Opinions | Letters
October 27, 2008
Letters to the editor, October 27, 2008
- Gulf News
- Published: 23:46 October 26, 2008
Working for their children
Any mother would love her children and want to be near them, regardless of whether she works or not ("Childcare: Working mums", Gulf News, October 24). However, if children were brought to the work place, they would want to play with and be pampered by their mother or her colleagues. This could be a source of distraction for employees and cause unnecessary disturbance. Additionally, children could demand undivided attention. They might throw tantrums, which is why I believe that it would be best to keep them away from the office. The mother may end up working for the child, instead of the organisation.
From Mr Milind Tikhe
Dubai
Lost for words
I would like to congratulate and thank Gulf News for covering important issues such as breast cancer. Some of my friends and close relatives, including my mother-in-law, have suffered from breast cancer in the past. I had no words to console them, as I could not imagine the extent of the mental trauma they had to go through. People are generally aware of the consequences of this deadly disease but do not realise the importance of identifying it at an early stage. How many women actually perform a periodic self-check? Usually, most women are shy and reluctant to undergo medical examinations. Volunteer organisations should take up the initiative of creating awareness and arranging for regular health checks.
From Mr K. N. Vasudevan
Dubai
Disruptive timing
I urge the authorities to find an appropriate solution for the nuisance faced by stores and restaurants that work late hours - some are open till 3am. These are supermarkets, small grocery shops, restaurants and cafeterias and located mostly in residential areas. Many customers sit in their cars and disturb residents by shouting or loudly blowing the horn, in order to seek attention from the shop owners. Consequently, people living in low-rise buildings suffer the most. I urge the authorities to place a limit on the working hours of such business houses.
From A Reader
Abu Dhabi
Name withheld by request
No time to eat
This is in response to Mr J. Mendonsa's letter wherein he urges police officers to impose stricter fines on drivers who break the law ("Fine, on the spot", Gulf News, October 21). My child is in grade nine and travels to a school located in the Al Qusais area. She wakes up at 5am in order to be able to catch her bus, which arrives at 5.30am. Additionally, she never has the time for breakfast. I request the concerned authorities to consider changing school timings so that classes begin at least an hour later than usual. This way young children would not have to wake up very early.
From Ms A. Fernandes
Sharjah
Planting trees
I would like to congratulate all those who were a part of the Mission Green Earth Campaign ("125,000 'Stand Up' for sustainable future", Gulf News, October 21). Special commendation for all schools that participated in the event. Their interest in environmental issues would undoubtedly encourage children to plant more trees. I believe creating awareness at an early age can do wonders for the world. It can make an enormous difference to the environment.
From Ms Vimala Rao
Abu Dhabi
Chain reaction
Over the past few days, the region has witnessed a drastic drop in oil prices ("Focusing on the central problems", Gulf News, October 22). I think it is about time there was a reduction in the retail price of petrol, too. Residents are suffering due to the burden of high prices - a phenomenon that occurred when oil prices reached a peak in the world market. I believe reduced petrol prices would affect inflation and create a chain reaction. It could also bring down the prices of some commodities that require oil in its manufacturing process.
From Mr Rogel Gabriola
Sharjah
Obstacles
Expatriates applying for residence visas are currently facing a great deal of confusion over the medical fitness tests ("Residents confused over where to go for medical fitness tests", Gulf News, October 22). Before halting medical tests from being conducted at private clinics, alternative facilities could have been provided. However, these are not available or properly publicised. I believe people should have had prior warning and sufficient time to accommodate the change.
From A Reader
Sharjah
Name withheld by request
Modified route
I request the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to change the route of bus number C2. Currently, the bus route begins at the Dubai Airport Free Zone and ends at Terminal 2 of the Dubai International Airport. I think it could be modified to include other areas, such as Al Nahda Road, Damascus Road and Al Quds Road. This would make it more convenient, as a greater number of passengers could use the same bus and avoid it from running with less than 10 per cent occupancy.
From Mr George Mathew
Dubai
Grateful supporter
My gratitude goes out to those who have worked extremely hard to support Gulf News's Free Sammy the Shark campaign ("Sammy the Shark gets drawn to attention", Gulf News, October 21). Many readers have written in to commend the campaign and someone even managed to compose a song to support Sammy's cause. Hats off to every individual who participated in this worthy initiative.
From Mr Abdul M. Ahmad
Abu Dhabi
Let her go
If the whale shark is on the endangered species list, then there really is nothing to debate about. Sammy should be released immediately. She is being housed at the Atlantis hotel for the entertainment purpose of visitors. I am sure there are similar animals that would be just as entertaining. The only difference is that they might not be endangered. I think the hotel's management should let Sammy go and look for such animals instead.
From Mr Don Denman
UAE
A faulty system
A short while ago, the internet connection in our store in Deira abruptly stopped working. We immediately complained to etisalat, who sent a technician the next day. However, he was unable to find a fault with our end of the connection. He informed us that the problem was due to one of etisalat's cable ports. On calling the customer service department, we were put on hold for a long time. Additionally, we were made to repeat our problem to various representatives. They would apologise for the inconvenience and give us a new reference number. We had five different numbers in a month, with no positive feedback.
From Mr Shabbir Agasi
Dubai
The management at etisalat replied:
Please be advised that Mr Shabbir Agasi's problem has been resolved and his Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) is working fine now.
