No change
Today’s situation is different from yesterday’s (‘Majority of employers in UAE not planning increments’, Gulf News, May 10). Everything has changed - the price of commodities, taxi fares, rent and so on, but our salaries have remained the same. There has been no sign of increment. My salary right now is the same as it was in 2010.
From Mr Prem Kumar
UAE
Facebook comment
Rising prices
Yes this is correct. I came to the UAE in 2006 and till now, I am receiving the same food allowance. However, the prices of essential items have increased every year since.
From Mr Zahid Hassan
Dubai
Facebook comment
Flip side
People should consider that some companies do not have enough capacity to increase the pay for each employee. It depends on how big the company is and how productive you are. However, I do agree that rapidly increasing rents is something that’s going really out of hand.
From Mr Afshan G.
Sharjah
Facebook comment
Employers’ prerogative
The authorities need to crack down on real estate companies who are openly flouting the rules. Making it unaffordable for residents to pay their rents only means that people’s earnings become harder to manage. It causes a great deal of stress. I don’t think anyone wants to live from pay day to pay day - we do want to save at the end of every month. How are we going to be able to do that when companies do not provide incentives with raises or provide a fair amount for transportation, housing and travel costs?
From Ms Sophia Ali
Abu Dhabi
Social media evolution
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg probably made the smartest move since he founded Facebook, back in 2003, when he recently announced that Facebook will be acquiring WhatsApp for $19 billion.
With 1.26 billion active users, Facebook currently leads WhatsApp, which has approximately 417 million active users, however the gap is closing fast.
WhatsApp is gaining ground at the expense of Facebook and others because it is comparatively much simpler to navigate through.
Facebook is quite adept at always making unsolicited suggestions to its subscribers to like certain Facebook pages or like certain people simply because they are connected via Facebook to somebody who is connected with you.
All this irritates the young users and intimidates the elderly, who would prefer that their social media interaction be uncomplicated and a one touch process.
Globally over 968 million smartphones were sold to the end users in 2013, an increase of 42.3 per cent over 2012.
Today, an average person is typically an active member of 4-5 WhatsApp groups, sharing text, pictures and videos as well as audio notes with: close family, extended family, school/childhood friends, and work place friends.
The beauty here is that relevant information is shared with relevant people without having to worry about ‘privacy settings’.
So, WhatsApp is the new Facebook plus more and in essence, Zuckerberg can continue to keep laughing all the way to the bank.
From Mr Amitabh Saxena
Dubai
Pakistani elections anniversary
Yesterday, May 11, marked one full year since the 2013 elections in Pakistan. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is still waiting for an answer from the Superior Courts and Election Tribunal regarding its appeals of rigging in the elections.
Where is our judiciary and election commission? The protest scheduled by Imran Khan and the PTI supporters has been the most awaited political gathering by each and every Pakistani who wishes to see their country with a true and legitimate democracy. We have every right to be part of any peaceful protest and the government cannot create hurdles during these democratic demonstrations.
From Ms Khaula Shahbaz Rao
Dubai
Only hope
Corruption in India starts right from the low level (‘Corruption still an unaddressed issue in Indian elections’, Gulf News, May 10). Be it for education or employment, the need of the hour is to focus on educating everybody. Creating educated youth in India is the only hope left.
From Mr Ashwin Amin
Dubai
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