Illegal practice
I refer to the news item "Hey presto! … a peso's as good as a dirham" (Gulf News, August 2). Using one peso for a ticket in paid parking is a prevalent practice. I have a collection of pesos, which may have eventually landed with me from either one of the supermarkets or petrol stations. The authorities should act swiftly to curtail such criminal practices, which are slowly spreading to a wider social arena. They should punish those who sell such tickets in parking lots and those who promote this illegal act by buying the same.
From Mr H. Mundock
Sharjah
Cheap tricks
I really wonder why people cheat for Dh1. I have also seen some people using the Rs5 Pakistani coin in vending machines. It is also the same size as the dirham and I normally see some labourers doing this in industrial areas and elsewhere.
From A Reader
Sharjah
Man's best friend
I refer to the article "These animals deserve to be treated better" (Gulf News, July 27). I agree the treatment given to animals is bad but it's sad the problem remains. Do the shop keepers realise if the animals are not in good condition and not fed properly, chances of people buying them are less, as they are not appealing to a buyer? Animals give humans company. I had a dog for 10 years and lost him in 1999. Even today nothing can replace him. I hope people treat animals with respect, realising they are living things and God's creation.
From Ms P. Suri
Dubai
Waiting for gifts
I have a credit card from Standard Chartered Bank. They have excellent telemarketing services and I usually get at least four calls a week offering various schemes. Unfortunately once a scheme is availed of, it's a Herculean task to get the free gifts that come with the scheme. I had trouble on both the occasions I availed of their schemes. This time even after lodging 10 complaints, I am yet to get my gift. Please help!
From Mr M.K. Srivastava
Abu Dhabi
Hard to get
I obtained a loan from Standard Chartered Bank through their "Easy Pay" scheme on May 2. As per the scheme, I was entitled for gift a rice cooker. More than 75 days have passed but I am yet to receive the gift, whereas we are charged hefty amounts by the bank even if we are late by a day in payments. I lodged a complaint on June 19, and tried to follow up with its phone banking several times for more than a month, but to no avail.
From Mr U. Singh
Dubai
Mr Sanjoy Chowdhury, Senior Manager, Regional Corporate Affairs, Standard Chartered Bank, replies:
We confirm having a discussion on the matter with our customers Mr Srivastava and Mr Singh and are happy to state that we have resolved the issue to their satisfaction. We apologise for the delay in the delivery of the gift vouchers.
We are continuously improving our processes to minimise any inconvenience to our customers and would like to thank you once again for your time and the feedback, allowing us to understand better our customers' specific needs. We are dedicated to the success of our customers, and feedback is a key component to achieving this goal.
Unfair
Gulf News has not revealed the identity or nationality of the person in this headline: "Man gets 3 years in jail and fine for drug possession" (Gulf News, Online, July 19). However, when it comes to Pakistani receiving fines, Gulf News is sure to mention Pakistani ("Dh1,000 fine for Pakistani truck driver", Gulf News, Online, July 27). Why? It is unfair.
From Mr I. Stromberg
Dubai
Editor's note: Nationalities of suspects or people involved in court cases are published if they are supplied by court records. There is no deliberate attempt to mention the nationality of some and suppress that of others.
Penalty suggestions
I refer to the news item "Motorists back sliding scale of penalties for driving offences" (Gulf News, July 28). Traffic fines are ineffective. The only effective way to improve road discipline is to use a penalty points system and disqualify people from driving for a period when they accumulate sufficient points.
The early points can be awarded automatically with the tickets, but the final points should be awarded by the courts and the offender should be penalised. Driving while disqualified should be a serious offence resulting in a longer ban and possibly a prison term.
From A Reader
Dubai
Cause of accidents
I have seen many accidents happening on weekdays between 6am and 6.30am on the Jebel Ali Road. Many people working in Jebel Ali Free Zone live either in Sharjah or Ajman because of the high rents in Dubai. Every day they return home late night and then travel early morning to reach office before 8am. Thus, they tend to fall asleep while driving and speed up to reach office in time. These are the main reasons for many accidents. The authorities should reduce the rents in Dubai to minimise road accidents. Surely many people won't relocate to other emirates.
From Mr K. Ragavan
Ajman
Accident prone zone
This is to bring to your attention the encroachment that construction companies build around their sites that blocks the view for drivers. These barricades are made in such a way that drivers are unable to see approaching traffic. This is really bad in Bur Dubai near Golden Sands 12 and behind Standard Chartered.
There have been four accidents in the past and nothing has been done yet. These companies should also look into the scientific way of putting up these barracks and not disrupt drivers' view.
From Mr G. Rajan
Dubai
Black spot
As the signals at the Fish Roundabout in Deira close at 11pm, it is very difficult for motorists to go through, considering this is a busy route. The driver has to check the other side for oncoming vehicles and then for pedestrians.
From Mr V.V.
Dubai
Bridge the gap
The authorities should build an overbridge or a subway opposite Sahara Centre for pedestrians' safety. I hope the plans for expansion will include pedestrians' welfare as well.
From Ms F. Maravilla
Sharjah
Thank you
Before I leave Dubai and go back to my country, Philippines, let me say thank you to the staff of Gulf News for publishing my letters. Your daily has provided me with a lot of relevant social information. My short stay in Dubai allowed me to understand the culture and people here, with your paper as supporting material. Thumbs up to you for your impartial and comprehensive reporting.
From Mr E.G. Baptista
Dubai
