Sad day for UAE as Last ‘Founding Father’ Dies
This really is the passing of an era rather than one man, the passing of the last of the men who brought this country from a scattered land of tribal peoples to become a modern nation.
Taxis in the UAE – Who’s Being Taken for a Ride?
It’s expensive stuff, this taking a taxi. And yet the drivers seem to be worse off than ever – although I don’t see the large numbers of middlemen at the taxi companies and regulators suffering.
Sponsorship for Sale – Why the Practice Should End
SULTAN AL QASSEMI: The sponsorship system does more harm than good, and the authorities should take the brave, but unpopular (amongst locals) step of ending it.
Forget Our Differences, Let’s Just Shop
Stop talking about politics and extremism and go shopping. It’s what made the Islamic world great (and rich) after all…
Abu Dhabi’s rise as a knowledge based economy
SULTAN AL QASSEMI: By reaching out to others, Abu Dhabi’s knowledge hubs can function as musical instruments that, when played together, create a harmonious symphony.
‘Surprise’ Poll – Banks failing to win over customers
Nobody I know who lives in the UAE is happy with their bank… Nobody has ever been able to recommend their bank to me.
VOIP imminence claim rings hollow
According to UAE based Arabic newspaper Al Ittihad, UAE’s telecom service providers Etisalat and du will launch Voice Over Internet Protocol services by the end of 2010.
Holidays abroad shouldn’t mean breaking the law
Since we expect tourists to be on their best behaviour when they visit the UAE, it’s only fair that we feel equally outraged when our own misbehave elsewhere.
Municipal councils & the spirit of civic participation
Emiratis seem to be disconnected from public service and civic duty. If they are empowered to represent their communities, then the energy of a young and growing population could be harnessed in the right direction…
Google Voice, Censorship, Media Idiocy
There has been a great deal of concern and speculation this week regarding a possible move against Google by the UAE’s telecom regulator, the TRA. Much of this concern has been triggered by appalling journalism…
Sticker Scratcher
Quite properly, the UAE insists that products sold to consumers here are labelled in Arabic – the national language. However, once again, there is trouble in paradise.
