry of Environment in salvaging White Whale, the ship that was carrying more than 450 tonnes of diesel when it sank off the shores of Umm Al Quwain.
Mr Al Suwaidi said the ministry should have had a well-researched plan that would have enabled it to act quickly in such an emergency.
He has also supported strongly a request made by the FNC for a better welfare plan and an unemployment benefits, because he believed helping job seekers was crucial.
osalem@thenational.ae
