Benefits are always welcome
Today, everyone from airlines to credit card companies offer loyalty programs to their customers (“Dubai drivers to be rewarded for following speed limits”, Gulf News, October 13). Loyalty programs are generally offered to retain customers, build personal relationship and improve brand awareness, but the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has no competition. If I had to use the Metro or any other services offered by RTA, I would do so without thinking. However, if there are loyalty points, then why not. Anything that comes for free is more than welcome. Having said that, the RTA would not have launched the program if they were not to benefit from this, so I think the biggest benefit for them would be that they would be able to retain and attract new customers.
From Mr Anup Hegde
Dubai
Good initiative
This is a good start by the RTA for the commuters who are daily travellers. It will be a great advantage for those people who use the bus and Metro from place to place. It will create good points for them and the RTA will have good business, too. The new business policy will surely create more business on the bus and Metro. It will be a great advantage for the public. Thanks to the RTA for the implementation of the policy.
From Mr Lodhi Azmatullah Khan
India
More action from police
Motorists will see it at the last minute, causing people to react naturally and brake suddenly, causing an accident (“New Dubai speed limits take effect from Sunday”, Gulf News, October 15). Why doesn’t the police stop dangerous drivers, people who tailgate and those who cut the hard shoulder?
From Mr David Woodward
Dubai
Chairman of change
The recent appointment of actor Anupam Kher as the chairman of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) was a welcome one (“Anupam Kher says FTII post doesn’t conflict with acting school”, Gulf News, October 14). Kher has many credentials and is a versatile actor for more than 500 films. With his charismatic personality and experience, he will tackle student’s issues and create a good atmosphere in the campus, making students happy. The FTII has had many chairman in the past, but with this decision, the FTII’s flag will fly high in the film industry. Congratulations to Anupam Kher.
From Mr K.Ragavan
India
Zero hunger reality?
Every nation strives to alleviate poverty, and this is the same for every Indian government that changes power (“Letters to the editor: A basic human right”, Gulf News, October 16). But when priorities change and money comes in, people are busy filling their pockets. The funds allocated go through a huge filtering process where everyone gets a share and the ones who deserve it, get nothing. Other factors include resources being less and people being more, population being high and jobs being less. One in every ten people would be jobless and would have already sacrificed his one day meal. This cycle goes on and the story remains the same. Zero hunger can be a reality if our intention is pure and our actions do the same.
From Ms Lekshmi Mini
Chennai
Make children aware
The question concerning food wastage is whether or not our children know its importance. Even adults have a tendency to waste. How can children growing up in such an environment, learn to respect food? It is important to mould a child’s mind to have awareness and respect towards food. Everyone in a family can move together and guide their children. Moving in one direction can help a lot. And the other idea is to make children get educated about food wastage in school itself. If children also have some input, we can reduce food waste as they will realise the pain and effort put into cooking. When they understand that a lot of children and people are without food they will become empathetic.
Ms Annie Rathi Samuel
USA
Prevention is better protection
It is quite likely that rats are the ones causing fires, possibly because of their habit of chewing electrical cables and causing short circuits (“Rodents a major cause of domestic fires in Sharjah”, Gulf News, Oc-tober 12). The civil defence and fire departments have excellent tools and their response time is good; however, it would be better if we prevent fires by getting rid of the culprits. I would like to suggest to the civil defence authorities to conduct surprise checks in bigger establishments, especially warehouses. Is fire-fighting equipment available? Are the staff members given basic training on how to use the fire-fighting equipment? Are emergency numbers for the police and fire department prominently displayed? Recently we have seen how big buildings have caught fire on account of non-fireproof cladding. The UAE authorities should not even allow such cladding to be imported, thereby preventing fires right from the start. Public places such as malls and cinema theatres should have fire-proof interiors. It is better to prevent fires than to fight them.
From Mr Stanley D’cunha
Sharjah
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