Saturday, 30 August 2008 |
updated 1 minute ago
19:08 UAE time

YOUR DIRECTORY /

UAE announces holiday for 31 July

by James Exelby on Thursday, 24 July 2008

UAE public sector workers will enjoy a one-day holiday on Thursday, July 31 to mark the Islamic festival of Al-isra aa Al-meraj (Ascension of the Prophet), it was announced on Wednesday.

UAE Minister of Health, Humaid Mohammad Obaid Al-Qatami said all public sector employees would be given the day off work, the official news agency WAM reported.

The holiday commemorates the ascent of the Prophet Muhammad to heaven on the 27th day of the Islamic month of Rajab.

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USER COMMENTS (8 COMMENTS)
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To Jaffrey
Posted by Paul, Dubai on 28 July 2008 at 09:24 UAE time

Jaffrey - I never said it made sense. I just said it's the usual policy here - Emiratis first.

Nope!
Posted by Jaffrey, Dubai, UAE on 27 July 2008 at 16:49 UAE time

I beg to differ, Mr. Paul. The holiday is bestowed upon the public sector due to the Ascension of the Prophet (PBUH). This is a holy & religious occasion, not some festival that only locals commemorate. So, it should be applicable to everyone & there are more muslims in the private sector than in the public. So keeping a holiday for the public sector definitely is poor planning from their end.

Jumping to Conclusions
Posted by Jad Aoun, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on 27 July 2008 at 15:55 UAE time

According to the UAE Labour Law, the private sector must close on Muslim holidays. Since this Thursday is a Muslim holiday, the private sector will also close along with the public. It's just customary in the UAE to declare holidays for the private and public sector at different times through different circulars or decrees.

Public Holidays
Posted by DC, Abu Dhabi on 27 July 2008 at 15:28 UAE time

Why such unfairness for just a holiday… we work 6 days a week anyway and now we are even deprived of a public holiday!! Honestly, the government should consider giving equal no. of holidays for both private and public sectors. For all public holidays either the private sector gets a day or two less or at times they are not even considered to be given one… that’s quite unfair!

The reason why...
Posted by Paul, Dubai on 27 July 2008 at 13:30 UAE time

Most people who work in the private sector are expats. Most people who work in the public sector are locals.

The government ain't stupid...it puts the people of this country first. I don't necessarily think it's fair, but this is their country, not ours.

Public Holidays
Posted by RAC on 27 July 2008 at 11:43 UAE time

I don't understand the difference in the days that the public and private sectors receive holidays.... are we not supposed to enjoy national holidays too. It seems utterly unfair that the government can declare a holiday for only one sector. We work in the same country and more often for longer hours. How can they make this discrimination?

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Public Holidays
Posted by MB, Dubai on 27 July 2008 at 01:48 UAE time

It's of no use not to give such auspicious holidays to the private sector as one of the family member -either husband or wife- of mostly all public sector employees is in private sector. So the person cannot enjoy the holiday when other half does not have a holiday.

Public Holidays
Posted by C deV, Abu Dhabi, UAE on 26 July 2008 at 09:16 UAE time

Just want to know why Private sectors don't get these opportunities, we work 6 days a week and now the public sectors have 3 days off. We can't even go away for a weekend. Not Fair.

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