A gift as good as gold

A reader praises jewellery entrepreneur Firoz Merchant for his donations to get debtors out of prison and back to their home countries. Other topics: taxis, YouTube and obesity.

Traffic tangles create taxing times at mall

Something really should be done about the taxi situation at Abu Dhabi's Al Wahda Mall.

I like the mall, and it is convenient for me. But the traffic tangle at the taxi rank outside the front door of the mall was very unpleasant and slow even before the recent major expansion of the mall. Now it seems even worse.

On Friday afternoon, I stood in line in the heat for 18 minutes. There were lots of taxis, but they just couldn't move.

I watched them crawl along, with trolley "boys" and traffic supervisors trying to make things move more quickly. Some people cut into the line, taxis and other vehicles cut each other off, some people were waiting patiently and others were impatient.

Of course, many people get into taxis with lots of bags of shopping, plus children and folding strollers, so everything is very slow.

When the mall was expanded, the operators should have done something for the comfort of customers who use taxis. I hope it is not too late for this problem to be fixed.

Elizabete Baums, Abu Dhabi

Multiple drops no longer permitted

I was annoyed to discover that taxis leaving Dubai International Airport are now no longer allowed to make multiple drops.

There were about 70 people in the queue at Terminal 2 on Wednesday night last week.

A colleague and I both live in the Marina, but our request to travel together was flat-out refused.

J Cooper, Dubai

Online video can help musicians

Contrary to the opinion expressed in Is YouTube killing classical music performances? (June 25), YouTube is actually helping all kinds of musicians.

It allows a person's music to be known in places where no one would have previously thought it possible.

In any case, musicians never make much money from a recording; their money comes from live performances.

Recordings make record companies rich, but not the musician.

Poor recordings should be banned, but professional recordings should be made available for internet transmission.

Providing free music on the internet can also help musicians make a profit from merchandise.

A Hilton, Spain

Businessman sets a great example

I refer to the story about Firoz Merchant, the Indian businessman who has spent millions to free debtors from jail and repatriate them (The jewellery boss with a heart of gold, June 30).

I say to Mr Firoz: you are doing a very good job, sir. I hope many people can learn from you.

Jasvanti Bhogaita, Dubai

Making a case for Metro extension

I wish the Roads and Transport Authority would extend the Dubai Metro into Sharjah.

This would remove a lot of the traffic on Al Ittihad Road and contribute to a reduction in the amount of pollution that the daily morning traffic jams from Dubai to Sharjah are causing.

P Siddip, Sharjah

Negligence often ends in tragedy

I am writing about your editorial, Parents must keep tabs on children (June 28).

It refers to a story about a couple leaving their three-year-old in thier car, then forgetting where they had parked the vehicle.

It is amazing how parents can be so casual about their children's well-being.

Too many children lose their lives due to the carelessness of their parents or guardians.

Parents simply must be more attentive and responsible.

Sahil Ahmed, Abu Dhabi

Alarming figures on Indian obesity

I was shocked to read in Delhi bellies are getting bigger (July 1) that, by 2015, 31 per cent of Indian men will be overweight.

This is mainly due to the economic improvement over the past decade among middle class people, and changing eating habits.

Indians are now consuming more sweets and other high-calorie items, and it is alarming that they will be more prone to develop certain health disorders.

K Ragavan, India