Police officers employed by individual emirates should be paid the same as their federal government counterparts so they are not tempted to become corrupt, an FNC member said today.
"Police forces in some emirates recruit nationals to work in the field with salaries that are paid by the local government of the emirate, but these do not enjoy the benefits that Interior Ministry personnel enjoy," said Ahmad Al Shamsi, a member for Ajman. "So why not shift such policemen under the ministry to enjoy the same benefits?"
The interior minister, Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, said that some emirates had seen it necessary to add to their police forces to keep up with the rapid development of the country and had done so without going through the ministry.
"But those (local government police officers) carry the logo of the interior ministry, drive their cars," argued Mr Al Shamsi. "We don't differentiate between them and the ministry's cops, yet you find one is paid a salary of Dh5,000 while his ministry counterpart is paid Dh20,000."
He added that officers who were paid less were more prone to security breaches. He said such officers had access to operation rooms, weapons and missiles, and could pose a threat to national security if they were tempted by bribes.
Mr Al Shamsi also said that police employed by local governments did not qualify for a pension. "What if he were driving his police motorbike and had an accident which left him paralysed? How will he live? On social support?"
He suggested that local governments continue to pay the salaries of these officers, but said the difference should be paid by the federal government.
Sheikh Saif replied that the officers were employed under a separate system because some local government projects might not be a part of the federal government's plan or budget.
However, he said the ministry planned to "improve" the situation.
hdajani@thenational.ae
T20 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER
Results
UAE beat Nigeria by five wickets
Hong Kong beat Canada by 32 runs
Friday fixtures
10am, Tolerance Oval, Abu Dhabi – Ireland v Jersey
7.30pm, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi – Canada v Oman
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
La Mer lowdown
La Mer beach is open from 10am until midnight, daily, and is located in Jumeirah 1, well after Kite Beach. Some restaurants, like Cupagahwa, are open from 8am for breakfast; most others start at noon. At the time of writing, we noticed that signs for Vicolo, an Italian eatery, and Kaftan, a Turkish restaurant, indicated that these two restaurants will be open soon, most likely this month. Parking is available, as well as a Dh100 all-day valet option or a Dh50 valet service if you’re just stopping by for a few hours.
Honeymoonish
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
The Vines - In Miracle Land
Two stars
