Opinion | Letters
Letters: July 1, 2010
- Gulf News
- Published: 00:00 July 1, 2010
Think before you serve
When the world is minimising its waste and recycling, we find the situation to be the complete opposite in the Middle East. Bottles, cans, paper and most importantly food and water are wasted in large quantities. In India, we have taken initiatives years ago on recycling as well as proper intake of food. Even leftover food in hotels, which is good for consumption, is distributed to orphanages and institutions. The authorities should conduct an awareness programme on waste management, especially on food and water, thus placing some kind of measures to penalise the guilty. During my travel to one of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, a placard was placed in one of the restaurants where a buffet was served stating, ‘Eat all you can. The hotel does not accept wastage. Give it a thought when serving’. Having vehicles painted with flowers alone will not help. Residents need to change the way they live to make this world a better place.
From Mr M. Rodrigues
Abu Dhabi
Penalise them
A recent accident clearly shows utter negligence on part of the employer of the unfortunate victims (“Four killed as maintenance cradle snaps in Sharjah”, Gulf News, June 24). The organisation they were employed in has failed to adhere to the safety rules. The workers weren’t supervised by any responsible officer either to ensure they adhered to the rules. Heavy penalties must be imposed against such irresponsible employers.
From A Reader
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Name withheld by request
Safety measures
I am very saddened by this news. The four workers were unfortunate to have such a fall. But, if you notice, most of the workers don’t take any safety measures and they aren’t trained. It is the company that needs to provide some safety training and make rules stricter to wear a safety harness at all times.
From Mr Peter
Dubai
Full name withheld by request
Reconsidering some slots
The Fifa World Cup this year has certainly given a clear indication of the changing world order in football. Most European teams were far from convincing and there certainly is a case for reducing the number of slots for Europe here. Asia had three teams and two of them progressed to the second round, which is encouraging and hence merits at least a couple of more slots. South America demonstrated great talent and should get more slots, too. Africa, though disappointing, proved that if nurtured well, could prove a major force as they have physical attributes and the talent but need some serious grinding of other skills, like developing team spirit! Two slots should be filled after play-offs between the best teams in each zone who couldn’t make it directly! This way, there can be a chance for some European teams who are good but don’t make it due to a couple of bad matches or by virtue of being in a tough qualifying group, like Russia, Czech Republic, Croatia, Egypt, Costa Rica or Sweden.
From Mr S. Raja
Sharjah
Is this football?
The Fifa World Cup this year is becoming a wrestling match, with players crashing into each other, blocking each other and falling down! In many matches, stretchers have to be used. Surely this is not football!
From Mr Rajendra K. Aneja
Dubai
The legacy
He came, saw and conquered — his legacy never died and he stayed the most beloved immortal pop star of the decade (“Never can say goodbye”, Gulf News, June 27). It has been a year since the king of pop, Michael Jackson passed away, but even today fans mourn over his death, recalling him as the biggest asset of the musical industry. He pumped enormous amount of talent, inspired many to embrace the stage and gave authors a shining opportunity to write. What I loved about Michael Jackson is that he gave each and every individual something unique. Even though, we can go on about him and write stories and tributes on social networking websites, we cannot forget that he encouraged everyone to bind together as one in the name of music. We miss him and hope that one day we see someone following in his footsteps.
From Ms Anureet Kaur
Dubai
Worth considering
I would like to suggest to the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to revoke the minimum fare of Dh10 for taxis. We should be charged the fare displayed on the metre. The hike was seen during the days of traffic woes. Now, there is absolutely no traffic on any of the Dubai roads. Why doesn’t the RTA let the passengers pay per the metre? Isn’t it worth considering?
From Ms Emmanuel P. Jayapaul
Dubai
United we stand
Anyone that travels to Sri Lanka should enjoy the natural beauty, hospitality of the people and the rich culture (“Tamil Tigers raise funds for renewed struggle”, Gulf News, June 29). After reading the extended coverage, the destruction done by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) over a 30-year period is very clear. Once again, we will cherish the lasting peace and harmony thanks to our great leader Mahinda Rajapakshe and all those who made the ultimate sacrifice to bring this country under a single flag.
From Ms Nandika
Sharjah
Your turn
Opinion Editor's choice
-
No political roadmap for Afghanistan
By Rahimullah Yusufzai, Special to Gulf News
Weak Karzai government does not want Nato to abandon country even after combat troops pull out
-
US campaign to end Israeli occupation
By As’ad Abdul Rahman, Special to Gulf News
It is bound to evoke painful memories of the sordid history in America of the Ku Klux Klan
-
Egypt revolution is far from finished
By Jack Shenker
The Islamist/secularist divide gets all the attention, but it’s also only one faultline among many
