Shaikh Mohammad's book provides an understanding of Dubai's past and presents stimulating ideas for future growth.
- "I like people who candidly open their hearts while talking to me and say what they want fearlessly and straightforwardly. How can leaders learn from their mistakes if people would always tell them what you are doing regarding so and so is good while they hide another judgement?"
- "I like to exchange honest points of view with people. I am open to criticism which may be our guidance towards rightness."
- "A venture is an idea. If we would not find a new idea we do not need the venture. Then it will not be according to the global standards we have adopted."
It is with such effortless and powerful words that His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, begins his book, My Vision: Challenges in the Race for Excellence. It is the same spontaneous style that is characteristic of Shaikh Mohammad when he talks to his people.
The book covers many ideas by the author: his political and economic vision, the grand projects he plans to launch, his views on Arab and international politics, his encounters with world leaders, sports and passions as well as the skills and experiences derived from his close contact with the two prominent leaders in the history of the region - his maternal uncle, the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and his father, the late Shaikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum.
Arguments in My Vision reveal the author's highly knowledgeable background and profound experience based on hands-on experience. Bespeaking self-confidence and wide experience behind his statements, he says: "People specialised in certain sciences may be more knowledgeable in their specialities than the leaders are. However, what the leaders must do is to motivate those specialised and knowledgeable people to obtain the crème of their knowledge so they can make their sound judgements and right resolutions."
We find mature arguments and views based on experience and supported by the strong tradition of consultation and an openness to advice from experts and wise men and women.
Shaikh Mohammad is known for his spontaneity when he talks. No affection or ornate utterances. His statements appeal to people not because they come from an influential leader, but because his audience always hears honest words that come from his heart. Such a discourse - straightforward and unaffected - never fails to impress the audience. More so, because the statements are loaded with profound content, original vision and an aspiring resolution to defeat any obstacle on the path to progress.
Straightforwardness, it seems, is not just a characteristic of Shaikh Mohammad, it is a commitment. Leaders, he feels, must avoid decoration of their words. "Leaders are not expected to be wordsmiths or masters of rhetoric. Grandiloquence is a waste of time. For many people, it raises questions more than providing answers, because they hear words from which they conclude nothing."
Building on this style, My Vision is an interesting sequence of easy-to-read, well-connected and stimulating ideas. Readers can draw useful guidance for their public and private lives. This is especially true for those familiar with the unprecedented changes in all aspects of life in Dubai and the UAE or those who are involved in administrative or official roles and want to stay abreast of the burgeoning changes. My Vision is a book for those who do not want to be left behind.
Heir of historic leadership
The title, Challenges in the Race for Excellence, does not come from nowhere. Readers can easily see Shaikh Mohammad's life is a daily race for excellence. The author is one of the three most prominent leaders in the history of Dubai's Hashr Bin Maktoum dynasty: Maktoum Bin Hashr, Rashid Bin Saeed and Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid.
Despite his short rule (1899-1907), Maktoum Bin Hashr put in place the foundation of what would later become modern Dubai. He established the Customs service, mail service and marketplaces and invited merchants to settle and work in Dubai. During his rule, freighters coming from India could, for the first time in 1903, call at the city's port instead of Linjah on the northern coast of the Gulf.
Following the rule of Butti Bin Suhail (1906-1912) when development in Dubai slowed down, his cousin Saeed Bin Maktoum (1912-1958) took over the reins to reignite the process started by Maktoum Bin Hashr. The pious new ruler re-established confidence in Dubai as a trade hub in the Gulf and a safe harbour for merchants from all over the world.
Under the patronage of his father, Rashid Bin Saeed started assuming administrative roles in late 1939 at the age of 27. His father sensed the brilliant political and administrative prowess of Rashid Bin Saeed, who bravely curtailed a takeover in September 1939 and reinstated legitimacy and security in the emirate.
Indeed, were it not for the global repercussions of the Second World War, Dubai would have left the entire Gulf behind in the race towards modernity since the early 1940s. The late Shaikh Rashid was a visionary who welcomed modern ideas. He wanted to make Dubai one of the world's prominent economic centres. Within a short period after the end of the Second World War, he started a grand non-structural plan in the emirate.
To commence his development efforts, Shaikh Rashid appointed in 1941 a consultant body of merchants, which was the nucleus of what would later become the Chamber of Commerce. He contacted international banks to open branches in Dubai. The British Bank of Iran and the Middle East, established in the second half of the 19th century, was the first to have a branch in Dubai in 1946. In 1949, Shaikh Rashid opened the Maktoum Hospital in Deira - the first healthcare institution on the Oman Coast.
To open the city to larger ships, he ordered dredging of the Khor, whose two banks at Deira and Bur Dubai provided shippers with fully operating wharfs to load, transport and store shipments.
