Parliamentary sources attributed the reasons for the delay in the holding of the second sessions of the first session of the seventeenth legislative session of the Federal National Council, for more than a month and a half, to the lack of preparedness of draft laws and general issues referred to the committees of the Council.
The sources asserted to «Emirates Today» that all council committees work according to a pressed agenda to accomplish a large number of draft laws and general issues, and prepare final reports on them, in preparation for submission to the Council for discussion and approval, expected to return to the meeting on the seventh of January next, (i.e. 54 Days of the opening session).
On November 14, on behalf of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, opened the 17th legislative term of the Council, with a formation of 50% of women In his membership.
In detail, parliamentary sources reported that all nine general committees of the Federal National Council have been working since the announcement of their formation last November to discuss and study a large number of draft laws and general issues referred to them by the Council, in preparation for preparing the final reports on them, and including them on the agenda of the Council In the next plenary sessions, to discuss and approve it or make the necessary recommendations regarding it.
The sources told «Emirates Today» that the nine committees continue their meetings according to a pressed agenda, in order to prepare them for a large number of draft laws and general issues, to be submitted to the presidency of the Council, and include them on the agenda of the upcoming sessions, referring to the reasons for the delay in holding the Council’s sessions, for more than a month Since the inaugural session was held on the 14th of last November, until the committees did not finish completing all aspects of the draft laws and general issues before it, especially since the majority of the formation of the new council includes newcomers to the parliamentary work.
The sources said: “It is very natural for each committee to take its time to discuss all the draft laws and general issues referred to it, especially since these discussions often require meeting with officials and representatives of the executive authorities, and sometimes representatives of the community, with the aim of preparing comprehensive reports that take into account every large And small, in all that is issued by those committees ».
She added: "All council committees are working in a compact manner to complete their files under discussion. Indeed, many committees are about to approve their final reports on a large number of draft laws and general issues that will be discussed under the dome of the council, as of the next session," expected to take place. The second plenary sessions of the council, at the beginning of the new year, after settling on the first draft laws, or general issues by which the council will start its parliamentary activity, noting that the committee of the financial, economic and industrial affairs of the council is about to finish discussing a federal draft law regarding the approval of the account etc. The unified Tammy of the Federation, and the final accounts of the entities independent of the fiscal year ending on 31/12/2018, and directed the General Secretariat of the Council to prepare its report in preparation for discussion and approval, and then submitted it to the Federal National Council for discussion and approval.
According to the sources, the council’s defense, interior and external affairs committee also adopted its final report on the subject of “the Ministry of Interior policy regarding civil defense”, after some amendments were made to it, in preparation for submitting it to the council for discussion within several axes: training and qualification of employees of civil defense departments, According to urban developments and awareness programs on safety and security conditions in society, and coordination with the competent authorities in unifying security and safety conditions for buildings, and services provided by the civil defense.
She stated that the Education, Culture, Youth, Sports and Media Affairs Committee of the Council is also about to complete a federal draft law in the matter of education, consisting of (14) articles, after she met representatives of some of the relevant authorities and related to the draft law, explaining that the committee listened to the opinions of all The parties concerned with the law and their proposals on its clauses, in preparation for discussion with experts and specialists in the education sector in the country.
The education bill includes - according to his explanatory note - 14 articles, which deal with definitions of some words and phrases contained within the draft law and its objectives, and a statement of mandatory stages of education, as well as the articles of the draft law clarify the powers granted to the ministry in setting study plans and transportation systems for students from one stage to another, And other things required by the proper course of education, the final provisions related to the issuance of the executive regulations, the publication of the law in the Official Gazette, and the date of implementation of its provisions.
The sources pointed out that the Council’s Technical, Energy and Mineral Resources Affairs Committee had laid down its work plan in the matter of discussing the topic of “services provided by telecommunications companies”, as it had identified the necessary information and studies from the relevant authorities for review during the discussion of the topic.
According to the sources, the committee will discuss the topic of services provided by telecommunications companies, within the themes of “Emiratization in telecommunications companies, the quality of services provided to the public, service prices, profits and losses, social responsibility, and the development of the telecommunications industry and information systems in the state.”
She emphasized that the Council's Islamic Affairs, Endowments and Public Utilities Committee also continues to discuss a federal draft law in the matter of railways regulation, consisting of (54) articles, as it prepares to hold a meeting with representatives of the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, to respond to inquiries from committee members.
Development of the use of trains
The Railways Regulation Bill is the first nucleus for the development of the use of trains in the state, and prepares the legislative structure in the state, so that it regulates movement, transportation and work in the state, and defines the terms of reference and tasks of the relevant authorities in all regions of the state, whether for supervision, supervision or licensing, as discussed Terms of reference and integration between different regions.
Graves Regulation Law
The Health and Environmental Affairs Committee of the Council is about to finish discussing a federal draft law regarding the organization of cemeteries and burial procedures, which consists of (29) articles, as it met with representatives of the Ministry of Health and Community Protection, the General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endowments, Dubai Municipality, and the Municipality of Ras The tent, the Cemetery Affairs Office in Fujairah, and the Department of Municipalities and Transport in Abu Dhabi.