Unfortunately, nobody can force parents to protect their own children (A third of parents still not using child seats, January 21). But the UAE government can make a difference.
It can legislate the compulsory use of seat belts in all vehicles, front and back, and enforce the use of car-seats for children in accordance to international standards.
Think of the message the government could be sending parents: "We care enough to legislate road safety for children, so parents need to prioritise its importance too." Spot checks on roads and fines for non-compliance could be imposed to help the Government spread the road-safety message once legislation was passed. This works in many countries. In addition, I also implore all government and private schools to join our school and make a difference by participating in a road safety and buckling up school campaign this term. Let us help change the percentage of our students who buckle up to 100 per cent.
Family and home are the child's first school, but if parents are not educated enough to care for their own children, then let the schools of the UAE step up to the challenge. Education, after all, is our duty.
I suggest a "road safety for children" feature with weekly pull out activity sheets in The National during this term which we can pass on to the students to help raise awareness. Big businesses in the auto industry and the RTA can also get involved.
As part of their corporate responsibility, they can give talks and demonstrations to all schools on buckling up and road safety for children. Together, we can make a difference.
A Brown, Greenwood International School, Dubai
Views of a relative not representative
Why did you need to rush to ask whether the Muslim Brotherhood will succeed or fail (Egyptian scholar says Islamist win is just a blip (January 20)?
Why didn't you wait and see? Why did you pick Gamal Al Banna? Is it just to show that he is from the family of Hasan Al Banna?
We know that Osama bin Laden's relatives live in the US and the grandson of Ayatollah Khomeini lives in the US too.
If they say something against their grandparents or about their policy, that does not mean that they failed.
So, let us wait and pray for their countries' future.
Mohamed Ismail, Sharjah
Tragic ending for kidnapped guard
Your article British guard's body returned (January 22) was sad and painful to read.
The guard was kidnapped in 2007 and killed after four and a half years by the militants from Iraq.
His family and relatives were eager to see his return. I pray for the victim.
K Ragavan, India
A concern over carbon decision
The news that the Gulf's first large-scale project to bury carbon underground is to go to tender is commendable (Green light for carbon capture enterprise, January 19). But I have a major concern about carbon capture.
What if the stored carbon should escape back into the atmosphere either through seismic geological shifts or a rupture in the pipeline, or, God forbid, terrorists?
P J, Dubai
Developers are to blame for delay
Dubai buyers battle Dubai Sports City builders (January 20) is a story that occurs across many developments.
Some developers don't invest any funds, and instead they rely on investors' payments.
They then blame investors for not continuing to pay three years after completion was due.
A W, Ras Al Khaimah
Delays of post inconvenient
When is Emirates Post going to learn how to carry out the function of every mail service in the world with a degree of efficiency?
Yesterday, I received a Christmas card from my brother, who lives in Switzerland. The postmark was September 7. The postage paid was 3.80 Swiss francs (Dh14).
This is not an isolated incident. It happens on a regular basis and, not only for mail from overseas but also for local mail that often arrives after over a week.
Customers pay a high price to rent a PO box and they pay for stamps, which would cover the delivery costs.
Instead of trying to offer a variety of other services, why does not the post service concentrate on its primary service and deliver mail in a timely fashion?
Jeremy P Weeks, Abu Dhabi
