Sheikh Mohammed censures three government officials over 'breach of open-door policy'

Ruler of Dubai warns action will be taken against those not aligned with the city's 'people first' values

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid has 'instructed the secret shoppers team to prepare a comprehensive report on all departments'. Photo: X

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has criticised three government department heads for failing to carry out their public duties and breaching the country's open-door policy.

In a social media post, Sheikh Mohammed, also Vice President, said he had "received concerning reports about three directors-general in Dubai", without revealing their names or departments.

He said they had "created large offices for themselves, stationed managers, secretaries, and security guards at their doors, and restricted access to the public on the pretext that the government is now ‘smart’, relying on digital transactions and websites to address people's needs".

Sheikh Mohammed said he has "instructed the secret shoppers team to prepare a comprehensive report on all departments".

The Ruler of Dubai has long championed efforts to increase customer satisfaction in government services and had launched the secret shoppers in 2020 to measure the workings of various departments through public feedback.

Sheikh Mohammed said Dubai takes pride in fostering an open-door culture for the public over the past 30 years. "A culture where no barriers exist between us and the people we serve," he added. "Dubai’s global reputation today reflects its commitment to excellence and its open, human-centred working environment.

"My message is clear: The foundation of our success lies in serving people, simplifying their lives, and maintaining direct and constant communication with them. These principles are the essence of our government and will never change. For those who are not aligned with these values – we will take action to correct course," Sheikh Mohammed warned on X.

Meanwhile, Lt Gen Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDRFA), received special praise from Sheikh Mohammed for his exceptional service.

"I recently received exceptional feedback about Mohammed Al Marri," Sheikh Mohammed wrote on X. "He has been praised for his warm reception of visitors, his thoughtful handling of humanitarian and exceptional cases, his constant presence among the public, and his steadfast commitment to maintaining an open-door policy."

Mr Al Marri has been at the forefront of running the UAE amnesty for visa overstayers in the country.

In February, Sheikh Mohammed set out wide-reaching plans to combat government bureaucracy and boost efficiency across the Emirates.

Among other aims was halving the time taken to carry out services, under the Zero Government Bureaucracy programme, which was unveiled in November. Bonuses of up to Dh1 million ($272,000) will be awarded to the employee or work teams that perform best in raising standards.

“In the presence of 30 federal entities, we launched a new programme to streamline government bureaucracy, where government entities will work to eliminate 2,000 government procedures within a year, reduce the duration of government services by 50 per cent, and re-engineer hundreds of government services,” Sheikh Mohammed had announced on X.

“Our goal is to facilitate people's lives, provide people with the comfort and service they deserve in the UAE, and aim to be the best government in the world in providing services.”

Driving up standards

In May 2023, Sheikh Mohammed revealed which government services are seen as the best and the worst in the UAE, based on customer satisfaction ratings. The issuing of passports and driving licences were rated best, with booking medical appointments and the attestation of education certificates the worst.

In November last year, Sheikh Mohammed replaced the director of Kalba Hospital after it was found to be one of the poorest-rated government services. The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure service centre in Ras Al Khaimah also received a poor evaluation.

Sheikh Mohammed said the worst-performing services would be given 60 days to improve. If there was no improvement, employees would have their contracts terminated or modified. “Interacting with the public in a positive way through service channels is a basic duty of every government official,” Sheikh Mohammed said at the time.

The UAE Cabinet launched the secret shoppers via an app to allow citizens and residents to rate government services. Sheikh Mohammed said the feedback would help improve government services.

The app, named UAE Mystery Shopper, is available in eight languages and asks users to input information on their experiences with a service at a government office.