Abdullah al Shehi was one of 83 people from Ras al Khaimah who ran for the FNC's elections four years ago, but he is not counting on being chosen as a candidate again.
"I don't think they'll put me on the list," he said. "I've caused them a headache, even though at the end of the day all I've been looking for is serving the nation's interest."
Mr al Shehi has been particularly concerned during his term with the lack of decent roads and facilities in the Northern Emirates.
"As citizens, we're helpless in the Northern Emirates," he said. "There are no proper streets or housing. If you look at some of the remote areas, you'll be surprised to see under what conditions citizens live."
He said the healthcare system was a major challenge there. The Ministry of Health, which runs most of the hospitals and health facilities, does not have enough money to provide quality healthcare facilities.
"The Health Ministry budget is spent on staff salaries," Mr al Shehi said. "Not a single hospital has been built in the Northern Emirates since 1980 by the ministry.
"All of them were funded by grants from Abu Dhabi and the ministry's budget also comes from Abu Dhabi."
He is keen for the Northern Emirates to start contributing to the federal coffers.
FNC members have complained that Abu Dhabi provides the bulk the federal budget, with some also coming from Dubai. The other emirates contribute nothing.
Unlike many of his fellow members, Mr al Shehi sees no need to give the council more powers.
"There is a structural anomaly here," he sad. "How can I give members, who might annoy me and cause me a headache, more powers while their [emirates] barely contribute anything to the state?"
Eighteen of the council's 40 members come from the Northern Emirates. Although they are elected and appointed locally, they represent the entire country.
Mr al Shehi's main concern is to maintain a strong federation. To do that, he argues, not only should every emirate contribute to the federal budget, but the federal institutions should also be strengthened.
In recent years, Abu Dhabi and Dubai have moved to establish local departments for health care and education.
"Is our union a federation or a confederation?" he asked. "The Emirates should take a decision to abolish the local departments so we can have a complete federation, unshaken or dismantled.
The aim, he said, should be "to reach a degree of coherence in the Emirates so that the local [authorities] do not overrun the federal".
mhabboush@thenational.ae
Born
? December 31, 1967
Education
? Bachelor's degree in business administration from the UAE University
Family
? Six daughters and two sons, aged 1-15
Career
? 1990-1992: Deputy director of administrative affairs at the Ministry of Health
? 1997-1998: Health attache at the UAE Embassy in London
? 1999-2004: Board member of Environment and Industrial Development Authority in Ras al Khaimah
? 2007: Elected member of the FNC for Ras al Khaimah. Chairman of the health, labour and social affairs committee, member of the legislative and legal affairs, foreign affairs, planning, petroleum, mineral wealth, agriculture and fisheries committees. Temporary committees include one tasked with drafting a report on pollution and another on the labour system.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The specs
Engine: 0.8-litre four cylinder
Power: 70bhp
Torque: 66Nm
Transmission: four-speed manual
Price: $1,075 new in 1967, now valued at $40,000
On sale: Models from 1966 to 1970
Scoreline
Al Wasl 1 (Caio Canedo 90 1')
Al Ain 2 (Ismail Ahmed 3', Marcus Berg 50')
Red cards: Ismail Ahmed (Al Ain) 77'
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Best Academy: Ajax and Benfica
Best Agent: Jorge Mendes
Best Club : Liverpool
Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker
Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP
Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart
Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)
Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)
Best Women's Player: Lucy Bronze
Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi
Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Kooora – Best Arab Player: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia)
Player Career Award: Miralem Pjanic and Ryan Giggs
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
Copa del Rey
Semi-final, first leg
Barcelona 1 (Malcom 57')
Real Madrid (Vazquez 6')
Second leg, February 27
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
ALL THE RESULTS
Bantamweight
Siyovush Gulmomdov (TJK) bt Rey Nacionales (PHI) by decision.
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) bt Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR) by submission.
Catch 74kg
Omar Hussein (JOR) bt Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) by decision.
Strawweight (Female)
Seo Ye-dam (KOR) bt Weronika Zygmunt (POL) by decision.
Featherweight
Kaan Ofli (TUR) bt Walid Laidi (ALG) by TKO.
Lightweight
Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW) bt Leandro Martins (BRA) by TKO.
Welterweight
Ahmad Labban (LEB) bt Sofiane Benchohra (ALG) by TKO.
Bantamweight
Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR) no contest.
Lightweight
Mohammed Yahya (UAE) bt Glen Ranillo (PHI) by TKO round 1.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) bt Aidan Aguilera (AUS) by TKO round 1.
Welterweight
Mounir Lazzez (TUN) bt Sasha Palatkinov (HKG) by TKO round 1.
Featherweight title bout
Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) by KO round 1.
