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John Henzell

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ZQ

When my parking permit expired, Mawaqif didn't send me an sms reminder to say it had expired... or to leave me a warning notice on my car issued by the first inspector to notice that my permit had expired... no... they went straight to giving me a Dh500 fine for parking where I live! Now compare that penalty to the cost of the annual permit (Dh800)! When I called to complain, they simply said sorry you have to pay. I encountered one of the Mawaqif inspectors and asked him why they didn't give me a warning ticket (not a fine) to say that my permit expired. He said to me that previously their handheld systems told them if a car had a permit and when it expired but that was later modified and the info is withheld from them... i.e. it is now designed in a way so that you WILL get a ticket the next day your permit expires and the Mawaqif inspector will have no idea that perhaps you should be given a chance to renew. This is ethically wrong business behaviour! They are clearly out there to fine people. Mawaqif should give out at least one warning ticket (with no fine) when a permit expires. If the driver fails to renew, then it's OK to fine them. Their system can be easily programed to do this. I think everyone would agree with me that this is a good suggestion. If Mawaqif are honest about what they claim – that their mission is not to fine people – then this is a good place to start.

A E Nicholson

Being one of the Top Five NZ Tolkien Uber-Fans I can say the region around the proposed Tolkien Mountain Near Milford Sound is the best place for Tolkien Movie locations. but as it is in the lower South Island so it is not promoted well. Aaron Nicholson Manapouri Southland 9643 NZ fjordland@xtra.co.nz