Opinion | Letters
October 19, 2008
Letters to the editor, October 19, 2008
- Gulf News
- Published: 00:03 October 19, 2008
All that glitters, is litter
It seems that a number of Dubai residents have inherited a strange misconception that scattering rubbish on the streets will make our city sparkling clean and beautiful. Smug drivers throw wrappers out of their cars as they drive at high speed. Confident pedestrians often throw their polystyrene coffee cups on the ground, even though there might be a trash bin a few steps away. It is hardly fair to assume that it is someone else's job to pick up rubbish after you. Litter harms nature, too, as plastic bags can harm marine life. Fortunately not all residents are so inconsiderate - some even go out of their way to clean other people's rubbish. Let's show our city some respect. Please be courteous and discard rubbish in the proper manner.
From Ms Jillian Stevens
UAE
Teach me Arabic
As a 15-year-old Emirati pupil, I still do not know the Arabic language. I grew up in the UK and moved to the UAE when I turned nine. It is very embarrassing for me to confess to other Arabs that I cannot speak my mother tongue. Sometimes, I worry that I may not find a good job when I eventually graduate from school. I would like some support from the authorities and the community so that people like me are encouraged to learn Arabic.
From Mr Sultan Suwaidi
Dubai
Better topics
What is it with Gulf News attacking Atlantis every day [Sammy the Shark]? Does the newspaper have nothing better to talk about or does the reporter like spending the whole day in the Atlantis lobby? I suggest Gulf News stop being a tabloid, we really have more important things to worry about than an animal in a tank being fed and looked after all day.
From Ms Halla
Abu Dhabi
Full name withheld by request
Free the fish
As a grade three pupil, I am really fond of fish and love the way they swim. We do not keep any fish at home because their real home is in the ocean. Sammy the Shark should definitely not be caged, because when she grows up, she will be as big as a bus. I am sure she would really not like it then. I have only one more thing to say - please free Sammy the Shark!
From Preethi Muthukumar
Dubai
Earn credit
The absolutely blatant publicity Gulf News is giving the Atlantis hotel shows the standard of the sell-out newspaper that it is. What irks me further is the newspaper's repeated claims about how "great" its publication is when it obviously is anything but that.
From Mr Amaresh B.
Dubai
Free all
Why only Sammy? All the fish and other aquatic life trapped in aquariums around the world deserve to be free. However, will they be as safe in the wild as they would be when in an aquarium? How would all people rooting for Sammy feel if once the whale shark was released it ended up on the other end of a harpoon, of some shark hunter? I sincerely hope it never happens. All I am trying to say is that this concern for life should be there in each person's heart. Only then can we get back the harmony of nature that our forefathers had. In those days, there was no concern of global warming or any other such issue.
From Ms Shibu P.
Dubai
Cruel act
Atlantis should be ashamed for indulging in such a cruel act as trapping Sammy. Get your house in order first before claiming that you can look after such an innocent creature. When you can't look after your own guests or manage them, on what ground are you claiming that Sammy is being looked after well? I will certainly not visit your hotel until Sammy is released and I suggest the same to all those people that support a free Sammy.
From Ms Prithy D. Rijesh
Dubai
Big problem
This year I have to, by force, pay four times more than what the original rent was in 2003. This is extremely difficult, as my salary has not increased much. I am left with the option of sending back my family.
From Mr P. Aslam
Dubai
Ugly culture
My daughter is always complaining about an ugly culture that prevails in her school bus. Unfortunately, using bad language is considered normal and since there is no monitor, nobody controls the situation. One should consider that our children spend at least two hours in those buses every day. If the situation continues, no one knows how much worse it might get. I have tried to raise the issue with the school concerned but they refuse to take any responsibility since the bus service has been outsourced.
From Mr Reza Zevari
Dubai
Stressed
The traffic on the Dubai-Sharjah highway is increasingly turning into a nightmare. People are on the roads from 5am till late night at night, probably 2am or more. I am stressed and frustrated as I am usually late for work or for reaching home.
From Mr Abhilash Babu
Sharjah
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