Compulsory grills
I think that a simple grill should be made compulsory for all windows by the municipality to prevent children from falling off high-rises (‘Sharjah child deaths in high-rise falls blamed on parental neglect’, Gulf News, March 17). I think that’s the best way to solve all the problems of children falling from high-rise buildings.
From Mr Fahad Manna
Dubai
Website comment
Different balcony design
My suggestion would be for the authorities to standardise the way balcony railings are designed. If the railings are designed in a way that children cannot climb on it, this will help in stopping such mishaps.
From Mr Zuber Qureshi
Dubai
Website comment
The parent’s responsibility
Simple solutions are available to keep children safe. It doesn’t matter if you live in a high-rise or a villa; your children are your responsibility! Take the necessary measures to keep them safe.
From Ms Sam Clarke
UAE
Facebook comment
Parents need to understand!
I find it really sad that readers feel we need to rely on the regulations of the authorities to make the lives of our children safer. Clearly, the problem is with the mindsets of the parents. I agree with Sam Clarke that it is the responsibility of parents – no one else. The readers who believe the municipality needs to do more, is that because they are tired of trying to tell parents how to be more careful?
I think we need to keep fighting the fight to make parents understand that no, it’s not alright to leave your three-year-old alone while you put your five-year-old on the bus. You can’t leave a small child to their own devices while you do other things. Children will always get into mischief! It’s the nature of children and their keen curiosity.
From Ms Lili Maria
Dubai
Facebook comment
Proper precautions
Putting in small-opening hinges will prevent children from opening your windows fully and it’s easy to change at a very low cost. Please try it because often we are busy in the house and dropping children to the school bus. It’s hard to hold all your children 24/7.
From Ms Kesar
Sharjah
Website comment
Protection and safety
I believe the windows and balconies of any apartments should be made at a high-level, rather than the normal low-level windows. This should be the law that all families should only be the residents of high-level windows and balcony apartments for the protection and safety of children.
From Ms Almas Farid
Dubai
Website comment
Can’t make safety changes
My suggestion is safety rules should be revised by the municipality. Otherwise, the landlords will definitely ignore the tenants’ complaints. I also agree that a grill can solve most of the issues. Safety is the most important thing. Here, most of the window locks can easily be unlocked and accessed by children. Landlords always ignore these things and if we do anything by ourselves, they deduct it from our deposit because of the changes.
From Ms Rajitha
Dubai
Website comment
Quitting doesn’t solve anything
Unrealistic expectations with no training during one’s contract also puts a question mark of one’s capability and some are misguided by their colleagues and makes them not speak about their pay or promotion (‘Career move: ways to secure better pay’, Gulf News, March 17). Quitting a job may be a solution, but it will not solve the problems that will be faced in the future. Here, that’s why people leave it to God. Some do this for a few months, others for few years or some for their lifetime!
From Ms Heena Chander Hariramani
UAE
Facebook comment
Difficult to do
Being thankful is easy, but it’s a very hard concept to accept considering the cost of living here and the salary that most of the companies right now are offering. What choice does a normal employee or job seeker have?
From Ms Melanie Cabuhat
Dubai
Facebook comment
Give yourself power
Never sit in a company for more than three years with the same salary. Ask for an increment, otherwise move out immediately. The same goes for your responsibilities. If the company fails to move you up the chain in three years, move out. It’s tough, but make that change. That change will give you the power to keep soaring higher. I came here in 2005. I earned Dh1,500 then. Today I earn ten times that. Less than a decade!
From Mr P.K.
Dubai
Website comment
Can’t maintain lifestyle
I feel that I am underpaid. I joined the company seven years back in 2007 as an accountant for a reputed insurance company in the UAE. There has not been any change in the salary structure from that date. I am paid Dh3,500, which is the lowest an accountant can get paid. Despite several memos, I have had no response from the management. The cost of living has gone up so much from what it used to be. Still, my salary remains the same. My father has been supporting me so far now, but he has been diagnosed with cancer and cannot help me anymore. I am residing with my wife and three children in a one bedroom apartment in one of the oldest buildings in Sharjah. Still, I cannot maintain expenses versus income.
From Mr Jordan
Sharjah
Website comment
Truth is revealed
This report is true. Survey companies are taking samples from high-level employees. Now, the truth has been revealed.
From Mr Peter
Dubai
Website comment
Difficult to give increments
Since the product and service value have not been improved and other expenses like rental, visa fees and others have increased a lot, there is less demand in the market to sustain. This means that giving increments is very difficult. I find this even more so for particular work categories, like technicians and labourer salaries are both limited even if that person has worked in the same field for a number of years.
From Mr Thiru
Dubai
Website comment
Causing bad patterns
What is mentioned in this article about the drop in apartment prices in Dubai is not covering all the facts (‘Big drop in Dubai apartment prices’, Gulf News, March 16). There are areas in Dubai where there have been increases in rent that are tremendous! 20 to 30 per cent in some cases and the landlords do not consider the parameters set by the Dubai authorities. Surprisingly, the people are ready to take it, the landlords prefer bachelors, who in turn are staying in numbers to share the rent and it may be at their convenience. This causes much inconvenience to the families staying in those buildings.
From Mr Saif Al Deen K. Mandviwala
Dubai
Website comment
Rent calculators go unused
Regarding rents, it’s really difficult to manage with the landlords because they are forcing us to either leave our apartments or pay the higher rent increase in the existing place. In both cases, most face trouble. Tenancy contract are agreed on as per the Real Estate Registration Authority (RERA) calculator increment, but landlord don’t accept this often. If they originally asked for Dh55,000 for a one bedroom apartment, they might ask later for Dh70,000. After negotiations you will end up paying Dh65,000.
From Mr Mohammad
Dubai
Website comment
Making it easy
The fact that Dubai houses can now implement the use of solar power is indeed great news and the owners of the villas and buildings need to think in this direction, incorporate and implement more these green efforts (‘Dubai homes can now tap Solar Energy’, Gulf News, March 16). The authority’s green economy for sustainable development initiative will definitely be viewed as great support and residents should soon try to incorporate it soon.
As announced, the network operations centre issuing is simplified and it will be taken care of by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa). Necessary design approval has to be obtained from Dewa complying with Dewa regulations. In the power generation stage, Dewa will install the meters and authorise a signed connection agreement for the net-metering arrangement, plus responsibilities. All these initiatives sound very good and prospective buyers need to take note of this. With the Dubai authority’s guidance and support in this area, we will definitely bear fruits in the coming years.
From Mr M. K. Gunaseelan
Abu Dhabi
Website comment
A laudable initiative
The initiative by the Dubai Municipality for residents to lose weight is highly laudable (‘Woman sheds 32kg in two months to win’, Gulf News, March 16). Weight loss and its benefits are many and, time and again it has been stressed to remain healthy. The monetisation and a reward factor on losing weight are driving many obese and overweight people to lose weight and remain healthy. Keep up the good work!
From Mr A.
Dubai
Full name withheld on request
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