Five laws i'd like to see implemented in Dubai
Creating a Nation-wide credit system:
Banks are making a killing while many of the country's young, ambitious national and expatriate workers are getting caught in a thorny credit trap. And most are either in thrown in jail or default and runaway from the country.
Thanks to poor governance, banks are virtually giving away credit cards, personal loans, mortgages... and every other form of "financial services", to anyone who walks through the doors of banks, and -mind you- without any proper historical credit analysis or rating to the applicant. It reached a point where banks hire housewives and door-to-door credit card sales men. This plain wrong.
Making it Illegal to Disconnect Power or Water off ANY Residential Facility:
This is the case in many countries in the world. But sadly, not here. Living without water or electricity in a county like the UAE is, without a question, fatal. And I am not being over dramatic. Tempreture here often crosses the 50C mark during the summer. This the temperature internationally recognized as fatal to human beings. There are better ways for water and electricity agencies to coerce their customers to pay up. For example, Freezing bank accounts or imposing travel bans.
But not leaving women and children in the scorching heat of the summer without water or air conditioning. Its not only inhumane, its disgraceful.
Government Employees Working for Private Sector:
This is quite common in several GCC states. Especially in KSA and Saudi. Government employees are not permitted to run any private business. No matter what happens, you will always ALWAYS have conflict of interest. Today's Gulf News headline story is a pure example.
Readers: I would really like your thoughts on this one.
Imposing an Emirate-wide Quiet Hours:
Living almost anywhere in Dubai today is becoming a real annoyance. Dubai Municipality is giving away 24hrs construction permissions to contractors, right, left and centre, with out any regulation to the level of noise emitted by these construction company nor consideration to the noise pollution and what it is doing to thousands of families across the emirate.
Don't believe me, pass by next to my house anytime at night and see for yourself.
Making it illegal not to fully stop at Stop sign or at pedestrian zebra lines:
I was very impressed how in the US, they take these 2 regulations extremely seriously. If you do not stop at a STOP sign, or at a pedestrian crossing, you simply go to jail.
When you think about it, it does, significantly help reduce accidents. Stopping so frequently, especially when in residential areas, will result with fewer, almost no accidents.
We seriously need that here in Dubai. Just read the paper everyday.
Banks are making a killing while many of the country's young, ambitious national and expatriate workers are getting caught in a thorny credit trap. And most are either in thrown in jail or default and runaway from the country.
Thanks to poor governance, banks are virtually giving away credit cards, personal loans, mortgages... and every other form of "financial services", to anyone who walks through the doors of banks, and -mind you- without any proper historical credit analysis or rating to the applicant. It reached a point where banks hire housewives and door-to-door credit card sales men. This plain wrong.
Making it Illegal to Disconnect Power or Water off ANY Residential Facility:
This is the case in many countries in the world. But sadly, not here. Living without water or electricity in a county like the UAE is, without a question, fatal. And I am not being over dramatic. Tempreture here often crosses the 50C mark during the summer. This the temperature internationally recognized as fatal to human beings. There are better ways for water and electricity agencies to coerce their customers to pay up. For example, Freezing bank accounts or imposing travel bans.
But not leaving women and children in the scorching heat of the summer without water or air conditioning. Its not only inhumane, its disgraceful.
Government Employees Working for Private Sector:
This is quite common in several GCC states. Especially in KSA and Saudi. Government employees are not permitted to run any private business. No matter what happens, you will always ALWAYS have conflict of interest. Today's Gulf News headline story is a pure example.
Readers: I would really like your thoughts on this one.
Imposing an Emirate-wide Quiet Hours:
Living almost anywhere in Dubai today is becoming a real annoyance. Dubai Municipality is giving away 24hrs construction permissions to contractors, right, left and centre, with out any regulation to the level of noise emitted by these construction company nor consideration to the noise pollution and what it is doing to thousands of families across the emirate.
Don't believe me, pass by next to my house anytime at night and see for yourself.
Making it illegal not to fully stop at Stop sign or at pedestrian zebra lines:
I was very impressed how in the US, they take these 2 regulations extremely seriously. If you do not stop at a STOP sign, or at a pedestrian crossing, you simply go to jail.
When you think about it, it does, significantly help reduce accidents. Stopping so frequently, especially when in residential areas, will result with fewer, almost no accidents.
We seriously need that here in Dubai. Just read the paper everyday.
7 Comments:
Not all US cities are so strict about the stop signs and crossings. But with that said...my husband learned to drive in Seattle, and I was constantly harping on him to watch for crossing pedestrians, stop for those not even in a sidewalk, etc. Now I think he'll be too nice of a driver for the return to the UAE. Always thought Seattlites were particularly strict about observing pedestrians. Take a trip up to Vancouver, B.C., though, where peds rule the road.
By Susan , at July 29, 2008 at 12:47 AM
Re point 1 -
Should you be surprised that they now come to our offices trying to sell credit cards? To be honest I still don't truly understand how they work even though I'm with an "Islamic bank". But if it is true as you said they give loans to anyone, this can seriously raise crime rate here.
Re point 2 -
Totally with you on this one. I was appalled when I got a "final notice" once even though I didn't get the not-so-final-notice (as SEWA failed to produce one, they "forgot"). They said they will disconnect the utilities within 7 days. It felt like The Ring.
Re point 3 -
I am not in a position to give you any useful comment here, sorry :)
Re point 4 -
Yup, but for now building this city into the "vision" is more important than the well being of its inhabitants. They're probably setting a record for the "largest number of inconvenienced citizens in the world"
Re point 5 -
The main point here is to actually have pedestrian-friendly areas to begin with. Other than Jumeirah and a couple of other places (like Diyafa and old Deira) where is it pedestrian friendly? If you're ever on the Trade Center roundabout check how many people attempt crossing the streets there and check how many zebra lines are present. Visible ones.
By Anonymous, at July 29, 2008 at 9:35 AM
The fact is that laws are enforced by pointing guns to peoples faces.
While you like these laws and you are fine with government using its guns to enforce these laws, many other people would disagree with your views and with these laws.
The question is: are you fine with the government pointing its guns to those people who disagree with you?
By Anonymous, at August 3, 2008 at 6:48 PM
hello dude.. very nice post.. btw, when i first moved to the UK i found it very hard and unusual to stop at zebra crossings.. don't ask me why, but i guess in arabic we say "man shabba 3ala shay2 shaab 3alayh" so i was used to it and thus why question it.
Anyway, I wish all these laws were implemented, esp the last one. Actually I do stop at all zebra crossings esp when there is a few angry drivers behind me.. let them learn.. and honestly if u stop for a few moments you will NOT be delayed from arriving at your destination as you'll need about 10 zebra crossing stops to match one red light stop.. which so far people seem to semi-respect.
By BuJ, at August 23, 2008 at 11:46 AM
Anon, i think u skipped your meds because you are blabbarring
By moryarti, at August 25, 2008 at 8:49 AM
Thanks Buj! And sho hal news on you "retirement"..?
By moryarti, at August 25, 2008 at 8:50 AM
hala Moryarti :)
bala retirement bala battekh! this will give me more time to comment on great blogs like this :)
no time to blog >> quality drop in posts >> disgruntled BuJ >> take a break >> come back powered up :)
By BuJ, at August 25, 2008 at 11:56 AM
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