Value the gift of children
I chanced upon an unattended child aged between two and three years in a shopping mall, recently.
She was pushing a huge trolley that was much higher than her, in an attempt to give it to her mother, who was standing at a distance of about five metres away.
While pulling the trolley, it accidentally fell over her, making her head hit the floor. The child cried out in pain, so loud that other people noticed it. The child then got up and ran towards her mother crying.
Reading about accidents wherein children are run over by speeding motorists has become the norm.
Some parents in the Middle East don't know how to take care of their children, in which case they tend to hire domestic help. As parents, we should all value the gift of children.
From Ms Jess Dalupang
UAE
Don't waste water
The amount of water being wasted is alarmingly high. It could be because many people do not realise how much water they waste. Some keep the tap running for a long time, while washing their hands.
A suggestion would be to fix the amount of water used per apartment.
Anything consumed over a set limit should be charged three times over the basic rate. This will have the consumption go down considerably.
From Mr C. Sundaram
Dubai
Talk of transfer
I think it is very important to address the issue of transferring existing licences to a UAE one ("Interactive knowledge test soon to check UAE driver's abilities," Gulf News, June 15).
For example, people who have a US licence can transfer it right away with their US citizenship. I have a US licence with an Indian passport and I cannot transfer it.
Did I not go through the same process as any American did to get their licence? The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) should do something about situations like mine.
From A Reader
Dubai
Pleasant news
I think this is a great move on the part of the authorities.
Finally, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) admits that there are some issues in the current licensing procedure and the passing percentage is much less than international standards.
Anyway, this is very pleasant news for learners in Dubai.
From Mr Vinod Kumar
Dubai
Competent set up
My friends who have driven for years in the US, South Africa, Canada and Germany are waiting to get a UAE licence since January 2008.
They cannot buy cars and have been paying a lot for taxis, rental cars or to attend driving schools.
A competency based driving assessment programme with 50 lessons in all road, traffic and weather conditions, with a recognised private and experienced driver should be set up as soon as possible.
This could be followed by a comprehensive test by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) or a recognised instructor.
From Ms Sushama
Dubai
At their mercy
The main issue is a lack of standard procedure for testing and training. The instructor trains the examinee in one thing, while the examiner looks for something else during the road test. I have suffered from a similar situation.
Even after paying money two months in advance I am at the mercy of the driving school to schedule a class for me.
Each time I have had to plead with them to schedule the classes at an earlier date.
I was supposed to get a promotion after qualifying in the driving test but lost out, because the company could not wait for me any longer.
From Mr Jose
Dubai
Failed all
I have been trying to obtain a driver's licence since 2005. I have had six tests so far and have failed all. This despite driving for five years in my home country!
From Ms Dalila
Dubai
Not compensated
I travelled by Aeroflot Russian Airlines in August 2007 (Dubai-Moscow-Rome-Paris-Moscow-Dubai), when the staff lost my luggage for 18 days.
Apart from all the trauma caused to me on my first holiday, my compensation was delayed, even though I was entitled to as stated on the official website. Until now, I have yet to receive anything from the airline.
The person I spoke to even told me that my complaint isn't being considered because the people I raised it with aren't employees of the airline!
When I landed in Rome, I waited for two hours for the luggage. After that, I waited for two hours in the baggage claims section.
When I registered a complaint, the officials said the baggage was not transferred from Moscow to Rome and that it would be sent to us at our hotel in Rome.
A number of calls were made to the Rome baggage office which stated that the baggage had not yet arrived.
When in Venice, we constantly visited the Aeroflot office for our baggage.
In Paris, we met representatives of the airlines and left all our details. When we arrived in Dubai, only one of our suitcases had arrived.
From Mr Deepak Agarwal
Sharjah
The management of Aeroflot Russian Airlines replies:
Mr Deepak Agarwal was travelling on August 3, 2007 en route: Dubai-Moscow-Rome-Paris-Moscow-Dubai. He checked in two suitcases weighing 28 kilogrammes, which were loaded on board the plane and sent from Dubai along with the passenger.
When arriving in Rome, Mr Deepak didn't wait until the luggage was unloaded and appeared on the baggage track. He left Rome for Paris without his luggage. The Rome airport services, having had no idea about Mr Deepak's whereabouts sent his luggage back to Dubai on September 9, 2007.
When Mr Deepak returned to Dubai after his trip, he received his suitcases. Aeroflot has no fault in the aforementioned incident. We fulfilled our responsibility when we loaded the luggage onboard the plane and it was sent with the passenger from Dubai.
Delay in visa
I had applied for a French visa for my family and I, at the France visa application centre at Jumeirah Palm Residence, Dubai on May 12, 2008 with all required documents.
After the initial formalities and after our biometrics were taken, we were told it would take five working days for the visas to be issued.
It is now several weeks and we have still not received our visas.
From Mr Parag Tikekar
Dubai
The Consul General of France replies:
The visa application centre is a new system that facilitates the submission of application and avoids weeks of waiting for an appointment like the previous online system. The system being new requires a trial period to ensure better coordination as well as a transition to the new system.
Because France is the first country in the Schengen area to apply biometrics, the procedure requires the presence of the applicant at the consulate for fingerprints. This may have led to an overlapping in the schedule between applicants causing delays. But such cases have been reduced, and things are proceeding normally now.
Applicants who don't wish to submit their applications at the centre can still be received at the Consulate but only after booking an online appointment through the website.
However, the Consulate can only receive a certain number of applications a day. Summer being the high season, the website applicants may find the period of waiting too long. We are endeavouring to make things as easy as possible, and try our best to keep the reputation of our country as hospitable and welcoming.
