Letters: May 24, 2012

So many issues
I absolutely agree with the fact that it is wrong to ask us to show proof of flight tickets to a particular country with no guarantee of getting a visa (‘Missions brace for visa rush', Gulf News, May 20). How can we apply for a visa after paying for flights and hotel accommodation only to find out we may not even get the visa on time? It is absolutely illogical and makes many holidaymakers back out. As tourists we are only helping improve the economies of the countries that we visit — I am sure they could treat us better. But another point of concern is the short timings of embassies and consulate offices. We have to take permission from our work to go and apply for a visa and it just doesn't get done within a single visit. The phone calls to the consulates are never properly answered or you are put on hold for ages. It is very frustrating to make travel plans. I resort to online forums for help because someone somewhere has been there and shared their experiences of running around.
From Ms Ameera
Dubai
Website comment 

No repeats
For those travellers with previous visa approvals (European state — Schengen visa), the mission must start accepting a drop box policy, whereby anyone who was approved before can just go to the mission post and drop the documents in a drop box — no need for another interview. In Dubai most of the applicants must be frequent travellers, this way the mission can work more effectively.
From Mr Raj
Dubai
Website comment

Waiting
I was planning to visit Europe with my wife. I took a tour from VFS Global and I paid half the amount in advance (non-refundable) and then they provided me with all the relevant documentation.

I went to the Italian embassy to submit the papers and they refused to take it saying the embassy will not accept the application a month prior to the travel date. Now it has been 25 days and I am still waiting for the visa. There are only a few days left till the travel date.
From Mr Qazi M. Farooq
Abu Dhabi
Website comment

Confessions of a workaholic
First of all, what is work-life-balance in reality (‘Workaholism can't earn you fulfilling rewards', Gulf News, May 19)? Don't we live while we work? The term itself is absurd. Workaholics have a deep fear of not being recognised by anyone, very low self-esteem, and they try to compensate it with an overload of work. The developed social anxiety is the direct result and it gives a further excuse to immerse oneself in work. It has become a fashion to brand oneself as a workaholic. This is a systemic problem set by over-structured companies with a lack of leadership — someone who is in a leadership role never learned to delegate tasks and basically learned not to trust any staff. An effective leader delegates and knows how to positively develop the workforce. That is why specialists are hired. Look at the flip side of the coin, everybody talks about burnout. But in fact many people, due to a lack of leadership suffer from ‘bore-out' — that is the ugly brother of burnout. The effects are always the same: change of job. I am in a leadership role and I take my time for myself because I know what my responsibility is and I let others perform. Overall, I have to say: work smarter rather than harder. If you work too hard then you're on the wrong path. 
From Ms Susanne Reuls
UAE

All you need is rest
This is a great report but I believe that many companies in the UAE still don't follow the law. Human beings are not machines — everybody requires rest, which can generate more workflow after the weekend. This is practical and recent scientific studies have proven it.
From Mr Santhosh Daniel
Dubai
Website comment

Scam within a scam
The man accused in the multibillion dollar telecommunications scam has been freed from custody, it's pointing to the fact that people will mislay their ultimate faith in court proceedings (‘India's soap opera on corruption', Gulf News, May 20). This indeed highlights the slow legal processes that India follows. Even though Raja, the former Indian telecom minister, is not allowed to travel to his home state without court knowledge, it is possible that his release will jeopardise the whole issue. On the whole, it is the clearest indication of unhealthy political practices shaping up between Congress and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), to which Raja belongs to, thus the general public will have very little hope favouring the wish of more than a billion people.
From Mr Ramachandran Nair
Oman