Small change
I think it would be really helpful if the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) could make some changes in the location of bus stops on busy streets of Dubai. Currently, all buses stop on the main road to allow commuters to board and exit the bus. However, this often leads to traffic congestion, as vehicles are forced to wait behind the buses. All over the world, bus stops are located in by-lanes and not on the main roads. I hope this could be implemented here, too.
From Mr P. P. Kumar
Dubai
Ideal gift
I am a 14-year-old pupil who reads Gulf News every day. I think it is a great newspaper and both campaigns - Free Sammy the Shark and Go Green - are commendable. My parents have managed to save at least eight to nine plastic bags, per week, by using Gulf News's jute bags for shopping.
From Ms Saloni Chouhan
Sharjah
Be respectful
I completely support the authorities in their decision of fining people who neglect rules during Ramadan (“Ramadan violators penalised Dh1,000'', Gulf News, September 17). Additionally, violators must be penalised, so that they are aware of the culture of the country, in which they reside. My family is very cautious and respectful of such regulations, especially during Ramadan. We are often disappointed when we see people consuming eatables or smoking in their cars, during this month. I think they should wait till they reach their destination or till they find a private area, before engaging in such activities.
From Mr Oscar John
Abu Dhabi
A place to eat
Ramadan is an important month for Muslims and regardless of religion, those residing in the UAE must respect the values of the month even if they are not fasting (“Ramadan violators penalised Dh1,000'', Gulf News, September 17). By saying so, I do not mean people should stop eating during the fasting period. However, they could show some courtesy by eating in a private place. During the month, my non-Muslim colleague fasted and even woke up for suhour! In order to make this month easier for non-Muslims, I think there should be designated rooms wherein people could eat and drink during Ramadan.
From Mr Safdar Raza
Dubai
Not the right time
Not only are Salik tollgates creating road rage and loss of productivity, they are contributing to global warming, too. Due to the tollgates, motorists who try to avoid Salik by taking alternative routes often end up causing traffic blockades. This means wastage of more petrol, which leads to further pollution. I think Salik may only be productive once adequate means of public transport are in place.
From Mr Rick Advano
Dubai
Paying for life
The prices of food and goods have increased and as a result, it is becoming difficult for expatriates to cope with the high cost of living (“Inflation takes a mental toll on UAE expatriates'', Gulf News, September 15). The company I work for has not increased my salary in years. My expenses have almost tripled and as a single working mother, I am finding it difficult to manage the budget. To make things worse, parking meters have been introduced near my home, in Karama. Most people do not realise how difficult it is to find a parking space, despite paying for it.
From A Reader
Dubai
Name withheld by request
Give way
Salik tollgates have definitely not made a difference to traffic congestion in Dubai. Therefore, I have a few suggestions to help the current situation. Firstly, car-pooling could help reduce a great deal of traffic. Thus, drivers who practice carpooling should be given incentives, such as exempting them from Salik or reserving a special lane. Additionally, during rush hour, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) could open up lanes from the opposite direction. For example, lanes from the opposite side should be allocated for traffic moving towards Jebel Ali in the morning and vice versa during the evening rush hour. I think these solutions would immediately impact the movement of vehicles on the road.
From A Reader UAE
Name withheld by request
Tricky situation
A majority of former Indian presidents danced to the tunes of politics (“A victory of sorts'', Gulf News, September 13). However, former president A. P. J. Abdul Kalam is an exception in this regard. He boldly stated that strict laws must be introduced to punish terrorists and this did not come as a surprise to law-abiding citizens, as he has no political axe to grind. Although some Indian states where frequent terrorist attacks have occurred did demand such legislation, it is sad that the federal government is dragging its feet over the issue. This is solely because it fears that stringent action against terrorism might adversely affect the ruling party in the elections.
From Mr K. M. Divakaran
Oman
Positive leave
Certain unpaid leave days could be incorporated into the labour agreement for married bachelors every six months — given that they produce valid documents proving they have family overseas. The labour laws in the UAE are excellent, but I think reducing intervals between visa renewals would help boost productivity.
From Mr Mohammad Shamsheer
Dubai
No share
Rent and food prices are increasing by the day (“UAE Foreign Minister calls for collective effort in tackling problems'', Gulf News, October 19). However, employee salaries are not sufficient to tackle this phenomenal price rise. I urge the authorities to help residents find a way out of this destructive spiral. Evicting people out of shared accommodation does not provide a complete solution to this problem.
From Mr Latif Habib
Ras Al Khaimah
No where to go
Rent has increased drastically over the past few years and shows no sign of stopping (“Sharjah tenants refuse to pay increased rents'', Gulf News, October 6). The authorities should take this matter into consideration and carefully study the demographics. Many people cannot afford their own home and live in shared accommodation. I think hiring professional consultants to help in the decision-making process would be an ideal solution to the housing crisis.
From Ms Malou
Dubai
Full Name withheld by request
Living illegally
The fire in Abu Dhabi was a sad and terrifying incident and those affected had to live in tents, as their homes burned down (“Illegal structure on roof sparked Abu Dhabi high-rise fire'', Gulf News, September 18). I appreciate the effort of the courageous fire fighters, as they were efficient and very quick to respond to the fire. However, I think people need to question why somebody would build an illegal structure just to accommodate families. Does increasing rent prices ring a bell?
From Mr Shabir Zain Al Deen
Abu Dhabi
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