Dubai officials ordered to retire

DUBAI // Nine senior officials at Dubai Municipality have been ordered to retire by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.

Those told to quit their jobs included the municipality’s legal counsel and executive di- rector of legal affairs, its deputy director general and six assistant directors. Sheikh Mohammed ordered the management changes yesterday, a day after he made a surprise, early-morning visit to government offices.

Video posted online showed him walking into a room with his portrait on a wall and stand- ing by an empty desk. Sheikh Mohammed visited the municipality, land and economic development departments and Dubai International Airport.

“He certainly wanted to send a message,” said Mona Al Marri, director general of the Dubai Media Office.

“Timeliness starts at the top and we won’t go after the employees when their bosses aren’t there.”

The media office said yesterday’s high-level changes at the municipality were part of Sheikh Mohammed’s “keenness to give way to a new generation of young leaders capable of bearing responsibility for the next phase of development”.

The municipality officials ordered to retire are: Abdelqader Al Jasmi, executive director of the Department of Legal Affairs and Legal Counsel; Essa Al Maidoor, deputy director general; Mohammed Julfar, assistant director general for corporate support; Khaled Al Falasi, assistant director general for communications and community; Abdullah Rafi, assistant director general for engineering and planning; Salah Amiri, assistant director general for environment and public health services; Salim bin Mismar, assistant director general for environment, health supervision and safety; Obaid Al Shamsi, assistant director for general support; and Khalid Al Mulla, director of facilities administration. Sheikh Mohammed expressed his appreciation for their efforts during their tenure and wished them success for the future. For more on DUBAI, visit thenational.ae/topics