Minister issues wake up call, literally

Despite the thick morning fog, Minister of Education Dr Hanif Hassan Al Qasimi makes it to work on time "at centralised departments and offices of the Ministry in Dubai yesterday."

And while he demands responsibility and accountability, he delegates authority:

He also issued instructions delegating wide powers to school managements and educational zones. He assured that there was no cause for fear that the school managements and educational zones would exploit these powers.

A blast from the past: 9 February 2005, surprise visit rumored.

UPDATE: "The surprise visit by the Minister of Education Dr. Hanif Hassan Ali Al Qasimi to the premises of the ministry in Dubai on Monday, during which it was found out that a large number of employees did not show up on time, paid off as all the employees yesterday reported for duty on time at 7.30 am sharp. Even white collar officers, directors of departments generally known for late arrival, were remarkably punctual. . . . The employees said that real commitment should spring from inside, and not because of pressure from above." Yes - one of the tricky bits for any human organization is to foster commitment. Compliance-oriented employees are a pain.