Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, has praised the dedication of a worker at the Enoc vehicle inspection and registration centre in Al Qusais.
Sheikh Mohammed had received a mystery shopper's report about 46-year-old Youssef Al Blooshi that commended his hard work and initiative, prompting the Dubai Ruler to applaud his efforts on social media.
“In a recent report I received from the mystery shopper, from the customer service centre for vehicle inspection and registration in Al Qusais, we followed Youssef Mohammed Abdullah, a hardworking, cheerful young man who takes the initiative to serve people and is keen to complete their transactions,” Sheikh Mohammed wrote in a post on X which has been viewed by over half a million people.
“Customers gather around him and thank him for his service. Greetings to Youssef. We follow you, and other young men and women who are dedicated to serving the people, and who care about Dubai's reputation.”
Recognition from 'the most important person in the world'
For Mr Al Blooshi, Thursday was just another day. He arrived on time, took a deep breath and smiled, bracing himself for the influx of customers.
The father of two has been working at the centre for just over a month, having transferred from the Sharjah branch. His shift is from 8pm to midnight during Ramadan.
The Qusais centre is one of the busiest in Dubai, with customer tokens running out at around 9.30pm – only 90 minutes after opening. During Ramadan, the centre operates from 8am to 4pm and from 8pm to midnight, with around seven representatives assisting more than 400 people each day. Most customers come during the evening shift.
“You can imagine the pressure and the frustrations,” Mr Al Blooshi told The National. But he said he thrives under such conditions. “I’m a father and have been through the most difficult things in life. I’ve seen the worst times, so I’ve learnt that nothing is worth losing your temper over. When I get a disgruntled customer, I smile and do my best to help them. There is no greater reward than helping people.”
Reflecting on the moment he realised Sheikh Mohammed had singled him out for his efforts, he said: “A customer came up to me holding his phone and said, ‘Youssef, this you?’ It took me a few minutes to believe it. Never in a million years did I imagine getting recognised for anything – and by the most important person in the world.”
Mr Al Blooshi's advice to others who find work tough is: “Be honest and diligent in your work, and recognition will follow.” He added: “I’m living proof of that. I walk 10,000 steps a day, back and forth between customers at the centre, and I love every step and every minute of it. I didn’t do it because I thought someone was watching, but because I wanted to help people and resolve their issues – and look how that turned out.”
High standards
Sheikh Mohammed often sends secret shoppers to government offices to test services. In 2019, he criticised poor standards at an Emirates Post office after he was sent a picture of long queues.
“I have received a photo from a secret shopper showing the level of services in Emirates Post,” he wrote on Twitter at the time. “This is not our level. These are not our services. And whoever continues to provide such level of services will not be among my team.”
In 2020, an app that allows Emiratis and residents to rate a government service was launched by the UAE Cabinet. The UAE Mystery Shopper app is available in eight languages and asks users to input information on their experiences with a service at a government office.
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Dhadak
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana
Stars: 3
The Two Popes
Director: Fernando Meirelles
Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Pryce
Four out of five stars
The five pillars of Islam
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Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.
Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.
The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
The 12 Syrian entities delisted by UK
Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence
General Intelligence Directorate
Air Force Intelligence Agency
Political Security Directorate
Syrian National Security Bureau
Military Intelligence Directorate
Army Supply Bureau
General Organisation of Radio and TV
Al Watan newspaper
Cham Press TV
Sama TV
The Dictionary of Animal Languages
Heidi Sopinka
Scribe
Opening day UAE Premiership fixtures, Friday, September 22:
- Dubai Sports City Eagles v Dubai Exiles
- Dubai Hurricanes v Abu Dhabi Saracens
- Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
RESULTS
6.30pm Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner Canvassed, Par Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
7.05pm Meydan Cup – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (Turf) 2,810m
Winner Dubai Future, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas – Group 3 (TB) $125,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Mouheeb, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard
8.15pm Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
9.50pm Meydan Classic – Conditions (TB) $$50,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Topper Bill, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
9.25pm Dubai Sprint – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner Man Of Promise, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
Medicus AI
Started: 2016
Founder(s): Dr Baher Al Hakim, Dr Nadine Nehme and Makram Saleh
Based: Vienna, Austria; started in Dubai
Sector: Health Tech
Staff: 119
Funding: €7.7 million (Dh31m)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
