Raise awareness
This is indeed a very informative article and as a common man 999 is immediately the number that comes to my mind for any assistance (‘Only 18% of calls made to 999 in Dubai last year were emergencies,’ Gulf News, January 27). I have also called earlier for minor accident reports. I would request for more campaigning to create awareness amongst the common people of the existence of the 901 option and what nature of reports they should be calling in for. Road shows could be a good idea. It would be perfect weather to have a “Police-Citizen Week Campaign” to simulate closer relations within the communities and raise awareness.
From Mr Tomoy
Abu Dhabi
Website comment
Some calls make sense
I don’t think a man calling for his lost wife in a mall is a silly call. It’s perfectly good sense to call an emergency line if your wife is missing in a public area.
From Mr Haris
Dubai
Website comment
A great team
Wishing the UAE and, especially, Mile Jedinak, also known as “Amoory”, all the best (‘Australia coach looks beyond Omar Abdul Rahman hype,’ Gulf News, Janaury 27)! This team gives their best, winning and losing is a part of the game. Amoory: shine, shine, shine!
From Mr Debendra
Abu Dhabi
Website comment
Beneficial political move
The visit of US President Barack Obama to India and the signing of the nuclear deal has not only added another feather in Narendra Modi’s cap of achievements as Prime Minister of India, but it has also propelled the political image of India on the map of the world (‘India free to pursue nuclear commerce without logjams’, Gulf News, January 27).
The leaders of two of the world‘s most powerful democracies plan on creating resolutions on matters of concern to both the nations, including climate change, defence and economic relations. Even though the nuclear deal has sparked a controversy and has been viewed critically by the Opposition parties in India, the need of the hour is to see the benefit of the whole nation instead of finding fault with each other. After all, Modi is not just representing his party, but the whole country.
From Mr Manav Jha
Dubai
Comprehending possibilities
The recording of a possible alien signal by scientists is an amazing scientific feat. Could it signify that there exists in the vast outer realms of space a civilisation much more advanced than ours? It was philosopher Francis Bacon who said that some things are deemed secret because the secret is difficult to understand and some because they are not fit to utter.
Throughout recorded history, mankind has been visited by creatures from other dimensions. From medieval times down to the present, reports continue to come in from across the globe of strange entities stalking our mortal plane. Rarely do these extraordinary occurrences cause more than a ripple of interest. As always, faced with evidence both disturbing and irrational, the natural human inclination is to dismiss it from our minds.
Surely, we say to ourselves that these stories cannot be true. After all, the people of the Middle Ages were a superstitious bunch and most were thought to be mentally unstable. It’s like how in Macbeth’s view of life, we consider such visions to be a tale told by an idiot, signifying nothing. In truth, a more apt quote would be from Hamlet: “There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”
From Mr Farouk Araie
Johannesburg, South Africa
Dangerous recreationally
Apart from military purposes, I am not altogether sure what the purpose of drones are (‘Unregulated drones pose serious threat to airspace,’ Gulf News, January 26). I read on a UK news site last year that British criminals were buying cheap camera drones over the internet and using them to ‘case up’ entry points and the security measures of buildings for the purpose of burglary later on.
So, flying near airports is not the only security risk drones pose. Government buildings, commercial premises and even domestic dwellings are at great risk if drones are easily available to the small minority who may misuse them.
From Ms Sarah Louise
Sharjah
Website comment
Should be prohibited
This article as a follow-up on previous ones is very timely! As a frequent flyer, I am very concerned about general safety during the most critical phases of flying, which are take off and landing. The world is unfortunately full of people who cannot judge situations beyond their own shadow and fly these instruments even if it was regulated by specific rules of no-fly zones.
I would whole-heartedly vote for a complete prohibition and if that’s not possible, make the association to a model aircraft club mandatory with permits of flying these drones only within the confines of club rules and territorial limitations.
I hope the relevant authorities are swiftly regulating this activity or preventing it from happening.
From Mr Ulrich Eckhardt
UAE
Cruel attacks
The latest attack by Boko Haram in Maiduguri, Nigeria and the murder of the Japanese hostages by Daesh further underlines the brazen lack of respect these brainwashed outfits have for human life (‘Maiduguri residents told to stay and fight, as curfew lifted in Nigeria town’, Gulf News, January 27). The sheer impunity with which they commit their crimes and the lack of concerted action by the international community to stop them makes me wonder if we will ever see the end of this madness. With world leaders meeting in Davos, US President Obama visiting India, ending the scourge of these militant outfits seems a more pressing need than anything else. It is time to act. Now.
From Mr Ranjan Matthew
Dubai
Making leaders
There are many misconceptions from common people about what constitutes the making of a better leader. However, it still remains a contentious issue whether the traits of good leadership are innately inherited in genetics of some people or whether it could be acquired through the right training and grooming. Empirical studies and observations have come up with interesting facts with respect to human behaviour and how individuals tend to demonstrate leadership qualities at varying levels under different circumstances. It has been found that the degree of conviction drives a person more than anything else to take someone to a leadership role. Thus, leadership attributes perceived in one individual, whose strong belief in something what he or she should like to be established may not necessarily manifest in other circumstances where there is a lack of motivation. Someone who demonstrated great team spirit and excellent people-management skills and has been acknowledged as a great leader by how successfully he runs a business establishment may not get the spotlight when given a task of leading a team composed of selflessly thinking volunteers for a charity drive. It could be even possible from the group of such volunteers that a leader may emerge whose sense of commitment would be greater than that of someone whose motivational drive is oriented to commercial enterprising.
Good leadership skills would consider employing varying strategies under different circumstances, but what ultimately matters to sustain the energy of a leader is the wholehearted commitment and resolve he or she would have to rely on in leading a team of diverse individuals. In fact, the display of leadership is the result of putting the right people in the right jobs. It is all about a strong sense of belief in something they want to see materialised.
From Mr V. I. Mohammad Sageer
UAE
Women Power!
It was a nostalgic moment when we all were glued in front of the television watching the Republic Day parade of India. It was a moment of pride and happiness to see the developments the country has made in various fields. At the same time there is still a lot to do. To have Barack Obama as the guest and that was an icing on the cake.
Above all, it was a proud moment to see the focus of the day and celebrations on women in power. We were able to see another first with the three forces doing a joint parade, by female officers, and led by a female! Incredible! We all know that there has been some unacceptable events in the country against young girls and women. The display on the Republic Day Parade reiterates the importance and respect all should give to women!
From Mr Vinodhkumar P.
UAE
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