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Support Emiratis in repaying loans, UAE warns banks
Support Emiratis in repaying loans, UAE warns banks Nissar Hoath / 23 January 2014 Banks that do not support Emiratis to get their heavy debts cleared under a programme initiated by the President to be penalised. The Office of the Presidential Affairs on Wednesday warned that banks which fail to cooperate and help heavily indebted Emiratis will be penalised. “Those banks that do not support Emiratis to get their heavy debts cleared under a programme initiated by the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in 2011 will also be penalised,” said Ahmed Jumma Al Za’abi, Deputy Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of the Fund for the Settlement of Bad Debts, at a Press conference after the opening of the fund headquarters in Al Jazira Club complex where Emiratis can visit and submit their applications for their bank debt waivers. Al Za’abi said so far the fund has helped 2,700 out of 6,000 applicants clearing debts of over Dh1.8 billion with the support of banks. “More than 50 per cent of the banks operating in the country have been very helpful and providing concession to help clear the loans of Emiratis under the fund programme. The other banks have been little helpful. However, if we don’t see any cooperation from these banks, action will be taken against them and (they will be) penalised,” he said without disclosing the names of the banks that did not take part in the initiative. He also said in case of non-cooperation, the names of the banks will be sent and published by the Central Bank, and there will be no cooperation and support from the government to these banks. Al Za’abi further added the fund has agreed to write off 50 per cent of the debtors’ loans, while the other half would be settled by the loans’ fund that would be reimbursed from the debtors through their salaries. He also said the fund was initiated by the President in 2011 with the allocation of Dh10 billion to help those Emiratis who were facing lawsuits or police cases related to their bank loans. To a question, Al Za’abi said the fund was established for the support of UAE citizens only and expatriates will not benefit from it. He also said under the fund programme, all criminal cases pending in connection with bounced security cheques and non-repayment of loans by Emiratis have been suspended and debts cleared. Al Za’abi, said most of the cases relate to, personal and car loans and loans sought for setting up small businesses. In March last year, the Shaikh Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development signed a joint deal with 34 defaulting Emiratis entrepreneurs to protect them from prosecution. The fund was established in 2007 with a Dh2 billion fund. nissar@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Hospital bill paid, baby Mohammed returns home
Hospital bill paid, baby Mohammed returns home Nivriti Butalia / 22 January 2014 Premature baby discharged after a bill of over Dh170,000 at Al Baraha Hospital settled with the help of hundreds of KT readers. Infant of the fortnight, little Mohammed has finally come home. Born nearly three months ago on October 25, 2013, Mohammed — who, incidentally, shares a birthday with his father, Sayed — was discharged on Tuesday morning after a bill of over Dh170,000 was finally settled, thanks to donations by hundreds of KT readers. Mohammed’s father Sayed, along with his trusted aide and friend Mazher marched out of the ICU wing of Al Baraha Hospital in Deira — baby swaddled in a white and blue blanket in Sayed’s arms, Mazher lugging Sayed’s backpack and another polybag of baby-things, headed towards Mazher’s car. Staff of the hospital clicked photographs of Mohammed and Sayed as they left the hospital premises. There were no other family members present. “I never want to see another hospital, another ICU. I never again want to see hospital lights,” an exhausted but relieved Sayed told Khaleej Times . “If I sit down I will fall asleep,” he smiled, explaining why he won’t take a seat in the waiting room while the paper work wound up. Grateful for all the help that has come his way, Sayed kept repeating to all well-wishers and people in the hospital who were stopping to congratulate him for being able to take his baby home: “Alhumdullilah… Alhumdullilah (All praise and thanks be to Allah)”. The X-ray technicians and the security guards are now his friends. The nurses admire his fortitude. At the reception, the burqa-clad ladies think he’s not like the others. They talk of his virtues — “so patient, so decent, not screaming and shouting like others”. Sayed is most looking forward to Wednesday morning when his mother, sister and baby daughter arrive in Dubai. They are coming to basically, take over and provide some relief in childcare duties, to help out Sayed. Except that he has to work a night shift, Sayed is eagerly awaiting his daughter’s reaction to her baby brother whom she has never met. “I want to catch it on video,” he says in Hindi. He wants to see if she does her trademark thing of gingerly prodding a new specimen — in this case, her new baby brother, and then recoiling in glee, as if given an electric shock. That’s the moment he’s waiting for. Although Mohammed has been diagnosed with Patent Ductus Arteriosis (PDA) — a hole in the heart — that doctors have told him is treatable, Sayed is feeling “90 per cent better and more optimistic” than last week. Besides being indebted to donors who came forward with the money, Sayed is indebted to his friend Mazher — who has turned his voice hoarse fielding phone calls all day, incurring the wrath of his manager at work since instead of being in office, he’s been by the side of his friend in hospital all of last week. nivriti@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Federal National Council hails army conscription
Federal National Council hails army conscription Nissar Hoath / 22 January 2014 Members say move will ensure citizen’s participation and help serve national interests The Federal National Council (FNC) on Tuesday overwhelmingly welcomed and supported the government decision to make it compulsory for Emirati males aged 18 to 30 to serve in the UAE’s armed forces. National service will also cover military training, and high school graduates will have to be part of the military for nine months, while those who have not completed high school will serve two years. However, it will be voluntary for women. Most of the members hailed the move saying it will serve and protect national interests. “All these young trained men and women will always be there to provide their services in all kinds of natural and unnatural disasters,” said a member. The session chaired by Speaker Mohammed Ahmed Al Murr was also attended by Mariam Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of Social Affairs, and Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Minister of FNC Affairs. In his remarks during the debate on the compulsory military service for Emiratis, the Speaker hailed the directives and decision by the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, for issuing a Federal Law on the compulsory national military and reserve service. “This kind of guidance comes in the framework of our wise leadership to recognise the importance of citizens’ participation in defending their homeland, further protect national security and serve national interests,” said Al Murr. The Speaker also hailed His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for launching the UAE’s National Agenda during the next seven years to achieve the “Vision 2021” making the country one of the best in the world in various fields. The other issue that came under debate on Tuesday was the new child law protection, which was approved by the council during its last session. Members further reviewed the law called Wadeema’s Law by the government. The council during its last session passed it with minor amendments, including changing the name of the law from Wadeema to Child’s Right Law. The bill was drafted by the Federal Government after a girl child was brutally murdered and dumped in the desert by her father and his girlfriend in 2011 when a children’s protection law was awaiting approval. nissar@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
