Case studies: How The Debt Panel helped our readers


Gillian Duncan
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Dubai expat with terminal breast cancer cannot return home to South Africa due to debt issues.

From: IC, Dubai

Date: March 21

IC was suffering with terminal cancer when she contacted us. She has now had her debt cancelled by a bank that filed a police case against her because of a bounced cheque. IC has been battling breast cancer since 2014 and currently has a life expectancy of between four to 10 months. After losing her job in 2012, at one stage she owed Dh500,000 on a loan and two credit cards. She paid off the loan but not the credit cards. Then, in late 2015, police contacted her to say a police case had been raised against her for Dh39,000 for a bounced cheque relating to one of the two credit cards. At the time, she still owed about Dh65,000 on both cards. The police case had prevented her from returning home to her native South Africa when she reached out to The Debt Panel for help. Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) cancelled the debt after the case was featured in The National.

In an email to IC, an employee of ADIB said: "I wish you a quick recovery and [hope you] overcome all the difficult circumstances that you [face] with courage and patience. After studying your case, ADIB has exempted you from the rest of the amount and has worked to write it [off]. Also at the same time, the legal action that was filed against you has been released from police station."

IC said: "I am incredibly grateful and overwhelmed by ADIB's decision and The Debt Panel's assistance. Many thanks to everyone concerned."

Debt Panel case: The Debt Panel passes verdict on UAE residents in dire financial straits

From: Marcus, Sharjah

Date: April 29, 2016

Marcus, whose monthly repayments total more than his entire salary, says his case is close to being resolved. The National has been following his story since he first approached the Debt Panel for help last year. At the time he had debts with three banks, totalling Dh284,600. His repayments amount to about Dh11,112 a month. He earns Dh9,283. Marcus, from the Philippines, who did not want to reveal his full name, took out four loans with annual rates ranging between 28 per cent and 33.36 per cent – two with one bank and the other two with a further two banks. He borrowed the money to finance the rebuilding of a family home that was destroyed in a typhoon, and to cover his mother's medical bills.

Two banks agreed to reduce his repayments, but a third to which Marcus pays Dh4,836 each month – almost half of his monthly salary – refused following a review until last month. “The sales guy told me that I am entitled for a top-up loan of Dh179,000, so congratulations to me. So there has been an answer to all the prayers that I have been asking for one year now,” he says, adding that the amount will cover his other loans too.”

Debt panel case: Dubai aviation sector employee too stressed to eat or sleep over Dh170,000 debts

From: JR, Dubai

Date: March 7, 2017

JR, an aviation industry employee drowning in Dh170,000 of debt, says a consultant will aid him in his plan to restructure his debts.

JR arrived here from the Philippines in 2011 and started taking on credit. He contacted The Debt Panel because he has seven credit cards, all of which have been maxed out, and a loan. He is still struggling to make ends meet, but is hopeful. “Unfortunately my salary is not enough so I’m still trying to borrow from my friends and family, which I have done before, but unfortunately I didn’t get positive feedback from them,” he says.

However, he has been able to restructure his card balances with two banks, and is still in negotiations with others. He has also managed to secure a Dh2,000 refund and the return of a cheque for Dh13,000 he gave to a debt consultant who was unable to help him. “I have a solution in mind to close my dues one by one. I asked the banks for help and they said it was not possible. I already did a restructuring plan myself on my own and it is still continuing,” he says.

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Duminy's Test career in numbers

Tests 46; Runs 2,103; Best 166; Average 32.85; 100s 6; 50s 8; Wickets 42; Best 4-47

Some of Darwish's last words

"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008

His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.

The biog

Born: High Wycombe, England

Favourite vehicle: One with solid axels

Favourite camping spot: Anywhere I can get to.

Favourite road trip: My first trip to Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan. The desert they have over there is different and the language made it a bit more challenging.

Favourite spot in the UAE: Al Dhafra. It’s unique, natural, inaccessible, unspoilt.

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Director: Sharat Katariya

Starring: Varun Dhawan, Anushka Sharma, Raghubir Yadav

3.5/5

NBA FINALS SO FAR

(Toronto lead 3-2 in best-of-seven series)

Game 1 Raptors 118 Warriors 109

Game 2 Raptors 104 Warriors 109

Game 3 Warriors 109 Raptors 123

Game 4 Warriors 92 Raptors 105

Game 5 Raptors 105 Warriors 106

Game 6 Thursday, at Oakland

Game 7 Sunday, at Toronto (if needed)

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Prince Ea
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Venom

Director: Ruben Fleischer

Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed

Rating: 1.5/5

The stats

Ship name: MSC Bellissima

Ship class: Meraviglia Class

Delivery date: February 27, 2019

Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT

Passenger capacity: 5,686

Crew members: 1,536

Number of cabins: 2,217

Length: 315.3 metres

Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)

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Company profile

Date started: 2015

Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki

Based: Dubai

Sector: Online grocery delivery

Staff: 200

Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends