Residency fraud issue will affect many thousands
Thousands fear losing Canadian residency (October 9) was a very important article.
Although your writer presented a worthy opening to the issue, the pervasiveness and breadth of the problem were barely touched on in the story.
This fraud has led to a cottage industry in Canada as well as around the Middle East - and the world in general - and has skewed the legitimate process in a major way.
The repercussions of this are being felt by hundreds of thousands of people currently in Canada.
Waleed Hafeez, Canada
The problem for a landed immigrant is that you don't have the same rights as a Canadian citizen.
For example, you cannot vote in local, provincial or federal elections, despite having to pay the same taxes as citizens.
Also, unlike citizens, you cannot take up employment abroad until you acquire citizenship, or you will lose the right to return to Canada.
LA Waygood, Dubai
Cafe smoking ban must be enforced
I was taken aback when I read Takings stubbed out at mall cafes after smoking ban (October 1).
How can smoking be allowed in cafes and other enclosed areas while members of the public are around?
It's only for the sake of moneymaking that the cafe owners are grumbling about smoking being banned.
F Siddique, Abu Dhabi
Cricket coverage is world class
I've been waiting. To be precise, I've been waiting since April 2008. But the wait has been worth it.
Your newspaper's T20 World Cup coverage has been brilliant.
Osman Samiuddin's writing has a touch of genius.
The line about a university essay, "Marlon Samuels as West Indian hero. Discuss", would have made the late BBC cricket commentator John Arlott proud.
The National has taken cricket coverage to another level.
Anwar Khan, Dubai
One-cheque rule suits many renters
In reference to your editorial, 12 months' advance rent hurts market (October 9), there is nothing wrong with the one-cheque system.
Many companies prefer it when finding accommodation for their employees.
Let the free market decide, and allow landlords and tenants to agree to their own terms.
A Godfrey, Dubai
Gossip culture not healthy for offices
After reading In defence of office gossip (October 8), I am surprised that a responsible source should be promoting the manipulative, Machiavellian, near-bullying behaviour that so many managers have spent decades getting beyond.
As a manager, I have often driven this wasteful behaviour out of poorly performing businesses as a means to creating happy, effective and successful workplaces.
Encouraging gossip does not seem like a healthy way to spend an organisation's time, to develop better managers or to help create a better society.
Patrick O'Connor, Dubai
Praise for Indian activist's stance
I'm writing about the claims made by activist Arvind Kejriwal of the India Against Corruption group (Government dismisses calls for probe of property-scam claims, October 9).
I think Mr Kejriwal has acted very strongly in making such charges against United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra.
K Ragavan, India
Lifting the fog on bad driving habits
Driver training has a long way to go in the UAE. It's the norm here to switch on hazard lights unnecessarily to park, stop on the road, reverse, you name it.
And nowhere is this more dangerous than in thick fog such as we experienced in Dubai yesterday. Car drivers here simply are not taught how to correctly use their hazard lights.
Worse, several drivers use their fog lights during the night, even when there is no fog, causing glare for other drivers and making the roads less safe.
There needs to be more education for all drivers and a more proactive role played by the police, perhaps in the form of an awareness campaign.
These bad habits should be weeded out.
K Fuzi, Dubai
Drivers, turn off your hazard lights.
Corey Fletcher, Dubai