Since the early 1940s, Shaikh Rashid was keen to construct an airport in Dubai. Unfortunately, the British frowned upon the idea although they had constructed an airfield at Garhoud, Deira, on the Khor bank in the early period of the Second World War for their navy fighters. Remains of the airfield existed till the early 1950s. By the early 1980s, when the health of Shaikh Rashid could no longer allow him to continue his efforts, Dubai was about to embark on a new episode of development supported not only by oil revenues, but by the strong resolution to create a modern country.
And this has been the way of Shaikh Mohammad. The relentless march of development and good governance that levels hurdles, instead of trying to jump over them, and that studies the lessons learnt from history.
Development for Survival, the third chapter of the book, provides readers with a deep understanding of the author's vision. Here, we learn that Shaikh Mohammad always starts his endeavours from a deep understanding of Dubai's past to improve its future. He enlighteningly tries to link the experiences of the past to facts of the present.
"The current development under way in Dubai has not been a choice we have selected from among other options. Nor was it an option selected by my father, grandfather and their forbearers from among other available options of the past. No, it has always been an integral component of Dubai's formulation, an indispensable part of its Rulers' thought. It is our foremost arm in our struggle for survival."
"What we have already done and what we will do in future is a continuation of the development march started by my father. The only difference is that the new global economic environment requires us to open up even more to the new economy."
I would not be repeating myself when I say now what has been said before, that the late Shaikh Maktoum Bin Rashid (who succeeded his father in 1990) took a visionary step in appointing his brother Shaikh Mohammad the Crown Prince of Dubai. Through this decision, the late Shaikh Maktoum gave utmost priority to the national interest. The step proved to be a turning point in the history of Dubai.
"Made in Dubai"
That is the name of chapter 11. By "Made in Dubai" Shaikh Mohammad does not mean goods or industrial products. He means creativity and prowess behind new ventures. And the ability to make things happen.
To explain this, Shaikh Mohammad says: "If we, 15 years ago, told a prudent man that we were going to develop tourism in Dubai, he would lie down on the ground laughing at the idea - as we are used to saying here in the Gulf. But Dubai currently receives 6,000,000 tourists annually from around the world. Now we plan to raise the number to 15,000,000 tourists in 2010 and nobody laughs. Why? Because people know that when we tell them we are doing something, we will do it, God willing. And meanwhile, they wait for us to explain how we are going to do so."
Most of the key projects were derided at the time by some. And yet, they have become the backbone of Dubai's emerging economy. Conservatives were always questioning the feasibility of new grand projects. Shaikh Mohammad does not directly accuse them of short-sightedness, but he explains that they had seen every grand venture as being overly aggressive.
The Jebel Ali Port with its 67 berths, Dubai International Airport and the Dubai World Trade Centre were just early examples of these projects. There is more to come. Emirates will have, at the end of the decade, 150 aircraft transporting 33,000,000 passengers to and from Dubai.
Dubai is building The Palm islands, the largest man-made islands in the world, and starting construction on a larger one, The World island.
Critics expected a failure of the horse racing industry, which has become an
important source of income for Dubai. They also said the Internet City was a doomed venture. But it currently hosts more than 700 local and international companies.
Shaikh Mohammad asks the readers over 20 interesting questions, such as, where is the world's largest right-steering vehicles re-export market? Which city in the Middle East has eight golf courses? You know the answers, don't you?
Mutual gains
Shaikh Mohammad proudly indicates that the gains of what have been achieved here will not be limited to Dubai and the UAE. The results will benefit the region and the Arab world in general, provided each country clearly defines its objectives and equips itself with the needed tools, systems and technologies for these objectives to materialise.
"Take the Dubai Internet City, for instance. The project helped in making IT a focal point for Arabs. The experiment of e-government, in its concept, structure and tools, can be transferred to other countries. Now, we have seven Arab e-governments. In the same way, the Dubai International Financial Centre will make a significant contribution to the improvement of the operations and services of financial institutions in the region. This will be positively reflected in investment environment, business competence and private and public wealth.
"Our experience in the management of free zones has become an established school by now. When the Iranians asked us to help them in establishing new free zones, we sent them 16 experts. We have provided Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and other countries with similar skills. And we will continue providing our neighbours and brethren with our expertise since we see their development as an integral part of ours."
Administration
Good administration is essential for good performance. Shaikh Mohammad feels that if it were not for this principle, he could not have achieved the excellence that has become synonymous with each of his works.
"The crisis blighting the Arab nation is not one of money, men and women, ethics, territories, markets or resources. All of these are available, thanks to God. It is a crisis of administration.
