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Government officials should be more open with the media

People are at the heart of policymaking in the UAE. A slew of measures announced and implemented over the last few months highlight how sensitive the authorities have been to the needs of the residents.
Three initiatives, in particular, are praiseworthy: provision for visas for widows and divorced women; visas for children above 18 years; and changes in visa rules for visitors.
Widows, divorced women and their children can now extend the residence visa for one more year without the need of a sponsor, if they hold a legal residence visa upon the death or separation from the spouse. The move addresses the concern of many women. It would prevent them from hardships in case of death of their husbands or in cases of divorce, for instance. Everyone should be able to live a life of dignity and grace and measures like this surely allow that. Women, particularly, will be able to settle their family's residence status legally, and less hassle or stress will add to their happiness and peace of mind.
The second visa change involves the possibility to renew the residence visa of children sponsored by their parents after they finish high school or university, or when they turn 18. The young, especially sons over 18, will gain substantially from this move as they would be able to stay with their families and explore opportunities of work here.
The economic effect of the move cannot be denied, but it is the social impact that will largely increase the happiness quotient of the society. When children get to stay with their parents, it strengthens family bonds and fortifies communities.
Lastly, the new rules for extension of visas for visitors is meant to make travel easier and more enjoyable for the tourists. Visitors can now apply for a new visa after the expiry of the first entry or tourist visa without leaving the country. This will allow people to stay here for longer, if they wish to explore the emirates. The new rules will also benefit people who have come to this land looking for opportunities of work and investment. Longer stay by people will undeniably give a boost to the economy and give investors more time to scrutinize projects and opportunities afforded by the country.
Expatriate families, no doubt, have welcomed these decisions and look forward to make good use of it.
This, however, is just the beginning of change. Authorities in the UAE do not rest on their laurels and continue to improvise on the regulations for the good of all. More changes will come that will improve the quality of life further in the UAE. The cabinet, in fact, has approved some more changes and they will be implemented soon.
We live in a comfortable and tolerant environment, and that is because of the law and order in the emirates. However, compassion often takes precedence over blind obedience to law. The ongoing Amnesty programme is a testimony to that. Amnesty exempts those who have overstayed their residence or entry visa terms from any penalty and allowed to leave the country with dignity.
Media plays a key role in the success of such schemes. However, sometimes we journalists find it hard to get timely information and answers for our readers. Officials in the departments of immigration and residency sometimes evade questions or are not forthright in sharing information.
I think doors of government departments, especially the immigration and residency, should be wide open to the media so that journalists can get timely information from the officials and help the government spread information. There can be no room for ambiguity, fake news or misinformation if government officials become more comfortable with fielding questions posed by the journalists.
The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship did a great job by holding a press conference on the issue. However, it seems that the executive bodies were unaware of the conference and so was the Arabic media. Perhaps next time, sharing information with all will make such events more successful and ensure that people, for whom these changes are being made, get to hear the news from credible sources like us.
malzarooni@khaleejtimes.com