February 19, 2008

Cure ignorance, cure Aids
It is a sad day for humanity when the foremost HIV/Aids scientist, Professor David Baltimore, has proclaimed that there is no foreseeable cure for the disease ("Vaccine for Aids unlikely to be found", Gulf News, February 16). The only cure for Aids is a cure of ignorance. That is the ignorance of the United States government and its approach to the HIV/Aids epidemic through President George W. Bush's emergency plan for Aids relief (Pepfar). Seventy eight per cent of Pepfar funds have been centred round a treatment based solution. As highlighted by UNAIDS [United Nation's programme on HIV/Aids], distribution of preventive aid must increase threefold to have any chance of eradicating the epidemic by 2015. Now that we accept that there will not be a HIV/Aids vaccine in our lifetime, the best strategy for ending the epidemic will be to prevent the spread of the disease. Alleviating suffering by treating victims is not enough.
From Mr H. Trent Moore
Melbourne, Australia

Lack of libraries
Is there a reason for the lack of public libraries in Sharjah? Each time I visit huge shopping malls, anywhere in the UAE, I come across all kinds of consumer goods, which are essential, but there is a dire shortage of books. Could it be that people have lost interest in the pleasure of reading? If there is one thing I miss the most about my hometown, Goa, in India, it's the easy accessibility to books.
From Ms Medha Hodarkar
Sharjah

Don't advise
Indian tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi should not be giving any advice ("Sania Mirza's manager says star to play 'when she is ready'", Gulf News, February 16). Bhupathi is extremely lucky to have attained the success he has - he was a mediocre tennis player when he first started playing tennis. Since most top single players do not play doubles, Bhupathi was able to cash in on this advantage. Leander Paes had also helped Bhupathi at the start of his career by agreeing to play doubles with him, even though he was just a beginner.
From Mr P. Joseph
Ontario, Canada

Extending goodness
The work done by Ms Lakshmi Montgomery is commendable ("Teaching labourers how to prepare a recipe for success", Gulf News, February 16). I would request her to provide her important [saving, literacy and eating] advice in an easy to read format by publishing it.

Such information can be used as a cut out and could be passed on to workers/labourers free of cost. This would be highly beneficial.
From Mr Vijay Kumar
Dubai

Noisy motorists
With the increase in the number of cars in Abu Dhabi, the noise levels have gone up as well, especially since a lot of car owners resort to honking in the middle of the night. I request the authorities concerned to ban honking after 10pm each night, more so in residential areas. The area that I live in is plagued by such inconsiderate motorists, who for no apparent reason, honk non-stop in the middle of the night, with a complete disregard for those trying to sleep.
From Mr P.N. Ravish
Abu Dhabi

Expensive ordeal
I share similar sentiments as reported in a Gulf News article citing an increase in post box charges ("100% increase on post box charges upsets small businesses", Gulf News, February 16). This is too expensive. I had delayed renewing the application for my post box by a few days and had to pay Dh1,000 in total with half the amount being charged as a fine.
From Ms N. Rodriguez
Dubai

Rightly worried
I really wonder how accurately the speed cameras work on busy roads that have six or eight lanes? Recently, I was driving through the third lane on Shaikh Zayed Road from Abu Dhabi to Dubai. Suddenly, a sports car drove by at an incredible speed. Coincidentally, my car reached in front of the speed camera, just as the camera flashed. My immediate reaction was to see my speedometer that displayed a 100 kilometre per hour speed. My worry proved right as early this week I received a fine.
From Mr Amlanjyoti Basu
Abu Dhabi

Changing times
I wonder if Ittihad Park opposite Sharjah gold souq has been changed into a football ground? I say so because every evening the entire park is used for playing football.
From Mr Riaz Naik
Sharjah

Not my own
More than two months' ago I discovered that somebody was using my credit card to pay Dh500 online to etisalat. Immediately, I informed my bank of the aforesaid issue. After six more transactions of a similar nature, the bank blocked my card and issued a new one. After a month they told me that I have to go to the police in order to avail the lost money. It was very frustrating to know that all the important credit card details are so easily available to others.
From Mr Amir Khosrow N. S.
Dubai

The Emirates NBD management replies:
People with credit cards are encouraged to take reasonable precautions to protect the security information related to their cards and Emirates NBD takes that into consideration when assessing instances of card related fraud.

After investigating the case we have found that the transactions on the card have been done using the card details like card number, expiry date of the card and the 3-digit CVV code at the back of the card.

Only the owner of the card knows these details and hence he is liable for the charges disputed by him.

Nevertheless as a goodwill gesture we have arranged to credit the customer's account, and he was contacted.