Dubai’s Ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, has strongly reprimanded three government managers for adopting a “closed-door” approach, which restricts public access to their offices. This practice, he emphasized, goes against Dubai’s long-standing principle of “open doors for the people.”
In a statement shared on Wednesday, Sheikh Mohammed revealed that these executives had created large offices for themselves, barricaded by layers of managers, secretaries, and security personnel. Justifying their actions, they cited Dubai’s shift towards smart government and digital services. However, Sheikh Mohammed stressed that technology should complement—not replace—direct access and communication with the public.
The remarks followed findings from the government’s ‘mystery shopper’ initiative, which evaluates the performance of government departments through anonymous customer feedback.
“The key to our success lies in serving people, simplifying their lives, and maintaining constant communication with them. These are our core governmental principles—and they have not changed,” said Sheikh Mohammed. He issued a firm warning to those deviating from these values: “To those who think we have changed, we will change them.”
This directive underscores the importance of accessibility and service in upholding Dubai’s reputation for responsive and people-focused governance.
