Long term planning creates paths for success
The UAE’s Innovation Week has been a welcome initiative. It is another fine example of how a country can constantly keep evolving under inspiring leadership. To borrow from Steve Jobs’, the founder of Apple, words: “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”
It goes to show that His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, is a true leader and a visionary who has the foresight to see how the future looks.
What is truly amazing is that Innovation Week is not a short term gimmick, but is part of the seven year national innovation strategy, which again speaks volumes about Shaikh Mohammad’s farsightedness. Normally, such events are launched and then forgotten, but long term planning always creates paths for success.
With this program, another phase in the UAE’s transformation has begun.
From Mr Nasser Zaidi
Dubai
Emphasise customer service
Having been a long term resident of Dubai and a regular Gulf News reader through the ‘1970s and ‘80s, I am now just an occasional visitor who noticed the ‘Your Complaints’ section - I was intrigued by the addition (‘Your Complaints: Paying for a mistake’, Gulf News, November 23). Having read the response from one of the banks in question, one must assume that the organisation does indeed “employ best in class technology and processes to minimise fraud risk” or at least one hopes that it does given its business model. It does appear, however, that the bank may wish to also consider employing the best in class human resources to satisfactorily and efficiently deal with issues such as those raised by the complainant, Paulo Feyh.
Unfortunately however, far too many customer-centric businesses now overestimate the benefits that best in class technology can provide, but in many cases grossly underestimate the value of well-trained and best in class human resources that can in turn add significant value to the company by harnessing the technology that these businesses have in place.
From Mr Bharat Jashanmal
UAE
A political killing
The hanging of Bangladesh’s Opposition leader is a political killing (‘Bangladesh hangs opposition leaders for war crimes’, Gulf News, November 22). It’s very bad politics that is going on and it will destroy the country.
From Mr Khan Bhai
UAE
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Protecting minorities
This isn’t a war crime. The Opposition leader was found guilty of war crimes. It’s a judicial decision. Bangladesh’s government is not in a favourable light after this, which is very bad for the government.
From Ms Rashel I. Monawwara
Dubai
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Honour peace agreement
Bangladesh should honour the peace agreement, not kill politicians.
From Mr Omar Khayam
UAE
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Discrimination plain and simple
I hope that this airline gets sued for interrogating a passenger because they speak Arabic (‘Arabic speaker briefly kept off US flight after complaint’, Gulf News, November 22). In American law, that is discrimination plain and simple. If it were two Hispanics speaking Spanish, it would be a multi-million dollar settlement.
From Mr James McDonald
UAE
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Absorbing information
The internet is believed to be the fastest and the most reliable source of information. But does it make us feel more intellectual than we actually are? Can internet memory be termed as short term memory? In my opinion, the answer to this is a big ‘NO’.
Being a student who is inquisitive, and often gets aggravated when doubts are not cleared, I find the internet quite favourable. When you get the information that you were curious to know, how will you forget that? Thus, the internet memory cannot be termed as short term memory.
It is impossible to go to a library and go through a whole lot of books just for maybe a word you wanted to know! Also, there are chances that books can get outdated. It is not quite possible to get the most recent facts when needed. When you can get the information you desire in just a matter of clicks, why waste time in the library, when you can spend that time doing something more productive?
I’m a person who quite often wins trivia with friends – maybe based on something I heard in the news or read in an encyclopaedia a few years ago. It is silly to go hunt for that very encyclopaedia and prove myself right when we have the sources in our pockets. Therefore, I feel that internet cannot be misleading, as the sources on the net are also someone’s thoughts.
From Ms Parvathi Sreeraj
Dubai
Legal punishment is crucial
This is absolute cruelty that this donkey was abused and I’m glad the man is facing legal action now (‘Saudi man arrested for torturing donkey’, Gulf News, November 23). It is saddening to hear of humans ill treating these poor, helpless animals. It is painful to learn that the donkey died of its injuries after being dragged on the asphalt, tied to a car. This sort of abuse, torture and pain can only be inflicted upon an innocent being by an individual who is mentally unstable and inhumane. The man must be ashamed of himself for being so heartless toward the animal. He deserves severe punishment so that others learn a lesson and will be discouraged to harm animals.
From Ms Fatima Suhail
Sharjah
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Impact of war on Nature
It’s been almost a decade now of focusing on climate change and it has been intense (‘The UN climate conference is just the beginning’, Gulf News, November 22). There are a number of initiatives planned to shift the objectives towards safeguarding Nature and its wealthy assets.
As the effect of climate change is yet to be fully embraced by people, there should be more effort to bring awareness to impart the message across. In the context of increasing damages to Nature and its ample resources that are required for sustainability, the conference has become more relevant.
The developed countries have a leading role to play in convincing countries that are struggling to find a way to preserve their geographical assets. With the support of more than 190 countries, the actions must be strong enough to realise that issues like global warming have a severe impact on life on Earth.
The most challenging effort should focus on reducing the increasing conflicts that mostly upset the Earth’s resources. It is critical to have a serious emphasis on this aspect and each and every country must contribute equally.
At the same time, follow up actions being agreed upon must have top priority and the delegations must focus on addressing those agreed actions in a phased manner.
From Mr Ramachandran Nair
Oman
Go solar!
Solar panels are not as expensive as they used to be (‘Thinking of going solar?’, Gulf News, November 22). I think that the people living in villa style homes, not apartment, must fix this to reduce Dubai Water and Electricity Authority (Dewa) bills and also their carbon footprint.
From Mr Syed Ali
UAE
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Plenty of sunshine!
How can this be implemented by a tenant in an apartment they have rented? I think this should be made a mandatory requirement for all landlords here in the UAE considering the abundant sunshine we are blessed with all year round.
From Ms Lakshmi Vinayakrishnan
UAE
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Help developing countries
We need more of this in African countries. I have spent much time in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and they experience power cuts almost daily. This would help the economy enormously.
From Ms Moira Samater
Sunderland, UK
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