Driving license NOC requirement is regressive

I wrote this note in Dec 2009. This note was published in a local Dubai newspaper Khaleej TImes. The link at which you can read the letter in the newspaper is http://alturl.com/t4ij. Or even better you can read the complete note below.

While I have grown up in Dubai I only recently applied for my UAE drivers license. I was shocked to learn about an NOC requirement from your employer.

While personally it mostly did not affect me since I am my own employer but in general I think this restricts many employees from increasing their personal value. On asking around I figured many employers are progressive enough to give an NOC without a thought but there are others who purposely do not give an NOC since they understand this will increase the value of that specific employee which means they will have to pay them more or they stand to lose the employee to another employer.

I feel this policy is regressive. The UAE is striving to be recongized as a world class country. As much as possible it needs to have world class policies. I have earned drivers licenses in the US and in India and never had to encounter anything close to such a requirement.

Earlier I said it mostly did not affect me. I was even more shocked by my situation. I have an investors visa. I own my business. My local sponsor is my local service agent. Yet I had to ask him for an NOC. Considering the supposed seniority of the investor visa I find this a servere requirement for such a mundane issue.

I request the RTA to reconsider the regulations around the above topic. Incase there are good reasons for such regulations I would request the RTA to make the general public aware regarding the same.