SHARJAH, 23rd August, 2023 (WAM) — Ali Mehd Al Suwaidi, Chairman of the Sharjah Consultative Council (SCC) has hailed the organisation of elections to the advisory body as a farsighted step by H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, to ensure transparency and communication between the Council and the community.
Al Suwaidi stressed that the experience of allocating half of the SCC seats for direct elections and the other half for nomination has given citizens a voice in choosing who represents them, ensuring a diversity of opinions, enhanced accountability and greater opportunities for citizens to participate in shaping their own future and the future of their emirate.
The Sharjah Council is preparing for a new phase of its electoral experience as the curtain has come down on the achievements it made during the very successful first and second terms. Since its inception in 199, the Council has been remarkably successful and emerged as a vital process of serving the people.
Sharjah wrote a new chapter in its history when direct polls were held for the first time in 2015 for half of the SCC seats giving citizens the right to choose and be part of the decision-making and development process of the emirate.
According to the vision of H.H. the Ruler of Sharjah, the human being and the citizens remain at the heart of the objectives and focus of the Consultative Council, said Al Suwaidi. The Council’s most prominent achievements have been evolving development policies that serve the people of Sharjah and the effective contribution to the development of national strategies, he stressed.
The SCC has enacted modern laws in order to promote the development and wellbeing of the emirate, providing vital support and suggestions to the government to meet various challenges, he added.
The SCC Chairman expressed his pride in the successes achieved by the Council since its inception until its tenth legislative term, especially after two rounds of elections.
He urged the citizens to continue taking part in the electoral process and exercise their democratic right to choose their representatives.
He advised the voters to adopt a constructive approach in electing their representatives, calling for choosing members who represent and protect the interests of society and have the capabilities and vision to achieve its aspirations and development.
He called for the effective participation of citizens in the electoral process leading to deliberations on vital issues and the development of the emirate.
Al Suwaidi pointed out that the electoral experience reaffirms the importance of the citizens’ participation in shaping the future of the Emirate. The electoral exercise in Sharjah has contributed to enhancing the confidence of citizens and consolidating consultation (the celebrated Islamic principle of Shura). It has bolstered the status of the Consultative Council as an important authority establishing it as a robust bridge and channel between the Ruler and the citizenry.
The Sharjah Council works to offer recommendations and suggestions to H.H. Ruler of Sharjah and to the concerned authorities by studying and discussing various societal issues and challenges. It also reviews the policies of various Sharjah government institutions and entities offering constructive solutions to improve their performance and contribute to the development of the Emirate in all areas.
Al Suwaidi said: “The Council's tasks can be summarised as being a permanent aid to every citizen, seeking the advancement and prosperity of the country, and being the advisory council as H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, wanted it to serve as the voice and tongue of the people.”
He emphasised that the SCC works under the guidance and supervision of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah in close communication and harmony with the community and the citizen. The Council functions essentially as an advisor to the Ruler.
The Council has come up with recommendations and ordering studies that touch on vital issues of citizens and residents in the emirate. The Council works in direct connection with the Sharjah Executive Council and all government departments and agencies, and its strategic plan is linked with the government plan.
As Sharjah’s Parliament and legislative and advisory body, it contributes to the development of policies, laws and development plans for the emirate.
The Council supports the renaissance movement in the emirate and offers its recommendations to the departments in a way that is in the public interest and supports the development process.
The Council is committed to serving the community and protecting the public interest and functions as the partner of all government and semi-government institutions. It also works to protect the interests of private entities and individuals and families.
The Council represents the views and interests of all its citizens across the length and breadth of the Emirate, which is divided into various cities and regions, namely: Sharjah City, Al Hamriyah, Al Dhaid, Al Batayeh, Al Madam, Mleiha, Kalba, Khorfakkan, and Dibba Al Hisn.
The SCC deals with issues of economy, sustainable development, education, culture, health, housing, infrastructure and other vital sectors in the Emirate of Sharjah, and seeks to enhance cooperation between the emirate's stakeholders and provide support to achieve its goals.
Al Suwaidi stressed the Council's role in formulating policies that enhance the quality of life of citizens and residents, achieve sustainable development, enhance stability and upgrade government services. It also reviews complaints and representations and works to resolve them.
The Council members are divided into seven main committees that assume vital roles to serve the Sharjah community.
Since its inception in 1999, the Council boasts a nearly quarter century of public service (1999 – June 2023) and commitment to the people of Sharjah. Spread over 10 legislative chapters and 370 plenary sessions, a total of 125 bills were passed.
The Council debated 178 topics of general public interest and took up 51 parliamentary questions for heads of government entities. The Council came up with as many as 1,883 recommendations and 361 proposals to protect and promote the public interests and promote development agenda of the emirate.
The Council’s 24-year journey can be summarised in four developmental stages:
1. Establishment phase (1999-2005): This phase witnessed the establishment of the crucial Sharjah Executive Council and the Sharjah Consultative Council.
2. A new starting phase (2005-2015): The establishment of the nine municipal councils and municipalities in the Emirate of Sharjah. This had been a shift in the expansion of government work, the establishment of government department buildings, the issuance of legislation, and the development of the legislative structure.
3. The transformation of parliamentary work (2015): This phase allowed the election of half of the members of the parliament, giving the parliamentary experience its strength and stability by involving citizens in voting and candidacy.
4. Consolidation of the parliamentary experience (2019): This phase witnessed legislation, as in the law of expropriation in the public interest, discussing the fundamental issues affecting the citizen and conducting the necessary studies.