July 26, 2008

Affecting all

Women who are unable to stand up for themselves, feel helpless, which leads to them committing suicide, must be helped ("Wife-beating a common complaint", Gulf News, July 21). Committees must be set up and counselling sessions taken seriously. In such cases, it is not just the woman who gets affected, but the entire family, too.
From Ms Esther Benjamin
Dubai

My story with Gulf News

As an Abu Dhabi resident, I have been reading Gulf News from the day I arrived in the UAE, nine years ago. The Classifieds section of the newspaper was the first thing my friends provided me with, to help me find a good job. I have seen Gulf News go from strength to strength and win the confidence and hearts of almost everyone in the country. Congratulations to the team for achieving 30 years in publication.
From Mr Kannan P.
Abu Dhabi

Connecting people

I am glad to be associated as a reader and subscriber with Gulf News for the past 10 years. Though I used to read another newspaper, I soon switched to Gulf News and my relationship seems to get stronger every day. I like the coverage, especially from the sub-continent. It helps me connect with news back home.
From Mr Dorairajan Ravi
UAE

Bus stops needed

Sharjah's new bus service is an effective solution to the traffic problem faced by the emirate's residents. However, the number of specific pick-up points for passengers should be increased. Apart from the existing bus stops at places such as Al Wahda Street and King Faisal Road, there should be more. Usually, commuters have to go to Al Rolla by taxi in order to catch the bus. This requires more money, time and effort on their part.
From Mr Mohammad Ali
Sharjah

Set a limit

It would be a good idea for the authorities to put a minimum income limit on owning a car. This would help in controlling the traffic as the number of cars would reduce. Even people within a salary bracket of Dh3,000 can afford to own a car, as the banks readily sanction loans. This increases the number of cars on the road.
From Mr Navaneethan V.
Dubai

There is a choice

I have been in Dubai for 22 months. I got my driving licence in November, 2007, and can afford to buy a car. However, I have decided against it as driving and finding parking space is a nightmare. I think the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) should plan bus routes; just increasing the number of buses does not solve the problem. Getting a taxi or a bus from Garhoud to Bur Dubai is next to impossible. One has to wait for a minimum of 45 minutes for a bus to arrive. If the RTA looks into this seriously and ensures that all empty taxis stop to pick passengers, and that the frequency of buses is increased, most people would opt for public transport instead of driving in heavy traffic.
From Mr Anthony Pereira
Dubai

Cleaned out

I find the new free bus service in Abu Dhabi very good and comfortable. However, on one occasion, I saw a bed bug on the shirt of the person sitting in front of me. There may be chances that the bed bug multiplies and is carried off by people to their homes. It would be ideal for the buses to be cleaned with chemicals at least once every week.
From Mr V. Philip Abraham
Abu Dhabi

Juggling with life

I used to leave my baby at home with a housemaid and go for work ("Police warn against 'blind trust' of housemaids as crimes show rise," Gulf News, July 21).

One day, I returned from work to find my child all alone at home while the maid had escaped with jewellery and some cash. That incident taught me a very valuable lesson - never to depend on a stranger. Since then I have had to juggle with life. I try to do all the chores my self, as much as I can.
From Ms Agniyah
Sharjah
Full name withheld by request

Give and take

I think it also depends on the employer whether he or she treats the housemaid as part of the family. If you start intimidating your housemaid, she might react in an unpleasant manner. Some employers tend to delay payment of salaries, make housemaids work long hours with no days off, provide poor living conditions and verbally humiliate them. One cannot blame the housemaid under such conditions. Employers must understand that their domestic help is human, too, and deserves to be treated fairly. If you love your housemaids and take care of them, they would respond in a similar manner.
From Mr Ben
Dubai
Website comment

Not their job

In my opinion, the mother should take care of her children. This is not the job of the maid. Child abuse is very common, because mothers don't want to raise their children properly.
From Ms Fatima
Dubai
Full name withheld by request

Blame long hours

How can we take care of our children when we spend half the day at work? Earlier, the working hours would be from 8am to 2pm, which now gets stretched to 5pm and 6pm. By the time one combats traffic and reaches home, another two hours are wasted and people end up feeling tired. If the working hours were changed to the way they were earlier, there would be no need for a housemaid at all.
From A Reader
Dubai
Name withheld by request

Editor's note:

Are people today increasingly dependent on house help? Is it a necessity?