"Should the Arab administration be a good one, the Arab politics, economies, education systems, media, public services, culture, arts and everything else would be good. If the administrative performance and concepts lag behind, we will not be able to take any step forward. Stagnation leads to deterioration, failure and defeat. So far, I have not seen a real effort in the Arab world to break this vicious circle.
"Good administration demands good administrators. In the Arab world, we have more than enough politicians. What we really lack are creative and qualified administrators who have the potential to help us out of our enduring problems. There is no more need for rhetoric, prolonged speeches and orate statements. We urgently need qualified people for the construction of factories, ports and other economic establishments. We need administrative resources with the potential to achieve defined objectives within specific timeframes."
I don't think anyone will refute Shaikh Mohammad's argument on administration. Indeed, administration is the basis for progress. Societies which lack a sound and well-educated administration are doomed to deteriorate.
Accordingly, Shaikh Mohammad could not have made this a success story without making improvement of administration a focal point of his endeavours and providing the institutions entrusted to create these projects with good administrative teams.
Creativity and innovation
Quality, creativity, innovation and excellence were the first parameters that Shaikh Mohammad thought of when he started his grand plan. He created a good task force which he led from the front based on his experiences. And he set clear benchmarks of quality and excellence for the task force.
All the team players had their chances. The successful were rewarded while the others were held accountable for their results. And throughout the process, Shaikh Mohammad was always at the forefront.
Out of this vision, Shaikh Mohammad devised the title for chapter 12: The Institutionalisation of Excellence. By this he means excellence should become a systematic practice organically integrated with the establishment that starts or manages the project. As any other citizen concerned with the wellbeing of his nation, I find myself strongly inclined to ask: what are the safeguards that will ensure an endurance of quality and excellence in administration? In other words, how can we make them everlasting standards?
To some extent, My Vision provided an answer. The author says ensuring quality and excellence as perpetual norms can be attained by the creation of a culture of quality and excellence. They should be the norms of people's everyday lives.
In principle, it is feasible and reaching there would constitute a refined civilised accomplishment. However, to take root among ordinary people, this culture demands years of gradual and systematic efforts. And it may be related more to the educational process. What is needed was an independent and sustainable mechanism that takes the structure of an establishment collectively operated by qualified people known for their integrity. Those people should have the authorities of control and accountability and be immune from direct or indirect pressures.
It is true that the leadership's control shall continue to exist as embodied by the awareness of the leader himself as well as his resolution to keep quality and excellence free from any malfunction. Indeed, we see such leadership control in practice now. However, institutionalised and systematic control as well as delegating the authority of accountability remains a matter of importance.
While Shaikh Mohammad did not say anything about independent control, scrutinising readers can infer that the author had the conviction that control over decision-making and implementation must be tightened, otherwise consequences will not be predictable. It is vitally important to make it clear that exclusively delegating this authority to a single government body will not yield either the desired results or the needed assurance.
Democracy and reform have become the buzzwords among leaders and people in the Arab world. This applies to those societies that have previously known some democratic practices in their governments since the first quarter of the 20th century as well those that have never had them before.
It is rumoured that the some world powers led by the US are pressuring, or let's say advising, their friends in the Arab world to shift from absolute authoritarianism to the administration of institutions. This means to rule Arab societies through institutions that allow people to have a say in the legislation and decision-making process and in controlling the implementation of legislations and decisions.
To be honest, one must recognise that not a single Arab society has ever known democracy in its full or healthy meaning since independence from western powers. During this time, they had different experiences which were always coloured by variations of absolute authoritarianism, elitism and ragtag versions of constitutionalism and representative governments.
Militarism, after a preliminary period of euphoria, presented the region with the appalling examples of corruption, bureaucracy and backwardness. The bad experience made some veterans feel nostalgic about pre-militarism eras and monarchism.
No matter how much the heroes of political sloganeering and rhetoric, who feel nostalgic for 1960s and 1970s (and I do not think that there are a lot of them) have tried to glorify their ideologies, certain regions in the Arab world have continued to deflect their arguments. As is clear, I refer to the Arab states in the Gulf. Populations in the region have never accepted violent revolutions or the principle of enforcing radical changes by destroying the traditional way of life.
The region offers a better quality of life and has stayed immune from totalitarianism that wreaked havoc in other countries. Even the steps towards moderate political development in the Gulf countries have been balanced and tranquil due to the amicable relationship between the rulers and the subjects. The state of Kuwait is a prominent example. Kuwait now provides reformists in the Gulf with a model and hope.
In this regard, Shaikh Mohammad says: "There is nothing better than openness and recognising mistakes. We have had enough of the self-ordained infallible. The development models adopted in the Arab world have not been good. Maybe the development models implemented in the so-called retrogressive countries have been better by far than those in the so-called progressive ones. The latter might even wrongly determine friends and foes. Economy is the key of politics. We have friends in the West as we have friends in the East. Generalisation is always wrong."
