Leading one of the busiest FNC committees



ABU DHABI // One of the busiest FNC committees has been led by Salem Al Ameri for the past three years.

As it covers three major service sectors, Mr Al Ameri’s Health, Labour, and Social Affairs committee has viewed and discussed more legislative bills than many of the nine FNC committees.

The retired brigadier general, whose election advertisements ran almost daily in Al Ittihad newspaper, is among the few FNC members who have kept the election promises they made to Emiratis.

The committee chairman has been regularly raising issues pertaining to health, labour and social affairs to the FNC.

He is also known for his distinct approach to the media and transparency about the FNC’s work. For instance, he has asked for live-streaming broadcasts of FNC sessions.

On several occasions, he invited the media to attend closed committee meetings. He often did so despite the disapproval of federal bodies involved in those sessions. In his role, Mr Al Ameri often defended his committee’s reports during public FNC discussions and explaining its proposed legal amendments.

During one such meeting, an FNC member called for the removal of a clause that allows the authorities to remove children from their homes if they were found to be facing imminent danger. The FNC member said the clause was unconstitutional.

But Mr Al Ameri firmly and calmly argued that doing so could cost lives. He said his committee learnt that a girl was burnt to death because a court order for her removal came three days late.

Notwithstanding his committee’s efforts in demanding better healthcare services, questioning the Minister of Health, and seeking greater Emiratisation efforts, it has also been criticised for removing “Wadeema” from the Child Rights law, a change the FNC approved. The law was originally named Wadeema in memory of an eight-year-old girl who her father tortured to death.

osalem@thenational.ae

Tree of Hell

Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla

Director: Raed Zeno

Rating: 4/5

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES

All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated

Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid

Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona

T20 World Cup Qualifier

Final: Netherlands beat PNG by seven wickets

Qualified teams

1. Netherlands
2. PNG
3. Ireland
4. Namibia
5. Scotland
6. Oman

T20 World Cup 2020, Australia

Group A: Sri Lanka, PNG, Ireland, Oman
Group B: Bangladesh, Netherlands, Namibia, Scotland

Brief scoreline:

Toss: South Africa, elected to bowl first

England (311-8): Stokes 89, Morgan 57, Roy 54, Root 51; Ngidi 3-66

South Africa (207): De Kock 68, Van der Dussen 50; Archer 3-27, Stokes 2-12

The distance learning plan

Spring break will be from March 8 - 19

Public school pupils will undergo distance learning from March 22 - April 2. School hours will be 8.30am to 1.30pm

Staff will be trained in distance learning programmes from March 15 - 19

Teaching hours will be 8am to 2pm during distance learning

Pupils will return to school for normal lessons from April 5

The specs: 2019 BMW i8 Roadster

Price, base: Dh708,750

Engine: 1.5L three-cylinder petrol, plus 11.6 kWh lithium-ion battery

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

Power: 374hp (total)

Torque: 570Nm (total)

Fuel economy, combined: 2.0L / 100km