Letters: February 2, 2012

Take care of your child
It is a strange sight to see families out during the weekends (‘Mothers dozing away crucial years’, Gulf News, January 29) — parents, nannies and children, with some (not all) parents barely acknowledging either the children or the nanny. It always brings back memories of my own childhood when my mother ran her own business. But, never a day went by that she didn’t make and serve us breakfast, or waited with lunch by the time we got back home from school. She never left mothering to the housekeeper.
From Ms Bint Mohammad
Dubai
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Smile
Suicide is a word that is heard and discussed a lot nowadays, but has someone ever cared to find the causes behind it (‘Watch out for the signs’, Gulf News, January 28)? You only get to live once, but if someone’s life becomes bad and he or she has no companion to help them, then what must the individual do? People are so busy that they hardly have time for one another. People socialise, but do so through Facebook. Facebook is not a shoulder that a friend can cry on. To help someone in pain we, as individuals, should keep our eyes open to see if they need us. They usually won’t reveal their sorrow, but if you have a friend who needs you, you should go and help. Suicide among people living outside their home country is increasing because it seems they are far away from their direct family. You become depressed when you have no one to talk to. I think the best therapy is a smile. It might make you look odd, but it might also make someone else smile and save a life.
From Ms Sophy
Sharjah
Full name withheld by request

Devaluing the rupee
The recent hue and cry that the Indian rupee is falling and growth in India is stalled, is making people send money back home. But, let me tell you that a financial institution like the Reserve Bank of India and the government of India know what they are doing. The rupee has started increasing in value. I think any investment in India now would give you back ten-fold in another five years — it’s still not too late to invest. Before the global financial crisis, I have noticed many Indians, instead of investing in their country, decided to invest in other nations and completely losing out. India will rise and it will be stronger — the pace might be slower, but it will be stronger. It’s already showing growth in infrastructure and job opportunities, and even the pay package many Indians take home is better.
From A Reader
Dubai
Name withheld by request

No help
I agree that taxi drivers might be honest, but there is another problem (‘Taxi drivers’ honesty tested’, Gulf News, January 29). My wife said that they usually don’t help when a mother is alone with her child. For example, they leave the stroller and other items out instead of helping put them in the trunk. In one instance, my wife was carrying our daughter and could not get things done alone. The taxi driver did not bother to help my wife — what a shame.
From Mr C. Philip
Sharjah
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Incentives for good behaviour
One of my friends who was visiting from overseas lost his mobile phone in a taxi. When I called his phone, the taxi driver answered and delivered the phone back to us. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) should give a prize annually to encourage taxi drivers to do such things.
From Mr Arif Mahmoud
Dubai
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The unknown passenger
Undercover officials should not only check for honesty related to lost items, but also check the taxi drivers’ manners, which are in need of improvement. Severe penalties should be administered to taxi drivers who behave badly and drive too fast and erratically. The situation will improve when taxi drivers cannot be sure whether passengers are undercover agents or not.
From Mr David
Dubai
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Stop for everyone
Taxi drivers also need to be taught not to refuse passengers who need to travel short distances or on congested routes. Not all, but some have this practice of keeping the doors locked, pulling down their window and asking where the person wants to go. If the driver doesn’t want to go there, then he speeds away. I have also noticed that some drivers prefer to stop near passengers of certain nationalities even if someone else had already flagged them before. Not all the drivers are the same — only a few of them need to be disciplined.
From Mr Mahesh Devji
Sharjah
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