Something needs to be done
I completely agree with Ahmad Ali Shokat’s letter on restaurant hygiene due to the amount of restaurants I use throughout a work week (‘Letters to the editor: Restaurant hygiene’, Gulf News, December 22). I depend on restaurants for food during the day for six days a week. What I have noticed is that there is no personal or any sort of hygiene among staff or cleanliness in some restaurants. This is a “take it or leave it” attitude.
I have seen staff coughing and spitting in dust bins and in sinks, I have seen rats running around inside the eating areas and even drinking glasses smelling of fish and meat. I have seen service staff collecting plates and glasses from the tables and then with the same hands, serving food for the next customer. They use the same duster to clean tables, then wipe their hands with it or they will wipe their hands with their shirts, which don’t often look very clean either.
Some of the staff even have bad breath or colds and coughs since they have to work long hours many days a week. I can imagine the degree of personal hygiene they have. God only knows what the kitchen is like!
These eateries serve economical food, but that does not mean it should be unhygienic. During the summertime, I noticed a shawarma maker with plastic gloves that were filled with sweat. It was enough to stop my family and I eating shawarma since that day. The list goes on – seriously! The authorities should implement strict rules and regulations and only people with trade qualifications should be allowed to work in such places.
From Mr Andrew
UAE
Not the right solution
This news on Bihar schoolgirls being restricted from wearing jeans or carrying mobiles makes me want to be sick (‘No jeans or mobile phones for Bihar schoolgirls in 2015’ Gulf News, December 22). Are they serious that no jeans and mobiles for girls? The government forgot to ban men from stepping out of their homes. That would surely wipe out trafficking rates, let alone reduce the rates.
From Ms Sanjana Raheja
Dubai
Facebook comment
Doesn’t make sense
Welcome to modern India where it is assumed that you will manage not getting raped if you refrain from wearing jeans and carrying a mobile phone. What about the women who were raped despite of being dressed so-called ‘modestly’? It’s high time men change their mentality.
From Ms Renu Gohar
UAE
Facebook comment
Educate boys
I find this disgraceful and I think that educating boys is what needs to happen. Young men should be given a proper upbringing rather than restricting the girls.
From Mr Vishal
Dubai
Website comment
We can’t judge
This world would be a better place if we would all stop judging each other by their religion and just learn to coexist (‘Eight more Hindus convert to Christianity amid raging conversion row,’ Gulf News, December 22). Have empathy and realise that each of us has our own thoughts and feelings. Who are we to judge their lives?
From Ms Patricia Cooksey
Abu Dhabi
Facebook comment
Nothing new
This whole frenzy of mass religion conversions is just more media hype. Conversions like these used to happen even in the past and are still happening. There is nothing new in this. It’s just that some are noticed and some go unnoticed. Associating this to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is just wrong. After all, the failed Opposition needs some topic to keep themselves in the limelight.
From Mr Yasser Abdul Aziz
Dubai
Facebook comment
Find what suits you
People should be free to choose for themselves. Every single detail about every single religion is out there. Go, experiment and follow what feels right.
From Mr Jeem Ali
Dubai
Facebook comment
Another appears
Even if it is true that the Taliban leader was killed in Pakistan, the disruption is only temporary (‘Pakistan won’t confirm killing of Taliban leader Mullah Fazlullah,’ Gulf News, December 22)! There are many more in line who are equally cruel and destructive, ready to take up the position. Since September 11, 2001, so many of these ‘commanders’ have been killed, yet terrorism in the region has only intensified and become more widespread.
From Mr Kaleem Sadat
Karachi, Pakistan
Facebook comment
Hoping it’s true
Oh, I hope this news will soon be announced! Nothing would make me happier considering all the innocent blood on this person’s hands.
From Mr Ekhan
Madrid, Spain
Website comment
Fear of retaliation
I do think that Mullah Fazlullah was killed in the attack that was carried out in Afghanistan, but I don’t think that they want to confirm his death for security reasons. If they confirm his death, the Taliban will feel the need to escalate the violence and potentially carry out more strikes on public places.
From Mr Ehsan Waziri
Abu Dhabi
Facebook comment
Respect the lives of others
Please learn the lesson from this incident: everyone has their own life to live in this world, so live happily and live and let live peacefully. No one has the right to end another’s life – even animals. Let’s try to be human beings. Live and let others live happy. Every life is precious. Think about that and be thankful. Pray for everyone’s life.
From Ms Nalina Ramesh
Ras Al Khaimah
Facebook comment
Brought Pakistan together
This news would bring a sigh of relief to the people of Pakistan because the whole nation is suffering from the terrorism imposed on the common people. This has caused too much pain and killing of innocent people – the most recent terrorist act in Peshawar being one of the worst.
This incident has brought the whole nation on one page and it is behind the army and supporting their responsive strikes. Likewise Pakistanis are condemning all acts of terrorism anywhere in the world in any form. Hopefully now the army will be able to uproot the terrorism in the country.
From Mr Zaheer Ahmad
Abu Dhabi
Website comment
Learnt something new!
Let me get this straight: I can build my own car and go to the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and have it registered (‘Head turner: Dubai resident with home-made super car,’ Gulf News, December 21)? I didn’t know that was possible. Nonetheless, the Ultimo GTR looks really nice that this expatriate built. I hope to see it in the flesh someday.
From Mr Nabeel
Dubai
Website comment
Fluctuating economies
Many people are under a false notion that “real estate” is solid and that is the worst misconception (‘Dubai realty market cool-off forces investor rethink,’ Gulf News, December 21). Before the 2008 economic crash in the US, in certain cities the value of real estate was skyrocketing. Now, the same real estate loss in some places is up to 75 per cent crash and sale. Lease signs are seen everywhere. The GCC countries, even in the diversified economies of certain countries, and petroleum being the main commodity, its up and down price factor finally will determine the price of real estate.
If the price is showing any sign of plunging, even the foreign investors would be too cautious to invest. I live close to a small city where one particular product for the housing industry was manufactured, about 80 per cent for the whole nation and export. When the housing industry crashed, the factories in the small city began to layoff employees and close down.
Where once it was hard to find a piece of land in that small city due to the massive expansion of the economy, now the value of the real estate has plummeted more than 60 per cent and even at these lowest price, nobody is daring to buy any property. The economic boom and recession of a city or country have a direct impact on the real estate market price as well as the demand factor. The demand and supply will finally determine the price factor.
From Mr A. Samuel Mathew
Ringgold, US
Website comment
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