The member flayed the chairman for allowing only seven members out of the 40 to speak freely during the session and frequently ignoring the others.
In reply to the allegations, Al Ghurair just said: “Thanks for your bravery…,” without giving a clear answer.
Later, Dr. Al Muadhin told Khaleej Times: “I’m insisting on my accusations against the Speaker for holding us back.” Citing an example, he said the FNC Speaker got in the way of the committee that was assigned the task of following up on the Islamic Affairs and Awqaf (Endowments) and public utilities last week. He said the committee was to go on a two-day visit to the Eastern Region, but the FNC Speaker did not allocate funds for visit, and the committee’s head, Ali Jasim, had to bear the expenses.
When asked why he had refused funds for the visit, the Speaker told the committee that the FNC was not committed to paying for field visits made by the members.
He said that Al Ghurair made it clear that the FNC pays only for the accommodation of its members when they attend the sessions in Abu Dhabi.
Earlier, on Wednesday, FNC members protested against the issuance of the Federal Law on Human Resources, which they dubbed “unconstitutional”.
The law on human resources was announced on December 20.
The members demanded an explanation from the government on why the law was passed so quickly and without being put through the legislative channels, including the FNC, as per the Constitution.
“Article 113 of the Constitution stipulates that federal laws are to be issued by decrees, only when necessary – when the highest interest of the country deemed so,” FNC Member Abdul Rahim Al Shaheen pointed out.
“What was the rush for issuing the law, since it will be enforced in four to six months?” he asked.In comments to the members’ protest, Minister of State for the FNC Affairs Dr. Anwar Gargash, said, “The federal government is committed to the Constitution.”
