Blame high food prices on the sagging US dollar

Thus as long as that peg to the US dollar continues, we¿re likely to see the situation get worse before it gets better.

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In reference to the article Stores welcome measures to monitor food prices (November 3), I am amazed that no one has raised the following factor in this article. Much of these increases have to be due in some part to imported inflation. The root cause is having the UAE dirham linked to the US dollar.

Thus as long as that peg to the US dollar continues, we're likely to see the situation get worse before it gets better.

Jim Buckingham, Abu Dhabi

A time for peace and quiet

I am from the UK and love the UAE. How peaceful it is to visit during Ramadan. It is one of my favourite times to be in the UAE as everywhere you go it is peaceful and quiet. I only realised later that it was because the music had been turned off. Also people seem to be calmer and talk quietly and no one is blowing cigarette smoke at you.

On my last trip however, I was quite surprised at the inappropriate type of music played in children's clothing stores and at the Abu Dhabi ice rink. I suppose I wouldn't have noticed it except that I had children with me, and we all feel protective of our children.

Quite a few times I had to ask shop assistants to lower the volume. To their credit the assistants have always been polite and helpful, unlike the staff at the the ice rink who started shouting at one lady who had only requested they turn the music down a bit so she could hear her children on the ice, in case they needed something.

When the lady asked to speak to the manager the staff refused to give any details of how to contact him.

Millicent Bart, Abu Dhabi

A question about hospital standards

The article Two thirds of hospitals in Abu Dhabi fail inspections (November 2) reported that the Health Authority-Abu Dhabi had cited mostly small private clinics for failing to meet standards. The editorial on the same day HAAD sets the bar for public heath stated: "HAAD has done an admirable job of raising the standards of medical care in the capital. It is now up those who manage medical facilities ... to get their act together and meet those standards".

It is this assumption alone that might be part of the problem. Let me explain why. I am a registered nurse from Canada. I have worked for two and a half years at an acute surgical unit with most of my experience in an ICU unit for post-op patients.

I have recently relocated to the UAE with my husband and upon doing so tried to acquire my nursing licence here in Abu Dhabi only to be faced with rejection.

I only worked 30 hours a week as opposed to the 40 required by HAAD and according to my resume I did not have the medical experience that they also required. So my concern with all this lies in what this says about the standards HAAD is setting for licensing of healthcare professionals. Are they focusing on the right standards?

Name Withheld by Request

Swerving is worse than speeding

I refer to the article Speeding cars to be impounded on the spot (November 2). OK, speeding sure doesn't help the problem, but I drive up the Al Ain-Dubai road a lot and have seen many accidents. They are mainly caused by drivers disobeying the lane law, especially lorries swerving between lanes without signalling. That's what the police should be focusing on more.

It's pleasing to see they understand the difference between someone doing 10kph over the limit and 60kph and confiscating cars is a fair idea. But still, the Dubai police should sort out the daft lorry drivers who swerve between lanes for no reason. That's the real killer.

Marty Fullard, Al Ain

I hope the Dubai police have invested in a whole bunch of tow trucks and operators to pick up these vehicles.

Donald Glass, Abu Dhabi

Confucius to the rescue

It was amusing to read Confucius gets woman off jail (November 2) of how a lawyer citing the wisdom of Confucius came to the rescue of an errant female visitor accused of drunk driving. The example of an indulgent judge who reduced her prison sentence for abusing a police major to a Dh3,000 fine is no doubt a shot in the arm for tourism but a black eye indeed for the law.

The woman's lawyer got away with a contradiction in his argument by pleading that the police major was not present in an official capacity (though his ID produced is official capacity) and yet his omnipresent subordinates' statements were inadmissible.

The lucky woman could never have hoped for a better judge - an avatar to Confucius.

RKS, Abu Dhabi