ABU DHABI // Iman Sayed always answers her work phone the same way: "Thank you for calling the Abu Dhabi Government Contact Centre. How may I assist you?"
Many of the questions she hears may seem a little mundane, but they come in by the dozens every day: How do I pay a parking ticket? Where is Al Ain Municipality located? Where can I catch a bus?
A few come straight out of left field. Do I need travel documents for my pet falcon? When is the best time to visit the emirate's beaches.
Mrs Sayed and the other 60 customer service representatives at the call centre do something so novel with these questions that government officials believe it will help usher in a new era of transparent, responsive governance: they actually answer them.
Before the call centre was established, it was not uncommon for people calling government offices about public services to get the run around from civil servants who weren't trained to answer their questions. They could be put on hold for apparently interminable periods or have their calls transferred from one department to another.
Now millions of dirhams have been poured into a centre where calls in Arabic, English and Urdu are answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The walls are adorned with motivational words: Co-operation, Creative, Positive.
"Customer service on any question, like on the Environment Agency or anything else, we can answer or at least guide the caller in the right direction," says Mrs Sayed, who was born in Egypt and speaks Arabic and English.
The staff say they can answer just about any question, from the location of government agencies to how to obtain travel documents for that pet falcon.
"The centre is here to prove to the public, and anybody in the UAE, that the Government supports them and is willing to serve the customer," says Rashed al Mansoori, the chairman of Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Committee (Adsic), which manages the call centre.
Simply referring to callers as "customers" is a sign of a new way of thinking, Mr al Mansoori says.
If Abu Dhabi is the product being marketed, he says, then the contact centre is one of the tools with which the emirate and its government departments are refined and packaged to the customers' liking.
"My organisation is like the private sector, not the government," Mr al Mansoori says.
"In this day and age you have to have your government work efficiently to bring quality service to the customer. Now many governments are retooling themselves to deliver quality services like companies are in the private sector.
"The system is easy to use and it works. Today you can call us about any of the 23 government entities and you can have full descriptions of them - what they are doing, what types of services they offer - and you can register complaints or suggestions about them."
Mr al Mansoori says the contact centre has performed well because, apart from providing information, it can also spot problems with provision of public services and keep an eye on public sentiment.
Every suggestion, complaint and inquiry is logged on a database, processed by statisticians, then displayed on flow charts and graphs to show trends.
Mr al Mansoori says the information is used to tackle anything from infrequent trash collection in the Western Region, to leaky sewers in the Manasir area, to attitudes towards government services.
"Many people call and say that when they go to the municipality they don't have the step-by-step instructions available there," he says.
Changes in thinking, similar to that shown by the call centre, are going to be more important for all government departments as the UAE increases its efforts to attract retirees and long-term residents from Europe, North America and Asia.
So important is the contact centre's ability to survive that an emergency centre in a secret location is permanently staffed and ready to field calls should there be a network collapse or national disaster.
Khalid al Yahya, an assistant professor of political economy at the Dubai School of Government, says globalisation has led to greater expectations for government services.
"The window has been opened and once you open a window for change, accountability and transparency, it's very hard to reverse it," Prof al Yahya says. "Basically, you need to create new ways to respond to this.
"In the past, people had low expectations ... [Now] people are very aware, very informed."
Even the most autocratic countries in the Middle East - Saudi Arabia and Syria, for example - have introduced virtual forums where officials monitor feedback on policy from residents and businessmen. Mr al Mansoori admits engineering such changes in Abu Dhabi has not been easy. "Any government organisation anywhere feels sensitive about sharing its information," he says.
The solution has been a shift in the Abu Dhabi Government's organisational structure, with dozens of its agencies and departments recently being placed under Adsic's authority. Now, not only does Adsic outrank "every single department", says Mr al Mansoori, it has influence over the budgets of the agencies with which it co-ordinates.
