Simple way to enforce window-tint law

A reader suggests that window tints be checked during vehicle safety inspections. Other topics: the Armenian genocide, marriage, Emirati rockers and orphanages.

Abu Dhabi - October 8, 2009: A car window with 70 percent tint. ( Philip Cheung / The National )

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Orphanage hunt reminds of need to ease fostering

Charity is a central part of the Emirati character.

The UAE has many organisations that lend a helping hand to whoever is in need.

Poverty and other issues are dealt with in many ways, and help is provided to people in and outside of the country.

However, I recently had to search for an orphanage to do a case study for a university project.

I was surprised when this search proved to be so challenging.

Asking around the city, I found out that there is an orphanage in the Al Khazna area with 250 residents.

I tried to contact the orphanage directly, but I was asked to first contact the Zayed Higher Organisation for Humanitarian Care and Special Needs.

Even contacting that office proved difficult.

This experience made me think that we need to see more orphanages around our nation to make it easier for people to foster or sponsor orphans.

Khadeeja Khaled Al Hosani, Abu Dhabi

Remembering the genocide

I refer to The Review's cover story, Partial recall (May 25), about the Armenian genocide of 1915.

The commemoration is not only remembering those who died, but those who resisted and helped.

The orders to deport were enacted under emergency decree during a time of war. But there were officials, such as Ozansoy, who as governor refused to have them deported from his province of Kutahya.

Then there were those Turkish and Kurdish families who hid Armenians in their basements and cellars.

In Istanbul this year, they read off the names of 102 Armenian villages that were liquidated.

Tim Upham, UK

Marry in haste, repent at leisure

I'm writing in response to Asmaa Al Hameli's blog post Marriage is an unplanned commitment in the UAE (May 23).

I think the problem arises because families are always in a hurry to marry off their daughters when they reach 21.

My father married off three of my sisters and each of them came back home and divorced within the first year. Two of them had children.

One of the husbands had a secret marriage, the second one was taking my sister's money all the time, and the third didn't even have a high school certificate (my sister has a master's degree).

Why the hurry on the part of parents?

The best thing is for them to trust their daughter's or son's decisions when it comes to these issues. Don't pressure them into anything; let them decide for themselves.

Maryam, Dubai

A simple way to enforce tint law

Aside from the usual fines and prohibitions against merchants, there is an easy way to enforce the law concerning dark-tinted windows on vehicles.

There are hand-held meters that can measure the darkness of window tints, and these could be employed by officers at the registration department during the annual vehicle safety check.

Cars failing the tint test should not pass the safety inspection, and owners would either have to remove the tint or have it redone within legal specifications. Cora Yanacek, Abu Dhabi

Keen to see girl rockers on stage

In reference to It's only rock'n'roll (but they like it) (May 22), the fact that these young Emirati women have formed a band is great news.

Good for you, ladies. Let us know when you're ready to start gigging.

M Mockridge, Dubai

All nations must tackle terrorism

Alan Philps's opinion article, New kind of terror poses a great challenge to Britain (May 24),was interesting.

The killing of a soldier in England is further evidence that terrorism is a global threat.

Developed countries should join together to eradicate this menace.

K Ragavan, India

Holy Month is a spiritual time

I am concerned about your story, Emiratis are stars of Ramadan TV (May 23).

Ramadan is a Holy Month when time should be allocated to spiritual activities and not for watching television dramas, serials and music programmes.

Shabir Zainudeen, Abu Dhabi