Inside the FNC: disruptions an issue that won’t go away

ABU DHABI // Members say disruptions to FNC sessions have been a problem since this council convened.

Members become fired up about certain topics and spend months preparing. Then a final report sits in a drawer for months, sometimes years, until a session is set with a federal minister for public debate.

By then, any momentum is lost.

For years, the council has blamed the Ministry of FNC Affairs for this. The FNC is considered to be independent of the ministry.

The ministry’s official website says its main role is to coordinate between the Government and the FNC, take part in drafting legislation related to the role of the council, and supervise media affairs linked to parliamentary practice. Presumably, this means that it is up to the ministry to determine which minister sits with the FNC, and when debates and report discussions take place.

But last week Dr Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for FNC Affairs, said it was up to the council to determine which report it wanted to study next, and when.

Some members found this response confusing, believing the ministry has always been responsible. They say this is not how the agenda is set.

Hamad Al Rahoomi (Dubai) has complained about this several times in the presence of Dr Gargash, saying that if ministers can plan for press conferences and other events, they can easily plan for council appearances.

Mr Al Rahoomi says pointing out problems in ministries is the council’s job, and ministers should not take offence.

“This is why we are getting our salaries,” he says.

This constant bickering puts the FNC in a bad light, and disputes with ministers keep these ministers from performing their tasks.

While it might be too late to solve the problem for the current council, a new system is essential to ensure uninterrupted work for the next.

osalem@thenational.ae