Service Level Officers act as middle men, receiving requests from Adsic to give to their bosses and providing information to contact centre employees to pass on to callers. Municipality SLOs can check up on the status of an application for a building permit, for instance, while their police counterparts can relay complaints about crime
in a particular neighbourhood to police officials. (SLOs and contact centre employees are supposed to answers caller inquiries within two working days.) "We need to build trust with [the other institutions], to show that we are here to help them, not pointing out their mistakes," Mr al Mansoori says.
"Our goal is not just finding problems; it's to enhance service."
It remains unclear whether the centre can address other governance issues such as access to legal recourse and accountability.
After several calls to the centre by The National, telephone operators seemed unfamiliar with the Abu Dhabi court system and the legal process in general. They also were unable to explain the process of paying parking fines.
In case of major government errors - such as the recent problems with the Emirates Identity Authority's deadline for identity cards - it is also not clear if eGovernment initiatives such as the call centre can press officials to feel accountable for decisions.
According to a 2002 report by Nasser Saidi, chief economist of the Dubai International Financial Centre, and Hala Yared, eGovernment "can be a meaningful and efficient instrument for tackling ... institutional reform and trimming national budgets".
Yet, the report also concludes, eGovernment "is neither a panacea nor an end in itself, but a potent implement, a powerful tool useful for addressing complex policy issues".
Mr al Mansoori hopes the contact centre and Adsic's initiatives will one day make Abu Dhabi the standard bearer of quality governance. "We're trying to be one of the best five governments in the world," he says. "When people think of standards of comparison, we want them to automatically say, 'We want to be as good as the Abu Dhabi standard'."
The contact centre hotline is 800-555.
hnaylor@thenational.ae
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 3
Danilo (16'), Bernardo Silva (34'), Fernandinho (72')
Brighton & Hove Albion 1
Ulloa (20')
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
LIST OF INVITEES
Shergo Kurdi (am)
Rayhan Thomas
Saud Al Sharee (am)
Min Woo Lee
Todd Clements
Matthew Jordan
AbdulRahman Al Mansour (am)
Matteo Manassero
Alfie Plant
Othman Al Mulla
Shaun Norris
The biog
Fast facts on Neil Armstrong’s personal life:
- Armstrong was born on August 5, 1930, in Wapakoneta, Ohio
- He earned his private pilot’s license when he was 16 – he could fly before he could drive
- There was tragedy in his married life: Neil and Janet Armstrong’s daughter Karen died at the age of two in 1962 after suffering a brain tumour. She was the couple’s only daughter. Their two sons, Rick and Mark, consulted on the film
- After Armstrong departed Nasa, he bought a farm in the town of Lebanon, Ohio, in 1971 – its airstrip allowed him to tap back into his love of flying
- In 1994, Janet divorced Neil after 38 years of marriage. Two years earlier, Neil met Carol Knight, who became his second wife in 1994
Scoreline:
Cardiff City 0
Liverpool 2
Wijnaldum 57', Milner 81' (pen)
More from UAE Human Development Report:
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
1st Test July 26-30 in Galle
2nd Test August 3-7 in Colombo
3rd Test August 12-16 in Pallekele
MATCH INFO
Manchester United v Manchester City, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match is on BeIN Sports
MATCH INFO
Norwich City 1 (Cantwell 75') Manchester United 2 (Aghalo 51' 118') After extra time.
Man of the match Harry Maguire (Manchester United)
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Biography
Her family: She has four sons, aged 29, 27, 25 and 24 and is a grandmother-of-nine
Favourite book: Flashes of Thought by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid
Favourite drink: Water
Her hobbies: Reading and volunteer work
Favourite music: Classical music
Her motto: I don't wait, I initiate
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Suggested picnic spots
Abu Dhabi
Umm Al Emarat Park
Yas Gateway Park
Delma Park
Al Bateen beach
Saadiyaat beach
The Corniche
Zayed Sports City
Dubai
Kite Beach
Zabeel Park
Al Nahda Pond Park
Mushrif Park
Safa Park
Al Mamzar Beach Park
Al Qudrah Lakes
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last-16 second leg
Paris Saint-Germain (1) v Borussia Dortmund (2)
Kick-off: Midnight, Thursday, March 12
Stadium: Parc des Princes
Live: On beIN Sports HD
Rock in a Hard Place: Music and Mayhem in the Middle East
Orlando Crowcroft
Zed Books
The Saga Continues
Wu-Tang Clan
(36 Chambers / Entertainment One)
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
Company%20Profile
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UAE squad
Men's draw: Victor Scvortov and Khalifa Al Hosani, (both 73 kilograms), Sergiu Toma and Mihail Marchitan (90kg), Ivan Remarenco (100kg), Ahmed Al Naqbi (60kg), Musabah Al Shamsi and Ahmed Al Hosani (66kg)
Women’s draw: Maitha Al Neyadi (57kg)
When is VAR used?
