Teach children values
Parents must take responsibility for their actions (“Viral video shows students vandalising UAE school”, Gulf News, June 18). It takes a village to bring up a child. Instead of giving children the latest technology to play with, or leaving them with nannies and caregivers, parents must juggle their work, personal lives and spend time with family. The first six years of a child’s growth are the most critical. That is why some schools are taking away electronic devices from children in school. Here, many expats don’t have grandparents and other family members to help out. Moral education, wellbeing classes, volunteering programs are all part of the forward thinking the government is trying to cascade into schools and communities to bring up solid, well rounded young people. We cannot implement green programs if young people are destroying existing equipment without repercussions. I give all my support to the authorities.
From Mr Ulysses Papadopoulos
UAE
Facebook comment
Joint responsibility
Yes, parents must take responsibility, just as much as the Ministry of Education has to. If the ministry just makes the parents of those children pay the fees for the damaged items, that won’t solve anything. There should be a program for children like these, to help them.
From Mr Fonyuy R.
UAE
Facebook comment
Noble causes versus hypocrisy
Bravo to Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli and his wife and actress, Anushka Sharma, for putting the man littering on the streets in his place (“Virat Kohli’s video of man littering streets sparks debate about privacy”, Gulf News June 18). In the next ‘Swacch Bharat Abhyan’ meeting they can discuss how Kohli needs to clean up his act while representing the country internationally as well. Celebrities should be careful of being hypocritical. In that case Kohli has committed a much bigger public and international indecency over the years. This gesture reeks of hypocrisy. How many times has he shamed the country while behaving inappropriately, using bad language, while adopting unsportsmanlike conduct internationally and in the limelight? Next time they should bring his ghastly attitude in that meeting and highlight that it damages the entire country’s reputation. . While noble, his gesture reeks of hypocrisy.
From Mr Saif Khan
Saudi Arabia
Facebook comment
Not a matter of privacy
When it comes to littering the country, town, village, then it’s not matter of invading privacy and all citizens have the right to condemn such actions and unfortunately in today’s society, naming and shaming is a very effective way.
From Mr. K.B
UAE
Facebook comment
A sad last resort
I’m starting to get worried about this situation (“Man hangs himself from Abu Dhabi pedestrian bridge”, Gulf News, June 18). Why is it that people are feeling this way? I hope the investigation reveals the truth and some actions are put in place to help such people. Nothing is more precious than life, yet this happens. People shouldn’t feel helpless.
From Mr Payam Zekavat
UAE
Facebook comment
Not the right answer
This has nothing to do with nationality. People come here to work and get money to secure their families at home but what happens very often is that some employers do not pay salaries, people feel stuck and feel helpless. Suicide is not the solution and we cannot judge, God alone knows best.
From Mr Kamil Ramjaun
UAE
Facebook comment
Depression gets another one
Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain was a well-established Master Chef, a famous CNN anchor and a good travel documentarian. He was found dead in a hotel after he took his own life. This was a great shock to the media and journalism world. People are analysing depression and have said that it may be the reason why people were taking this type of action. Not only celebrities, people from all walks of life have depression, which they may not express openly. It is a sad state of affairs.
From Mr K. Ragavan
Denver
Playing the field
It is heartening to know that Karun Nair, who has improved his batting and who is in the Test squad, was keen to focus firmly on his comeback Test match against Afghanistan (“That’s cricket! Grandfather goes to bat for grandson”, Gulf News, June 18). Since KL Rahul has a better chance, we were afraid if Nair would be playing, as there already were five top class players: Murli Vijay, KL Rahul, Pujara, Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Madhukar Rahane, followed by Hardik Pandya and wicket keeper Dinesh Karthik. Anyway it is good that he is leaving no stone unturned to play for the country. Hopefully, if he is able to prove himself, he could find a place in the squad for the England match. We wish him the best.
From Ms Kavitha Srikanth
India
Parties play power politics
The Chief Minister of Karnataka, Haradanahalli Devegowda Kumaraswamy is in trouble as his own ministers are unhappy with their new portfolios (“India’s schemes no longer preserve of few, PM Modi says”, Gulf News, June 18). After the Congress’ disgruntled members, it was obvious that even Janata Dal [JD(S)] political party members will follow suit. The Congress President is trying his best to pacify Mallanagouda Basanagouda Patil and his followers, and we are confident, he and other opposition leaders, would ensure that there is no hiccup in this unholy alliance. Incidentally, it may be true that several Congress and JD(S) MLAs are willing to join BJP. But it would be foolish of Yeddurappa to fish in troubled waters. He should allow them enough time to come out themselves in the open and then act further. Till then he should be a silent spectator, as silence is always golden and fruitful.
From Mr N. Mahadevan
India
Water is running out
One resource on Earth has the power to create or destroy life. It has the power to heal, cleanse and absolve. It is the first and foremost medicine. It washes away impurities and pollutants. God provided water to man to quench thirst, but the ocean is not enough to quench his thirst. Potable water is becoming the most precious resource in different parts of the world. All religion considers water as a purifier. The main ritual among Muslims before prayer - ablution - is incorporated with water. Hindus use water to purify the soul, Christians for baptism and more. Water is so sacrosanct in all faith, indispensable in human life, inevitable for flora and fauna. But the same resource is highly abused, exploited and wasted by human beings. This planet is blessed with water in many forms like oceans, rivers and other water bodies, but our irrational way of usage, intentionally polluting water bodies, depletes the resource. What are we waiting for? Why aren’t we not stopping the indiscreet, insensible and irreverent treatment of water? States and countries are fighting for water. Time is not far away where individual relationships will be strained for a single glass. Many more animals and plants might find a place on the list of endangered or extinct species just because of the unavailability of water to quench thirst. With the passage of time, human life on this Earth is going to be a big question mark just because of depleting sources of water. We never know the worth of water till we won’t have it. The current generation will think that access to 24-hour running water is a never ending resource. We need to teach our children the judicious use of water and its importance. We need a holistic approach to save the environment. In many places governments are recycling rain water. When a natural calamity strikes a country or a war ravaged a country, people migrate to other safe states. Where will we migrate to if the water runs dry on Earth?
From Ms Shemeem K.
Sharjah
Connecting with Nature
Let children connect with the outdoors. Let them move from the world of technology and see what Nature has to offer. As a mother of a young adult and a teenager, we as a family have braced through many odds that life gave us along the way. With the passage of time, I firmly believe that instead of teaching our children to connect with the outdoors, we need to teach them to connect with themselves. Each child is unique and holds a plethora of information, talent and unique skills within them. This unique connection with themselves will help them understand themselves, face challenges, brace the storms and be a part of self-discovery. We need to teach them to be independent rather than resilient. We need them to understand touch, feel emotions and remain humane. The world we live in has its share of ebbs and flows, the surge and the swell, let them learn to swim, wade and find that variety in adversity. Let them feel the stress and believe firmly, that there is a solution to everything, be it minuscule or magnified. That is what will give life a meaning and identity.
From Ms Shalini Menezes
UAE
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