The best way to encourage people to live near work
Mixed reaction to new Abu Dhabi residency rule (September 17) makes me think that shortly Dubai will announce the same residency rule, and Sharjah will go out of business. So Sharjah will announce the same, and Ajman will go out of business …
The only way to make residents happy and at the same time reside in proximity to their work is to ensure that rents are reasonable, affordable and payable every month out of the salary to be received, not by one cheque for a whole year.
James Magee, Dubai
Am I the only one who sees that the obvious solution is to extend the Dubai Metro, to link Dubai to Abu Dhabi?
Lynn Nolan, Dubai
Who will find me a flat in Abu Dhabi as wonderful as the one I have now in Dubai? At the same price?
I hear from friends that Abu Dhabi is still much more expensive when it comes to housing. I almost think I would rather change jobs than give up my flat.
Lynne Carpeneto, Dubai
No wonder there's no small change
I refer to Is Small change a thing of the past? (September 15).
I stopped into a nearby financial institution bringing in my small change, all counted and separated in bags.
A man at the counter spent barely a second with me. While his face remained fixed downwards on his book he shouted, "We don't accept any coins!"
No wonder so few of the small-value coins can be found in circulation any more.
Aya Dougherty, Abu Dhabi
Rental system just isn't fair
The entire system of renting residential accommodation and paying up front is all skewed massively in favour of the landlord (Dubai conman fled to Beirut after Dh6m subletting scam, September 13).
This cannot be disputed.
There exists a pervasive fear of landlords. This should not be the case yet is a sad fact of life. Some landlords have no interest in the well-being of their tenants, and those who do are all tarnished by those who do not.
Landlords should be made accountable by regular meetings with tenants, or in some kind of neutral forum where an honest broker or adjudicator could settle worries or disputes.
The entire system needs somebody to take a look around the world and see how different advanced countries deal with renting and tenancy.
Where else in the world is it normal to pay 12 months of rent up front?
If every single tenant flatly refused to pay for a year up front and offered monthly direct debits, then things would soon change.
Adil Ali, Abu Dhabi
Region remains overly star-struck
Maradona has landed on his feet ... again (Diego Maradona the perfect man for the job, September 2).
I am saddened by how star-struck this region is.
Here, too often, an expert is defined as anyone who is famous, expensive and at least 1,000 miles from home ... regardless of his or her competency. A better approach would be to support the talent that is already here.
Maggie Hannan, Abu Dhabi
Oman's roads are not to blame
I refer to Road accidents in the Gulf: the fastest way to die in the region (September 10).
In talking about poor road safety in Oman, you have to realise that many accidents, there as elsewhere, occur because of drivers' carelessness.
Oman enjoys some of the best road quality in the Middle East.
The higher number of accidents can be attributed not to road conditions but to the attitudes of drivers.
Muhsin Alrustom, Dubai
Fine drivers who use phones, too
Dubai Police plan to fine drivers who put vanity above safety (September 17) represents some common sense.
And what about fining people for using their phones while driving as it seems to be the norm?
K Fuzi, Dubai
People love new Apple products
Apple has now unveiled its latest smartphone, the iPhone5 (Apple stalks glory with iPhone 5, September 14).
Like its predecessors, this device has sparked a consumer frenzy and the product has sold out in the US. Samsung, Nokia and other players can only envy this kind of sales performance.
Amitabh Saxena, Dubai