• Goals
• Penalty decisions
• Direct red-card incidents
• Mistaken identity
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
THE SPECS
Cadillac XT6 2020 Premium Luxury
Engine: 3.6L V-6
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 310hp
Torque: 367Nm
Price: Dh280,000
Venom
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed
Rating: 1.5/5
Day 4, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Not much was expected – on Sunday or ever – of Hasan Ali as a batsman. And yet he lit up the late overs of the Pakistan innings with a happy cameo of 29 from 25 balls. The highlight was when he launched a six right on top of the netting above the Pakistan players’ viewing area. He was out next ball.
Stat of the day – 1,358 There were 1,358 days between Haris Sohail’s previous first-class match and his Test debut for Pakistan. The lack of practice in the multi-day format did not show, though, as the left-hander made an assured half-century to guide his side through a potentially damaging collapse.
The verdict As is the fashion of Test matches in this country, the draw feels like a dead-cert, before a clatter of wickets on the fourth afternoon puts either side on red alert. With Yasir Shah finding prodigious turn now, Pakistan will be confident of bowling Sri Lanka out. Whether they have enough time to do so and chase the runs required remains to be seen.
TCL INFO
Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
When December 14-17
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Adele: The Stories Behind The Songs
Caroline Sullivan
Carlton Books
The biog
Favourite book: You Are the Placebo – Making your mind matter, by Dr Joe Dispenza
Hobby: Running and watching Welsh rugby
Travel destination: Cyprus in the summer
Life goals: To be an aspirational and passionate University educator, enjoy life, be healthy and be the best dad possible.
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Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
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
Batti Gul Meter Chalu
Producers: KRTI Productions, T-Series
Director: Sree Narayan Singh
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyenndu Sharma, Yami Gautam
Rating: 2/5
ZIMBABWE V UAE, ODI SERIES
All matches at the Harare Sports Club:
1st ODI, Wednesday - Zimbabwe won by 7 wickets
2nd ODI, Friday, April 12
3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14
4th ODI, Tuesday, April 16
UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
The specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 849Nm
Range: 456km
Price: from Dh437,900
On sale: now
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 0
Liverpool 2 (Mane 50', 54')
Red card: Andreas Christensen (Chelsea)
Man of the match: Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
Voy!%20Voy!%20Voy!
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
The biog
Born: near Sialkot, Pakistan, 1981
Profession: Driver
Family: wife, son (11), daughter (8)
Favourite drink: chai karak
Favourite place in Dubai: The neighbourhood of Khawaneej. “When I see the old houses over there, near the date palms, I can be reminded of my old times. If I don’t go down I cannot recall my old times.”
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
Hunger and Fury: The Crisis of Democracy in the Balkans
Jasmin Mujanović, Hurst Publishers
The biog
Favourite Emirati dish: Fish machboos
Favourite spice: Cumin
Family: mother, three sisters, three brothers and a two-year-old daughter
UAE - India ties
The UAE is India’s third-largest trade partner after the US and China
Annual bilateral trade between India and the UAE has crossed US$ 60 billion
The UAE is the fourth-largest exporter of crude oil for India
Indians comprise the largest community with 3.3 million residents in the UAE
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi first visited the UAE in August 2015
His visit on August 23-24 will be the third in four years
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, visited India in February 2016
Sheikh Mohamed was the chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations in January 2017
Modi will visit Bahrain on August 24-25
Company%20profile
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Essentials
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes.
Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes.
In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes.
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.
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