GN memories
It was exactly 25 years ago when I went into the Gulf News office in Abu Dhabi. It was then in the Blue Tower. I was new to the UAE and my office was opposite the Gulf News office and a man who worked there encouraged me to subscribe to Gulf News.
He was so friendly and helpful to me, as a newcomer that I readily agreed. I have since been reading Gulf News and am now completing twenty-fifth year in the country.
I must say that Gulf News has enhanced the quality of their reporting significantly over the years and I have enjoyed reading the newspaper everyday. Even today, despite the internet, I start my day with Gulf News in one hand and a cup of tea in the other.
Let me take this opportunity to congratulate you and your team for the commendable work you are doing and for your contribution to the society in which we live. Best wishes and good luck for many more years of growth and prosperity. Long live Gulf News.
From Mr Premchand Kurup
UAE
Malpractice must be stopped
Throughout the months, I have read in Gulf News repeated statements by the Central Bank authorities informing credit card users that it is against the law to levy any additional service charges on the actual invoice amount by the service lenders. I feel many business establishments are still sticking on to what they were doing despite the clarity made by the authorities in the UAE.
I am providing you one example of how one business made such blatant violation of the Central Bank’s rule. I have a petrol bill for Dh60 and a service charge of Dh2, charged on my credit card. I did contact the customer care department of the bank asking for clarification. Their reply was that they received the total bill amount and they do not have the information about any service charges levied from their customers. I do not believe that their response is correct because any charge will have to be supported by a signed bill.
The amount charged is only Dh2 for the very reason people may not raise up these kinds of issues, but I feel such malpractices must be stopped.
From Mr Mamunni V.
Abu Dhabi
Breaking fast food wastage
Thousands Muslims gather in the Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque of Abu Dhabi for breaking their fast. Same as the previous years, I think that this is a great initiative of the UAE.
During the holy month of Ramadan, many people with different nationalities come here for breaking their fast. I find that most of them are from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. It seems that because they like their Indian subcontinental dishes, food is going to waste since it is mainly Arabic food at the mosque. If half of the foods could be sub-continental Indian foods, then food wasting would most likely be reduced significantly. I hope the concerned authorities will look into this issue.
From Mr M A Mannan
Abu Dhabi
Medical costs
According to a survey, doctors and specialists are charging Dh100 to Dh500 on account of consultancy fees from the Outpatient Department (OPD) patients which is quite embarrassing particularly for low paid workers and the labour class.
Besides consultancy fees, the patient may be required to pay extra amounts in case of vaccinations or other service is provided by the concerned medical centre/clinic. The story does not end here; doctors give only prescriptions and advise for patients to go to the pharmacy and purchase the medicines. In case of a second visit or follow up, the same consultancy fee is charged to the patients, whereas in general, a discounted or reduced fee should be charged.
With medicines and follow up costs, the amount of money owing rises incredibly for basic medical treatment, whereas the expenses on account of abnormal or complicated cases are beyond the imagination.
The authorities should enforce or pressure the medical practitioners and consultants to charge nominal consultancy fees. The government may also provide free medicines by establishing free dispensaries to reduce financial hardship of the concerned patients.
From Mr Mumtaz Hussain
UAE
Live your life
Social media is something that has helped us to reach out to anyone and everyone with one click. Be it friendship, marketing, awareness campaigns or popularity, social media has given them all a tech-face that wasn’t actually possible more than a decade ago.
Philosophers might say social media can have degrading effects on our lives by distracting us from our work but today, life seems to be empty without having a Facebook account or without tweeting or using Instagram from time to time, isn’t it?
Of course social media can be a benefit or a nuisance, depending on how we use it. But it has now become an indispensable part of our lives and we should thank those who have created this marvel of communication.
Let’s not forget that hashtags, tweets and likes are not what life is about and will not change your life. These are the mediums, while it is you who is supposed to live the life you want to live and do the work you want to be recognized for.
From Ms Maria Vincent
Dubai
Spreading the message
Lately, I have been reading many news pieces on arrests in drug related cases. The sad part is that many of the teenagers from universities are being arrested for consumption or possession of drugs.
The other day I came to know that a group of eight or nine students were arrested. The youngest among them was 17 years old.
How do drugs reach them? If we look into it, we would realise that there is an easy and accessible supply and this is the root cause behind increasing cases of drug criminals. The supply chain is seeping into the safety of homes, schools and universities.
Getting involved in drugs can be a slippery slope that can soon lead to dealings and smugglings. I don’t deny the fact that parental control is of the utmost important, but I know of cases where parents have been quite vigilant and even then their children have gotten into trouble, giving them sleepless nights.
So it’s not only parents, but everyone in society. Institutions and companies must be aware of risks and fatal consequences of getting into drug consumption or trafficking. We all must stand together and come up with immediate and effective solutions to the problem, which has become a disturbing phenomenon in the UAE.
I feel more effective awareness and anti-drug campaigns are needed in schools and universities. There should be road hoardings at various public places; posters in schools and universities; and also most important the surveillance, control and monitoring at educational institutions needs to be more tight. A lot needs to be done to put an end to this menace, which is taking a toll on families’ financial and social lives.
I, in my own capacity, have decided to campaign against drug abuse as much as possible. I seek your help in spreading the message.
From Ms Madhu Madan
UAE
War
When I hear this word three things come to my mind: death, bloodshed and sorrow. I don’t understand why countries fight against one another over land, money, and power. It is saddening to see the amount of lives that have been lost during wars. Countries like Syria, Palestine, Iraq, and Iran are buried deep in their quests to gain power. Why should people lay down their lives for the sake of one leader fighting over land? If one takes a look at the history of wars, they will notice that most of them ended with armistices or peace treaties. I wonder why the politicians and rulers did not do this in the beginning. Was it necessary for so many soldiers to die before they came to the conclusion that a peace treaty was the best option? People like Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa fulfilled their goals through peaceful ways. They are true leaders and have been looked up to for many years.
From Ms Roshan Sageer
UAE
Editors’ note: Is there a news report that you feel strongly about? Something that has to be addressed in the community and requires resolution? Email us on readers@ gulfnews.com. You can also post a comment on our Facebook page or tweet us @GNReaders.
