Ask Islamic countries
The article "The US cannot lead the world anymore" by Duraid Al Baik (Gulf News, August 10) states: "The world's major powers other than the US, including the EU, Russia, China, Japan and Canada should sit and discuss the security in the world and how war crimes have actually surged since the US launched its war against terrorism." I can't understand why people always ignore to include Muslim nations while taking decisions on world affairs. The UN Security Council doesn't have a single Muslim country as its permanent member, even though the Muslim population is more than 1 billion.
From Ms M. Rangala
Colombo, Sri Lanka

Interesting timing
I find it a little too convenient that a "terror plot" was unearthed now and that it was with the cooperation of the good old US. Now the spotlight is off the Israeli acts of atrocities as well as the complicity of the US and UK governments. Good work neocons!
From Ms A. Samir
Abu Dhabi

Wrongly billed
I'm very careful with my household water consumption, yet my Dewa bill for June 2006 was Dh9,248! This was due to a faulty water flow switch in the underground tank, which did not stem the water flow when the tank was full. This appears to be because Emaar have allowed contractors to install inherently deficient water flow switches or have not undertaken proper checks on the quality of installation. My Dewa bill for June alone is more than my total water bill for the past 24 months.
From Mr S. Lewis
Dubai

The Management of Emaar replies:
We prefer not to comment on individual cases and would recommend that the resident contact our Customer Care department who will be more than happy to assist further. However, we wish to clarify that all the float valves supplied and installed by Emaar contractors and Emaar's service providers are of international standards and approved by the consultants before use. In fact, the float valves used are manufactured in the United Kingdom. Emaar is committed to water conservation measures and it is in the collective interest of all to undertake measures that avoid water wastage. Periodical check-up and maintenance by residents can also help to avoid leakage problems.

Water shortage
Many buildings in the Rolla area in Sharjah are facing the problem of water scarcity. The problem has turned into an agony where literally no drop of water is available for cooking or washing. Some in these buildings are bringing drinking water from Ajman for domestic use; while others are relying on friends and relatives in Sharjah and Ajman. I request the staff of Sharjah Municipality to find a solution to this acute water shortage.
From Ms S.S. Thomas
Dubai

Fraud e-mail
Why should one keep on alerting those who fall for a quick buck making scam mails ("Fraud e-mail offers share in plantation money", Gulf News, August 12). Aren't they educated enough to know that this kind of huge easy money must be carrying some sort of hidden problems. It really gives the reader the irritating feeling to read "such" types of warnings now and then to the people still ignorant about the scam.
From Mr N. Sadhwani
Dubai

Crazy drivers
I just got word of another one of my friends being killed in a car crash here in Dubai. No matter how you fine these arrogant crazy drivers they keep on killing people. Why can't the police impound cars and ban drivers on the spot for a minimum of three months and do something to educate them on how to drive safely? Every 27 hours someone dies on the roads here, so please do something about it now.
From Mr D. Dougy
Dubai

Dirty highway
It was pathetic to see the kind of things being littered on Shaikh Zayed Road. A few days ago, I was returning from Abu Dhabi to Dubai and I saw people throwing out garbage from their cars on the road. We have all come here to live a comfortable life and are enjoying all the facilities offered by the UAE government to us. So it's our duty to support the authorities in keeping the cities clean, irrespective of whether we are nationals or expatriates.
From Mr M. Prabhakar
Sharjah

Advice for stammering
This is in response to the letter "Lazy and insensitive" (Gulf News, August 11). I would like to tell the person that I, too, am a stammerer. I can empathise with what he went through at the Abu Hail Post Office and want all stammerers not to take things to heart. My advice for dealing with such people is that it would be better if one goes and just says "I have a speech problem". If the person addressed to, still goes on to make fun, one should reply with "At least I can amuse you", and see how the colour changes on his/her face.
From Ms A. Qureshi
Dubai

Way to go
Al Shuwaiheen area in Rolla has become choked with traffic. Cars are parked on both sides of the road, causing great difficulty to moving traffic. The residents cannot be blamed for this, as they have nowhere to go, to park their cars. Although the authorities had assured a few years ago that all new buildings should provide parking space, this has totally been ignored. New multi-storeyed buildings do not have provisions for parking. A feasible solution would be to rule that this area will have only one-way streets. This would generate extra parking and ease traffic movements.
From Mr P.M.I. Ahmad
Dubai

Caught unawares
It seems Dubai police is fining innocent and law-abiding drivers through some loopholes in speed limit areas. I use the Amman Road in Ghusais every morning (the road behind Sahara Centre, Sharjah) approaching the Mamzar Bridge. From the junction of Road 204 in Ghusais to the Mamzar interchange, a distance of about 2.5kms, the speed limit is not mentioned anywhere. I have been fined on this road by mobile radar for breaking a speed limit of which I was not made aware. The authorities should mention the speed limit on this road and reimburse my traffic fine.
From A Reader
Dubai
Name withheld by request

Defending columnists
I cannot understand the readers who complain of bias against columnists such as Husain Haqqani and Kuldip Nayar ("Biased author" and "Misinformed columnist", Gulf News, August 7 and 10). A columnist, by definition, is someone who writes his opinion well. He is supposed to be biased in favour of his opinion. That is different from a reporter who must be unbiased. Instead of complaining of bias, readers must rebut the reasoning of a columnist's argument. Most Pakistani detractors of Mr Haqqani, in particular, fail miserably in doing so.
From Mr A.S. Azhar
Dubai