A better break for workers leaving their jobs

The front page article New law to phase out 'objection certificates' (December 19) explained legal changes that will make it easier for professionals and skilled workers to change jobs. But this is not enough.

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The front page article New law to phase out 'objection certificates' (December 19) explained legal changes that will make it easier for professionals and skilled workers to change jobs. But this is not enough. The UAE is expected to be the best in all aspects among GCC countries. It should do research on the impact of free labour policies of Bahrain on businesses and implement the best.

Like the WPS (Wage Protection System), the government should make it mandatory for companies to make final settlement payments through the banking system. Upon job cancellation, it should clearly give all employees one month to stay and clear their dues. Bank statements showing settlement transfers to the worker's account should also be required.

Radna Krishna, Abu Dhabi

Education should be top priority

In reference to the news article FNC raises alarm about budget costs (December 20), perhaps a brief discussion concerning the relative merits of the education budget versus the cost of ignorance would help settle matters.

William Fury, Abu Dhabi

With reference to University expels 34 students for cheating (December 27), the level of blatant cheating that takes place during school exams is shocking. Teachers are expected to help raise the level of education to international standards, but how can we do this when we are fighting against an organisation that pressures schools into producing "good output scores" at the expense of educational integrity?

JG, Abu Dhabi

Seeking albums under review

While it's great having decent music reviews in your newspaper, where exactly in the UAE can one buy the albums being reviewed? Over the last few months I have tried and failed a couple of times to purchase reviewed albums. The music stores in the UAE seem to stick fairly close to mainstream, chart toppers and house music as their main menu items, with little selection outside of those genres.

Perhaps some sort of arrangement or sponsorship could be put in place so that one of the chains would actually stock what is being reviewed?

Clinton Swan, Abu Dhabi

A boon to the balloon industry

I refer to the article Qatar plans to build biggest helium processing plant (December 19). This is great news for for the lighter-than-air industry, as the cost of helium has been creeping up.

Modern airships use very little helium as the new generation of envelope materials have a very low loss rate, but it still costs a fair amount of money for the initial inflation and the new Air Liquide plant in Qatar is a very welcome development.

JB, Dubai

No need for housing projects

The article Abu Dhabi has 2030 in its sights (December 21) reported on new residential projects in the capital. There is no need for further housing in Abu Dhabi. These developers are creating an impression of demand, mainly to secure their jobs for a few years until the World Cup in Doha opens the floodgates.

Hormaz Dastoor, Abu Dhabi

Investigate the right war crimes

There have been many news stories about pressure on Sri Lanka to investigate war crimes. There was no war in Sri Lanka, only internal terrorism by the most ruthless terrorist organisation of the world, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The LTTE terrorists regularly put forward humans as a shield to kill their own people.

The world has forgotten how the bloody LTTE killed innocent civilians.

The UN should have inquiries into the civilian deaths and real war crimes by the US, the UK and security firms such as Blackwater in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Gamini Dodangama, Abu Dhabi

Stop picking on Indian batsman

In his sports opinion article Raina must learn to face short ball (December 27), Dileep Premachandran claims that Cheteshwar Pujara showed more composure than Suresh Raina at a cricket game in Durban. Well, he is absolutely wrong. Pujara showed not composure but a lot of luck while batting, and how did Pujara get out? A short ball. Raina's short ball weakness is a myth. He plays the short ball better than most of the others on the Indian team. The management made a mistake by letting the mediocre but lucky Pujara play in place of the super-talented Raina.

Mohi Menon, Abu Dhabi