Within the Shura Council poll scheduled for October 2, candidates have made a final pitch to impress voters and seek election to the council.
The Ministry of Interior had earlier said Friday (October 1), is the day of “electoral silence”, when it is prohibited to practise campaigning in all its forms.
With the campaigning set to conclude, the candidates reiterated that voting is the national duty of every qualified Qatari as this is a historic moment for the country that would help in further enhancing its position locally and internationally.
The electorate has been urged to vote for qualified candidates who have the capability, expertise and experience to ably serve the country and its people, instead of doing so based on personal preferences and other unrelated considerations such as family or tribal alliance or personal favours.
Speaking at a forum hosted by local Arabic daily Arrayah, some candidates gave further details of their programmes, plans and projects for the upcoming council if they are elected.
Dr Khalid Yousef al-Mulla, a candidate for the 9th constituency, said the Shura Council election builds on Qatar's various achievements in different fields. He hoped that the new council would include a good number of experienced people and those with a bright record of accomplishments. He also observed that the new council should keep up with developments in various fields in the country, including culture, economy and politics.
As for his campaign programme, it includes the creation of a fund to encourage marriage and to have children through an effective system of incentives to enhance the role of the Qatari family in building the local society. He stressed the role of the Family Consulting Centre (Wifaq) to limit the phenomenon of divorce and to enhance family solidarity and cohesion.
Dr al-Mulla also referred to his idea of enhancing the role of young people and engaging persons with disability and other vulnerable categories in the society. Further, he suggested a number of changes to the Qatarisation policy to maximise the benefit for various government departments from the potential of young Qatari graduates.
Fawwaz Mussaed al-Abdulla, a candidate for the 17th constituency, stressed the need to promote the interests of the country and its people above everything else. He said this is an excellent opportunity for the people to select individuals who can represent and serve them. He stressed that the candidates have to be honest and practical in their promises and limitations, and avoid playing with the dreams of potential voters.
Hussein Gharib Ghulum Abu Alfain, a candidate for the 11th constituency, said his programme covers six main areas: education, human resources development, health, improving the income of citizens, housing and the national service. He explored all the topics and explained his ideas in this regard, stressing the need for introducing legislative reforms that would support development.
He also said one of the most important topics for him is the issue of people with disabilities and integrating them within the society.
Mohamed al-Badr, a candidate for the 3rd constituency, said the Shura Council is part of the country's progress while enhancing popular participation and involvement in the process of decision-making. He said his programme includes a comprehensive plan to address and resolve all issues related to education, health, economy and the employment of citizens.
Al-Badr said he will work to introduce new laws and regulations that will help resolve such issues. He added that environmental issues and support for agriculture and livestock is a big area that requires more attention, and his programme has specified some key points in this regard.
Dr Fahd Hamad al-Nuaimi, a candidate for the 26th constituency, said all the candidates have a huge responsibility ahead of them, and they are all competing to serve the beloved Qatar. He said his programme focuses on involving citizens, sharing their expectations and views for development in different fields, and communicating this before the Shura Council, so that these are developed into legislative measures.
Related Story