Judging from what he says in My Vision, Shaikh Mohammad has really been among the proponents of reforms in the region. We may disagree with him over some details, but his political, social and economic views are extraordinary which will be useful if objectively discussed.
Authoritarianism means failure
Shaikh Mohammad's anti-authoritarian view is readily obvious in My Vision. On many occasions he criticises authoritarian people and the self-ordained infallibles who see themselves above the question of right and wrong. The author reinstates his conviction that dictatorship would, in the end, mean failure.
"Leaders must know that one or two successful ventures will not allow them to say: Look, I am the first among leaders and no opinion other than mine. This is a symptom of infallibility syndrome. It makes leaders think of themselves as the only rightful persons who never make mistakes. It is the beginning of the end for them and their nations."
"Look where the self-ordained infallibles have led their nations in the Arab world and the rest of the planet. The way to the abyss begins when leaders believe they are on the summit. It is the trait of all dictators. They think in the same way because they are graduates of the same school. However, it seems that the new ones among them have never read history. All dictators are doomed, but they drag their nations towards destruction. In a few years they can destroy accomplishments of themselves and their predecessors."
While Shaikh Mohammad does not reject democracy, he is not enthusiastic about it in its western form. Instead, the author presents good governance as a substitute to democracy, provided good governance is accompanied by anti-authoritarianism, anti-despotism and social justice.
The Al Maktoum Rulers adopted a policy of tolerance and acceptance of different opinions. This policy became the benchmark that distinguished Dubai and helped it replace states that were devastated because of fanaticism and intolerance. Whoever reads history rationally and unaffected by sectarian and nationalist feelings will find that societies that flourished on tolerance, far from racism, are those that eventually grew and advanced, because tolerance and acceptance of different opinions spreads love, peace, security and stability.
Competitiveness
These factors bring about development and positive competitiveness. In this regard, Shaikh Mohammad says, "if the first duty of the government is to achieve growth, then the equally important duty of the citizen and expatriate alike is to pave the way for the success of the government. This cannot be done properly unless every citizen and expatriate feels that he is a part of the growth vision and that it is in his interest to help in implementing the plan and achieving its goals."
Needless to say, tolerance does not mean irresponsibility and leaving the door unguarded, because that would have an adverse impact on the country and the people. Tolerance means keeping away from chauvinism, treating people as equal in rights and duties - regardless of their religion and race.
To see a true picture of the society in Dubai and the UAE society, and the communal status of residents, let's hear what Shaikh Mohammad says: "To do things properly, we should compare efficiency with efficiency, education with education, potential with potential and development capability with development capability; not man with woman, brown with white. That would not only constitute the appropriate managerial attitude, but also the right civilised method of dealing with things in both the public and private sectors, and one of the pre-requisites to achieve fairness and equality in modern societies."
"Others from India, Lebanon, Pakistan, the US, Syria, Egypt, France and elsewhere say similar things and agree with many others about how fast they merged with the Dubai society. I think this is normal, because in Dubai you do not feel a stranger. It is a city without limits. Nobody here is depressed, because depression is a feeling that does not help achieve potentials."
"Diversity is the element that distinguishes cultures. This vast diversity is one of the charms of Dubai, as it was for Cordoba. ... Now, nearly one millennium after the fall of Cordoba, we are creating a dynamic model of co-existence among cultures and religions, where all cooperate to create excellence in everything."
"Those who talk today about the conflict of civilisations, about hostility between Islam and the West and claim that the West cannot coexist with Islam, have not visited Dubai nor do they know the history of Cordoba or other grand Arab cities. All religions coexisted there, and we are doing the same thing, proving again and again that true living is the co-existence that is advocated by Islam and which flourished throughout our civilisations."
Growth and upgrade of education
In all the ideas and visions laid down by Shaikh Mohammad in his book, he focuses on excellence, creativity and good management that are a must for the success of development projects. Although he does not associate these factors with education in general, the reader discovers that the link exists in hints.
It is clear that since the founding of the UAE, education has not developed as fast as other sectors despite it being the main pillar for qualification of UAE citizens to be able to maintain and safeguard the achievements and be creative and good managers as desired by Shaikh Mohammad and other officials.
With Shaikh Mohammad heading the government, people hope that he puts education on top of his priorities. It has become necessary to set up committees and consultative panels that consist of university professors, as well as using the up-to-date expertise.
A collective role
Finally, I would like to stress a basic but important point: Every word in the book shows the straightforwardness of Shaikh Mohammad, in addition to his modesty. When the leader is modest, people stand by him of their own will and not because they are afraid. When people do that, it means things are happening for the better, with God's help.
- Abdul Ghafar Hussain is a UAE-based writer.
