Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. ARCHIVE

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has publicly reprimanded three managers for restricting public access to their government offices. The revelation on Wednesday (December 4) follows an evaluation by Dubai’s “mystery shopper” initiative, which highlighted the managers’ lapses in upholding the emirate’s open-door policy. “These managers created large offices for themselves and prevented people from reaching or accessing them under the pretext that the government is smart and transactions are digital,” Sheikh Mohammed said. The Dubai Ruler emphasized that efficient public service is a hallmark of the emirate's governance. “The key to our success lies in serving people, simplifying their lives, and maintaining constant communication with them. These are our governmental principles—they have not changed.” “Those who think we have changed, we will change them," the Dubai Ruler warned. “Over the course of 30 years of government development, we have established a culture of open doors for the people. culture of having no doors at all before the people," Sheikh Mohammed said. "Dubai's global reputation today is a natural outcome of its swift services and an open work environment that prioritises people," he added. While calling out the errant managers, Sheikh Mohammed praised Mohammed Al Marri, director-general of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), as a role model. Al Marri’s commitment to open, people-centric service earned high praise. “I learned that leadership is not a privilege, but a deep commitment to serving the nation and society,” Al Marri said. This latest move reinforces Dubai’s high standards for governance, following a history of accountability. Sheikh Mohammed has consistently advocated for swift and transparent government services, exemplified by initiatives such as the UAE Mystery Shopper app, which allows residents to rate public service experiences. In 2016, he made a surprise visit to local government offices to find out if officials and employees were promptly reporting to work. In 2019, he called out an Emirates Post office over poor customer service and long queues of customers in its premises and warned staff that they would be fired if they did not improve their services. ICA/Expat Media
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