Letters: April 17, 2012

Found a home
This is with regards to the report we wrote on the grey cat that was featured in Gulf News — it was housed (‘Rescued cat looks for someone to adopt her’, Gulf News, April 4). My husband and I had many calls regarding this cat on the day the report was published and well into the next day. However, the first person who called, Mansour Mirza Khurshid, was the one to give him a home. This man seemed very kind and said that he had two Persian cats and one had run away. He wanted this one to keep his other cat company. He phoned the veterinary centre, where the cat had been staying for a few months, many times during the day to make sure that nobody else came to take him. As soon as he finished work he went to the veterinary centre and collected the cat. He sent me a photo of the cat a short while later sitting very comfortably and said that the cat had adapted very well to his new family.
From Ms Debbie Baker
Dubai

Heartless
It is very sad and heartbreaking to read this (‘Baby battered by father dies in Bangalore hospital’, Gulf News, April 12). How could anyone do this to his own flesh and blood? A three-month-old baby — she must have just started smiling — how can anyone have the heart to harm such an innocent child?
The father should get strict punishment. Even if he escapes the punishment in this world, the afterlife awaits him.
From Ms Sara
Dubai
Website comment

Strict action
How could the father beat a three-month-old baby to death? We need some strict laws to stop such incidents from happening. At the end I know that the baby is innocent and she is in heaven, but we can pray for her poor mother who has to live through this.
From Mr Meero Khan
Dubai

Problem continuing
I’m staying in Electra Street and I have a residence permit for my car. However, every day when I get back from work I find it impossible to find a parking spot. What’s the use of paying the annual Dh800 fee for the permit? When I speak to the Mawaqif officers they tell me that if I find parking spot then I can park, but if I park in the wrong area then they would fine me. Is this what I get for paying Dh800? I waste so much time and money and end up leaving it to luck. On top of all this, there are ample parking spaces in the area opposite one of the showrooms down the street. However, according to the rules, residents in my area can’t park there. Can’t Mawaqif understand the situation and allow residents to park there?
From A Reader
Abu Dhabi
Name withheld by request

What difference will it make?
Can someone explain how increasing the fare for booked taxis will enhance the response of taxi drivers when you flag them on the street (‘Pre-booked cab fares set to rise during peak hours’, Gulf News, April 11)? If anything, all taxi drivers will now want to go for a booked customer instead of picking up a passenger on the road. To enhance the services of taxis, clearer guidelines should be set for the drivers and they should be educated about them.
From Ms Zeina
Dubai
Website comment

Never on time
I do not agree with raising the fares. Taxis never come on time. I can’t remember how many times I have called for a taxi and they showed up an hour late. Even when you tell them that you have a flight to catch they still do not bother to come on time. It is the worst customer service. I think that they should first improve their service and then raise cab fares.
From A Reader
Dubai
Website comment

Won’t get one
I fully agree with the comment [above]. If you call and pre-book a taxi in the evening during the weekend you can forget about getting one. Taxis have ruined many evenings for me. I have made so many complaints about this and the answer I get from the managers at the customer care centre is that I cannot pre-book on weekends as many people need taxis on those days and that the traffic is very bad. The customer care of taxis has to improve before doing things like these.
From Ms Anna
Dubai
Website comment

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