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Real estate law will be applied without favour

AJMAN — The real estate law issued by the Ruler of Ajman to resolve disputes between tenants and landlords would be applied even if the landlord is a son of the Ruler, Shaikh Rashid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Planning Department of Ajman Municipality, told Khaleej Times yesterday.

He was replying to a question on how influential, well-connected, people tend to interfere in the fair working of the dispute committee — often leading to a verdict in favour of landlords.

The dispute committee consist of two groups, each comprising five members who meet separately to review all such dispute cases and then jointly reach a decision and deliver a verdict.

Landlords, at present, are not allowed to raise their rents beyond 20 per cent annually. This will be amended to permit a rent hike every three years.

Responding to a question regarding the status of labour camps and bachelors residing in residential areas, Shaikh Rashid said that the municipality in co-ordination with Ajman Police will organise an inspection campaign in the residential areas to force labourers and bachelors to move to designated labour camps in industrial areas.

The municipality allows 30 per cent of a factory's land to be used for building a labour camp. The camp must be well equipped and have a fire protection system as well, he said.

Commenting on the secret customer concept introduced at the municipality, Shaikh Rashid said that the municipality would not tolerate corruption in any of its departments, particularly in the public health section. He said that a new procedure was introduced in the health section services to minimise the possibility of corruption among its employees. The PDA system was introduced to help better coordinate the work of the inspectors and the municipality and to update its sections with the latest inormation on various types of violations.

"Our officials have now been instructed to inspect 45 cafes located in various areas in Ajman, and to ensure that they are abiding by the stipulated health and environment regulations," he noted.

Shaikh Rashid revealed that following the reorganisation of Ajman Municipality, 50 nationals were appointed in various sections of the civic body. He said the municipality's new strategy is to attract qualified nationals to serve in its various departments. It is currently providing these 50 employees with extensive training to qualify them to provide better services. The new employees will be promoted as heads of the sections in the future if they prove their efficiency, he added.

Currently the municipality is working to prepare 15 nationals to work as health inspectors and will finance scholarships for a number of distinguished high school students to be appointed in the municipality after their graduation.

Speaking about amendments in the municipality's structure Shaikh Rashid said that the trade licence has become a separate department and it will also organise all the advertising and commercial publication activity in the emirate. A new Future Planning Department has also been established and will be responsible for preparing studies and draft plans for discussion in the Amiri court meetings prior to their approval and execution.

He noted that the Health Section of the municipality was shifted from the municipality's premises to the new location of the Central Laboratory in Al Jarf district yesterday. He revealed that the new head of the health section will be soon appointed to replace Muhair Al Jarrah, who has been transferred to another section.

Talking about the sewerage project, Shaikh Rashid said that the work has already started and the project is scheduled to be completed next year. The recycling system project has also begun and the company which is executing it is also responsible of the manufacturing of fertiliser in Ajman.

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