<strong>Government needs help to achieve its goals</strong> One recent day I had complained to Abu Dhabi Municipality about the clutter and filth in the area around my building. The same day, an official from the municipality came to survey the area. The following day, a number of municipality workers came to clear the clutter and disinfect the place. I appreciate the prompt response of the municipality. This is an indication that the UAE is making efforts to maintain the standards of its services. Government officials are doing a commendable job. But they need our cooperation. Let's all lend a helping hand to them. R Rex, Abu Dhabi <strong>India should improve security</strong> I am writing in reference to the news article Deadly attack in Kashmir ahead of India PM's trip (June 25). The militant attack on an army convoy at such a time indicates that the Indian government's security measures are not adequate. It's time the government took stern measures to tackle security issues in Kashmir. Attacks on army personnel have become a regular feature in the valley. K Ragavan, India <strong>Solve issues over Emirati employees</strong> Encouraging Emiratis to join the private sector is a good idea (Abu Dhabi faces burden of Emiratisation as nationals shy away from private-sector jobs, June 17). But we must consider the fallout. A major issue will arise, for example, when an expatriate manager will need to be firm with an Emirati over performance issues. That could have serious repercussions on the expat. These things must be kept in mind. Eman Zabalawi, Al Ain <strong>Pay attention to English accents</strong> I refer to the article How do you spell English expert? With I, N, D, I, A and N (June 26). I wish we Indians could work on our English accents too, because we are globally recognised and mocked for them. In a country where so many languages are spoken, we must have some control over the way we speak the global language. Moiz SA, Sharjah <strong>Book shows the way to progress</strong> I am writing about the book Two Boys from Aden College (Aden College is sadly tedious despite its promise, June 21). In an erudite dialogue between Ahmad and young Haleemah, we hear the voice of a prostitute in a land where she is a pariah. She has the final word on those who killed her father, denied her justice and used her services, yet despised her. She warns Ahmad about a plot to kill him, and he flees to neighbouring Saudi Arabia. Through well-crafted dialogue, the author urges his country of birth and its people to move on further towards a different and more enlightened way of life where justice, equality and political freedom should be fundamental rights for all citizens. It is a good read. Words flow easily in a narrative which urges the reader to question existing attitudes. Adel Aulaqi, UK The events in the book are so captivating and true to life that I finished reading the whole book in about 36 hours. The inspiring story and rather entertaining style had me imagining the events as though I were following an exhilarating movie. Farook Aman, Canada <strong>Soldiers deserve a pat on the back</strong> The catastrophe in Uttarkhand is unimaginable (Death toll from India floods likely to top 1,000 in Uttarakhand, June 25). Whether the disaster is natural or man-made is debatable. From television footage, we can understand that the extent of the disaster could have been easily reduced in advance. Some of the huge buildings that were swept away seem to have been too close to the river bank, thus within the danger zone. Most of them were tourist lodges. All of us should be ready for natural calamities and it is the duty of the authorities to ensure that safety rules are followed while constructing buildings, especially in such environmentally sensitive areas. If rules were followed while building those structures, then the number of casualties and extent of damage would have been less. However, the army, air force and border security troops are doing a commendable job. Thousands of lives have been saved by their prompt and well-coordinated action. We must be proud of their hard work. They are the only hope in such times. Sunita Joshi, India
