Opinions | Letters
November 02, 2008
Letters to the editor, November 02, 2008
- Gulf News
- Published: 22:58 November 1, 2008
An early morning surprise
No one likes to be disturbed on a weekend and I consider it a nuisance to be woken up from sleep, early morning ("Waking up to a bag of surprises", Gulf News, September 27). However, when a Gulf News newsboy woke me up a few days ago, it was more than just a pleasant surprise. He greeted me with a huge smile and a beautiful gift in the form of a jute bag. His smile was so contagious, that it made me forget my annoyance. It is going to be a pleasure to use the jute bag when shopping for essentials.
From Mr Milind Tikhe
Dubai
Wonderful idea
I would like to congratulate Gulf News for its successful launch of the beautiful jute bags. Now we do not need to use plastic bags when we go shopping. I believe it is a wonderful idea. Additionally, it was a surprise gift that we received early in the morning, on a weekend.
From Ms Shaheera M. S.
Dubai
In tune with everyday needs
The distribution of jute bags by Gulf News is definitely my favourite part of the Go Green campaign. It is indeed a novel way to celebrate the newspaper's 30th anniversary. Having resided in Dubai for the past 10 years, we have received a lot of giveaways. This has to be the best one by far. It is in tune with our everyday needs, and encourages the masses to use less plastic. Usually I do not go for big brands, but I would love to be seen shopping with Gulf News's jute bag.
From Ms Bindu Sathianesan
Dubai
Commendable
I think it is great that the authorities have acknowledged efforts initiated as part of Gulf News's Go Green campaign. It is definitely difficult for people to switch from plastic bags abruptly, but I am sure that these jute bags will encourage people to try and avoid plastic use. The initiative is commendable. A printed slogan toting the environment theme would have made the bag more fetching.
From Mr Ramachandran Nair
Ruwi, Oman
Everyday use
We appreciate Gulf News's initiative to distribute free jute bags to its subscribers. I think it would be a great idea to make these bags available to retail stores, too. People could then purchase the bags, and use them instead of plastic bags.
From Mr Aejaz Ahmad
Dubai
Only shortcoming
Even though I am not a Gulf News subscriber, I think jute bags provide the answer from a convenience and environment perspective. I would definitely like to get one myself. However, plastic bags are ideal for disposing garbage. This is the only reason why some of us accept the bags at groceries and retail stores.
From Ms Shamira Narayan
Dubai
A slogan would have helped
I appreciate the initiative taken by Gulf News with the environment in mind. A slogan, such as "back to nature", could have been used to further promote the idea. We should all support this cause by carrying our own bags when shopping for groceries. This is a tried and trusted way of cutting back on pollution. Also, there are times when we shop for small things and still come home with a plastic tote. The jute bag would be an ideal option.
From Mr Siraj Pate
Ras Al Khaimah
Shed the reticence
I would like to congratulate Gulf News for the wonderful Go Green initiative. The jute bags are lovely but other steps must be taken to deter the use of plastic bags. Supermarkets have a big role here since the demand for plastic bags is mainly driven by them. People may also feel embarrassed if they happen to be only ones using the jute bags in a retail store. Everyone should remember they have a responsibility to use the bags as often as they can.
From Ms Sameena Himayat
Ras Al Khaimah
Taxi tantrums
Public transportation is meant for the convenience of people. However, with increasing costs and traffic, people have to endure long waits to even flag down a taxi but sometimes even that is not the end of the ordeal. Some cab drivers plainly refuse to drive to certain destinations and at other times vacant taxis just tend to ignore waiting passengers. The common alibis are that the driver has received a call for a taxi or that his shift has ended.
From Mr Glen Vitus
Dubai
Driving schools' whims
There are some driving institutes that take trainees for granted. I am a student of one such school. The school has already charged me Dh8,000 and is now forcing me to take more expensive classes after I failed my second test. Each class costs me Dh200. To top it all, the school has yet to inform me of available dates for a road test. Since I am not aware of when I will be able to give my next road test, I cannot take practice classes in advance.
From A Reader
Dubai
Name withheld by request
Clear confusion
I applaud the Roads and Transport Authority's (RTA) initiative to revamp Dubai's road address system. It was something that was long overdue. I have noticed many a time that street names change after a certain intersection. For example, the Hadiqa Road becomes Meydan Road after crossing the Shaikh Zayed Road interchange. This creates further confusion. The authorities need to take this into consideration and make it easier for people to locate an address.
From Mr Mazhar Mohad
Dubai
Offensive behaviour
I am very disappointed with the behaviour of taxi drivers in Abu Dhabi. I have had some bad experiences, and think that the concerned authorities should be made aware of this. Some drivers are very abusive. Once, a driver refused to accept coins from me for the taxi fare. They also refuse to drive to certain locations, and some of them see no need to be polite when stating their point.
From Ms M. C. Berena
Abu Dhabi
Playing pricey
When the Indian rupee was appreciating, the price of all commodities imported from India skyrocketed. It adversely affected our monthly budget. But, now with the Indian rupee at all-time lows, there is no sign of the prices being scaled back. The concerned authorities can help ease the burden on residents with appropriate intervention.
From Mr P. Sanyal
Dubai
Driven to wits' end
It is very annoying that the Greens area is turning out to be another Deira, in terms of endless traffic queues. Additionally, the many blockades on account of construction activity continue to further narrow the single-lane stretch leading to Shaikh Zayed Road. Traffic has become a familiar sight at all times of the day and we often see motorists driven to their wits' end trying to push through small gaps, leading to accidents.
From Mr Zain Hussain
Dubai
Need for policing
The exit from Al Nahda Park towards both Al Ittihad Road and Emirates Road has become a real nightmare during rush hour traffic. It takes commuters at least one hour to exit from Al Nahda, and another hour or more to reach Shaikh Zayed Road. Unfortunately, there is hardly any police presence in the area even though they could be of immense help in regulating traffic.
From Mr Raj Shankar
Dubai
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