Letters: February 22, 2012

Uninvited guests
Ever since we moved to our new apartment in Sharjah, the sound of the doorbell ringing throughout the day is something we had to get used to. Sometimes they are maintenance workers and at other times they are technicians. But we didn't expect to get an additional uninvited guest at our door almost every day. Over the past week we have come across a number of women beggars who knock at every door in the hope of making some money. The reason we open the door is because we think that these women are our neighbours and might have come to ask for something. But, this isn't the case. These women come from other areas and target certain buildings for the purpose of begging. As much as we believe in charity and donations we cannot afford to provide financial aid to everyone and anyone who makes their way to our home. These beggars are usually quite well dressed and it makes it even more difficult for us to differentiate them from other women in the neighbourhood. The authorities should take appropriate measures to curb this problem of door-to-door begging in residential areas. Moreover, as tenants we should make it a point not to entertain any unknown visitors knocking on our door.
From Ms Fatima Suhail
Sharjah

Music lives on
Whitney Houston's music touched our lives in peculiar ways. She's one of my favourite singers and I liked most of her songs. It is the reason I watched her film The Bodyguard with Kevin Costner. Her death shocked her fans worldwide. Houston truly deserves a special tribute from the music industry. Her songs, which come from the heart, will never be forgotten and will always have a special place in music history. The only way for us to remember her with fondness is through playing her beautiful music.
From Mr Winston Tan Parandas
Dubai
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Changing eating habits
I will definitely find a substitute for bread for my family (‘Bread more salty than you think', Gulf News, February 19). My father has a heart problem and my mother suffers from blood pressure. I advised them to cut down on salty foods as soon as possible and get used to eating foods that are rich in fibre. After all, precaution is better than suffering. I would like to thank Gulf News for publishing such a useful report. Keep up the good work.
From Ms Farzana Hussain
Al Ain
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Safety net
Landlords should not be allowed to lease their property until the developer gives clearance to the tenant that all service charges have been paid for the year of the tenancy contract (‘Majority of landlords at Nakheel projects yet to pay service charges', Gulf News, February 17).
From Mr Kevin Laing
Dubai
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Breaking the rules
I am sick to my stomach reading about such incidents again and again (‘Minibus crash in Dibba raises safety questions', Gulf News, February 17). This is the height of it now and if nothing is done about it then we are going to only see more lives being lost. Many a times I have observed trucks, vans and minibuses in the fast lane causing a lot of confusion to other drivers. There should be a rule set up that heavy vehicles should not be allowed to enter the fast lane, as they do so and end up driving slowly. The authorities have to keep an eye on such vehicles, the number of passengers they carry, and whether the tyres are in good condition. If you notice during peak hours, the roads are filled with heavy vehicles and I feel that there should be specific times of the day when they are allowed to be on the road. They should also stick to one lane.
From Mr Mathew Litty
Dubai
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Knowing your apartment
This is a very good move by the Sharjah authorities (‘Al Baker Tower 4 blaze prompts building code revamp in Sharjah', Gulf News, February 17). The authorities should also randomly inspect the safety systems of existing high-rise buildings. Creating public awareness about safety procedures will help tenants in making sure that they know if they are going to live in a safe apartment.
From Mr Haneef Puttur
Sharjah

No more fires
I think that all Civil Defence units in the UAE should work on this issue and implement unique procedures to prevent fires from happening in buildings.
From Mr Deen
Abu Dhabi
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