Letters to the Editor

Moving backwards
It is ironic that the country's leaders want to divide India, especially as it was so united when it became independent, 62 years ago ("Telangana issue leads to law and order problems", Gulf News, December 16). We have enough barriers based on culture, religion, class and language — why create more geographical barriers? I believe the forming of new states comes from the greed to have complete control over resources without sharing them. If the new state, Telangana, is formed, the government would allot a separate budget for this state and the country would have to bear the brunt of the added cost of efforts and resources. This goes against successful business models.
From Mr Chetan Govind Bhatia
Sharjah

One nation
This is in reference to the report on the Nakheel bond being paid off (‘Nakheel bond to be paid in full', Gulf News, December 15). It is indeed a great step by this country's leaders, which will boost the confidence of investors and residents in Dubai and the UAE as a whole. I hope the Western media is watching and gets to learn that we stand together at all times as one nation. It's time other countries focused on their own problems.
From Mr Faiz Sharif
Dubai
Website comment

 Quick decisions
The UAE has once again proved the mightiness of its leadership. Such quick and efficient decisions cannot be seen in any other part of the world.
From Mr Abhishek Kishore
Dubai
Website comment

Together we stand
Congratulations to the UAE for proving that the criticisms raised were baseless and speculative. This clearly demonstrates the strength, unity, vigour, power and oneness of the leaders in the UAE. It is a lesson for other politicians in the world, where people just focus on blaming each other for mishaps. I believe the whole world should stand together to tackle the global economic crisis, in a similar way.
From Ms Suhani Khan,
Dubai
Website comment

Interlinked
Congratulations to the great rulers of UAE for acting at the right time. This is the best time to show the world that all the emirates are interlinked and any problems along the way will not hamper the progress of this great nation. We salute the government for acting so swiftly.
 From Mr Pradeep Siddharth
Dubai
Website comment

Reading habits
I was shocked and saddened by the report that said Dubai pupils do not own enough books (‘Dubai pupils lacking in book ownership, says study', Gulf News, December 13). I am a voracious reader and I know of many people like myself. I am nine years old and I own more than 500 books. Books are a magnet — I buy them regularly and finish reading one within three to four days. Reading enhances my knowledge and improves my imaginative power and writing skills. So, I genuinely believe that reading is the best way to boost a child's academic performance.
From Ms Kehkashan Basu
Dubai

Teach them to read
I strongly believe reading books is the first step towards greater academic achievement. But, I don't think owning books is necessary, because we could have several books at home, but they remain useless if children are not encouraged to read. We should encourage our children to read, similar to how we teach them to walk, talk, cycle or swim. Reading books increases their vocabulary, enhances their general knowledge and improves their writing skills, which in turn will result in brighter and smarter individuals, good academic results and a confident personality. Both my children are avid readers and I have noticed the habit has helped them greatly in their studies. From the time they were six months old, I used to narrate stories to them using voice modulations and colourful pictures.
From Ms Sajida Kamal
Abu Dhabi 

Not good enough
There are no book stores with a good range of technical or scientific books and the ones available have very high prices, so people fear buying books. Recently, I wanted to buy a book of cultural poems, but it was quite expensive. Such books should be priced reasonably so that the common man can read and learn more about the culture of the country. In India, some books of national importance or good compilations are tax-free. I spoke to a salesperson in a book store in Dubai — they are willing to order the books if they are not available here. But, I was told it would take around two weeks to procure. From Mr Ramesh Vishwakarma
Dubai
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 High prices
There is no doubt that information technology (IT) is the backbone of a business (‘IT the backbone of firms, readers say,' Gulf News, December 13). In my view, the reasons behind axing IT staff during a downturn is that firms do not see the long-term benefits. The initial and maintenance costs are high for most of the firms. IT systems are expensive since firms charge high prices for their products. If these firms charged reasonable rates, the perception that IT systems are expensive would vanish. In this manner, IT firms could have continuous business and the wealth would be distributed evenly.
From Ms Nafees Ahmad 
Abu Dhabi