Compensation delay regrettable

Readers urge the UAE authorities to help the kin of Al Ain road accident victims to get compensations quickly. Other topics: hardliners, Emirati employees, overseas experience

Readers call for quick settlement of the dues to the kin of Al Ain road accident victims. Silvia Razgova / The National
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Letters to the Editor

No amount of money can prove sufficient to compensate these poor families who lost their sole breadwinners in the tragic road accident (Families of those killed in UAE's deadliest crash still await compensation, February 3).

The loss of a loved one is irreplaceable, but this blood money could have at least helped the families of the victims who were killed in the crash to start afresh.

The delay in the settlement of the dues to the victims’ families is making the situation more difficult for these people whose lives have been affected by the tragedy. I just hope that the court and the authorities in the UAE help these people and grant them whatever rightfully belongs to them.

Fatima Suhail, Abu Dhabi

Why has it been delayed so much? These poor families need all the help they can get. I hope this media coverage highlights their plight to speed up the process of compensation.

Kathryn Ryan, Abu Dhabi

Employees tend to work harder if they feel valued

I am writing with reference to the article Employers urged to value Emiratis staff (February 5).

Any employee who thinks he or she is being paid to “showcase their talent” should understand that a job is a contract between an employer organisation and an employee, either to make money for the company or to provide a service to the public. Employees will fulfil this function through using the skills and experience they have gained in education and previous positions. They will have to deliver outcomes or products, and the delivery should be efficient and effective. Both managers and their staff may be held to account over their productivity and paid or promoted accordingly.

That is it in a nutshell. But staff tend to work harder if they feel valued – so it is indeed in the employer’s interest to place them in positions which fit their strengths and interests if it is at all possible. However, at the end of the day the company needs to put its own needs first if it is to survive in a competitive environment and be able to pay the wages of its employees.

Susan Falconer, Abu Dhabi

Hardliners are overestimated

I enjoyed reading Hassan Hassan's opinion article, Even as the sands shift, the Brotherhood stays the same (February 5). I have made a similar argument in my doctoral thesis on codification and I think that there is indeed a major problem in the Muslim Brotherhood and other Salafist groups being misunderstood as partners. In reality, they can pose major threats.

Name withheld by request

This is a pertinent article and I’m glad it’s been written in English. There is not enough of this type of discourse available for the English-speaking audience.

Name withheld by request

I strongly disagree with Hassan Hassan’s point of view. Based on the approach of the article, I suspect the author is either a neo-traditionalist himself, or wishes to push neo-traditionalism as the preferred mode of religion in the Muslim world. The crucial point about the Brotherhood is that they understand the primacy of citizenship and the political to modern life, and that it is impossible, from a theological perspective that is, not to have a response to this primacy of the political.

Again, that does not mean that one has to acknowledge that the Brotherhood has the right answers – I would say they do not – but they are recognising the right problem, unlike their opponents among the traditionalists, who simply mindlessly chant about the duty of obedience to whatever authority is constituted, and have no concern about what it means to be a citizen.

Mohammed Fadel, Abu Dhabi

Working abroad is hugely beneficial

The editorial Working abroad will add value to UAE business (February 4) rightly underlines a change in the attitude and approach of the younger generation. Such a close association with private-sector establishments will also boost business potential, and indirectly encourage the current generation to become more self-reliant. It is an eye-opener for youngsters who want their future to be more distinctive than today. It is obvious that overseas learning and working experience are helping youngsters to build confidence in their respective fields, which in turn is reflected in their participation in the nation-building process. By adding their expertise in various fields of development, they are helping to improve the business perspectives of those who are engaged in trade.

Ramachandran Nair, Oman