The act of lobbying, either officially or behind the scenes, is prevalent across the world. It is most often associated with politics in the United States and negatively so. In fact, lobbying dates back to just after the American War of Independence when William Hull, a war veteran, was hired by those who fought alongside him to lobby those in Philadelphia, then the US capital, to compensate them for their service. The rest, of course, is history. Read more »
The National
A Balanced UAE Federal Budget Benefits Us All
The news this month that the various Emirates do not contribute evenly to the federal budget should not have come as a surprise to many Emiratis. Read more »
Emiratis listened to Bill Gates – can they emulate him?
We needn’t burden young entrepreneurs with licensing fees and fancy offices, which can restrict their creativity and finances rather than develop their insights. Would the successful entrepreneurs that we celebrate have been able to set up their businesses in the UAE? Read more »
An education vision with an eye on all Emiratis
A recent study on adult education centres in Abu Dhabi has uncovered that a much larger percentage of secondary students are dropping out of high school in Abu Dhabi than originally estimated. Unless this issue is addressed, Abu Dhabi may turn into a global centre of higher learning and education targeted only at visiting students rather than its national population. Read more »
Judicial reform will make the country stronger
The national reputation of the UAE rests on the effectiveness of its judicial system and a more distinct separation between civil and criminal law should be considered. Read more »
Expectations Haven’t Advanced With UAE Women
This occasion also allowed me to recall the very first article I wrote, The pen, the book and a boss in an abaya, which tackled the rise of women in the UAE and the Gulf. Two years on, that phenomenon is becoming stronger and is widespread across the country. Read more »