I refer to your wise editorial Better customer service is the key to easy living (April 22). It is so refreshing to see Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, personally assessing the quality of services provided to citizens.
And yet, I am not surprised by his dynamism. In 2004, when the Ibn Battuta Mall was opened, I worked as the chief executive of a retail group and we were launching our first electronics outlet, Sharaf DG, on the opening day. Sheikh Mohammed was supposed to inaugurate the mall in the evening. However, he was unable to, due to some urgent work. Then, suddenly, at 11pm, a buzz went around that he had arrived. He clearly liked the element of surprise. He appeared to come alone, although I’m sure there were some security personnel in civilian clothes. Working for a multinational for over three decades, I was coached to “work the market” for a minimum of 10 days a month. This meant visiting shopkeepers, wholesalers, and supermarkets from small villages to mega cities, to assess the quality of service by the company.
So your editorial is timely and bang on: unless a government or a company serves its customers or citizens, it has no future. As a point of comparison, I have also lived in countries in Africa and Asia where leaders have no contact with their citizens and never meet or talk to them.
Rajendra Aneja, Dubai
The very best teachers deserve higher wages
I write in reference to your article UAE government raises teacher salaries as it launches hiring drive in India (April 24). Daniel Sanderson's article on the new policy of recruiting Indian teachers was good to read. The UAE's intention of raising salaries for teachers is very welcome. Today, education is one of the most important sectors in the economy and teachers are vital to creating the leaders of the future. Educators with highly technical skills should be remunerated with good salaries. You have to pay for quality. Kudos to the UAE.
K Ragavan, Bengaluru
ISIS claims attacks to strike fear in people’s hearts
I refer to your article ISIS claims Sri Lanka attack but gives no evidence (April 24). ISIS has a habit of claiming responsibility to plant fear in people's minds whenever any terrorist activity takes place, irrespective of who carried it out. This tragedy is the most shameful act as it was carried out on a prayer day, Easter Sunday. It is worth reiterating that such acts are forbidden in Islam.
Name withheld by request
